The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-09-13
NATToNAI, DEFENCE.

l. NAIIONAb LEE ExS 49,
Since the rece.t a.'lissry movements IN
the East, which NV. -, vn that by the ala
of atea,n. ,mmeuss armies may be easily
transported large distances, and iandeo WIN
perfect ease in an enemys country'it mas
become obvious that the United states are
not a. secure, ss WIS formerly believed from
fors;gu invasion. It IL now seen, that II IL
had suited the policy of the allied powers to
commence the regulation of the affairs OF
the world, in the Western instead OF the
rss,srn hemisphere, the two hundred thou
sand veterans now before Sebastopol might
have been landed on the American coast
Nth inst a much ease as they were landed
on the Crimea, whilst the immense fleets OF
the Baltic and Black seas would have laugh
ed to scorn any attempt of our little Navy
TO obstruct the passage of the invading army
across the ocean.
This new and disagreeable view OF our OK
posure to foreign invasion, has attrac.eo ~,
fention ia military circles, and an omcer o'
high standing in the army, has published IN
. Northern magazine an able article on ma
sional Defence" He starts with q PROPOSE.
tion from which the Navy will certainly dis.
ssnt,) that Il IL impossible for large naval
force, cruising In front Of an extended coast
10 prevent hostile expedition from lano'se
on i's shores He quotes the admission OF
the historian Alison, that In tbs face OF great
" superior maritime forces, ireland was, TOR
sixteen days, 10 l7ss, ct the mercy OF Hocsss
expedition of $4,000 men; and that neither
the skill of English sailors nor the va!of Oh
English armies, but the fury Of the elements,
saved them from the danger. "While these
considerations, continues Alison, "are htsed
to abate confidence in invasion, they are Ut
the same time calculated to weaken an over
weening confidence in naval superiority,
and to demonstrate that the only base on
which certain reliance can be placed, even
by an insulsr power. is we'll disciplined ar
my, and the patriotism of its own sub]ects.
The writer then proceeds to advocate, as
the principal reliance for national defence,
the efficient organization of State troops
which be proposes to aid by the existing In.
stitutions-the U. s. Military Academy, the
U. S. army, and the militia of the States. IL
is the several States which furnish the mill
tia force, and he ecommends that the regu-
lar army should therefore be recruited by
States. "Let every regiment have its depot
IN particular district of country, with the
present rate of pay given to the non COM
missioned officers and privates, and the re-
ward of promotion from the ranks be bestow'
ed wherever merited." Such legislation as
would be required for this purpose from Con-
gress, he thinks would be readily granted
Congress could give its consent for the varl-
Gus States 10 keep troops in time OF peace,
and to encourage them in their organization,
provide for annual distribution of five mil
lions of dollars among them, upon evidence
that they have organized camps OF lnstruc'
ton during two months in the year, contain
ing a number of troops at least equal to ten
out of one hundred of the enrolled militia
force of the State.
This project will hardly command the ap
probation of any but the army. 1t is clearly
impracticable, to say the least of it. Our
chief reliance against a foreign enemy, Mr.
Alison's opinion to the contrary notwith
standing, should be large navy, which, with
the aid of steam-an agent unknown at the
time of the expedition against Ireland-could
guard the coast at every assailable point;
whilst for land force, we must look, as in
the Mexican war, to volunteers, who will
throng, in vast multitudes, around the nu
cleus presented by our regular army.