The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-08-05
English DistrHst and Fear of
France

Once or twice a year the English people
are put into great furry of apprehension
about possible or probable invasion by
the French. If Napoleon builds an extra
steam frigate, or adds gun or two to the
defence of Cherbourg, the English alarmists
are quite sure that his cole object is the
conquest of England. On the evening of
the 9th, in Parliament, Lord Lyndhurst
made a speech on the national defences of
England, in which he showed that by her
steam marine France is already superior to
England on the ocean, and as a motive to
an increase of the British naval service,
drew an alarming picture of the danger of
French invasion. He spoke as follows:
"We know from recent experience that
the materials Of war may without exciting
any observation be placed on board ship on
the opposite side of the channel. We know
that in a few hours large army may by
means of the railway, and without any no.
tlce whatsoever, be brought down to the
coast to different points of embarkation-
The facility of embarkation is quite extra
ordinary in consequence of the new provi-
sions made for that purpose by France
We know that such force as that to which
| refer may within few hours-in the
course Of a single night-be landed on
any part of our shores. (Hear, hear. J.
With so much certainty, indeed. can the
movements of such body be regulated,
that from different quarters its component
parts might arrive at the point of disem-
barkation without any difference in point
Of time. QIear, hear.) That is the state
Of things. my lords, with which we have to
deal. Ireland may possibly be looked up
on on the other side of the channel as one
Of the oppressed nationalities "a laugh) !;
as a country trampled upon by a nation
differing from her in customs, in language
and in religion. We cannot tell what mis-
representations may be made. We must
at all events, my lords, provide equally for
the safety of Ireland as for our own.
"The naval power of France is aggres-
sive in its character If we have not a
fleet sufficient to command the Mediterra
mean, every one of our strongholds will in
evitably fall into the possession of France.
Not onl y will tat be the case, but the de-
sire and the wish of the first emperor to
| convert the Mediterranean into a French
lake would at once be realized. But allow
me to say, with regard to a fleet necessary
for commanding the Mediterranean, if
France has the command Of the Mediterra-
mean, what is the inevitable consequence
She will be able to leave and return at her
pleasure. She will be able to take our
channel feet in flank at any moment
She viii be able 10 unite her Mediterl anean
and chanael fleets. She will be able to
cross the ocean, and one by one to take
| possession Of our colonies, and she will be
| able to sweep the ocean of our ships. and
destroy our holeproperty. If we are dri-
ven out of the Mediterranean, what is our
situation with respect to India? We can
not communicate with India, except round
the cape of Good Hope, while France will
be able to communicate by direct and
easy course by means of Egypt and the Red
Sea. What would be the result of that
state of things | leave your lordships to i'm
agine.'