The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-04
Hon. #. p. Stanton on inc Navy or the
United States.

United States.
Hen f. p Stanton Of Tennessee delivered A interest
ing lecture last evening" before ths Mercantile Library
Association, ~ Hope Chapel There very large and
attentive audience present.
The Hon. gentleman, In commencing his lecture, a.
luded to the character and objects Of the Mercantile L.
brary Association IT, said the speaker have not been
mistaken In the character and objects OF this
IT, ~ suppose 1t ia association Of these who are con-
pose OF promoting literature and Wedge among them
selvesl think may fairly claim that tho subject
propriae to the occasion The 10 the sword and
shield Of commerce. while commerce. itself IL destined
hereafter to become the basis Of perpetual peace and
brotherhood among oil nations You, gen :lcmsu
pyiDg the principal gate through wAioh commercial
intercourse Ii osrred with AL parts Of the world, AMI
beips yourselves partcpstor to groat extent in
the advantages blessings Of tina, ntect ae
be otherwise then deeply interested 10 thing which
concerns the naval sstsoli' hm.nt Of the ooaatry.
The history Of gallant little navy would be rich
In events Of romantic and profound interest," and 10 all
the material for noble eoquenoe Bat do not propose
to follow It from its birth In the revolutionary period,
when lite bic voice Of rsmonstrancs against opprssoa
was ws repesented BY the ratssuAke on Its dag, dowa
to the day Of its glory when ts starry ensign carried the
fame Of iD trium phs In tdunder the world. shall
Iot attempt 10 recall 10 memory those departed living
hress whose deeds still hearts while recount
ITEM and whose names are hon ehod words throushout
80 land the tolls and sueringS aud the high and
holy devotion of the humble but gallant and patriotic
men who, survivi dead, restored to thsir mother
In havy shoted hammock shroud,
Dropped In their wide and sane ering grave"
IA leave the aowery and entong path OF adventure
the pas and turn to the Walton OF eXtng and
thu calculations Of future pro mife
The progress OF Is ths hi tory OF every
agein the events Of the pact In tn, vii pie tendencies
OF tina pretentseems destined to conduct him through
series OF moral convusons and BLOODY physical
fics to condition OF uual such the world
has never yet enjoyed. Until vihlna comparatively
period the condi don Of mankind appears to
inn
has suhugsed nAticn have aud suppauted
each other and eynastes have risen and fallen Ia
errup'ed succession OF slaughter and dsseson relieved
only by Irregular periods OF recovery from exhaustion.
So the became the theatre Of industry and
with blood we're naturally extended to nat element and
navies became Indispensable instruments OF
power to all maritime n.tons They havs been chiefly
agents Of quest defence In legitimate war OF
restraint and punishment against PIRACY and pundsr.
Such stl tho most important purposes for which
they are but they destined to aol with
vastly different means and with certainty Of widely
de5 ent results from any which have been developed
nsU. contest. 9; TINES; tn:
ordnance at the present day render 1t problem Of
difficulty to determine what exact orm naviss viii hero
after assume or to foree the extent Of disaster which
future naval battles will entail
One maxim, however, has arisen from the experience
the sesa maxim Of Infinite promise humanity though
1t be written In blood and DO read only SCARED
saekersd Page OF the battle Geld Il is that the very
desuctyeneis CT martial enginery dminishss both the
horror Of ard the motive to engage Ia It. Let this
maxim, palpably true and universally admitted 1t il,
be followed to its ultima couss We will bs
conducted in tie end to cor dton OF things 10 which
war will involve the entire distraction OF boih opposing
forces and when the very Iereoton Of tie art win
the i'm possibility OF its existence. Thus, will
qucr end extern in,te itself, and peace will become
necessity for ali nations
to carry its naval forcs nearly possible AMI
rapidly - possible to the highest degree Of eoienoy in
the art Of es.,ruCon In vain We raise our eyes With
horror At this acknowledgment 10 vain exclaim,
BOW Tar better 1t wound be IL the vast expen-
dituIe and the bloo,y trial necessary to develops
this condition Of naval science oould be wholly
avoided! The PASSIONS the brutal UNCOVER ,b,e
% ssons OF and naons-are not yet cuff GENTLY sub
dued to be tbs ord or Of tina they
mus reach this highest oint and destructive
before they be subjected to the OF req
sen and mor, truth Nothing short OF actual trial AID
vcusl must eat the fruit Of the tree Of wsdg Of
good ard evil to the bitter core before they will be able
European war 81 this time, ensins inaoits mischief
upon al the parties to ~ will far TO teach the nstoss
lesson Of peacss lesson which, 1t seems, hossvar pa
radoxcs can only be learned In the costly and bloody
school OF may not be the Last great lesson which
Providence designs to give the world but II will At least
be ons great step taken In the direction OF universal har
mopy.
