Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-08-01
mend itself toths peoprs Of te. SQUIRT Surely not
Tum aid flee from it-it viii bring you no honor
iii Is one Of the worst Of isms.
FOR THE EpaEFfElD ADVERTISER.
Guha..sN O. q.

II one Oh Inc WORST OF l6hn1.
FOR THE EpaEF1ElD AsTERTIsEs.
Cuba--.No. q.
In order to sustain the view last presented, IN
the close. of my second article, am justified in
stating that the United States hos commerce next
to the greatest enjoyed by any nation. This conn.,
meree she is compelled to support and defend at any
price, even at the sacrifice Of her last dollar, and
her last drop of blood But to do this, where is her
navy9 Itwould be totally incompetent, under orr
dinary circumstances, in case of'wae with q first
rate power, to perform the service tha would be
indispensably and surely required. Though her
natural resources are beyond comparison greater
than those Of any other people, yet the navy Of
England and France combined, OF q England or
France alone could annihilate our do1eH men Of
War, and with them destroy our whole CommeFco
and impoverish millions Of our wealthiest and most
useful citizens in the space Of single twelve MONTH
The result of such contest with one Of those pow
CTS would be- disastrous to degree beyond the
power Of language to express. ~ might induce q
discomfort sufficient to rend the Union into frag-
mens to SOW the seeds ofanarehy broad east hroagh
| the land, and to strike rs from the catalogue Of
great nations God forbid that such an event should
occur. But our government is sleeping upon the
dearest interests Of her subjects, and II she was
awake to the discharge Of the debt she owes, with
the most trifing effort, and with the most ineausde>
rable expenditure Of money, (Which she is afraid to
muke) she could soon putit beyond mortal prowese
to subdue us, or even to disturb our equanimity by
the whole array that at this moment .hreatens the
demolition of Seyastopo, and the destruction of the
Rusian Empire.
France and England are now fighting as much
for the establishment and preservation Of their su-
premacy the high seas, for the protection and
salvation Of the gallant race whose cause they have
espoused. See the immense exrrtions they are ma
king to defend the Bospborous and the Mediterra-
mean from the ships of Russla; and may say in
this connection, to protect tlsir whole commerce,
and their incalculabe wealthfrom that all.conquer-
ing and aabsorbing despotism. They feel that they
are struggling for their own existence. Russia had
skilnlly and gradually made every point, in a
struggle which has lasted for more than century,
for the occupation of a small sheet Of water that
would hardly attract the eye Of the navigator. In
that small sheet of water has been involved, and il
yet perhaps involved, the destinies Of Europe and
Asia, if not Of the whole family Of man.
Our situation, confess, s.a little similar to that Of
the Russian Empire, but with much more reason
and justice on our side. This accounts in part, for
the great interest felt in America r the success Of
1T - L...- a. .5,,.k ST
Russia from that Of this Government. To COM
mand the Bosphorous, Peter the Great, even before
his Empire was established, in his Incompatible
wisdom, and with his seePless vigilance and sagacity
deemed it worthy Of mighty struggle, that mado
hts very throne to tremhle and totter under him,
and the rod Of Empire to shake and Quiyer in his
iron grasp. In pursuance of the same policy, his
SUCCESSORS have spent countless millions of money,
and almost blood enough to float the remaining navy
left to the Car.
The State of Florida is almost connected with
Cuba, and thero is barely passage for large ships
between them. In fact, il we commanded this Is
land, we could erect system of defences which,
with the aid of even our little navy, would prevent
single vessel Of the proudest natien from making
tile dangerous voyage Of the Guh: Itwould givs'us
the command Of the whole Gulf Of Mexico, and
protect half of the Commerce of the United States
It well known that with our intercourse with Cali
fornia, and with our growing trade with South
America, with China, and with the whole East, we
should be bound to protect the passage alluded TO-,
if It cost US half the wealth Of the nation. ,'
But it may be required, that shall point ont mi
nutely the mode by which the United States would
make the proposed possession useful, and convert
il into such an impresnablc rampant Of defence.
Though totally uuskilled in the art Of engineering,
as also in the science Of war; still have original,
though it may be crude notions, Of protecting our
commonwealth, upon which myself would rely,
and which think could be presented TO others with
some show of reason. The protection dwell upon
refers mainly to assaults through the Gulf Of Mexico,
and the most prominent advantage considered, is
the command Of that Gulf rs well as the perfect
security Of all our trade and navigation through'it
The Gulf Stream or channel between the South
ern point Of Florida and Cuba j, extremely narrow
and angerous-intersperced with Islands and
shoals So is the channel between the most West
crn or South Western portion Of Cuba and the
nearest point, OF Central America so narrow that it
might be so thoroughly obstruc,ed snd commanded
by few ships Of war and good Notifications, with
large supplies on the borders Of. Cuba, rs torcnder
them utterly impissible. In fact bridge could al
most be constructed across the Florida channel, il
not the other ono named,' making usc Of all the
rocks, shoals, and little Islands Intervening, and ap
pIyin. all the other ingenious inventions Of war.
Large ana safe harbors could be. built, and towers
erected and filled with military stores and materials
of ship building, on the coasts both of; Cuba and
Florida, and SO filed with armed men, that even our
little Navy could ride triumphant in the face Of ten
times its strength So soon as one vessel should be
disabled she could run into port under the guard Of
thousand great guns, and could be. re6tted and
resuppled with men and munitions. perhaps before
the action Of her sisters could be brougtto close
and il the forces Of her enemies were great enough,
we might possibly behold the extraordinary rpecta-
Gle Of a never.ending Sea fight. Whilst ON the
other hand every store Of the enemy would havetob b
transported, and having means Of a Te-supPly,
when they should be once destroyed, they would 30
destroyed forever.
But it is not only ina military point Of view that
this great question should be examined. Imagine
ourselves to be- the owners Of all the Islands referred
to, ard the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands, but
particularly of Cuba, andwhat an impulse would be,