Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-12-21
Fer Mc ENlMirrr.
TIE NAVY OF TIE UNITED srATEs-.1TS IMpOR.
TANcE TO THE SOUTH CONSIDERED

I
TIE NAVY OF TIE UNITED srATEs-.1Ts lMpOR
lance TO THE SOUTH CONSIDERED.
Il is n: opinion old the n,,e Of Queen Bcss nno
advanced by that pfn,nurd thinker aud aalIaHt gen
tl,inan sir Wmltcr Raleigh. that 10 have the "domn
ION of the sea- is In POSSESS TINT 4" the "rntI' AIS"
The sagacy OF this doctrine j. abundhntiy establish
ed Ly the history OF every maritime people. PLu.u
cia. Carthage, Genoa, Venice, Portugal, Spain ana
Holland have all illustrated with their former 0pu
ence, spcrdor and extended influence, the truth u
| Raleigh prnp".itiun. And when the Spanish Arnn
| ia InrrlurId the coasts of En.lnnd; when Medina
Sc,inua had selected for himself pleasant 10.
cation Us reward in part for his anticipated con-
Uuss:: when the needy chivary OF Spain sent forth
lis finest blood 10 suhiugnte the hereto That same
grand intellect III marking out line of defence, de-
cid.d 20 meet the invader HDDR Ire For, said he
we have a coast undelandcd and 'no walled towns
like the in;y cputrCciinf stand !, ten drvs'
siege How applicable this is TO The South shall
exhibit in the srGGrl. From the date of the mcnpru-
bic rcpulse Of the Armada, britannia began :" con-
pose her arrogant SOM, which sets forth, in somewhat
c-tiunubl,. verse her prctcnsIums To the ulspucd
| supremacy Of the ocean. And, Us she ruled the
wave, her dominion" Of the 'enrth extended, um-
I'll BOW the sun never goes GOWN upon 'e rcH cross
of ST. George. That the british Empire owes lis CO.
lossal proportions and gigantic influence to her naval
power, man quCsious Through 1t she has achIev-
ed her graldest aucCcsseS through It she mas added
10 the extent and preserved Tie integrity "i her Vasi
Empire. Dibrn and host of mlliu. hartl> nave
celebrated the deed. Of Engli.l, seamcn, nnd hsto-
rianS have chr0nCId the substantial benefits which
have been the result.
With these facts before us, with country incxhaus-
tbc in its resources -abDulung in productions
which wrH seek The markets of the world is il not
our imperative duty Ia protect grcat commerce.
which is each day growing in magnitude and lmpor-
ancr, and Ia which we look for the necessary traI.-
p0rtaliom 10 our superintendent wealth Inquesti0n-
ably sD. And the mode of protection il clearly ini-
Gated By the pnst experience Of every con'inercinl
power for ,ln not See 2"rt l,1sN" with the cN'
palISinn Of foreign trade, the growth, development
and Increase of Naval establishments And that the
protection which this great interest demands, should
be adequate, the Navy designed for that purpose,
must be maintained in II condition "i etilcicn"y; II
being :.rant,, that commerce requires suri pr"icr
tDn II becolGts proper to enquire III what efficiency
consists. Surely is not found in multitude of ships,
armed and equipped with implements ", wsIfar.'-
but rather i'll corps oI well educated clear headed,
able bodied, henl.hy, active and lLor offices; adc
Iuate, in the language uf the law Ia the discharge OF
"AIl' their duties "AFLoAr AND AsIIDRE'--Incu
able, phyScGHy mp, i0Hg ard mD.0lIV, To meet ana
dschars. the mui'linnus and vuricd demands Of
their profession. Adequate, we repeat, to the dis
charge n! ''AIL' their dutirs--i degree Of cnmpe
tecy which the public has the right I" demand from
it, agents III every sphere at rtIul civil military
This IL not only our humble opinion Of the meaning
Ui the term efficiency, rs employed III the act for
the reorganization Of the Navy, but il is explained
by the Honorable Secretary in his instructions TO the
Bonrd. This imperative necessity, 10 which We
have already alludrdthc necessity of maintaining
well appointed Naval establishments BECOMES sill
NOR" Obvious VIXEN we add 10 our vast md
duly expanding commercial! Interests, the complex
character Dt our relations with foreign powers. The
hostility and ill.wil of the two most powerful Euro
pcan Governments i unc'luivocal We have attain ,
cd degree Of opuencc and power which has excited
their eulous,s and mG'v Violence. Their Cabinets rs
ell know, have been, and are still busy III A.
