Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-08-08
DEBATE IN TIE HOUSE OF COMMONS on TIE
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1yseaals 10 be strengthened at cost Of Ell 100000
Speech Of Lord PahaerstOR on ths Subject
In the House Of Commons, the evening oil the z5u
Of July Lord Palmerson said il was necessary 70 state
that the object Of the resolution he about to pro-
pose was to give effect TO the Recommendation Of the
commissioners the National Deiences, with view 10
strengthen the dockyarcs at Dover and Portland ana 70
improve portion Of the Woorch establishment TO Can
mock Chase in Staordshre During the last great war
the gallantry of sailors swept the sea OF maritime
enemies and we we're free from alarm for dockyards
and our coasts The nations Of Europe during that mo-
mentous period were exhausted having all except tins
fortunate country, been by turns submerged by the
tide of war and should be remembered that the peo'
pe of the countries which the OF hosties
suffered more even than the contending armies. IL
was natural that those who were subsequently re-
sponsible for the safety of England should have
relied on our former prestige, and not thought
II necessary to call upon the country for IN
creased exertions for the future defence oil our
shores We had, during the war, very large heet and
no longer ago even than lSiS we had upwards OF 100
saioEtheine and were thus In position, as long as
naval war was carried by sailing ships TO rely on our
skill and aptitude for the sea- On TINS account success
ye governments did think t necessary to make ex-
tensve preparations but the introduction OF steam en-
rely changed the nature Of naval warfare Steam had
brdged the Channel and England had almost ceased 10
be An insuar couutry He would not say how lar the
absence of artificial defences rendered Us liable to at
tack but in lSl7 in consequence Of an able memoran-
dunn from Sir John Burgoyne, the Duke OF Wellington
drew the attention Of the country TO the want OF de-
fences and impored those who entrusted with the
management OF its affairs prepare at for its abb
soute safety. Unfortunately The Duke spoke to deaf
sdrs Nations slow TO change their habits, but
little was done at that time. The Government OF Lord
Derby after into power, and he must DO II
the Justice say that it took immediate steps tof the
reorganization OF the militia He had himself before
aud since that time taken measures to increase the
defence Of the country and to put on some efficient
footing Many years ago he found the various DEPART
mens acting without any concert and In order TO rem
edy this of things he called together meeting OF
the COMMANDMENT Chief and other high officers Tor the
purpose of arranging complete system OF action. At
this period Portsmouth had only saluting battery, and
Plymouth most important dockyard, with the rest
Of the yards most inadequateiy defended Since that
time, however, very great advances had been made,
owing 10 the exertons OF successive Secretaries OF War
more indeed than had before been dOnein the same
space of time More recently his right Hon. friend Mr..
s. Herbet) had appointed Commission, whose report
was now on the table He held that that IL pdS essen
ay necessary for the absolute safety Of the country
that us recommendations of the Commissioners, rhteh
R,olpsd an OUTLAY of about 600 00O should be
risd out There we're two ways of doing this by
nual votes which would spread the work over twenty
years and the other the way which It would be his du
" TO reconend by raising termuabe annuites to run
for thirty years Thus might get IN short time COM
paratively an efficient Of defence without any
greater burden than system Of annual votes II these
Notifications were necessary, be thought common sense
would affirm they were necessary at once. He did not
say that war would arise but they were bound to look
upon as possible although it might not be probable
L. was certainly contrary to practice to resort to
loans. Private individuals, however, adopted the
principles aud Parliament granted loans persons desi
rous TO improve their estates therefore, what was deslra-
BILE In the cose of the private individual hold good in this
instance in the Of the nation. With respect to the
necessity of these works one who regarded what was
passing could be nsensbe TO it. The horizon was heavily
charged and no could say when aud where the storm
might burst lie did not say this with any unirendly
feeling 20 France Aud on the other hand no one could
find fault with the proposed preparations, which we're
simply for defensive purposes. We had recently concluded
a commercial treaty with France Ia augh6 1t would not
fail to be Of great value for well known that ma
tons with large commercial intercourse had great ne-
rest 10 peace and less likely TO fall out Still these
