Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-24
TIE ElLLLBUsTERoS AND CUBA.

the form of the enormous injury such event would in
hct upon commerce, the value of tonnage the
decline in the value of stocks and the general de-
probation in real estate, particularly in seapors
That in the course ef six or eight months should
possess nayalsuperory Spain upon the there
can be but little doubt whatever might be the fact in
that respect at the of hostlites under
the present reduced and inefficient state Of national
marine but this superiority, admitting it to be great
the most sanguine might anticipate, would not pre-
vent Spanish pryaeers from sWarming in every that
is requented by merchantmen and committing the
most fearful rayages upon them Our superiority over
Spain under any circumstances could not begin to
pare with the naval superiority of Great Britain
in the last when the latter had thousand ships
and hundred and fifty thousand seamen in full acti-
vity and had ten national ships Of all classes
at one time the ocean, and every port in the Union
blockaded yet Notwithstanding this, privaeers
mitted the most extensive havoc British commerce.,
and that too when during the last year Of the war,
ls14) Great Britain was relieved from her European
enemies and able direct large portion Of her
attention to US.
Spain has forty thousand seamen, which are now en-
ployed in her national or commercial marine In war
with us, as matter of course her would be
annihated and the only for her forty thousand
seamen would be on board Of privateers prey upon
they would all eagerly into the employment say
nothing of all the other prvateersmen Of Europe who
would flock the Spanish flag in order to obtain por
ton Of the rich harvest of punder which thousands
Of merchant ships and their valuable cargoes would af
ford We see it asserted that could capture or drive
from the these fleets of private armed ships That
we could and would capture many of them there is no
doubt but it would be something like cutting off the
heads Of the hydra for each we cut off two would
appear in its place, and exchanged our prisoners
they would at reembark in another ocean foray
upon What, for instance, could do for the pro-
lection Of the Mediterranean, in
tering leaving that sea- with the numerous Spanish
Mediterranean port from all which privateers would is
in any required number, and with Agesiras
try at the Straits Of Gibraltar under the formidable bat
eries of which place steam sailing ships Of war can
securely anchor and dash out upon every of
merchant vessels which might attempt leave
the Stras Our East India and Pacific commerce would
be also cut up by armed vessels from Manila and other
ports Of the Philippines and the ports of Cuba and Porto
Rico at any rate until could capture those slands
would send forth full quota of armed cruzers to act
their part in the drama of destruction.
The amount Of property, including the value Of the
vessels that passes Cape Florida to and from the Ame
ports the Gulf of Mexico, is from $3.50 900
0000 600 per annum Does any one OF those rash
and thoughtless persons who anxious for war
with Spain believe that prepared or can be pre-
pared, to protect this vast commerce tecpey over the
whole surface of the Gulf in going in and coming out
from that inland sea- and after 1t gets out upon the
ters of the Atlantic? Can We at the same time furnish
the necessary naval force for offensive operations against
Cuba, dispatch squadrons for the protection Of our
trade over the whole surface of the Atlantic in the Me-
diterranean the East Indies the coast of Brazil
in the Pacific at the Sandwich Islands and Australia
Java and Sumatra, in the China seas, the eastern
coast of China, in the Bay of Bengal, and all the
coasts of British India Does any suppose could
capture drive into port in ten of the Spanish pr
vateers which would Immediately after declaration Of
be found in all ths above quarters of the world
But the presence the ocean of Spanish prya-
teers would not be necessary drive our merchant flag
from the ocean; for own underwriters could do it
pretty eectuay by the increased insurance they would
demand in the shape Of war premiums on both our ves
sells and cargoes At the present moment shipown-
have fierce competition not only for the foreign
ryingrade but also for the trade Of the United
States with European ship-owners and increase of
only per cent in the rate of insurance vessels
and cargoes under the American flag would 90 far to-
wards deciding the struggle in favor of the foreign rival
flags. But, instead Of per cent, war with Spain
would increase the rates OF insurance. according to the
nature of the voyage from Ere to enty per cent,
which would kill off all foreign commerce under flag
as effectualy would war with England and France
both combined against US.
1t might be said we could merchant vessels,
and particularly the clipper and other ships of large tom
mage, in such that nothing Of less force than
figate could capture them True but the expense Of
this armament, the wages, stores and provisions for
complement of men, the loss Of freight to the great
extent of which the water stores, provisions, and
ammunition would occupy, would have the same effect
regards successful competition with foreign
mercial rivals increased rate Of insurance for
war premium; and though such premium would be less
on vessel thus armed than unarmed ship, still it
would only be o reduced premium, which would
greatly exceed the present low peace rates.
The ocean steam and sailing tonnage Of the United
States worth at least two hundred and fifty millions of
dollars and it would probably be low estimate say
that war with Spain would depreciate that value at
least one-hal Here, then, would be another item to
the debit side Of attempt to seize Cuba of 12 900
dollars to say nothing of the loss and distress which
would be extensively felt among the thousands of pro-
ducers urnishers artisans mechanics and aborers who
provide the necessary supplies do the necessary
pairs and equipment in order to keep such immense
Of tonnage in activity In addition would be those
who employed in building and equippng ships,
oil of which kind Of work would be at necessary,
and would carry distress amidst all those thus happily
and proftably employed.
war of the kind would naturally cause large de-
probation in the value Of real estate In all the
cial cities of the Union, which would have greater
less sympathetic effect country property Stocks of
all kinds would also be unfavorably affected for even
under the pressure Of the Mexican war; United States
six per cent stock par which present sells
upwards of twenty per cent. premium.
The depreciation these two species Of property,
real estate and stocks in the single city Of New York.
would amouat TO greater than the Island Of Cuba
WORTH TO say nothing Of similar results in every other
city and section Of the country.
Quite an excitement was stirred up In the little town
Of GreenupssurE Ky afew days ago, the and
trial of JeF Ecnes, prominent member Of the Greenup
BAR chares Of grand larceny The Record says that
it was proven on the trial that Timothy Clary, whilst
using papers re had taken out Of his pocket book