The New York herald., 1870-03-30
what 1. tho u.e Of . N.vys

Ine nattOu tnat mas ruled tn0 seas WIN HOE
navy has controlled the commerce Of the
world. This is exempli6ed In the case Of
Great Britain, the greatest naval Power on
earth. History shows us how great CONNER
cial nations have gone to decay when one
more powerful has sprung up to contest with
them the supremacy of the ocean. The great
East India trade, to which England owes her
supremacy, has been the prize for which many
nations have contended, and it finally fell into
the hands of England from her having driven
it seems likely that this trade will remain with
Great Britain, even with all onr advantages Of
the Pacific Railroad and the shortest route
from China.
Our navy has never kept pace with the
increase Of our population or commerce-the
rule that should govern nation in building
up navy. When the rebellion was crushed
was the time for our statesmen to build up and
maintain permanent navy; for it was ap-
parent to every one that but for the assistance
given by the navy we should never have ter
minated the war. During the four years OF
the rebellion we captured or destroyed
thousand vessels of all kinds. If this destruc-
tion were to take place during war between
this country and Great Britain it would do
more to bring about peace than the capture
Of hundred vessels Of war. The loss of the
latter would not touch the pockets Of the
British merchant, while every capture of
trading vessel loaded with rich freights would
be felt throughout England.
We had an example in the Alabama and the
Shenandoah. It is well known to the world
how much damage was done to us by these two
ill-equipped rebel cruisers, which destroyed
millions of dollars worth Of our commerce
without our being able to help ourselves, while
our merchant ships in self-defence had to be
transferred to foreign flag, thereby multiply.
ing the commerce Of our natural enemy. Had
we possessed proper vessels at ths commence.
tndns q the ,sbell!92 ,s w g2d have kept these
ocean roee5fa from doing us any injury. AT
this very moment there are one hundred and
seventeen foreign steamers running from our
ports to those of Europe, which, II equipped
and turned against us, as could be done in
week, could blockade every harbor on tie
Atlantic coast of the United States.
These are facts evident to the dullest COM
prehension; but the Bourbons of our country
do not seem to learn anything. They rather
invite a catastrophe which sooner or later must
occur if steps are not taken to place the navy
on proper footing and take its fate from the
1cs ho ol,o
with appropriating money for its maintenance.
1t is not necessary that we should keep up the
expensive naval establishments of England,
France and Russia, but we should at least
aspire to navy equal to that wornout nation
Spain, which has at the present time larger
force OF ships and men in the waters of Cuba
than we have in our entire navy. For what
does she have such force there but to intimi-
date US and prevent our interfering in the in
human contest now going on? If we could
launch upon the ocean the ships-of-t the-line,
frigates and sloops we had in our dock
yards in 1855 we could dictate terms to the
Spaniards at once and bring them to sense
Of their inhumanity. They know our weak
ness as a naval Power, and although they are
aware that we could raise hundred thousand
troops in twcnty-four hours to throw upon the
'sEver Faithful Island" yet they are also
aware that Spain commands the position, and
could capture any land force at sea before the
latter could have chance to put foot on the
soil of Cuba. This shows the necessity Of
navy, providing we accord belligerent rights
to the Cubans; but there are thousand other
reasons affecting our commerce which abso-
lutely demand an increase of naval power.
Our commerce, although at low ebb just
now, cannot long remain 80. We are young
and rapidly increasing country, with more re-
sources than any other on the face of the
earth, with debt that is mere baga-
telle, and is rapidly being paid off. Although
we may get set back for time we cannot
long remain SO, any more than an enterprising
merchant would in case he should meet with
not entirely Bourbon it will resuscitate our
commerce by its votes this winter. Should
this be done, in three years more our steam
ships would be driving from the ocean those
who first crippled our commerce and then
usurped it; and we owe it to ourselves that
this just retribution should overtake those who
acted with such bad faith towards us. Eng
land is not going to yield and give up a sys-
tenn that has reduced our commerce one half
and increased her own proportonally, and she
will find means to involve us in difficulty
which will still leave her mistress Of the ocean,
unless we have a certain naval prestige that
will cause her to respect and fear us.
| All that is required is for the people of the
| United States to understand the wants of the
nation to make them demand Of Congress a
proper navy for the protection Of its citizens
abroad. Now that we have Navy Department
competent and willing to advance the. service
and the whole naval corps alive to the necessity
of bringing it up to high water mark, we say the