The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-03-25
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"
N.v.i Rivalry rs an s"s""' ~"
e.farc the war Of 1912, the people Of the United
s,.,es wsrs accustomed to eoncede the naval su-
nreuacy of England without q question, and the
whole nation was startled by tina bold proposition
Of oar young naval officers of that time push ont
forthwith with such lew ships a. we had aud try
eouciusions At once with the Wanted mistress OF
the deep. Not only the nation, butt whole world
was amazed with tho result. II that result had
Comprised one or two successea, IL nightmare oeeo
referred TO lucky accident; but from tue
to the end Of the war, il was an almost ooo'oSen
series of splendid American victories Ia every
quality essential to naval success Ia seaman.
ship, courage, gunnery, the Americans snone
reesninent, and ell this with the heavy drawback
Of defective cannon, whose xp'osoas often killed
more OF our own crew than that o. the enemy.
Since that time the nation has been reposing
upon It's iaureis, aud induiging the eomplacent
idea that we could DO stationary n this age of pro-
grsss without detriment to our interest. We had
given England, the Queen of the Waters, good
beating on her favorite element, and that would
last her for tho next century. But Engisnd is one
Of those countries that is improved by good beat'
ing. In her early history, she was wailoped by
every band Of piraticai fllibusters that chose Il
enter her hsrbors-Saxons, Danes, NoImsus-bu
from every fall she seemed to gather strength, uu
Gil, 1t last, she became so tough aud indurated
that even the powerful arm and sharp thong o
Napoleon made no impression upon her epiderms
The successes Of America upon the water cut bel
to the quick, for that is the domain which sh'
claims a. her own, but the smart only reused bel
to new efforts. She deems 1t lawful and wise Il
learn from an enemy, and she has had the manli
ness to ackiowsdge her own defects, whenever they
could be discovered, and go to work to remed!
them.
When the yacht America went to England, ant
beat every thing in the English waters, nothing
could be handsomer than the fraDkness and cou
rage with which the English owned up: nothing
more admirable than the energy and perseverance
with which their very defeat inspired them. L
IL now the fact that they disputing every incl
OF ground with Us ia maritime Improvements, ant
that their steam vessels are driving our own from
the ocean. Yet We sit with folded hands, and
what ID worse, with the second commerce 10 tn
world, maintain q naval force of only 50 vessels
not equal to that of Sardlnia-and only about
dozen of these, steamships.
Some idea Of what is doing abroad in naval i'm
provement may be formed FIR address Of 81
John Pakington, (frs. Lord of the Admiralty,
quoted by New York journal, before the British
Parliament on the 25th ult., upon introducing tn
naval estimates, which occupies large portion 0
the London press of the following day, and is re
plete with important facts. He states that las
July, thinking it his duty 90 ascertain the stat
Of the French navy, he found it superior in eff
cheney to that of England, and by the end of tn
present year the disparity would be still NOR
noticeable. He says,-after completing the inVes
LEGATION, tive found that at the end of 1859 Eng
land would have thirty.six lineof battle ships
3,4o0 guns, and $50 horse power, and that thu
French force would amount to forty liDeotbattl'
ships, g. 06 guns, and II $40 horse power" Tue
comparison is extended only TO screw ships, for
as ols Of tne London papers remarks, "we can NJ
longer speak of any but this class OF vessels WheI
calculating our effective force" To recover the
position which England has lost, as regards heI
naval strength, compared with France, quite d
number of iour-deckers are being converted into
twolecked screw Ships of 80 guns. Six new ;:ue
ofbAttle ships will be launched in the course oil
the present year. In respect to frigates, com.
parscn Of Eng land with France is still less favo.
rabie 10 the former power; but the construc ton
of those in progress, Fl 70 in number, will be has
tened, a1d four fiftysun sailing frigates will be
converted into steamers-much time and expense
being saved by this plan.
1t ia also stated that the French have added two
iron cased ships to their navy at au immense cost
Contemplate: the necessity of adopting the same
plan, series Of experiments WAS instituted by the
British government last summer. to test the pow
or Of metal to resist shot. Sir John Pakiugton
says the general result has convinced the Ad-
miralty that whatever be the cost, We have nc
option in the discharge of duty but to commence
the construction of ships of this description; aud
the cost will be enormous" The French irons
cased ships carry 50 guns Of the largest calibre
and are coated with plates OF iron or steel AZ in
ches thick. The British Admiralty propose tc
bring two of those ships into existence by the
close Of the year, if it can possibly be done. Ii
concluding his address before the House Of Com
mons, Sir John Pskington said
'If am asked, why we have done 90 much,
say, it 10 not more than the case requires. (Iear
hear) If am asked Why do you not do more,
say 1t is because there are limits to our power
our dockyards cannot do more within year. Blu
may tell you frankly that when these ships are
completed and when We have added fifteen to ou
line of battle ships, nine to our frgates, and ther
two iron side chips, /, for one, shall not be con
tent with the extent at which the British navy ba
arrived (Hear, hear.) We shall then. at til,
end OF the next year, instead of .hrty.three, bav
forty-eight line Of battle ships, but there fou
moro ships on the stocks, and four more line o
battle ships in the course of conversion; and If il
the next financial year, 1860 81, Parliament will
consent to the completion of these eight more lin
nfty-six line of battle ships Aud hope also tina
Parliament will then sanction further addition
to our frigates 30 that our naval supremacy ma.
be fully re-established."
The naval estimates for the ensuing year, il
England, amount to nearly fifty millions OF dol
lars, o large increase Of expenditure, which ha
been entailed by the introduction of ocean pro
pellers and the erection of foundries. The cost G
ships now belonging to the British Navy, includ
ing their machinery, 10 about $l50,000000, an
still, new appropriations are made with an III
stinted hand. If Uncle Sam had in his pocket
all the money he has been swinded, robbed an
plundered Of in one form and another, he nigh
afford . naval establishment, which would kee
America within gua shot of the naval progress G
the rest Of the world.
Poland.
1t 10 said to be the policy of the Austrian Court
In the event that Russia leans to the side of France
In any future contest Of the latter with Aus
tria To excite rebellion In Poland and endeayo