Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-05-10
. THE SEAS.

From what AN learn, we presume an
cffnr, win ,c cadc in Congress to rcorganizc
orr N,,,d g,stcm A speech delivered by
Hon. Ham Walbridgc, six years ago, on
,his ,dbiect, contains some suggestions
worhy of consideration. lie proposes TO
jaconoratc what he calls the militia of the
Seas" so that every ship may, in some mca-
sure, be a man-of-war, and constitute, to a
certain extent, apart of the National marine.
As our commercial marine is now the largest
in the world, We could readily organize the
most formidable Navy on the globe, without
mourning any great expense The efficiency
of the navy, and we might almost say, the
necessity of this great arm of defence has
been so fully and so ably demonstrated du-
ring the present rebellion. that no diversity
of opinion can any longer exist upon this
subject. 1t is more than probable that Gen.
Grant would have been overwhelmed at
Pittaburg Landing. had il not been for the
inccSsant and terrific shower of shot aad
shell thrown by the gun-boats, the Carondo-
lett and the Tyler by which the rebels were
kept in check until the arrival of Gen Buell..
Our readers may form some idea of our
great commercial marine from the following :.
Great Britain has 81 900 vessels with a
five million tonnage; France has 1880
vessels, of 720, 900 tons; Spain 5000 vessels
with 100000 tons. The aggregate vessels
belonging to Sardinia. Tuscany, Naples,
Sicily Papal States, Austria, Greece, Turkey
Holland, Hamburg, Bremen, Prussia, Den
mark, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Mexico and
the South American States is A 400 vessels,
with 3,4GG, 800 tonnage. The United States
have A, 900 vessels afioat. with five and half
millions of tons; so we have $500 vessels
more than Great Britain, with half million
greater tonnage than hers three times as
many vessels as France, and at least eight
times as much tonnage; five times the num-
Der of Spanish vessels, with fourteen or iif-
teentimes her tonnage; and our number of
vessels is nearly equal to the vessels of all
of other maritime powers of the earth, hay
ing 100000 of tons greater than their
united tonnage.
The following extract from the conclud-
ing portion of Mr.. Walbridge's speech will
explain the value of his proposition:
"That, under the sanction of law, with
ample guards and restrictions, there should
be organized a Militia Navy, an army OF dc
fence corresponding to that employed by the
government in the land service, under our
! enrolled militia system, by which ship
owners should receive encouragement and
aid by law, in the construction of their YES
sells, so as to make them capable of bearing
guns, if required, in the service of the coun-
try. That the Captains and subordinate
officers be commissioned in the name of the
general government, upon some equitable
plan that will give them rank and emolu-
mcnt, in proportion to the the demand
upon their time and service in the new capa-
city of representing the naval power of the
Union. (Checrs.) That the humblest youth
who enters as cabin boy or in the lowest
capacity as seaman, should be educated and
trained in his honorable, though venturous
and dangerous profession. That not only in
the navy proper, but in this new service
in which the interest of commerce and the
naval power Of the Union will be rep.e
sCntcd"