The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-17

that, after that, the greatest pains have
been taken to get such model for the
vessel carrying these guns and ,gunners as
would combine the greatest rate of speed
with the utmost economy of fuel.
We do not forget that words cost moth
ing, and that telling manifesto may be
quite compatible with an Indifferent admin
lstration. Neither do we profess to believe
that we are behind the rest Of the world
when it comes to results, but it cannot be
denied that our successive Governments
would save great deal of money, and
make much better work, if they would as.
certain the proper thing to do and the best
way of doing it. Neither in military nor
in naval management have we ever taken
this care. In the army every single i'm
provement connected with the use of the
gun " and the efficiency of the individual
soldier has been forced upon the au,hori-
ties by public opinion in despite of them
selves. If it had not been for the press
our soldiers would have been armed with
the old firelock at this very moment. New
er was there realized at the Horse Guards
the fundamental proposition that the uti-
mate object of all drill and all equipment
was to make the soldier move as rapidly as
possible and send a bullet as truly as posi-.
ble to its mark. The very last thing
thought of in military instruction was "thc
use Of the gum" in fact, it was not thought
Of at all. 1t was quite possible few years
we may almost say a few monlhs-ago
that regiment might have been consid.
cred as in the highest estate Of efficiency
when not man i'll the ranks had ever ac-
quired the smallest conception of musketry
practice, or perhaps ever fired ball car
fridge in his life.
Take, again, the case Of the navy
There we are bound to say there has been
no neglect of gunnery, nor had we been
blind to the Importance Of speed as re.
suit of steam power. Some Of our heavy
frigates would sail round the Merrimac with
ease, and the Rcnowt, taken altogether, is
thought to be unsurpassed by any vessel
afloat. But this does not finish the uues-
ton. Our position imposes their obIiga,
tions upon Us. We have not only to con
slider how the most powerful artillery can
be brough, with most rapi,lity into an cn
& tl,<tr
how fleet of a certain magnitude can be
sent III the shortest time into the channel.
Now. we have certainly had repeated dis
cussons in general way about maunius
the navy" but we do not remember that
any Minister ever propounded this principle
Of administration in the American st, le.
and then Informed Parliament how he was
gong TO put it into execution. Sir Charles
Napier has come to the point more than
once in plain, scamanlike way. He not
only sees what we lave to do, but he tells
us how we should do it. His plan may be
good or bad-we do not enter upon that
question at prcscnt-but, at any rate, it is "A
plan calculated for a known purpose and
intended to affect that purpose. "You
might have" says he, thirty sail of the
line at Spilbead in week or ten days"
Now, this is power which we trust may
never be needed, but which we certainly
ought to possess, and if to possess it,
" would cost very little more than our
present SYSTEM" we should like either to
see the thing done or something better
done in its place.