The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-15
England on the Seas.

England on the Seas.
Tho statement lately published in this Jour
nal that in thirty long years, the fFeheh
mercantile marine has only increased seventy
vessels, whilst England, in the same PERIOD
has added fifteen thousand vessels 10 heF III
ready vast mercantile fleet would seem aDSo-
utelv incredible, but that it comes from
French official sources, and Is acknowledged
10 be the truth by the French journals Inc
Fcnch, it is evident, are no more now Il m"Ii-
time nation than they We're before the mro-
auction of steam. 1t was supposed that the
application of this motive power 10 Sea'SolnS
vessels would neutralize the advantages WHICH
England had derived from the greater hl"'l'
time aptitude of her people. But even SIr'iii
cannot convert Frenchmen into sailors A",1
are among the bravest OF nations on "n"
there ire no bounds to their military enterprise
the architecture of their ships Is perfect 'hei'
supply of material for seamen Is nhlliiI'''"
all the external appliances to success apo""'
but the maritime soul is wanting, IN" i''
tor thirty years, during which the inos
and astonishing naval improvements ,,,
been made, remains almost statloli4' -
mercial progress, whilst England '' ,,,.s
ward with accelerated energy "" :.;,o
not only France, but her own pas, .,.,s
achievements into the shade' AA
which for so many ages have SUNS !" "
sic Of Rule Britannia, still keep 'li4c " 'ii'
same triumphal tune, and ACKNOWLEDGES l"
tho ,oost remote oceans, the OLD SEA hlhS dS
their master.
Tho introduction of steam has taken oil 4
GREAT deal of the romance OF marllime me-
and rendered unnecessary the higher q"anlles
of seamauShip, but il has increased the stiln"-
lants to commerce, and given greater pre-
cision speed and certainty 10 It's operations
The English, an island people, surrounded
on all sides by the ocean, have Tor centuries
exhibited n taste and aptitude for maritime
adventure which seems 10 have been heredl-
tarv. The love of the sea Is now part OF
their nature. There is no object OF all the
works of art so attractive 10 them rs snip
under full sail, especially when she IS BRING
ing home a rich cargo. The poctical ana the
practical are combined in their composition.
They have no great aspirations for military
glory but Il sea fight fills the measure OF their
ambition. NELSON is enshrincd more deeply
in British hearts than even WELLINGToN. The
children in England take as naturally 10
water AS Young ducks. The ErenChman, VINO
dominates on the land, becomes sea SICK on the
ocean The Gallo cock cannot swim. He does
not crow as defiantly on the sea rs on the
shore. He is belligereut bird; but when the
water losses him up and down, and the waves
and the clouds meet together, his stomach,
even for fighting. is affected. Neither Glory
nor Love has charms for the sea sick. Per-
haps there is not a more helpless and mlsera-
ble- looking:obiect in the whole world than the
most valiant Of Gauls, when NEPTUNE calls
upon him for 4 settlement.
The English show 10 lis what can be accom-
plished by q nation which does not make mill
tary glory its guiding star but which devotes
its main energies TO the promotion of peaceful
industry which develops the treasures OF lis
mines and agriculture which gives prolhl-
nence TO manufactures, commerce and trade
which insures equality between man ana man
in the administration of justice. Fighting Is
never resorted to by England except upon
vital point of honor, or for practical purposes
She may sometimes fight 10 live, but she does
not live to fight When she does orlW Inc
sword. however, she demonstrates thata ages oI
trade have not changed the bulldog pluck ana
tenacity OF her combatiVeness. Nor are lhe
British, with all their national pride, ana their
especial confidence in their nautical pre-emI-
nence. unwilling Is take lessons from others IN
their own peculiar domain. When the yacht
America went to England she distanced with
ease all her British competitors. The English
owned up to their defeat like men, and turned
themselves TO studying those peculiarties in the
construction and management OF the America
which had enabled her TO carry off the palm
They soon cqualled the model, and at this
time, America has no finer specimens of naval
architecture, no ships more graceful and fleet,
than those of England.
BURKE, at an early period, predicted the
maritime success of our own country from the
energy and seamanship displayed in the whale
fisheries Americans have inherited from
Englishmen those tastes and aptitudcs for
sea life without which no nation can ever
become n great commercial people. We ven
ture 10 say that no people but the Americans
would ever have dared 10 put Il ship 10 sea in
the time of the Revolution or even III the war
oflSl2. We taught mother Britain little lesson
in that war. When she heard Of the rampant
proceedings of DECATUR, PERRY, HULL, Nc
DoHoUGH, CHArNCEY and Others she must have
regretted that she had ever begOtten 4 brood
of Americans so called, but in fact English
men, chips of the old block, the old bird over
again, only more so. These two nations must
prepare 10 divide between them the commerce
of the world There is room enough in the
two hemispheres for us both, and we shall
best consult our mutual interests by keeping
the peace with each other.
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A Western contemporary informs the pub
lie that " the con joint and constant co-opera-
ton of all the dynamic forces is essential 10