The condition Of the United States At the present mo
mens u that Of first rate power, having commercial
tonnage equal to that Of Great Britain, aad rapidly
advancing to preponterance Of power the The
Duerce OF country is not measured BY her state OF
should bear AIRY proportion to immense commerce.
which now peps rstes every part OF tbs habAbe gbs
capacity FOR nsv. enterprise 10 the Frsnsn VAT and in
et with the Barbary States, gave It'll strt niger
hbiticps kl and power upon the OCEAN 6nsy
the struggle Of 1874 we gave NJ evidence
Of ability to create naves In incredibly short tins
and to fight them with skfl and not worthy
OF our vast resources In al the material OF shps and ar
msnents These exertions In the very morning Of our
national existence have been Of value infinitely beyond
their cost and have brought after them results greatly
important than those Temporary which thsy
were designed immediately to effect They have taught
the wer'd to appreciate the extent OF our means,
force Of the rational viii when aroused 70 sesioa.
Ia other respects however, 10 well known that
tAr from being on level With the science Of the
day. We not only behind other nations Ia al that
the str aeture Of SHIPS but forced
acknowledge the paIsdoxca reprosch that We
that OF Britain hersel With . commercial marine which
sulpasses ell othfrs In every quail that constitutes
y.us.wi,a triumphs q model Of capacity Of epsed,
name all the world oysr-we have yet insignificant
navy small in number inferior in armament and obso
failure, and vast annual expenditure the navy has
hitherto been mostly applied TO the perpstuaop Of
In form and construction and bunder In the application
OF machinery As Jet the swift footed clipper and oou-
meroial steamer may be safe in their uneqused
speed They have little security In TIE prefer ecefcy
OF the navy which they much contribute to support
Were not that the herosm OF 1872 still survives among
rome OF our oficsrs-thst occasionally Ingrsham Is
inspired to impsrs nate the majestic split OF our ipaii
tutions In so bold manner as 10 stir the heart OF the
voild-we might almost give way to tbs fear that
have already fallen beneath oar destiny great naval
ed the lowest point about TO rise % Ain TO q CON
clifton In this Gpect better suited TO present dignity
and power.
1t not sufficient that have mountains OF irou 10
exhaus;ibe plies OF hemp and COAL and oTes ef the
best timber, sufficient TO create thousand nAvies to
gsther With ample and treasury free from the
incubus OF oppressive debt These are inteed, Of pri
mary importance; but we must also have the skill and
the experience necessary 10 construct psvss in the short
est time and IN the most efficient form. We nust have
machinery, and all propsr appliances ready 20 b.
ployed in tao public fervice met merely 10 navy
yards ard other soysrnrent establishments but alo ia
the private establishments Of the country la these lAt
ter is TO be found our eDxh quite much, and per.
baps more, than In the former We prepared TO
abandon the docks and yards refGse to foster
and encourage, In evey lsmsts way those schemes OF
private enter psise which viii constitute main reli
Ance wherever required 10 arpy vast to
the defence Ct tbs country We have made inp1le,t
preparation ,or svsDirg ounelyei o, the uimeoss
sources in men And material 70 be found in the great
valley OF the Nissf sippi though these may at auy
be required 70 the control OF the Cult Of
Mexico 90 with the Pacific OF the country
mercersp: has been made there no yever and We may
ressopa,ly anticipate that the importance o.