Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-05
AN IMPORTANT LETTER


OuI SC0POftes
NEW YORK, Dec. 4.
Mr.. Tilden has written the following
letter:
GRErsroNE, YoNKERs, N. Y. Dec. l.
Dear Mr.. Carlisle:
As public opinion points to you as the next
speaker of the House of Representatives, l
desire to submit q suggestion as to one of the
OBJECTS to which appropriation ought to be
prompt and liberal, considering the state and
management of public revenues, the subject
involving the question whether we shall ex-
tiDguish the surplus by reducing the revenue
or whether we shall apply the surplus to paw
ments on public debt, or whether we shall
seize the occasion to provide for our seacoast
defences, which have been long neglected.
am of the opinion that the latter is a para
mount necessity which ought to precede the
reduction OF revenue, and ought also to pre-
cede the excessive rapidity in the payment of
the public debt. The property exposed to
destruction in IL sea ports. Portland, Ports
mouth, Boston, New York, Newport, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah,
New Orleans. Galveston and San Francisco,
cannot be less than five thousand million dol
lars. To this must be added vast amount
OF property dependent for its use on these
ports. Nor does this statement afford the
true measure of damage which may be caused
to the property and business of the country
by failure to protect these sea ports from
hostile naval attacks. They are not only tie
centres of foreign commerce but of most of
the internal trade and changes of domestic
productions.
To this state of things the machinery of
the transportation OF the whole country has
become adapted. An interruption of the cur
rents OF traffic by the occupation of one or
more OF our principal seaports by foreign
enemy, or the destruction of them bv bonn
bardment, or holding over them menace of
destruction for the purpose of exacting a con-
tribution or ransom, would inflict upon the
property and business of the country, an in
jury which can neither be foreseen or meas
ured. The elaborate and costly Notifications
which were constructed with the greatest en-
gineefing skill, are now practically useless
They are not capable of resisting the attacks
of modern artillery.
Still greater defects exist in our coast de-
fences. The range of the best modern artil-
lery become so extended that our present for
titications designed to protect the harbor of
New York, where two-thirds of the import
trade and more than one-half of the export
trade of the whole United States is carried
on, are too near to the great populations of
New York City. Jersey City and BROOKLYN to
be of any value as protection. To provide
efectual defences would be the work of
years; would take much time to construct
permanent Notifications and small provision
of the best modern guns would take severel
years. Neither of these works can be ex-
temporized in the presence of emergent dam
sUit fbo
ments on the heights surrounding the harbor
of New York, in our present state of prep
Grafton, or rather in our total want of prep
Grafton, would be powerless to resist small
squadron of war steamers.
This state of things is a discredit to our
foresight and our prudence. The best guar
antee against aggression, the best assurance
that our diplomacy be successful and pacific
and our rights and honor be respected by
other nations is in the knowledge that we are
in a situation to vindlcate our reputation and
interests. While we may afford to be defic-
lent in the means of offence we cannot afford
to be defenceless. notoriety of the fact that
we have neglected the ordinary precautions
of defense invites want of consideration in
our diplomacy, injustice, arrogance and in
suit at the hands of foreign nations.
1t is now more than sixty years since we
announced to the world that we should resist
any attempts, from whatever quarter they
might come, to make any new colonizatlons
on any part of the American continent; that
while we should respect the ststu quo we
should protect the people of different nations
inhabiting this continent from every attempt
to subject them to the dominion of any for
eign power or interfere with their undisturbed
exercise of the rights of self government This
announcement was formally made BY Presi
dent Monroe, after consultation with Madison
and Jefferson, and was formulated by John
Quincy Adams. Our government has firmly
adhered to the Monroe doctrine, and even so
late as 1865 it warned Napoleon III out of
Mexico.
1t is impossible to foresee, in the recent
scramble of European powers for acquisition
of colonies, how soon occasion may arise for
our putting into practice the Monroe doctrine.
Its clear there ought to be some relation
between our assertion of that doctrine and
our preparation to maintain it. Its not in
tended to recommend any attempt to rival
the great European powers in the creation of
powerful navy. The changes which have
rapidly occurred, by the diminution of the
relative resisting power of the defensive
armor Of iron-clads, and by the increased
efficiency of modern artillery, which, on the
WnOle, mas Ralneu III CodlpetltlOn, suggest
that we should not at present enter largely
into the creation of armored vessels.
In the questions that beset this subject, till
they shall have reached a solution, we can
content ourselves with adding but sparringly
to our navy; but what we do should be the
very best that science and experience can in
dicate. This prudential view is reinforced
by considering the annual charge of main-
tanning war vessels bears an important pro-
portion to the original cost of constg action.
In constructing permanent Notifications and
in providing an ample supply of the best
modern artillery, the annual cost of main
tenance is inconsiderable. Nearly the whole
expenditure is in the original outlay for con-
struction. If we do not make the expendi-
ture necessary to provide for our sea coast
defences when we have surplus and have
no need to levy new taxes, we certainly will
not make these expenditures when we no
longer have surplus in the treasury. To
leave our vast interests defenceless in order
to reduce the cost of whiskey to its consum-
ers would be solicism.
The present time is peculiarly favorable
for providing for this great national neces-
sity, too long neglected. Not only does the
surplus in the treasury supply ample means
to meet this great public want without laying
new burdens upon the people, but the work
can now be done at much lower
cost than has ever before been
possible. Defensive works would consist al
most entirely of steel and iron. These mate
al con nov h, had runraaado toI