Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-05-09
LIN ngIishman in America.
HIS OPINION OF WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND
AND THE UNITED STATES.


The following article appears 10 the
London Shipping and Mercantile Gazette:
SIR | have now made the tour of the
States Of North America, and think it prob
able can give your readers some useful
Information. I landed at New York city
Ten months ago, and have spent my time in
studying the character and customs of those
people, and must confess that if | remained
ten wears the result would be the same; and
know very little about them. But upon
one point--national pride--nen, women and
children are all alike, and the idea or any
nation of Europe, or the whole of them put
together, conquering this country is per-
fectly absurd TO them. Every body reads
the papers, and good-humored urehin of
twelve years used to rate me soundly at
Philadelphia for our failures at Sebastopol.
The best version of American sympathy
was given me few days since. When the
war commenced the Turks were the weaker
power, aud our sympathies were with her
After the alliance it was three against one,
aud our sympathies went FOR Russia, but
should France join Russia TO morrow against
England, our government could not prevent
its citizens from not only sympathizing With
England, but assisting her with material aid.
THIS heard from very intelligent man,
who do not think suspected my nationality;
and | firmly believe it. In the South | spent
sqme time upon the plan tations, and many
times held long conversation with the slaves,
and always with the saue result. They are
much better satisfied than | suspected. and
when I spoke of the probability of war, l
Mas answered that s.white folks wouldn't
let nigga fight" '.Bur," said I, sthe blacks
from the Vest Indies viii come here and
help you To gain your freedom" "What..
black soger come here; let 'em cum, den.
massa let's fight de nigga, know, and Gar
Almighfy We give 'em goshr' Ii not ex-
pressed in the same language the same feeling
was ever expressed.
have visited all their national armories.
and although the country is at peace, the
greatest activity prevails; all the old arms are
condemned and by next spring nearly l,500,-
900 MIME, rifles will be ready for distrbu-
ton, besides Colts Clark's aud others. A
Mr.. Alger, at Boston is now engaged on
new kind Of gun for The navy. The range,
with solid shot, is nearly five miles; with
she'll, somewhat shorter, aud the explosion
Of the shell, renders confagration certain TO
a great distance. These are called, by those
at work on them, the secret gun. But what
the secret is l could not ascertain. Since
tie war rumors / have been ob.ervatn Of all
aud every thing that could give me clue
to the feeling Of the people. This is not
difficult to come at, for the feeling is general
ana their confidence is so great in their own
strength that the most dhaent speak only of
the consequences and the result. In CON-
pany with a party Of merchants, most of
whom were engaged in trade with England,
/ bFoached the war subject, and was aston
ished to find them so indifferent about the
circumstances. One of them, largely in
terested in the clipper ship, in answer to
o remark Of mine, that he would have to
lag up his clippers-"Nota bit of it," said
he, '1thcy will make capital privateers; the
government viii furnish guns of long range.
no British man-of-war catch them except
q steamer, and they cannot in good breeze,
so we must take chances" s'Bus where
wiil you get your mena'' "Where. We
have 81 900 enrolled fishermen who will
food our sea- ports, and will tell you can
didlF that less than six months after war is
declared there will be 500 of the fastest
vessels in the world afoat as privateers, and
al English merchantmen will Lot be able
20 show herself at sea- What if We lose
fsw, We will make it up in the end. Two
steamers we're launched few days since,
each about 1900 tons, built in eight mouths,
and 1t is just as easy to build go in the
game time or less" "But your coasts are
not defended. Remember you have no
jSebastopel nor Cronstadt." ssNor do we
want any. We have few very pretty forts,
but should any nation attempt an invasion,
be will meet them with hands and hearts
equal 10 any, superior to most and we can
concentrate 100000 men ct any point on
our caass in . few days. Let the alarm be
sounded at this moment, and in few hours
near $4,000 men will make their appearance
armed and equipped" This sounds like
Dragging, but is Is faot. This city fNow
York; has near that number enrolled and
equipped; esery man keeps bis rife at
home or In the private arraory Of the com-
pany to which he belongs, and fad it the
same throughout the country. I have fre-
quently mot with boys II and IL, with guns