, 1863-01-13
LAKE DEFENSE8-N1H, C0NKLTrGsS
REPORT

N+~A@nAA -
REP0RT.
The report of the Committe on Naval
Affairs, to whom was referred the resolu.
tion Of the, House Of Representatives, in
structiug said Committee to inquire andre
port = the cheapest most expeditions and
"reliable mode Of placing vessels Of wa,
"upon Lake Ontario and other great lakes
"should necessity for 30 doing at any time
!: "arise; and, in case it is deemed necessa.
''ry for the purpose aforesaid, to establish
"watcr communication, adapted to the pass
"age Of vessels Of war from other waters
"to the lakes, the Committee is instructed
eto report which one Of the various plans
Hsuggcsted will afford; at the least cost, ad
"cquate, reliable and early access Of the re
@quired kind, together with the reasons o,
"the Committee, and the time and
"cost Of completing the ~or9
this Report is on our table "o
should be clat1 to avoid what He1nfend to
saw in relation to 1t; but truth compels us
~ dcc,are that 1t is the most solemnly stu
did, and stupidity silly. document ever: pre-
Eeutcd to Congress within our recollection,
and that the respectable name of F. A.
Conkling does not relieve it from the con-
sempt that it deserves. Our readers will
agree with us that We are neither harsh nor
unjust when ne tell them, that at the end
Of sixteen pages Of owlish matter, in which
the ignorance Of its writer is written down
in every line, the following are the conclu-
sions al which he arrives.
' First. That nthe cheapest; most expeditions
And-reliable mode of plaeinG war vessels nnon
Lake Ontario and the othergrcat lakes. slould
necessity for SO doing at any time arise, is
70 launch them In the first instance upon those
sFaters.
Second. That it is not necessary, nor is It
expedient, for the purpose Aforesaid, to es-
tablish water communications, adapted to the
Pas4s,ags9 re Of yessels-of:war, FROM oiher waters
If Mr:. Conk1ing did not hire some Bobe.
,nian IN the lobby to get up this report, be
wrote it himself; and, as the latter is the
most probable, We do not propose to at
Tempt SO much to show that his conc1u-
sions are absurd fact every school
boy along the line of lake coast can see and
demonstrate) as to point out the greater
absurdity Of SO constituting committee On
nautical affairs, as to leave county-court
lawyer, who probably does not know q
Schooner from ship, at the head Of it. and
lien entrusting to that committee a matter
Of such magnitude as the defense Of the
Northern Lakes and the protection Of the
nnnumbered millions Of property lying
along the American side Of that immense
Chain But this point we will not argue.
Ihe report and the authorship ought to 20
together. Together let them be immortal
azed as the EXTREMIST specimens Of the folly,
that, in this hour of great national peril.
Tere able to o'make themselves heard il not
respected in the American Congress:
We hazard the assertion that there are
today in the possession Of the British
Government mol less than fifty gun
boats, fit and calculated for the lake ser
vice, which boats are ready to be put
together; and that within thirty days from
the occurrence Of hostilities between Eng
land and the United States, Lake Ontario.
Lake Erie, and all the Upper Lakes, would,
If our defences are not increased, or if they
are increased only in accordance with the
Recommendations Of Mr. Conkling, be in
The possession Of the enemy. Or, if these