The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-28
from QUE OWN ooaalsRoNDxNr
NV YoaK, "wednesday night, MAY %. 1885

greatest VI IetronchInent and
economy that very large increase of force
required and that there ought To be hesitation the
part OF Congress to pass bill authorizing such in
crease AZ our large commercial interests, extended
and exposed seahoard and national dignity demand for
their due protection and maintenance is .'because
the commander of English gun-boat two has ex-
ceeded his instructions in boarding American vessels in
the West indies, morning paper Of this city OBJ
serves that it is desirable for build large number
of additional steam sloops- but because pres
ent naval force rdcuiousy dispropotonste the
tent OF commercial MARINE because it Is national
duty to afford full protection to merchantmen and
because, although almost the first commercial
ton la the world navy inferior in strength that
of several ffthrate powers. 1t may be- however that
the British outrages which bound to qualify
as alleged, may turn out to be real and that John
Bull enthusiasm for the protection of African negroes
and the reduction Of Cuban plantations same
don those of Jamaica, may lead him to approve the
nsolence of his naval officers and continue his
right to constitute his vessels cosmopolitan
police What then Are we prepared to cope with him
Immediately the Are able to protect our
com oughtf Can insure our Atlantic
seaboard from successful attack at all points 1t is
duty to be in condition to defend ourselves at
all times and the fact being known that will
be best protection against insult attack and the
srrest guarantee of peace you that the
commercial community here-indeed men of all caings
classes and opinions approve large augmenta
ton of naval force and hope that the Naval Committees
of both houses of Congress will recommend the immediate
construction of number of small steamers, and
that their recommendation will BIO adopted .and
followed. 1t " all very fine for us to say that
divide the mastery of the with Great Britain
at much less cost SO DO, long relations
with her and other maritime powers peaceful But
what becomes Of mastery of the if
able to enforce it ut the lannon's mouth If not
able compel its acknowledgment and respect by every
power EARTH and if the Jasper and the Buzzrd and
the Styx dare to arrest vessels carrying flag
compel merchantmen to heave to- and submit to the
degradation of search by the officers of foreign power
We do not want SNOWY men-of-war carrying hundreds
of guns and large and heavy that they only float
in midocean. What we want is a number of gun boats
like this very Styx, Buzzard, Jasper speedy and of
light draugh of water and if Congress respond proper
y to the wishes of the American people we shall very
have them.
For myself and many who think with me- / must say
that believe that the British government will back
down and disavow their officers but do not think that
herecan be longer doubt that American merchant
men, carrying the stars and stripes have been stopped
the ocean, boarded searched and nsulted by the officers
of British gunboats This outrage in the fullest
of the word and must be atoned for The right to
overhaul and search the vessels of nation by the
navy of another does not exist in time of peace and the
attempt exercise it amounts in fact to act of
The law in this case is well summed up in communca
ton published in this mornings Journal of Commerce.
to which would draw your attention. but from some OF
the recommendations of which most respectfully dis
sent case in point is cited in which French vessel
was captured by British cruiser in 1914 condemned by
am inferior court and the decision reversed appeal
to the high court of Admiralty. Lord Stowc the dis
ngushed brother of the great Lord Chancellor Edon
and of the greatest authorities international law
that lived laid down the following, which applies
exactly to the present case
No one nation had right force It's way to the liberation OF AZ
RIGA BY ampug independence of other s. procure
that unlawful forward
x the wy Ts right Visitation and search on the high sea. did
onged to ALL and gigantic war
refused to TO the British proposal OF
press to give right
Dodsons admirably Reports, poi p 30
With the conclusion of the communication to which
refer everybody that know-the Wendell Phillips abo
onsts alone excepted agrees most perfectlynamely,
that the offensive acts of the British officers commit
ted in defence of humanity There Is much efcc
tual way to vndicate the rights Of humanity than by in
sutng vessels Great Britain may punish Spain, IL
she pleases, for direct violation of treaty obligations
Let her do 3d. and shall be glad if she succeeds in
putting stop to the slave trade But when she does so,
it would give good deal of moral force to her proceed
ings were she make tho French abandon the Regis
scheme Of 'free African emigration, which is in reality
the slave trade in its worst FORM and she order
and enforce dscontinuance Of the coole traffic To
s'defend humanity to enttc her to become its
champion par esoace she must be like Bayard of old,
| not only sans peur but also rYroehe.
In city matters there is decided lack of animation
Beyond the discovery Of fraud less 'gi-
gantic' in Office connected with the city govern
ment an ingenious burglary descent gambling
saloon and little bluster among the lottery policy gen.
try, there is nothing occurring worthy of note, and
might say that righteousness and peace have met in
Gotham, but fear that they will stay in conjunction
short time that it is better to conine myself to mere
| record of their accidental rencountre.
OF amusemens the great event is the production last
night at Waack Theatre Of most extravagant erTad-
qua entitled s'Dcscret Deserted which, without much
literary merit and utterly destitute of plot highly
amusing from the number and brilliancy of its "hts
local illusions and the admirable adaptation of the parts
to the several actors and actresses There some very
excellent parodcs in the course of the piece among
which is Poes Raven, abiding to the swil milk
discovery The scenery is absolutely beautiful and the
in which the piece has been put the stage does
infinite credit to the artists and the taste and iberay
of the popular manager, Mr. Stuart. of whose many
good qualities you have had ample opportunity to judge
in Washington. The house crowded to excess both
last night and tonight and the probabilities that
"Deseret Deserted will have long run
Mrs and Miss Gwn left in the Persia to-day for tour
in Europe The honorable senator from California came
on here from Washington to take leave of his family
see him looking WELL and sorry that his senatorial du
tics obliged him to return to the federal capital agnn
this evening
The day Of ptless ccascess rain has had very damp
ening influence on the money market, and operations
have been decidedly few and far between Rates of dis
count have not varied is the supply of money less
abundant but the offerings at bank have been more
than ordinarily scanty Foreign exchange very dull
and heavy and closed quite fat for the Persia to-day
1891 109s the prices for bankers sterling and
g. 10 5.l3 for francs. The supply OF bills very
slender $500, 4l0 in specie went out to-day Belmont
did not send out any bullion j. and j. Stuart Picker
gill Co., and Behrend Co. were the principal ship
pers Treasury notes dull The great mass of these
securities being taken for investment they of
fered IN any large sums in the open market The old