things works Of time and great nation, hitherto
fond OF war; could not be expected TO leave It's warke
habits aud settle down TO realize the advantages
of peace He held the commercial treaty TO be OF great
value but it alone would be poor defence for country
like England TO rely upon. Was there anything IN the
state OF Europe calculated TO excite apprehensons!-
France had large army, an army OF 6OOOOO men,
for great for the requirements OF defence Tor no
one would think of attacking France. He did not
say that an army was established for hostile purposes
but still it would do 20 rely upon the forbearance
of neighbcr especially WheR Il remembered that
France Increasing hr navy until Il wds nearly az
large as ours He therefore maintained that we must
day day. that with the utmost desire for peace mat
ter might not arise in part of the world which
might involve in hOstiles. Now, suppose this did
happen what would be the dangers to which we should
be exposedg We might be liable to invasion for plumber
or for conquest An attempt might be made TO get pos
session of the metropolis to demand regSitoH aud dc
tate ignoniHios terms. Another danger, and it was
one to which he felt should be most liable, was sud
den attack on naval arenas the cradles OF our pow"
err No doubt London might be the object at attack but
IL. e. HUhf
however be defended in the field for they were strong
positions in It's neighbOrhoOd which, if sklfully made
use of would enable to resist an invading force Sup
pose an invading force had landed 1t might cause ex-
cesiye misery and Distress but as long as our
naval ports secure and our heet supreme,
the enemys supplies would be cut of, and his
Ultimate submission become only matter Of time
But our dockyards and arsenas destroyed and
we should have no means Of sending out another fleet
if We lost the command Of the sea- what would become
of this country Let Hon gentlemen reflect how lnde-
pendent We for everything. We import lO,uOOOOO
quarters of grain and large quantities Of cotton which
secured food aud employment for population. Only
fancy London, liverpool aud Bristol blockaded by
hostile feet What then became OF our power and
wealth. We could not contemplate such possibility
without horror and it was the duty of every govern
ment to take means to guard against it. BY torttyng
the dockyards only very small body OF men would be
required at Portsmouth, &c., and thus large force
would be free for the defence OF London. Accord
ingy the Notifications OF the dockyards was means to
the defence of the metropolis But il said that
there other places which ought TO be defended such
places Liverpool Bristol and Newcastle. The defence
Of these towns however was not neglected; the
same course was applied TO them as 70 Lon
don. They occupied with their suburbs, large
tracts OF ground, and would be as difficult 10
fortfy as London. Besides this, they would not be
the object of attack. No general would send force
to attack Liverpool with the certainty of taking it.
The capture of Liverpool would not have the poti-
cal effect as the capture of London; enemy would
waste bis in attacking it, but woald go at once
to the great heart Of the kingdom. However, these
places were being defended to certain extent with per-
manent batteries and under the circumstances the Gov
erument had determined to follow the advice of the Com
missioners Some objected the estimated ne
cessary but he hoped they would consider what other
countries had done II intended to provide out
Of this be raised by annuites for floating bate
ries and similar offences for it thought they might
be proyided by the usual means within the next few
years The whole estimated by the Commissions, as
necessary would thus be reduced to 9OO0OOO Of this
Ss5 0OOl, required for the purchase Of land
leaving 7,ll5,O00l, for works alone Now, what had
France done in ls4l? France granted lS,OOOOOO, for
Notifications; and the defence Of Paris cost O0O
the works of which done by soldiers their ord
nary pay works still; going at Cherbourg for
which 600 0O0 had been appropriated, and at Toulon
4 900 0OOl was being expended. In Germany the same
was being done. The Notifications fCabenz and Rastad
cost OOOOOO and in Italy the Notifications at Ales
sandra cost 900 Co., whilst in Russia the fortress of
Cronstadt strong that none of our naval officers
with their splendid feet aud undoubted courage dared
TO approach il. But Russia not idle and
every other country strengthening It's coasts When
the Notifications proposed by the commissioners were
completed which he trusted they would be in a short
time this country would be placed in efficient state
of defence and if attacked there was no doubt
we should be able TO bring force In the field sufficient
resist any nvade During the last great war we had