Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-11-18
shall Ne have = Navy.

snail N@N
The L.. 8. kiriAer to Russia assures the people Of
tbs North that three stAurch and formidable iron. plated
,sssls Of var are nos building at B,itish ~shipyHrds for
me ConfedeAss service. Information from other
sources 4 to the same tfscs but Ss have no Authcria.
aro intelligence % the IEhjscE aud can only hope it u
true. A ~jadiSious use Of cotton VhSn lie UE began
you'd have placed u BY this time in possession of a
EaVy nos only sufficient 70 defend al Of oar eAPorts
and keep them open to c~onneIos, bat even to threaten
the ssAbOSrd cities Of The enemy. We let the solten
chance pas BY, but ve still have it in our pOssE to re-
cover some Of the advantages ue have lost, aud Ne
sincerely hope . bsginning has been made ~ this end
No nation, situated a. Ne are, can ever hope to be in
dependent without : navy. A thS Columbus SEa sAys,
suea = thing a. independence With q eoAs, boundary en-
eiroing two thirds OF our territory, and Uish uSTigAble
issrs extending into the interior Of every State, aud
YET without q navy sufficient to defend ~ nom tho aP-
Pr0sehes Of hostile vessels, . an s~bsrrdiiy. We may
ildssd succeed, BY desperate sfru aud unparalleled
~priHdOO, in eOlqasrirg . temporary peace upon the
basis Of separation without the aid OF = regular navy
cat our Independence, under such circumstances, would
% merely coHiaI, sad state Of peass ShoF, and Tn
eSTAiD. We would be constantly liAbb 10 invasion b.
pluudeing Yar kee vesses Tue MissssipP, Tennessee
Cumberland, lines YOft, RappAhannOeE, and cttsr
n~svigAbls rivers, ~Oul3 ssarn uiA inland pirates, uhIe
cur seaport tOEns sOuld be kept 10 constant A~ppseAsn-
sioa from Yankee sraisfL We would have no IOrt Of
security whatever. A nauon which openly r~epsdiAtes
the rules Of eiTIis sd warfare and commits repeated acts
Vi bad faith n = stats Of Osligssncy cannot Be trusted
IA state OF Peses. 4 Psop!s Who vii ~uAnsonly yio-
late the sipuatOus Of . cartel sl not hesiaAte, when
opportunity Ofsrs, 60 ViolAse the most solemn treaties OF
pesee. We should. therefore, lock 70 TIA future, and
make preparations for ths eGeIgsney
Il took England upwards Of three hundred years to
learn, BY bitter exp YiFnee. tbs value Of . navy. Soon
after the blending Of the HeptUehy into one Common
Kingdom, the e1uatry for q shls gave sVidsCes Of
srsat prosperity and bid fair to become the ruiHS pow.
"a OF Western Earope. Bu, nszsesilg TO mako them.
selves = great naval power, the EoEiSh we're repeatedly
,1sIssd, and AsiF territory invaded and nvAged By the
s1sike Danes. Who had made themselves masters Of the
SIS. A weak Ani S~seilaing Prince paid the P~iratcal
Danes = sufficient sun, during hh bIlsf reigTOi thirty
s1 years, In tbs vain and eoWErdly hope Of pgTeAasins
: temporary peace, to have Lalt one OF the strongest
aGEies then kaosn 70 the elEifEed world The bare
TshsEsll Of sulb a PoiJy, IhoGgi Is may have been
adopted many ~esrlaEis5 sgo, cannot fail 10 ArOuss tie
Indisnsiion Of every true ElglshmAn.
Bat 50 5000 a. the \ sEsh people laarrsd the impOr.
slee Of naval warfare and taxed their whole energies 10
pu, themselves 10 80 attitude Of defense by sSA As veil -
by land, they began 70 AsssTt their supremacy. Her Vs
geographical posid1o, which had OpCs nads the English
Government a. easy prey to inferior PoHeIl. no" gave
her all Tia attributes Of greatness a. q naval power; and
for many long yr5FI has shs been knO ~ u the "m.s.
tses Of the ss4s"
fhs history OF Other Pow5rs "a rsplois viii sluilir
isa4Ons OF Instruction., aud 70 sOuld do well to heed
ILsn. We committed a gFsa, blInder 10 not setting Ou'-
selves about The work Of building = navy IN the early
Stages Of this var. Proper industry a. the right time
Souid have put oar colst and rivers in = state Of de-
tense, aud We might nov have been enjoying the bless
iugs Of pace and independence, instead Of undergone
tie hArdships, p~nvAtiChs and disAppointmenus Incident
20 3 state OF psosrae.sd ~hOsthtias. Bat Il does no good
70 pineOVeF past msiodunss. WS sh3uld profit by The
ssssrs Lessons OF experience, and improve the present