The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-08-06
HUMlLIATING.


his speech upon the proposition to build q
certain number Of war steamers, mentioned
afacl which we have seen alluded to elsewhere
and which we cannot think but derogatory
to our credit as great and powerful nation
He said 'it is well known that England pro-
tects our commerce in the distant seas; bul
for the kindly and motherly protection which
/ ureat britain rsndescends to afford us, our
commerce would be at the mercy Of the pi-
rates of the world in all the distant seas.
The'only thing, says the Richmond Wing
Objectionable about this declaration is, that
it is too true. 1t is CALLING to the pride of an
American TO think Of 1t. Senator Hammond
ought to be publicly thanked for calling at
tention TO il. We trust that in the course OF
time it may have its effect, but for the pres
ent, our present Legislators are too intent up
on their own personal schemes to think about
the country. They have no time for any
such thoughts.
Our commerce is, at least, equal to that OF
Great Britain; few years ago it somewhat
exceeded it, Great Britain has $4,000 guns
to protect her commerce, and we t,O0 thou
sand! We love the commerce-we love the
wealth that it brings-we love the conse-
quences that it bestows-but we cannot
think of protecting it. We cannot think of
sparing money for such purposes rs national
defence. Our Government wants it to keep
up fighting corps of Custom House officials
for election days-to pay for keeping up
press at Westinghouse distribute in jobs to
favorites-to scatter corruption, in word, all
over the land.
Our commerce must protect itself, or if it
cannot, the British Navy must protect it,
There is something dog mean in all this. IL
sickens us to hear people obecting to great
navy, and saying that it will rot in time of
peace, and such stuff, when the consequence
of not having one is that we are reduced to
the humiliating necessity of leaving our
trade to be protected by foreign powers, and
of all others by that very power whom we
are always ready to pick quarrel with. 1t
is but due to the English marine to say that
in all such cases its officers have behaved
most handsomely y, making no distinction what
ever, between their own commerce and ours.
They deserve our sincere thanks. But what
must they-what must all the world think of
our meanness in not affording protection to
our own vessels? In the meantime we are
constantly insulted in South America, in the
Chinese Seas, and in Pugets Sound, without
having it in our power to repel The insult. Is
it not shameful
We call ourselves great naval power and
so we are upon paper, and in fourth OF July
orations. But what are we in fact, and in
comparison with other naval powers? Why,
little Denmark has n navy larger than ours,
and little Sweden one twice as large. Even
Spain has navy of thrice our force, and
Russia, whose harbors were sealed herme.ic-
ally in the Crimean War, has one four times
large. We speak not of such power as
France, whose naval force is seven times our
own, far less of England, who has eleven
guns to our one, and always keeps in our
own seas force fully equal to our whole
active marine.
If not for purposes of war, yet for COM
mercs convenience, it is isscandalous that such
a nation rs this should be so poorly provided
with public ships.
HALIFAX, July 27.-The steamship Europa
has arrived here.
The London Times pronounces the steam
ship Agnmemnon as unfit to lay the Atlantic
cable, and suggests the propriety of building
large steamship for that especial purpose, it
the Leyathan or Great Eastern cannot be OBJ
tanned.
Spain has sent remonstrance against the
British insults perpetrnted in Cuba.
The Turkish troops have bad three con-
flicts with the Montenegrns, and finally drove
them into the mountains.
The Musselmen are driving the Christians
from Gambia.
The rebels of India, with great force, are
concentrating around Lucknow.
Nry, Vopu Julv 0S-Tbe Tines Panama