The New York herald., 1862-02-10

Continental naons anu in the war OF the Revo
general rule That such does not TO be the expo
rence OF the present attributed by some 90 th
introduction OF steam and the greater perfection IN tn
mechanical agencies both OF the ship and armament snc
the powerful and destructive character OF the ma
srals Of This Is important subject IN country
can ony RELY upon lie shore defences 10 meet the
rous fleets OF an enemy who has the whole navy ana
whole mercantile marine, now armed, oil the oa uh'e'
We confess that we have nothing any OF the sx
periences or this to change our conviction OF tae
superiority Of land fortincatoDs, whon properly con
| structed and en,cently armed 10 ships-of war The
introduction OF steam and other naval mpoy mas
not reversed the relative strenth oil iortheSsons anu
vessels though undoubtedly requires tns torms. ~
order maintain their old superiority 10 Do somssnne
| more than mere eArhworks, without oomo-proo!
eary reduced bv tbs vigorous sheng OF the ships
The conflict Pensacola the only alr ILLUSTRATION OF
the question which the present war mas .urnisnea. S
men were sheltered by those dsfonces which military
art provided against the descent Of shells, the guns
were OF proper range and handled by skfu and prac-
ticed gunnsrs The consequence that some Of the
snsmys most powerful shipsof perfectly rid
died By are OF the fortcations and abandoned the
contest prscpatey having failed to inct the slightest
injury upon the works OF tho Confederaes and only k
ing one or two men. We believe that the result would
and floating batteries II tho former properly built
provided with bomb proofs and guns Of equal range with
sns ENEMY and manned by experienced gunners, VINO
nave oeen disciplined and practiced to the skhui per-
formsnce Of their duties
the application Of steam TO ships of war and sthsr
naval improvements account for the OF the enemy
in his two assaults upon nconsdsrabls sarthworks how
s Il that the great naval squadrons Of England and
France unable to assa Ssbastopo other Rus
sian fortincaons with any success but
of worsted IN every encounter, whilst Admiral Napier
did not even attempt to cope with Cronstadv There
scarcely sailing vessel in either Of these magnih
cent fleets, the equal OF which in numbers, and
all the equipments and appliances OF had bo
the broad pennant Of Admiral Napier ths largest and
most powerful war ship in the world would be more
than match for three Of the best ships in the Yankee
navy. Every rscollects the impression produced
upon the public mind OF England by the magnificent
naval review which took placs before AimIal Napier
sailed for the Baltic and did Old England
more completely mistress OF the than when that
squadron OF magnificent steamships of war led by the
colo ssa nag ship OF the Admiral sail for the encnys
waters. IL would be- ridiculous compare the fifty
shpsowar which COMPRISE the Yankee navy, and their
feet OF old merchantmen, patched up for fighting pur
poses with the grand English squadron OF Napier in any
ono particular that gives efficiency ship in those
times; IN machinery, guns, armament and missiles,
without having reduced or even engaged single Rus
sian forthcation, We must evidently look to other
cause than naval improvements for the Yankee
At atteras and Port Royal and that TO be found
in the OF the forhca,ons rather than in the
strength of the ships hatteras and Port Royal had
been provided with proper defences against the she'll
and shot of the enemy the result would have been diff
ferent as it will be hereafter, If do not neglect the
common provisions against naval assault which have
elsewhere rendered shore batteries invulnerabe.
We do not rscolect but one single success which tho
combined eetg Of England and France both in the Baltic
anu Inc Black seas, aCnioVed during the Russian
That the reduction of the fertilization Of Kinburn by
the iron plated vessels introduced by Louis Napoleon
That experiment served to demonstrate the capacity Of
vessels sheltered with that metal resist the Gre Of tho
forts. Bat Il is, Of course clear that Notifications
she tered in the would be equally inyuiner
able by ships Of war and an English periodical has
lately argued that this daence can be provided as readily
and even more economically for forhcatons than ships
We earnestly hope that our government and engineers
will give this subject their prompt and serious attention
We have choice OF Pensacola and Port Royal in ure
codets bstwssn fortifcations and ships 1t is hardly
worth while to construct and defsnces merely
as slaughter pens for brave soldiers and only TO in
ve tho enemy 10 make attack which he has every
advantage of assault and little peril do not wish
to build defences merely that they may be taken, and
involve in their destruction the loss Of both life and
prestige let construct them upon proper principles
and we shall have no future repeons Of Hatteras and,
Port Royal.
