The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-03-24

AH< importance or Ndpy-ResOuTces Of
tAs SOstA-7Ne Iron Interest-Pasr,ot,c
Devotion Of tie Ladses-A!Fairs ON the
Coost. &c.
(sssOIAL coIAEsPosDBHOs OF THE DIsPAroH ]
HAvASHAH, Ga March II, 1861
The late successful clearance Of Hamp.
ton Roads by the Virginia has aroused the
whols country to the importance OF this new
means Of national defence, and the equaIixa.
ton OF taa superior power now possessed by
the Yankees. 1t has stim u, ated the effort to
create navy and has already produced bet
ter fruit even than the demolition # Yam.
kee frigates, by the enthusiasm which it has
excited throughout the South. Gun boats are
being designed. and the necessary means to
them have been the abect of earn
est but successful appeals not only in Mobile.
bat In Charleston and in Savannah, where
the spirit has caught the prevailing excite.
ment aud has resulted thus far in ocentns a
fair view of in final accomplishment. But
the people who have taken this sudden and
active pal t In the good cause of rational y 90.
fence and the construction OF iron clad ships
aud batteries, are not aware generally Of the
immense and almost insurmountable cbsta.
cles which lie in the way OF It's consumma.
ton. The Industry OF the South, especially
In all those branches connected with q ma.
rine. has been hitherto SO limited that the.
Government has had its energies taxed TO
obtain the labor sufficiently skilled to pro.
duce ships able to compete with the feet
which belonged to the old Union at the time
OF its disruption.
This cause Of delay and embarrassment Is
ore, however, which can be remedied, and
which time alone will soon do away with
throughout the length and breadth of the
Confsdsracy. Our resources in every other
necessity Of naval constr ruction are am pie,
Tar surpasstng that 0 any other portion Of
been the prolific source from which the nnvies
OF the Old world have been created; our
pines furnish the NJ oblest spars AN the tar and
rurpentine has hitherto gone to supp1 the
South wi l compare with the best, and many
mines in Georgia and Alabama will be
fand to surpass In every respect the p, Oduct
Of Sweden. Wtih,all these requisites it may
be asked wherein oc,urs the dificulty" Of
building up the navy which we now aspire
to createi
have alluded to this subject solely with
the object of impressing upoa the Govern
mont and the people the absolute necessity
Of governmental protection TO the iron iu-
terest, which must be fostered nay, If not
inaugurated by private enterprise. mus.
CVmm0OC0 1EOIu t0c lAltl6k DOtQL uUO6T GOV.
ernment creation aud superin teudence.
II may not be known to the mass of the
peopie tnes our mines are not capable, as at
present conducted, TO supply the exlgeLcies
Of . largely increased Government demh nd
Notwithstanding the late advertisement for
an enormous supply proceeding from the Ord
nance Department, Is sufficient INDIGESTION
that the Confederate authorities are awake
to the tmp0r lance Of 1t and the great want
existing. Furthermore, the people may not
b aware that at present we have not within'
our broad limits one rolling mill for the man
ufacture OF boiler plate iron, the importance
OF which IL sufficiently obvious t. the least
interested in the vsrious manufactures OF
iron.& The last from which our supplies
to the flames and the destructive energies OF
tho invader OF the State of Tennessee and
now We have not on hand Sufficient TO render
complete the repairs. after SIX months use, OF
after build. shall only add to the D. um ber
Of our wants that Of wrought iron, SO oi1i-
cult at present to obtain. and the rails which
the constant service CT onr roads are now
SubjScted to Will demand very soon. have
spocif1ed these. not to cause any despondence
on the part Of 0ur people, but to prepare them
for the urgency ct governmental assistance
In the creation of this branch of industry.
Individual enterprise has been appealed to,
10 remove this want, but IL mus. be borne in
min.; that the means adequate to the estab-
lishloent OF the necessary works must be large;
And have heard those who were willing to
that the re establishment of peace would
ruin them land destroy that which they had
sacrificed N uch to build mp for the success OF
our cAuae alone. The Government has not
failed to appreciate the fmpo, tance OF ma.
tionnl armories, and to that cad has dev oted
much time and greatexpanse in removing the
Harper's Ferry works. and commencing de
aovs others destined to l1ll the existinx want
A cannon foundry Is equally as important
an object Of Government aclicitude, and in
view Of these difcisncies and the increased
demand which AZ ironclad navy will create.
1t surely II incumbent upon our authorities
TO take the initial steps towards this great
work.
It has been suggested, and to day repeated
In the Repxblican, Of this city, that the iron.
plates shsuid be imported If our resources
will not be Immediately available The sug-
gestion 10 timely and proper; let not the Gov.
srnment delay the country will demand q
vigorous exerti0n Of the power reposed in its
hands, and will not fail to condemn any hesi-
fancy In availing itself Of every prerogatvs
Of power which the crisis demands. Should
the Government determine to Ter INTO this
great psojsct, is will In the first place assure
itself Of the possession OF armor plates suf-
ncient TO cover all the boats we may build.
and that Of q description superior in quality
Of metal TO the Yankee ships, and OF size
which now u beyond the power OF our Sou tn
ern works, few ~ they are, to produce. The
any battery BY the uss OF plates OF a size such
- the Warrior 10 clad with will be obvious to
every oneat all acquain tedwith cons,ruc ion,
and at the same time facilitate the rapidly
VithWAich ttcAn BE- built To the Government
belongs tie daty Of creating or qf not COM
menciRg) fostering this branch, which has ris.
On 70 colossal importance within few
months. and which Will b the only bar
ble projects which the patristism OF the
women Of the South, a. well as Of the m en-,
have inauGufated Lst NO impsdtment occur
from the procr.stination Of the powers that
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