, 1863-08-15
Qt)ira9o Tribn're.
wAR-0uR LAKE DEFESCEs.

"Ah-OuA LAKE OhFENAE8.
= : While Eastern journals are discussing
!. fhe probabilities OF war with England, the
!: people Of the Wcst, tearing that war may
!; be the result OF the present international
complications, are wondering what, in that
eyent, they will do to make themselves Sc
cure against an attack Of the enemy. They
find themselves the posseseors Of a long
line Of coast-the shore ofa series Of uayi-
, gable lakes that hare their outlet into; the
St Lawrence, which, in turn, runs most Of
its length through territory where it will
be ineyimblyunder the enemy's command
!. They: find that the entrance from the sea
-~tothe St. Lawrence and thence to the
i 1aases,>is now as it must be until all the
::Britiah: colonies are conquered, in the enc
rnies county,. They find that, through
this entrance, the Tast commerce Of the
West is at the enemys mercy; that, as
soon as hosti1iies are declared, the enc
tny's iron -clads, adapted for lake service
wil1 make their appearance in our inland
waters; that they will drive our flag off
these waters, eud:dominass every CONNER
cial city: along the shore from Chicago
to 0gdensbp1g;. and that not only the
towns and the chipping, but the leading
railroad lines, by holding one or the other,
or, IN some cases, both Of their termini.
:: will be under their sovereign control. They
find the Government so. hampGed BY
,- treaty stipu1ations with the power with
whom war is isiexpected, that itcannot, with
out adding new causes to the present iui-
tation and making the conflict almost cer-
tain. come to their aid and BY launching
a feet 50 as TO. be ready, for any service,
insure their protection. They find one
revenue steamer guarding all those vast
and varied interests; and they find. also'
that, until long after war is declared, and
probably long after the commerce Of the
lakes is destroyed, after Chicago, Mi1wau-
kce, Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo, Eric, Buff
falo, and Oswego have had visitation
from the foe, and after the railroads Of the
West are rendered temporarily useless for
war or commercial purposes, there is no
prospect that our Government Will be
stronger On the lakes than it is to-day.
This is the situation. We do not won.
der that when war is talked
Of our people. should feel that, before it be-
gins, all treaties which deny them heright
Of se1fprotection should be abrogated,
that Alackinaw and the Detroit River
should be strongly fortified, and that our
lake marine should be put into condi-
tion to defy attack. The Northwest is the
vulnerable point at which Great Britain
will first direct her blows. simultaneously
with the attempt to raise the blockade Of
the Southern ports. would be the more
dangerous attempt to detach the Vest
from fhe East; and when We remember
that less than one hundred miles intervene
between the Northernmost part Of Viz
ginia and Like Erie, We can sec what
danger it Is by which We arc Threatened.
- In view Of these facts, Government has
but two lines OF policy to pursue. The
first is to build and have in state Of perfect
completeness, some where on the tributary
waters Of the lakes sufficient number Of
iron vessels to insure equality with any
force that Great Britain would be apt to
put afloat. But as this would imply dis
regard Of the spirit Of the bargain with
England, to which this country is party,
and might be the reason for an allegation
of bad fnith, we doubt If it would be proper
or fair for the authorities to adopt it. The
second is to frankly and Immediately tell
Great Britain in firm but courteous tone,
that we dist1ust her Intentions, and fear
her advantages, and TINT the treaty by
which our forces On the lakes are kept
down to the point Of uselessness, must be
abrogated. And this is the policy that VIC
recommend.
The truth is, since that treaty was con-
cluded, the changes that the Canadisn
Government has made by means Of the
canals that give England egress and ingress
to the lakes, have destroyed its fairness.
The StIawrencc and Welland Canals were
not then built No vessel suitable for war
purp oses could be gotten from the
ocean to Ontario; and in the
event Of w4r, that power which could first
get it's ships a1oat was the one that would
reap all the benefits Of its speed and skill
In race Of that sort, the United States
had nothing to fear. But this is all chang
ed. While we remain as We were, with
no capacious channels, through which war
vessels may be floated to the prospective
scene of action, Great Britain has welded
the ocean to the lakes, and within week
after war was declared, and before our
Navy Commissioners could fix on Q place
) for ship yard, or buy half dozen wood
En- steamers ROW afoat, these inland seas
would be covered with the enemys cruis'
ers, and the Northwest would be virtually
at their mercy. This is a condition o.
things that should not be suffered to cen
tinue; or if continued, should stif1e all
1alk Of war. We commend the whole
subject to the authorities at Washington