The New York herald., 1870-04-27
Innuence Of the American Navy In Case Of
n European War.


how soon the armed hosts of the different
nationaliies may be conending with each
other? France is in feverish condition, and
upon the life of Napoleon depends the peace
of Europe, as seems to be admitted on all
sides Prussia, having taken her first great
stride towards the Baltic, is only biding her
time to annex Denmark, whose territory she
considers necessity in order that she may
become great naval Power. Prussia has her
eye also on the Danish Islands in the West
Indies, and in this may be seen the reason
why Mr. Seward backed out of his st. Thomas
bargain; for evidence exists that at the request
OF Count Bismarck our late vivacious Secre-
tary of State withdrew from his agreement
and left General Raasof involved in difficult
ties which finally compelled the latter's resig-
nation from the Danish Ministry. Turkey and
Egypt are on bad terms, and the latter only
submits to the imbecile authority of the Sultan
through fear of the interference Of the great
! Powers. The monument raised by the Russian
Empress still points the road to CONSTANT
nople, and the map showing the completion of
the great railroad from st. Petersburg to the
| Crimea is an evidence that Russia is deter
mined to be prepared, in case of another great
struggle in the Sea of Azof, to send her armed
hosts to the Turkish capital.
There is now a race going on between Eng
land and France to sac which can build the
greatest number of iron-clads in the shortest
possible time. The former has already accu-
mulated a feet of iron-clads far greater in
power than the wooden feet of her palmiest
days, and her great machine shops are
pushing on the machinery Of war as
| if hostilities were on the eve of commence
ment. While England has been constructing
| her fifty heavy iron-clads France has kept
pace with her in building ffty-one, which,
although not quite 80 formidable in the weight
of their armOr, are even superior in that OF
their guns Russia, also, has entered into the
competition and is building heavy iron ships.
Prussia is fast catching up and the lesser
Powers of Europe are following in the rear as
fast as their limited resources will permit-all
of them far in advance of us.
Now it remains to be seen what would be
our position in case Of general war in
Europe, of which we should feel the effects,
no matter how neutral we might be. What
respect would be paid to our small squadrons
| in the Mediterranean or elsewhere by the
| forces of France and England when il came to
a question of sequestrating American mer
chant vessels for alleged violations of decrees
| in council or for ignorant running of paper
blockades which the contending parties might
| think proper to enforce? Which one of our
naval commanders could resist imposition ex-
cept with a prospect of ,iselessly sacrificing
his whole force without chance of any public
benefit? IF we had only one powerful sea-
| going iron-clad with which we could 60 into
action with the prospect of sinking half-a-dozen
opposing ships before we were conquered our
selves there would be prospect of some atten-
ton being paid TO the demands of our command
ers; for either ofthe great Powers would hesitate
to put themselves in position where they
might be humiliated by us, or do anything that
would be likely to enlist our strength against
| them if we were but respectfully armed.
We have the ability and ingenuity among our
constructors and navy officers to build ships that
could bid defiance to half dozen Of those
now in the navies of England and France
and, in connection with this subject, it is indis
| pensable that we should begin to build before
the contingency of European war arises. If
we were prepared no nation in Europe would
wish to make an enemy of us; and, while in
case of European war, all the commerce of
the contending Powers would be swept from
the ocean, ours, if properly protected would
come in for the carrying trade of the bclli-
gerents.
There is, however, scarcely any hope of
anything being done for the navy while such
men as the Western Washburn exercise
influence on the floor of Congress, or while any
one Of the Washburn family occupies the posi-
ton of watchdog of the Treasury" @ The
| late speech of Mr.. Washburn, characterized,
as il was by misrepresentation and igno-
rance, is only foretaste of what we may ex-
pect from that enlightened statesman A child
of four years old would be amused if it could
read the weak attempts at argument and the
illogical deductions of this Treasury Cerberus.
He reminds one of man who has taken a
sufficient number of boxing lessons to induce
him to 60 into the street and invite a thrashing
from the first coal-heaver that comes along, or
of youth who attempts to swim witho::: lis lis
eorks. Mr.. Washburn first Attempted to take
the lead in the great movement for the resusci-
tat;on of our commerce; but he was singularly
unfortunate in his efforts, and SO muddled the
matter that nothing has yet resulted from the
different bills before Congress- Now he is
going to let the navy so to the dogs, and use
some of the money proposed to be spent for il
in building merchant steamers that are here
after to be the only bulwarks o
the nation! After all the trouble that
has been taken to inform the honorable
gentleman that the mercantile marine must be
merely great adjunct in time of war, he is