The daily union., 1854-12-24
THE VALUE OF FoRTIFICATIoNs.

/
The thus far successful defence of the orresses Of Sebas
topo and Cronstad against the united armies and naves
of France and England has naturally directed the attention
of citizens the too-long state of lake
and forfcations The opinion has been long and
believe honestly entertained that ortifcations upon
land could successfully withstand assaults from the
opinion greatly strengthened by Nelson's brian,
achievements at Copenhagen, and subsequent and
achievements of similar character by other Eng
ish naval commanders The Boston Courier in speaking
of this matter says;
"We trust shall hear nonsense, in out of
Congress- Of the nuity of expending money forts The
eastern is showing the difficulty of reaching the heart
OF nation whose breast well defended by bristng
from stone walls is TO her marine fortihcations that Rus
sia owes her safety Let be protected home before
least seek to be aggressive abroad Besides if aspire
to become naval power have well defended ports
OF refuge for hipsolwar. The fleet of Russia certain
y four five times greater than whole navy yet
would have been destroyed before but the ampars
| of Cronsad and Sebastopol."
In connexion with the above cannot refrain from
calling the attention of the enemies of iorfcations the
suboned extract from the London Examiner of November
| II:
"CoUScL wAR.It is said that at the council of
held by the commanders and admrals of the allies the
2th of October it resolved that the allied fleets should
not be allowed again to participate in the bombardment of
Sebastopo from the side il having been found that the
ships thereby exposed injury without being able
to render proportionally effective service
Commenting the above the Philadelphia North Amer
lean remarks 1t will be said perhaps that Sebasopol
wonder oforfed strength yet what will be said of the
port of Petropaulowsk the Kamtschaa where
fleet of French and English vessels terribly
in attempting assault? In fact the present proves
incontestaby that land Notifications made impreg
nabe to naval attacks For many years the United States
government labored earnestly and steadily the consruc
ton of system Of fortifcaon for defence of our
sea-coas and the lake frontier framed by board Of com
petent scientific engineers attached to the army
The same paper again remarks; Had our coas been
well fortified during the last with Great Britain we
should not have been subjected to the humiliation of having
national capital taken and burnt. Warke defences
capable of resisting the powerful armamens which the
European nations send forth are not to be mprovsed
at short notice. We may build rgates of green TIMBER
but what they worth in with the stout we'll
seasoned and strong vessels European naves
SO, if throw up Notifications resist an approaching
enemy they must necessarily be of the weakest description
through which the shot and shells from the immense guns
used in European navies would pierce the Russian
shot went through the English ships Petropaulowsk
This is matter which cannot be too often strong
dwelt upon for the confident spirit people
their unaded strength has caused lamentabe neg
lec of the precautions against danger
Many otherwise sensible men to be found contend
ing that the merchant ships which hrong ports may
easily be converted into vessels and hence that with
such available force always hand have but little
need of ortifcaons OF this supposition could
only arise from sheer ignorance of the difference between
vessels and merchant ships Many of the latter
not fitted to stand the and tear of the elements
The clipper ships, after few years service miserable
affairs. What effective weapons such ships would be in
war; broadsde from frigate would sink one of
them Naval vessels to be of use be built under the
eye of naval constructor They require twice much
timber merchant ship and the hull that is to stand
the shock of battle must be of double thickness and strength
Yet Congress upon the belief that navy be
| ted impromptu out of vessels not thus built
Before closing this subject in regard to national de-
fences would invite the attention Of the reader 10 the
following extracts taken from very able review of the
annual report of the Secretary of War; which appears in
| the Louisiana Courier:
The report of the Secretary of War fully susain the
reputation of Col Davis and may well be termed of
interesting and useful documents which have from
that department for many years past His views to the
organization material and discipline of the army show that
he theorist but well and practically
quanted with most of the details of military life and service
who has shown most praseworthy zeal to put himself
au with al the theories to drill armng of
troops which the unfetered genius Of and other
brought forward within the last years
"The propositions for the increase of army and its
in such to make it effective for the
execution of those for which it is destined emf
neny worthy of adoption and trust they will be taken
in hand by capable and influential in each
Congress- and the senseess camors few dea
gogues whose only mission at Washington to be to
stand in the of all Improvement advance in army
Il tban MI iful lpfay bo
dered of no avail.
have of late become great to be tred
with bv one-idead minded men, who
look any question Of this nature in any other light than
dollars and cents and the The country gets rid
of those Legislators whose highest and generally only amb
ton termed faithful guardians of the treasury
some other clap-trap name the better will be for it. Ex
wastcu expenditure need not by
be necessary accompaniment of proper increase of the
my and navy enable them perform properly their
duties in peace and give fair chance with enemy in
the war; especially should that enemy be
Great Britain or France, both. Liberal and ucous
penditurcs preparing ourselves to meet all contingencies
will and indeed add must result I saving
millions in treasure thousands OF yes in the of
war with either both Of the powers have naued.N
HON. DAVID l.. YULEE
The two houses of the Legislature of Florida in con-
yenon on the 10Th inst and proceeded to the election of
successor TO Hon jackson Morton in the United States