Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-11
BRITISH AGGRESSlONS.

FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE ~, 1858.
BRITISH AGGRESSlONS.
We are encouraged by the last intelligence from
Bermuda to believe tina, we shall hear of az
gressons upon our flag by the British officers, dressed
in "litte brief authority" The Bermuda Royal
Gazette of the 25th ut. makes the following siguit
cant remarks:
Under the angry heading, Another British Out.
rage the New York Herald publishes an account of
alleged insult offered to the American flag by IL.
NJ steamship Sty1 within twenty.fv miles from Key
West.
According to this statement, an American schoo
ner the Mobile, on seeing the Sty1 coming up hove
to, To speak to her, hut when the steamer got within
range che commenced firing at the schooner with
rifles, the balls from which passed between the men
on deck and lodged in the bulwarks. There is sad
to have been no reason whatever for this alleged out
rage The StyI sent, We told, boat on board the
schooner, and her papers overhaued The officer
threatened at first TO seize her, but subsequently she
was allowed to proceed.
"rhis extraordinary statement seems to us to be
simply incredible and We feel quite satisfied that if
the master and crew of the schooner could "a
tisfy the British government that this s a fair
and candid account Of what ,passed, the in.
dignation felt at home against the officer in
command of the Styx would be quite as great as
that expressed in New York unless some very salts
The same paper adds, that "If in any instance the
American tag has been aronted by any officer in her
Maiesty's service, is there a man in the United
States who knows anything of Great Britain, who is
not perfectly satisfied that the British government is
ready and willing frankly to make every proper
paration?'
The N. Y. Times says that, Al the last accounts,
the particulars of the recent sggessons on our COM
merce by Brtish cruisers, were known in the Island
of Bermuda, and "as the Admiral, Sir Houston Stew.
art was there at that date, is probable that he took
measures at once tor the suppression of outrages
committed by persons under hs immediate command.
If the Admiral adopted this course, we shall hear Of
nomors syisitations' in the Gulf And il he has not
issued positive orders on his own responsibility, he
will have done 30, by this time, on the responsibility
of Lord Napier, whose dispatches left Halifax by
steamer for Bermuda on Friday morning last. In
either case therefore, We do not expect that there
will be any more attempts in the Gulf of Mexico, or
in the ports of Cuba to enforce the insulting right Of
search"
Opposed as the South is to war, the tone of the
whole public mind indicates emphaticaly, that it
would risk all consequences rather than not see this
principles. The New York "Times," an Influential
opposition journal, lays down what is doubtless the
true position Of the American people upon the sub
ject, when it says:
with regard to the offences of the past we must
wait with becoming patience Tor the return news
from Europe due in tie course Of q week, and see
with what temper and disposition the British Gov
ernment and people are disposed TO regard them, be
fore we can make new move. All that could be
done by our Executive to preserve the honor OF the
American flag has been done. We have never sup
posed that any active interference by American men.
of war would be found necessary to arrest the over
hauling Of our merchantmen; but the presence OF
powerful American squadron in the Gulf IL an ndlca
ion of the firm stand which the nation ia prepared
10 take this important question. Ii Is not likely
;bat the Government will recede from the position
assumed by General Cass in his ast dispatches to Mr.
Dallas. That position is-udemnty for the past, and
ecurty the most complete from any exercise OF the
right of search for all time to come ANY compromises
Or any agreement short of ls would fail 10 satisfy
he American people and would leave our relations
with Great Britain on too precarlous footing. One
nf the highest aims Of the statesmen OF both coun
rries should be To remove all international msunder
standings and not leave the issue Of peace war to
:uere chance, TO the discretion OF a naval com
nsnder. We do not hesitate to say, that ii our Go
vernment tacty or openly concede, ever 40 remotely
be right of search 10 British cruisers, the peace of
The two countries, and probably of the world woId
It any moment, and on the most absurd prete1ts.
at is, therefore, as much to tbs interest Of the
British people il ia TO our own. TO have this ques
ion settled now and forever. After all that our Go
vernment has said on the subject we do not suppose
;ha, they will recede, and believe that firm att,
ude part all that is required to enable us to
carry the point.
"lf the outrages in the Gulf of Mexico lead az they
ought to lead 10 the final adjustment of thiS vexed
question of the right of search, they will form an i'm
norta in histDry-nut
sretted."
Should we be forced into war with Great Britain,
we have no dread that we could not hold own
against the largest naval armament that she could
bring to bear against u.s. Small as our naval marine
may be, We can on an emergency, e1temporze one
that will be very efficient. The efficacy of our priva
teeripg system during the last war, WAS fully exhibit.
ed. The St. Louis Ledger presents some interesting
items on this point. 1t appears that, while that war
lasted two hundred and fifty sail were commissioned
and actively engaged as priva,eers-and that more
than 1000 ssi OF British armed vessels and shipping
we're captured, and Of this number two thirds were
taken by our privateers. At that time the United
States had but frgates. with fifteen sloops OF
war. At the present moment, ws should 20 into &C.
ton under greatly superior advantages, which are
'''0
New York Times as follows
"The question of peace or war between the United
States and Great Britain has very much changed
since the last trial Of arms between them. We we're
then a nnton OF eight millions OF people. Our navy,
John q. Adams sneeringly remarked, CONSISTED OIL
Two frigates and schooner. Then steam was un-
known as an engine Of war. In 1883 We have po
pulation of thirty million, Of whom, owing to the
large immigration Of late years, larger portion are
male adults than in 1872 or than any other nation
now possesses. Half century ago the means OF
transporting supplies and concentrating troops we're
insignificant. Now we have 3O,OOO miles OF rail
road all converging upon the principal points OF the
seaboard, which will require 10 be defended Since
the last war we have completed an admirable sys-
tenn Of Notifications, which was then skstched upon
paper n. ,..u b,, counr;.s, ,ono If ,bs
largest and raosi powerful vessels IN the world.
doubt whether there is any single weasel in the Navy
Of France or England which could cope with the
Merrmac or the Niagara. The Collins steamers and
others we're built for the contingency Of being called
into the Navy. We have abundant materials in our
Yards for the construction Of other vessels We are
deficient in steamers, and yet II must not be forgot
ten that We propose no aggressive war; and Tor the
defence of own coasts one steamer VIII have the
efficiency OF four cruising for purposes of attack for
they must arrive coasts nearly destitute of coal
and without it they are logs upon the water The
British navy contains 54S vessels-of which 2S9 are
steamers. With the aids which We can summon
from our merchant and mail steamers l am not ce!
tain that we have not now efficient force OF this
class for Defence as Great Britain has Tor attack.
"The Coast is not only we'll fortified, but the people
are well armed. We have twenty.slx arsenals and
armories, at which steady accumulation OF the beet
arms of the age have been going on for forty years
Col Craig gives good account OF our ordnance and
ammunition. With these advantage, II We could
with credi, and success meet the 10000 troops which
England sent against 10 lsl2, surey we should be
in no danger beyond the usual hazards OF war; from
armies of S0D,0UU
"A war is only supposable upon the hypothesis mat
the two nations have suddenly become lnsane. Act
there is probably in each small faction OF war spr
its, disorderY and turbulent persons eager or the
its of the nation. Some Of the New Englandere al
firm that though, as ever, favorable to peace, they
will not hold ihs came position as the war men OF any
other section, because war would be less caa'hnous
No. Ea,,,ood aud rooht hiring greater adVRn-