Red Wing sentinel., 1859-12-10
TREMENDOUS PRErARATIONs'FOR
WAR IN FRANCE.

Much has ben said of late on the subject
Of : disarmins', since the last war, but in
point Of fact it would appear that SO far
from anything having been really done in
that direction, the great Powers, ~ they are
called, have ever since stood to their arms,
and the smaller or weaker ones are doing
their best to initiate the example. 1t is
morally certain that this country has not in
reality weakened her powers Of aggression
By single soldier on land, or asingle horse
power by sea, since she has been said to
lay down down her arms. Some thous-
ands Of trained VETERANS have, indeed, been
sent for time to their homes, to recruit
their strength and relieve the Imperial
treasury; but all ofthese are within call at
. moments notice, while the training Of as
many more new conscripts is carried on as
untiinchingly as ever. But it is, above all,
in her marine that France has never ceased
for one instant to develope instead Of cur
tail her aggressive force. 1t is extremely
difficult to arrive At particular instances Of
this. but ! have good authority for stating
the incessent activity Of her dock.yards all
around her coast, from Toulon to Cher.
bourg, and the nature Of these preparations
is even more remarkable than the ox:ent oi
them. ''''
/ can mention no names, or even hint
at the sources Of my information, but be-
lievs am justified in saying that the char.
acter which is being given 10 the French navy
makes it almost impossible to doubt the
object which is kept mainly in view in its
construction. Louis Napoleon appears to
be thoroughly impressed with the conviction
that naval power, naval tactics, and naval
warfare, in the strict sense Of those terms,
are at end. In his view. ships are now olny
to be constructed for the purpose of carry
ing and landing large bodies Of troops with
safety and, with true military prejudi ces
these latter are to be regarded as the only
engines Of modern warfare. Steam, in his
eyes, hiss more than revolusionized navies;
it has has almost destroyed their influence
in the decision Of national struggles, by
bridging over seas and rendering all coasts
accessible to invading armies. At this mo.
meut, while SO vastly increasing his mer,,
amount Of tonnage, the Emperor almost
ofends his navy by tn 9 cArelessncss with
which he seems to regard the psrsonel of its
officers. He looks upon them IS the mere
pilot or Charons Of his conquerins troops.
What he is so busily constructing are
not SO much frigates and first rates, to rule
the waves and thunder on the deep, as vast
floating and impregnable fortresses, which.
cased in steel and filled with armed legions:
shall roll resistingly upon his enemies coast,
like the wheeled tower Of old upon the be-
seiged city and there vomit forth its subju-
gatfpg masses. Floating batteries, not man.
oeuvering squadrons, is the Napoleonic idea
of a navy; and, if the conflict be engaged, he
proposes to take the enemies vessels, not by
sea but by land, and pull down maritime
by making himself master Of
the territory which lays claim to it. OF
course all such preparations can only have
in view what many persons regard as the
final and inevitable struggle with Great
Britain. "The Emperor will never be
heard far-sightcd American
remark the other day, "until he has hum
b(ed. the pride Of England" And there is
too much reason to suspect still that that
object always lies 1T the bottom of his heart.
Besides the unrenitting labor Of the
dock yards, the caast delenses are an inces-
SAINT object of fattention. The forts At Cher
bourg, especially. are being heavily armed
with riflel cannon, in the midst Of what is
called profound peace and the entente cor-
dale" Every little harbor is being fortified
and put in telegraphic communication with
the capital. believe ain stating simple
fact when ! say that among naval men
themselves, the certainty Of great and de-
cisive struggle for supremacy with England,
is looked upon IS admitting Of no other in
terposition than that Of time and opportuni-,
~. The great question is to secure the Co.
operation, or at least the amicable neutrality
Of Russia. Ifthat could be ascertained, the
prelexts for trial Of strength would proba-
bly,, not long be found wanting. f'o@
An IINrxpecTHn -Sno.k;nn ae