Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-03-18

that the main strength of the squadron
can be brought to bear upon any poin'
at any moment. :,
Neither does it appear that we shall
be lacking in that most important re-
source which it was thought mightprove
J. manageable. Seamen are pouring
in by hundreds. The prospect of real
service, the spirit of the profession, the
i exei,emen, ofthe crisis, and the novelty
4 Of the call, are all operating with such
effect that three.deckeris now manned
!. more quickly than sloop would have
been five years ago. One or two expe-
dients have been successfully tried in
aid. Able-bodied landsmen are enter
ed, and some of the naval pensioners
will be engaged in teaching them their
duty; the oass.guardsmen are draught.
ed of to serve ahoat, and detachments
of foot artillery will be embarked as in
s,ruc,ors in the practice of gunnery.
Less than q fortnight has elapsed since
war was finally thought inevitable, and
vet in few days we shall have such q
fleet at Spi,head as was never seen there
before.
The military preparations bespeak
equal activity and success. Our contin'
gent will at first be small one, but it
will be admirably efficient, and it can
be followed by reinforcements whenev-
er they are desired. England is not go
ing to make "little wal" this time
Three battalions of the Guards, six line
regiments, including the esd Highland
ers, SO conspicuous at Chobham, bat
talon of the Rifles, and force of Ar
lillery, will proceed forthwith to the
Mediterranean. The rendezvous, in the
first instance, may be Malta, but the ul-
innate destination will be Constantine
pie. Altogether. a division Of some ten
thousand men, or exactly such force
as was seen encamped and maneuvred
last summer, will be transferred from
the British lines to the capital of the
Ottomans. The transport ofthese troops
will in itself afford most remarkable ey-
idence of our national resources.
All persons acquainted with the his
tory of the last war will .recollect the
difficulties and, ,embarrassments of the
transpor, service, the painful length and
privations of The voyage, the sufferings
Of the soldiers, the uncertainty of the
relieis. aud all the costly apparatus of
the conveying expedition. The whole
affair will now be reduced to. an easy
calculation, a simple order, and an a.
greeable voyage at ten knots an hour.
Government will merely take up afew
large steamers in aid of the royal ma
riue. To avoid confusion and disorder,
a liberal allowance of room will be
provided, and, at the rate of 200 tons
register to every hundred men, tits plain
that some 10000 tons ofsteam shipping
will be required. Nearly half this a.
mount is simultaneously offered by four
steamers, the Himalayu, Of $500, the
Jason and Golden Fleece, Of $500
and the Ripon. Of 900 tons. Three
others, the Great Britain, the Hydaspes
and the Queen of the South, would
provide together 5000 tons more SC
that seven merchant vessels, acting a'
auxiliarics to the Government steamers
would do all the work in few days
time. If we remember, too, that these
transports can return for second trip
as quickly as they went, we shall see
tha; British force of2O,oO0 men could
be carried from Southampton to Con.
s,antinoplc, without pressure or incon,
venience, in less time than it takes the
Russians TO march 300 miles.
b 1t is less, indeed, in the actual magri'
tude of the force displayed, great asthis
is, than in the inexhaustible resources
for renewing and supporting it, that the
power of this country will be shown
Every department of the army and nav,
is now in position to act with a vigol
Heretofore unknown. Our latent strength
must prove enormous. We have sur
plus Of revenue, a prosperous and unit
ed population, prodigious commerce
princely colonies and innumerable ships
For the last two years we have beer
improving and extending every brancl
ofthe warlike services too slowly. in
deed, to satisfy some critics. too eagerly
to please others, but undoubtedly witt
stesdiness Of progress which will nov
Iyield its fruits. possess. in fact, al
that we possessed in the last war, witt
the addition of greater wealth, greateI
knowledge, better preparation, and {
most desirable ally.
| LETTER from the Emperor NAPOLEON TO Til