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question of sea-coast defence both beneficially and injuri- 
ously. It acts injuriously in several ways; but chiefly, first, 
by the suddenness and surprise with which vessels may fall 
upon their object, and pass from one object to another, in 
spite of distance, climate, and season; and, secondly, by 
their ability to navigate shallow waters. 
“The first property, by which squadrons may run into 
our harbors, outstripping all warnings of their approach, 
affords no chance for impromptu preparations ; accordingly, 
whatever our preparations are to be, they should precede 
the war. It seems past all belief that a nation having in 
commission —as France and England always have —® 
large number of war-steamers, ready for distant service in 
twenty-four hours, receiving their orders by telegraph, 
capable of uniting in squadrons, and in two or three days at 
most speeding on their several paths to fall upon unde- 
fended ports,—it is not to be expected, I say, that they 
should delay such enterprises until temporary resorts could 
be got ready to receive them. And yet there are those who 
insist that we should leave defensive measures to a state of 
war, — that we should let the day supply the need! 
-“Tnadequate as all such measures must prove; there would 
not be time to arrange even these. By the second property, 
due to their light draft of water, these vessels will oblige 
the defence to be extended in some form to passages °F 
channels or shoals that were before adequately guarded by 
their shallowness. The bars at the mouth of the MississipP" 
_ formerly excluded all but small vessels of war, and the 
strong current of the river made the ascent of sailing Ve" 
sels exceedingly uncertain and tedious. Now these bee 
and currents are impediments no longer. And all the armed 
steamers of Great Britain and France might be formed 12 
array in face of the city of New Orleans before a rumor of 
their approach had been heard. 
