The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-13

STEAM Tow-BoAIs-A LESSON FROM ENGLAND.
We have regarded, and very justly, the waters of
the Gulf Of Mexico and the Islands of the West In
dies and latterly since the discovery and rapid de-
yelopmcnt of our resources and the spread of pop
uation on the Pacific the coast OF Central America
as exceedingly important to all the interests OF the
republic Evidence is not wanting, to be sure, that
we shall at some future period not far distant, in
terlock all our continental by the extern
sion centreward of population and enterprise from
the present inhabited regions on both oceans, thus
consolidating our entire national industry and in
curing completeness and compactness of political
being and laying the foundation for future greatness
such as the world has seen. The immediate ef-
feet Of this latter work will be to build up and extend
throughout the great valleys of the West an internal
commerce which will have parallel; commerce.
capable Of sustaining great cities which it will bring
into being, as distinctive feature of the American
republic.
Not the less, however, on this account, is it i'm
portant that we should be able to control the transit
routes Of Central America The continent is too
broad to promise facilities fof the exchange of the
great products of the eastern and western slopes
Our safety is to be found in commanding the narrow
Isthmus passages and as time progresses, we have
no doubt it will appear more and more evident that
we should be able to exercise beneficial influence
and controlover the entire waters of the Gulf of
Mexico and the great producing interests therein
On this subject we Ought to be able to learn
lesson from England growing out of the recent
troubles in the West India seas
The true exponent of the American military
rne on the waters Of the Gu of Mexico is the steam
gun-boat The attention of Congress was already
drawn to this point a. early as 1910 by Mr.. Van
Buren's administration, when Mr.. Poinsett in his
nual report, said
:. For the maritime frontier Of the Gulf Of Mexico
would recommend in addition to the permanent fortf
cations planned for its defence and now being erected
the establishment of depot somewhere below the tails
of the Ohio armed steam vessels This would
seem to furnish the best of bringing the vast pc
er Of the upper country the defence of the coas and
Of using it when there in the most efficient manner
certain number of steam vesselsof-war might be
kent in constant readiness strong enough to carry
good battery and light enough to descend the river
at all seasons and to the bars OF the Mississippi
These boats ought to be of ron combining ghtness
strength and durability and might be constructed OF
the requisite size for about $50 900 each. Materials
should collected for the construction OF boats to be
built of wood and stored until wanted when, with the
yast resources workshops ana mechanics along uhe
shores Of the Ohio they might be put together in
very short time and feet equipped and manned with
the hardy of the western waters and few able
bodied seamcn might be oated to the ocean, fully equal
with the existing and contemplated fortcatons to pro-
tect the whole Gulf frontier
This enlightened view was favorably regarded at
the time /; but unfortunately, the suggestion was
only practically responded to in the Memphis abor
tion Memphis is too high up the river to be ready
of access, like Pensacola, to vessels on the Gulf
seeking point for repairs and so far below all the
boat-yards and machine-shops which yearly add
hundreds of new vessels to the river marine
that the federal government could at no time
have avaed itself better there of the skill of trained
workmen, and of the machinery of existing shops
than it could at any hot-bed establishment it might
attempt to erect directly the shores of the Gulf
where the ordinary avocatons Of the people run
into no channel calling for the development of the
industrial arts of ship-building machine-making
The true policy of our country must be like
that Of our great prototype, in all practical matters
England, to keep alive the ordinary pursuits and
avocations of the people, by turning them, as far
possible, when peace is broken, into war chan
mel. In fact, a war thus supported can last in
terminably to the exhaustion Of any enemy.
Witness Napoleon If we are to be forced into a
war, it can be no little one; and to big one must
make up our minds to devote generation its hopes,
and prospects. The progress of growing nation
like ours ia never equable; the onward strides or
Jumps il makes by fits and starts are prone to
call destiny We often vaguely foresee events with
out the slightest vision of the means which are to
lead to them
We are practical people, and, when once in for a
thing, get out of 1t as well we can. England
found herself at the close Of the Russian with
large number Of idle gunboats neither prudent nor
sacacious enough to haul them out the dry land
where they could safely rot she must turn them to
account The West Indies and our southern coast
offered field for their occupation. They came in
tme n prove to us what need in the same
waters The question 10 solved as to what should
do we need only trouble ourselves with the
manner Of doing it. As partial but good step,
we would suggest that number OF steam
punboats should be built ON tho Ohio and Mis-
sissippi fully equal to cope with the syx, Bug
gard or Jaspar. Pittsburg Cincinnati, Louisville,
and St. Louis in tho respective States of Pennsyl-
yania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri would give a