The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-27
The Three Great Navies.
LETTER BY PRINCE DE JOIN
WILLIE TO A GENTLEMAN IN
WASHINGTON. a
[CoPY.l
ORLEANS HOUSE, TwIcKENHAM, SURREY.
Ali no rgpa o =

April 2s, 1865.
DEAR SIR:-Just as | was going to
| write to you to congratulate you upon
the great achievements of your fleets
| and armies, we heard of the horrible
| deed of the 18th, and l have to mourn.
with you upon one of the greatest and
best men of the re. The voice of pos
terity is already speaking, and every
where everybody is at length recogniz-
ing the value of that good, honest and
firm man.
The feeling of horror and indignation
is universal in Europe, mixed with q
great deal of alarm for the future. For
myself, L do not feel that alarm. [ have
always had faith in your country, and
| have it still. Your EN- :rgetic but wise
country will find other pilots worthy of
the task they will have to perform. L
only say that if good Mr.. Seward is
saved, that task will be made much
easier. / ardently hope that it will be
the case, and that he will be spared for
the good of his country and the affec-
ton Of his friends.
But if he was to succumb, we have
here in London, in Mr.. Adams, IL firm,
| ~clear-headed, discreet man, who has
very strongly impressed me with his
value, and who, as far as my knowledge
of men permits me to judge, would
make u very efficient substitute.
| also hope that the dastardly act will
be found TO be the work of only q few
desperadOes, and that it will not stop
that feeling of m~agDanimity in victory
which your bitterest enemies are obliged
to admire.
You have proved strong in war, unan-
imOus in your national policy; your
constitution has passed successfully, and
is going, l fOndly believe, to pass sue
cessfully, through the severest tests
Punish the assassins, but do not be ram
corous. Show yourselves Us generous as
| you are strong. | take the liberty to
suggest to you that wish, because it is
my only fear that these horrid assassi.
nations, and the miserable eXultation
which they will not fail to provoke
among the low-minded OF your enemies,
shall bring with them a spirit of retail
alton from which no good can come.
L wish to see your great country come
| out Of all its troubles without any spot.
| wish it for herself first, andalso for the
cause, but that of liberal institutions all
! over the world.
I You must be proud, sir, of the doings
| of your navy. With the brilliant ex-
! plot of Commodore Winslow has the
tide of victory turned with you. The
achievements in Mobile Bay are without
parallel, and throw the greatest honor
on your flag. All naval men pay a just
tribute of admiration to Admiral Farra,
| gut and his brother officers and men,
This war will leave your navy in a very
| efficient state, and with a feeling of con-
| fidence in itself, which is half the sue.
| cess. .
Not SO in European navies. Ours is
| tired and Disguised by the odious SER
vice of transports imposed upon it. The
British navy, after a long period of mac
ton, and furnished with ships and men
it has no confidence in, is not what it
was formerly.
Both navies continue to build sea-go-
ing broadside iron-clads OF immense size
and cost but the policy of building such
expensive ships when they may be so
easily sunk by a miserable torpedo is
much discussed, and the tide is coming
to small iron-clads with two or four
guns, Monitor fashion. For long cruises,
fast unclad screw sloops, Alabama or
rather Florida fashion, seem also to be
most appropriate. Upon all these points
you have the lead.
Where everybody is still behind is in
gunnery.
The best English gun is the 300
FOUNDER, smooth-bore, muzzle-loader,
Armstrong gun, built on the coil princi-
pie, and able to throw its shot with a
very heavy charge of powder. The royal
navy has no good rifle gun ofheavy cali
bre; but l think that Mr.. Blakely can
turn out some very efficient ones.
Tha Ernyah hnua M hoaxy,r n,1nc
smooth-bore or rifle, and have not yet
succeeded to experiment successfully
upon any one. The bestgun we have in
use is a hreach-loaded rifle gun throw
ing a G0-pound shot with low charge.
That gun works well, is very accurate,
but of no Use against iron-clads.
The Emperor is trying a gun of his
invention, riied and made of steel in
side and brass outside. / have no faith
in it. D.
1t is from the United States that we
expect the production of the large riied
gun for sea service, as soon as your Gle
yer workmen shall have turned their
minds to the production of built-up
guns of steel or wrought iron.
The heavy gun is much wanted, since
the battle of Mobile has so much shaken
the confidence in the employment of
rams.
With the preceding gunnery chat, /
close this letter. Be good enough to be-
lieve me always,
Very sincerely yours,
F. D'ORLEANs,
Prince de Joinville.
/ see in the papers a very bad letter of
Mr.. Mason, the Confederate agent. L
see, also, that the British Parliament is
going to vote an address of sYmpathY