The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-11

9eac0ase DeHen -, E0Ft14ca4aons, &cs-Gcns
Oassr Speech.
We publisA two interesting reports In this
paper: General Cass' speech, deli
vered 10. the Senate yesterday, and the report
Of the Secretary Of War on the Notifications
md cefences Of New York hsrbor.
England's great modern historian and phi
loAopher has said that " parsimony In war was
fAe worst profusion," and the United States
may we'll apply the ounce Of suggestion which
the marin contains TO the present condition of
their seacoast defences, and to the Engineer
Department of the government. 1t is not ne
cesssry to say how many thousand miles of sea-
coast we claim rs our own, nor are we called
upon to consider in detail the amount of de-
fensive material We possess; but this we know
that the Engineer corps Of the army is ceusti-
tuted Of about forty officers If we have ten
thousand miles of coast, this will give ose Off
Ger to every two hundred and fifty miles.
Considering the change from sailing TO steam,
which has taken place within the last thirty
years, and that all our means Of defence
agaiuet hostile fleets were projected under the
old system, it is doubtful indeed, if, judged
by Mr. Macauley's maxim, we are not the
most profuse and extravagant people on the
globe.
The recent furry Of the Tendon Cabinet and
Official press has finally, however, walked up
the sleeping, self-confdent elements Of our
politics, and now we are treated by repor.
from the War Department and the Chief Of the
Engineer Department on the dangers OF. the
port of New York in the event of hostiiities
with England. The application of steam to
navigation has converted the lower bay into
great harbor for hostile fleet, and opened up
the East river in the direction of Long Island
Sound as one of the approaches to the city
of New York. The Secretary aud the Chief
of Engineers thus, in March of the year
that the President talks about q resort to
war with the greatest naval Power in the
world, concede that the commercial metro
polls of the nation is in most defence
less condition. Here ia confessed profu-
sion, indeed; and if we give due weight to
General Sass, whose speech we lay before the
country, there can be no earthly question but
that it is the purpose of the British Cabinet to
compel us to sacrifice our pretensions in Cen
trail America and our position concerning en-.
listments, or put cur commercial cities to the
hazard of devastation The atmosphere on the
other side Of the water is full Of menace and
bravado. Troops are being sent to Canada;
fleets relieved from service in the Baltic are
despatched to the Gulf Of Mexico. Nicaragua
even is TO be visited, and American predomi-
nance there is to be spotted, or, as Mr.. Cushing
had
Well, this looks like very vigorous prepare
ton on the part Of Old England; but We take
it as used as an argument, or rather as q
friendly advertisement of what might be done
in case of necessity. We Americans are 80
stupid that, like the Jews OF old, we require
ocular proofs, special providences and miracles
The London official press tells US, to be sure, that
the powerful fleets OF her Majesty can sweep
our commerce from the seas and dsvastate our
heightened seaboard but there were ten chances
to one that this admonition would pass for stufi.
and that after all, something more tangible,
expressive and certain would be required to
bring us to cur senses; and they were right,
for the implacable Pierce administration at
once propose to put the country in . state of
defence.
There was pretty exact parallel to the
prese ut condition Of things in 1884, when 6 IN.
Jackson threatened reprisals upon French
commerce because OF the non-paymsut By
Louis Philippe's government of certain in
IDENTITIES due to our people The King of
the French, like his valiant predecessor,
who
with forty thousand mon
Marched up the hill and then marched down sgsia,
sent to our waters powerful fleet; but the
medicine did not take. Gen. Jackson was in
corrigible, and would have the money or a
brush. Louis Philippe backed down, paid his
debts, and withdrew his ships of war. The
Old Hero, however, is dead, and all traces Of
his character have been obliterated from the
White House. Franklin Pierce is his success
sor.