Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-05
Building o.

oil England mas Deen lH loTHitT lihee. III .hc
Seven Years Wars 1760) there were l13 ships
| Of the line in commission, with $500 seamen
and marines in the American War Q7S3)
there were l20 ships Of the line in commission.
with l05,4I3 seamen and marines; IN the
French Revolutionary War OTa9) there were
100 ships of the line in commission. with
100, 400 seamen and marines in the war with
France Qs09) there were ll3 ships OF the line
in commission. with l+4.3ST seamen and ma
rines. and in the war with Russia Cls56l there
were IL ships in commission, Including block
ships and sailing s(ips,) with GT,79l scamen
and marines.
The Prince dc Joiuville, writing under the
pseudonyme of NJ. V. de Mars, has examined in
the last number of the "Revue DIES deux Mon
des" the use ofsteam navies in continental wars.
1t is generally acknowledged he has shown
great ability and abundant knowledge of the
matter.
He thinks there is no possibility Of guarding
against the landing ofan invading force ifthere
is any considerable extent of open coast. The
Russians were not sure that Scbastopol was the
point of attack until the landing was actually
begun; it might have been Odessa. When the
point of landing is fixed on, the landing itself
is shown, blythe precedent of 1854. to be almost
q certainty; for if the ships can come within
range they can keep oil all opposition by the
enormous superiority Of their artillery. The
same precedent also showed the effect Of troops
BY land, acting in conjunction with q fleet at
sea, now that vessels can go exactly where it is
necessary, without waiting for favorable winds
lie next proceeds to examine what would have
been the use Of French fleet in a war with Aus
tria, before the introduction Of steam. Trieste
and Ragusa might have been blockaded, and a
few thousand tons ofsugar would have had to be
sent a roundabout way into Austria at n large
expense. But how stands the case now? Fiji
t. thousand men could be embarked, with
| full complement Of horses, and this large force
could be lowering on the enemy's coast. The
latter cannot foresec where this force is likely tc
land If the populations Of the coasts are un
favorable to their government, they will in
crease the difficulties Of their rulers by insur
rection.
The writer now passes under review the diff
ferent Powers with which France might posi-
bly, have to contend in her present state o.
full equipment. Prussia and Austria are dis
missed at once as unable to cope. for many
years to come, with the navy of France. Rus
Sia will soon be provided with a respectable
fleet. As regards England, the author devotes
many pages to this first rate maritime Power,
detailing. and BY no means undertaking all the
advantages she possesses, but remarking, at the
same time. that the more ships are made ma
chimes, the more naval battles are q mere ques
ton of the superior weight and efficiency o.
gunnery, and the less England gains by the he
rcditary aptitude of her population for a sea
faring life. Indeed, if the Continental Powers
resolve upon arming their fleets on a military
plan, England must give up her old traditions
and follow their example. The tendency o.
her foreign policy is to side with those Cont
mental Powers that have armies and no navy
thus admitting the immense advantage of q
combination Of large land forces with a power
full fleet. The conclusion at which the author
Of the article arrives is, that hcnceforth nava
forces will become indispensable elements IT
future Continental wars.
The Reform bill does not answer either thu
wants Of the public or the expectations enter.
tanned in many good minded people, from NJ
Disraeli. 1t is approved of by the "Times'
not because a reform bill, butlest a better one
should thrive on the ruins Of this abortive pro
duction. The Times says: 1.-The Derby
Bill Of Parliamentary Reform is now before the
nation. and whatever its merits or dement's
after receiving about as much explanation rs
was possible in one night, it does not seem t.
deserve the condemnation lavishcd upon it.
The Daily News holds it 4 more miserable fail
urc than even their worst enemies could have
imagined possible! The Herald" on the
contrary, an organ Of the Government, as
serts it to contain what most impartial men viii
be inclined to regard as an equitable settlement
of q long pending controversy. The "Chroni
Gle" abounds in that sense, and thinks 1.-The
Reform Bill, ofwhich the leading features were
explained with admirable lucidity and force by
VI. Disraeli, is in every respect worthy OF q
conservative administration. Not SO tho
POST" which, later hearing the tedious
speech Of the exponent, was surprised thai
Mr.. Walpole and Mr.. Henley should at the las'
moment have refused to give their consent tc
so small and wretched a fragment OF Parlla'
mentary Reform" The Advertiser" goes or
a little farther, taking the Reform Bill oil in all
and far from concluding a~dmiringly-
We shall not look upcn Its like again."
unhesitatingly says. that "a more audacious
experiment was never made on the patience
and forbearance Of the English people, lr
moderate language, the "Sun" tells us, I'VE
will not deny that we are p~rofered by the Min
i~sterial Bill more than we should have hoped
from conservatives before last Spring, but mol
what we had hoped from them since we have
seen them in office" The "Globe" caustically
remarks: 1T is, perhaps, of no great use te
anticipate, at the presant moment for which Of
its virtues the Tory Reform Bill will be whip
ped out Of court" The Standard" which
has the confidence of Lord Derby, reciprocally
states, that "the bill is now before the nation
the opponents Of the government will search
its provisions in vain for the juggle or the coin,
promise which they predicted must be the re
suit of conservative attempts at reform" As for
the Star" it buries it all decently in a fune'
raj oration:-".A great opportunity has come
and gone; gone forever is the opportunity
which NJ. DIsracli is supposed to have been
aspiring after since first the doors of office
opened to his ambition "a way for revealing
himself to the people Of this country as al
heart their friend, as one with them in politi'
cal sympathy and purpose, though it was his
policy to serve, that he might ultimately com
mand an aristocratic faction. Conc, too, is
tn. fondly-cherished expectation, that men Of
such liberal professions as Lord Stanley and
Sir J.. Pakington would overcome the Tory
prejudices Of their colleagues and supporters
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE
ALEXANDRIA, April 1.-The railroad build
ings at the Warrenton Junction, on the Cor
louisville railroad, were destroyed by fire last
night. A large quantity of wood was consumed
The extent Of the loss will probably reach some
thousands Of dollars. The telegraph line was
injured, but is now in operation.
LORD Lyons, THE KNGL1sH MINISTER
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The frigate Curacoa
from Plymouth, England, with Lord Lyons,
has now been out 81 days. Serious fears fol-
her safety ere entertained