tenpts 10 rr;nrd our territorial cxlmn> iom-'" "b-
sruct our commercial advancement; ani, finally 20
controversy. They Indicate feelings u! hostility
which should not be dsr":arlcd, and IL their cunem-
plaom we should remember, that the best guarantee
Tor peace is preparation ioi war. But here some
bcliicose representative Of Young America confront,
liz with the assertion that arr ready and, per-
haps IuO;es for ediication the OPINION OF that
acute English noblemNn, who bu the other day pro-
mouuccd Us the most wariike people upon the globe.
For II contest upon i"rr0 hrm", perhaps we are pre-
parcu. but in The event of collision with England,
France anil Spgin-whicli may occur-our policy IL Il
great commercial power, would be that which ages
ago dictated By Sir Walter Eai''Gh-we should
have TO fight upon the ocean. We can r"se an "r-
NV with the whistle Of Itp,ieric Dhu; but navy is
H. growth Of years. That the contingency of war
may arise al any day, is by no menus removed from
the scope of reason. English policy in Contra Ane-
ricn, ana especially in regard 10 her obvious sclclnc
of 4jrirHHI-iH., CRjs. may force II upon u; and il
il but the part OF ecoi"!ny and wisdom 10 be pre-
pared for such result.
In the event then Of such IN Issue, it canno: hG
doubted thar the South wouit be rCcL!ar!y Nhoc 10
invasion. Any aggressive demonstration would avail
itself of the Institution of slavery, and with the hope
Of iuamiIg oar slave population H. revolt, the South
would be the tirS; point 0f ntack. Not only is tins
npiuIOn--tc opinion that our negroes would assist an
nvnder-hr!d b" foreign powers, but in the Dcce!n
Der number oi Putnnms Magazine find IN article
from native pcn which, under the cuphonioTs cap
ton of s.NIGcEE,,"- distinctly in,iiIlntcs that the
atrocities 81 81. Domingo may ti"d, at some future
day, Il parallel i'll the history of the South. And in
view OF these facts, We REPEAT as eEare already M
timat"d that Raleigh's opinion is iratght VIII; grave
significance to u. We have an immense coast unde-
tended, and every Southern man must appreciate the
LOSSES If not the hnznrds. 10 which more paricn-
nriv would hr suLrccG. Ills opinion is full ol wis
nln aud should bc ponlercd gravciy for Ia naval
efficiency is of vital importance As means al social
iar,unny and order III the event ni war. More I'LL
o.tant IL the Suuih =ocnlly than {" III" North COM
mrlra!ly, iur having We have before remarked.
this n,lr:c and unlclri!cd coa.', with tile lii:il-
nuhi snrc element in population, The protection
Df That runsl would necessarily dcvolvc upon our
navy-aUl This grave trust CaEn"t be discharged, the
responsibility cannot be encountered H9h that navy
is Iuain.nlc,l in a condition of "cicIcmcy.'
TiIu- tar the propositions which we have advanced
have been general: they are such, however, as we
pres urnc few Southern men will conir"vert In our
,ucc"rlMg numbers We shall meet the issues which
have lrn made up by the enemies 4" the l'oal'i, AID
,scus- the AZ ot Congress under which they acted.
We specially commend hi- pn.'"r 10 the scrH'my Of
NIL southern