THE NASHVILLE AND THE TUscARoRA.
tFrom tho Richmond Dispatch Feb. Al
Tho English papers speak with some interest Of the
possibility OF fight between the Confederate steamer
Nashville and the United States ship Tuscarora which
We Know nons of the relative .trsngh Of ihs ,o yss
sells. but they approach anything like equality in the
character Of the two ships the number and range OF
guns &c. there need be apprehension of the result
We have desire depreciats enemy, snd, IL
the Yankees do not make good ght IL is another
proof OF the degsneracy of the nation 1872 We
are inclined to think that they are no longer the same
people upon the water that they in former
days that there moro Hus, Psrrys, Chauncsys,
hopes of Captain Pegram. II he can only lay his ship
alongside the Yankee vessel and permit her keep
AZ put DOaru ana nave 10
fight, he is bound to win. The remark of the French
general that "the bullet foosh-,hs bayonst only Is
wise, has peculiar application TO contests at sea.
A SCREW LOOSE IN VIRGINIA.
NORFOLK DAY BOOK.
Norfolk into the public treasury very heavy tax TO
keep up and sustain efficient police system Protection
of money wrung from the peoples pockets It the duty
Of the constituted authorities to that the laws not
neglgsnty executed wifully violated with impuny;
and TO protect both person and property
with the authority lodged in their hands This the pso
pie have right expect, anu upon the failure thereof
they have right to institute inquiry the
which may have produced an injury TO person or pro-
perty.
This protection is in the nature of fundamental qua
rantse and the municipal authorities ought 70 be held
strct Accountability at least Those who aspire 60
vern cannot complain Il an injured party-the public
scrunzo with papness the acts and dongs Of its public
servants.
We are At war with an unscrupulons and willy foe who
does not hestststo ayow a. part Of his military pro-
grammeto arm the slave against his master and invite
him to deeds Of rapine and voencedesds that have
parallel in civilized warfare. For this purpose he has set
foot emssariss among 10 seduce them from their
allegiance and lay traps for their escape We within
fifteen miles Of tbs eneuys Undiscovered by sheet Of
water-escspe without vigilance is csrtain,hs public
ear il eognasnt Of these facs-ths public eve settles
down upon these painful truths-and the public heart
deeply feels, IN The loss Of those contrabands," the
oessty Of action-a more efficient and vigorous action
What shall that be? Escapes weekly made from
city 10 the enemy BY what means is this efecteds
Those who have looked in:o the matter say the aid
OF secret socictes-meetng weekly-n open tay-con-
cocting their bsIlish plans. Ia this known Go ask
every man you meet in the streets aud he viii give
shrug OF tho shoulder tell you il very
true. Others say they permitted TO learn read and
write, IN violation Of law right under the eye Of those
who ought be and the constituted guardians Of the
city, and thus devise their informal pans-others s
seemingly more knowing, say they aided by emissa
ries among Us.
But vhero are the municipal authorities who promised
protsctionS More than one hundred have already
capped il is conadsnty asserted. Have any steps been
taken TO tighten e rsrs Of government aud
q more efficient systsm'
Anew weeks ago party Of slaves were seized in the
very act Of escapngwith their masters gold IN their
pockets-armed with pistols and weapons offensive and
defensve-carrying With them 10 the enemy knowl-
edge Of our defsnces and cur purposes. white man
thus found would have been shot-sxample Is erri
BILE than precep-and military necessity would have de-
mandsd his immediate execution. Does the negro de-
serve less punshmenu What right We inquire have
they more than the white man, Why turn loose upon
this community the one and hang the othsrs We might
give the reason, but u mighs reach the eye OF the
encmy-ws Withhold 10. Indeed, u strikes being
manifest that uness visit upon ths hoads Of such
offenders . severer punishment than have yet In.
ficsd escapes will 60 On, and the snsmy viii pront By
our III judi gea humanity.
,hn N~~v IL.