Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-11

| UQ IN lNU UE~du tii~ OOC up . VIZ ''S"fS aNNSO
had been surrendered as unfit for rep iir; the sloop Concord
wns lost in the Mozambique channeIi the schooner Grampus
was lost off Charleston. and the splendid steamship Missouri
had been burned in the harbor OF Gibraltar.
1t was a year Of DISASTERS and, 60 far from being strength.
ened, the navy, 10 regard TO the number OF vessels and guns
was actually diminished. From lS43 TO lo44 II maue NUE.
if any. advance.
10 sbips.oi The. Ine, carrying each 100 guns.
10 frigaies, frst.class, carrying each n "
2 frigate., second. class, carrying each 50 "
II slUops-Uf- war, first class, carrying each ~
6 sloops.of-war second-clasa, carrying each 10
7 briggs, rated each at
8 schooners, rated each at !O
$ steamers. ONE Of
4 ~sloreships
* china IN all, hearing 2256 guns.
We have now according 10 The Navy Register for 1854:
so sail vessels, bearing l,Sos guns
~ steam vesaeis, bearing l1o
II vessels, bearing 2,ll5 "
Thus it will be seen that the number Of our war vessels,
and Of The guns which they bear, is actually less now than
II was in 1874. Since then, however, we have acquired ex,
elusive possession Of Oregon, annexed Texas, aud ACQUIRED
California, and have thus added more than two thousand
miles to our coast requiring defence. The increase of our
trade will appear from the following 'aO'e f. ,e5a
rmoorts !" Sill 200 4s Imports $685., O96,647
Exports los 435 OBS Exports $50 4a2 25O
Tonnage 22SUU95 tonnage f,toi,olo
So IL oppears that we nave q coast Of two thousand miles
longer now than In 1914; that our imports and exports nave
increased since then more than one hundred per centrand our
tonnage about one hundred per cent; and while ms ls ''ue'
our navy, instead of being propo'tionably Increased, mas ac'
:ually decreased, both in The number OF its SHIPS AND OF ls
guns. And the navy Of 1914 was nearly the same as that
which Judge Upshur had 30 urgently asked 10 nave increased
in l54l-'2.
r.s il TT II if' sn Hy;f % e one sr ,S S" asus force ss,i /. Re To- I% q 2 o.sS@o t%
more plain aud simple than this, let me submit TO Aim ano.
Their view. Our ships are made of perishable-alas, too per.
ishable- material. The best OF them soon become decayed
and unreliable. Where now are the vessels which gave i'm.
mortality to "sea. born SaIamis2' Where now is the proud
ship which bore tho grcst Nelson al onc0 TO victory nod To
t,athl The best OF ours must soon be as unsubstantial as
these.
Thirty. five years is more than the average duration of n
vessel. Then, ms we have about seventy vessels Of all
classes md descriptions In our navy. and the whole must be
repla ccd by reconstruction in t~hirly.hve years, II appears
that we must have Two new vessels every year, on an ave-
rage, 10 keep up our present number. No new vessel, now
ever, has been ordered by act Of Congress since ls4I. when
four steamers were authorised to be built, In consequence Of
a deficiency in vessels Then existing. since 1871 eeVen
years have elapsed. At the rate CT two vessels a year. tour
Teen are now wanted TO supply the loss from ordinary de-
cav. Is il no, time. then, to pass such a bill as thisi We
have nov The requisite materials ON hand, and an overflow.
ing treasury. Shall we refuse 10 build vessels for our navy,
and leave The surplus in tho treasury to be paid out, in the
purchase OF our debt before 1t becomes DIE, at over twenty
per cent. premium, or else 70 be %squanderei In every wild
scheme OF speculation and plumber which a yoracious lobby
can devi,ef Let lovers OF economy and purity answer.
In my argument thuc far | have failed 10 present me con-
sideralion that the construction OF new vessels 10 absolute
" necessary 10 keep up with The inventions and improve
mems OF the last few years. We beat England IN lslZ, IN
part because we were in advance of her in the art oil build
inc ard arming vessels. She, and all the other mari time
nations of Europe are In advance OF Us In that espect now.
The screw. propeller, which is lately so much in use With
hem has scarcely entered our navy at oil yet. It's advan,
lagos are very great and numerous. Then the science and
skill OF the last few years has fully proved the superiority OF
guns much larger than those heretoloreHin Use, because they
reach a greater distance, and arc much more destructive In
effect.
