The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-04
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1853.

The rumor which had been flying about Wash
ington for some days past, of a collision between
the British and American naval forces in the Gulf
of Mexico, yesterday received apparent confrma-
ton from the fact of the official paper the Union
accepting as true the account received from the
Agent of the Associated Press at Augusta Georgia
of another American vessel having been fired into
off Pensacola of an American citizen having been
killed, and of an American war-steamer, the Ful-
ton having started in pursuit of the English cruiser
by whom the outrage had been committed. In
the present heated state of the public mind on the
subject of British outrages on American commerce,
all such reports should be received with caution
Too evident disposition has already been mani
tested, by newspapers and their correspondents to
lntiame popular feeling against Great Britain and
to foster war-spirit throughout the COM
munity, by the circulation of stories, not
always Northumberland, and sometimes, bear
ing evidence of falsehood upon their very face
We should remember that the officers of the Eng
fish navy, like those of own, are generally
gentlemen; that they acting under orders re-
ceived from their government; and that it is not
likely that in carrying out their instructions they
"Oulu lcoOit W uHHcCtSSdTy VIOLENCE against
the peaceful and honest traders of friendly power
Most of the shipcaptains in fact who have testified
to the fact of their vessels having been boarded
and searched in the waters of the Gulf, have ac-
quilted the English officers of anything like inso-
lence or rudeness in the discharge of their unpeas-
ant duty. In the particular case mentioned by
the Lnion, in which man is said to have been
killed on board of an American vessel, by shot
from British cruiser, the fact that the names
both OF the cruiser and of the the merchantmen
are unknown, while so much of the particulars
of the outrage are detailed, is enough to cast
doubt over the whole story. Our quarrel
evidently is not with the "oRendng Ships" as
Senator TOoMBs calls them, but with the Gov
eminent to which they belong, and under
whose instructions they are acting. 1t is not
simply the commander of the Styr or the Buzzard
that we have TO call to account for these repeated
and daring outrages upon our Flag and Commerce
but the British nation. Therefore it is, that this
journal, while blatant Congressman and patriotic
editors have been talking about 'tseizng y or
sinking" the petty gun-boats that have been
stopping and searching our ships upon the high
seas, has been steadily advocating an immediate
increase of the Navy, and proper attention to the
condition of coast defences The English
have already in the West Indies fully half
as many guns afoat as we have all over
the world. The British West India Squadron con-
ssts OF seventeen vessels, mostly steamers carry
ing three hundred and ffty-seven guns The
whole American navy or at least so much of it. as
IN the language of the Washington Union, is either
'servceable' or eft for actual service" consists
oil torty-two vessels, carrying seven hundred and
twenty guns. England, moreover, possesses a
steam-marne numerous enough and strong enough
to make her claim to the supremacy of the seas. no
empty boast Besides IA reserve force of over
'three hundred sailing vessels, most of them mod
'ernized, and capable of being easily converted
'into steamers, she has, according to the Union
ships enough to enable her, eff she has men to
man then" to '.pldce thirty screac-steamers of the
slime, toenty scre~rgates, forty scre,c-sloops and
''one hundred and fifty lighter stean,-oessezs on or
''4tdnttc coast, acahom decreasing the strenqtA of
''day one Of her fleets on other Stations and still
Share a large force 10 hold in reserpe." We
mention these facts, not as aflording any
reason why we should abate one lot or tit
tie OF our just demands against Great Britain for
satisfaction and reparation for past outrages and
ample security against future interference with
our rights and commerce. but as proving
incontestably, the absolute Necessity that exists
for some more eiiectual preparation for war,
than is furnished by Senatorial gasconade
and newspaper philippics. We talk of pri-
Watering How many privateers, we should like
to know, would be likely to sail from the
port of Baltimore, with our entire Atlantic coast
IN a state of etectual blockade, and British
squadron of steamers lying off the mouth of the
Chesapeake. We are sadly afraid that our Bay
shores would witness repetition of the exploits of
Admiral CocKRURN's time while the improvements
IN the art of destruction have been such as to expose
Baltimore to fate from which the galantry of
her sons rescued her in 1912, but would prove
wholly impotent to save her in 1853 No-if we
must fight, and unless England promptly dis
avows and repudates the acts of her cruisers. the
danger of collision becomes daily more and more
IMMINENT let us at least make some preparation
Tor the exigencies of war with the greatest ma,
power on the face of the globe. In the particular
case reported by the Union should the story of the
Georgia telegraph agent turn out to be true, we
have no fear of any untoward result. The
steamer Fulton is said to have been in
chase of the Englishman, by whom the
American vessel had been fired into, and from
what we know of the reputation for courage and
capacity borne by her gallant commander Lieu
tenant ALMY, we have no apprehension but that
she will give good account of herself in any en-
counter which she may have with the British
cruiser. We shall wait for some further con6rma-
ton of the Unions story, before we yield it our
full credence but be that as it may, enough has
been done, independently of this particular occur
renee to make it imperative upon Congress to take
immediate steps to vindicate the honor of the
Republic, and the rights of our flag. The Presi-
dent has shown his disposition to act in the matter,
with both promptness and discretion 1t is the
business of Congress to take care, that he is en-
abled TO act efficiently and to some nnrnose