What American will no. feel mortified at the fact that we
have no steamer In commission In our navy oea1Ine more
than ten guns. while many of the steamers in The European
navics bear more Than ono hundred guns, and some 10 Inc
English navy rs many as ono hundred and thirty gunsi
This suggests another important cnnsldtTauon 10 refer
n n thp incTease Of our navy. Inc ScCIGtQTy OF lUe
Navy has very properly declared that we onSht mol 10 seek
to equal the naries of the leading maritime powers OF ku'
rope. Their condition Of conliguity 10 each other, thel Ire
uuent embrDilmsnts, and their extensive foreign possessions,
with other reasons of Il similar character, Tenoer a greater
naval armament necessary on their part. But win thern ie
our competition, and with them ne TO be our contests u
any shall shortly befalI US. We must, then, nave some ret
erenco 10 their strength. and seek 10 preserve como p'opot-
ton 10 il on our part. 10 show our too great iniefloftp 10
Them, | have prepared q tnblu of the naval strength oil oifler'
co, countries, which | will not now give, but Will append TO
my printed speech.
may not BIO satisfied with these general arguments 10 favor
of a new construction Of ysseels at the present time. Ihey
may desire TO know where they are needed, md In whnt
squadrons they are 10 be employed. The apporttonmcnt oil
our vessels into %squadrons Ia the appropriate WORK OF lhe
Secretary OF the Navy, and desire not to encf1atn upon
his proper domain. | think, however, that 1t will be quite
easy TO show where q greater numbsr OF vessels. not on!y
might b. used with propriety, but are demanded oy inc eA'-
gcncies Of the service.
1t has been a leading object with me, since my mind has
been directed 10 this subject, 10 devise and submit a
clear and definite naval policy for our country. | desired 10
J show, II possible, how many vesoels we needed. OF what
classes and descriptions, and how they should DO Opposed OIL.
Owing to the uncertainty of the service required, and other
dific uIlies which attend the subject, have been able, thus
far only 10 approximate the desired result. II is clear, how
ever, that we should have a larger number Of vessels nenr the
coast of Europe during the hos,if,ies there, a larger num-
BET in The Pacific, and u larger number In our home
service. Above all, We should have some first class,
heavily. armed, screw.propeller frigate'; =, Without these
ous. naval armament Is totally unequal for the uses for
which il is designed, and would as well DO dismanted and
surrendered at once. Our annual appropriation for such
purposes is utterly useless, unless we have a navy worth
kopnino uO. This DOjnt we ought 10 resolve at once.
Besides all these arguments, there Is a strong one arising
out of the state of feeling and Of relation existing between
The different nations Of the earth at the present time. The:e
8 a senstiveness and nervous resllessness in The public
mind peculiar to The present time. Nations. so TO speak, are
on The qui rire. Every Irihs Ia scanned 10 discover the
mighty consequences 10 which II may lead.
Each toy seems prologue 20 some great ami.s."
Everything portends change. We are probably on the eve
Of nigh y events. The probability now is that c peace be-
tween Russia and Turkey is far remote, and that Il furious
war between them is inevitable. France and England take
part on behalf oiTurkey. Louis Napoleon has been long hot
ior the encounter, and the English ministry have been una
bic longer TO resist the warlike temper OF the English ma
lion.
Those well-appoin,cd navies which have recently been
resting in such ominous quiet ia The Bos2horus have nwa-
kened from their le,harQy, and soon we may hear that they
have startled the Turkish seas with the wild glare Of their
terrible guns. A Russian flee, is 10 the Baltic. Sir Charles
N apier ia about 10 proceed 10 tho same sea, and very soon
the IurId blaze that the English and French fleets may kindIe
on the Black sea may be answered back by one scarcely less
terrific. In The neighborhood Of the German ocean. VINO
can tell where this contest is to end9 Will not Austria and
Prussia be involved? And if they are. then Poland and Hun.
gary may revolt. Other provinces may follow, and a min
gLed war OF nations against nations, Of races against "a ces,
Of provinces against Kingdoms, of subjects against rulers,
may ensue.
The sky ia dark snd lowering. Under these circumstances,
what does 1t behoove US 10 dol Ours will be the neutral
R,g, and. It may BE-, the only neutral flag Of any influence
upon the great highways Of trade. Let US be able TO COM
mand for II the immunity and the rights OF neutrality. Ii we
appear feeble and helpless, the ~belligerent nations. 10 the
wantonuess OF passion, may encroach upon and insult U.s.
We may avoid difficulty only, In my judgment, by being able
10 command respect.
| The events leading to the war OF 1912 TOO plainly show