336 Letters on Sieaon Navigation. 



Hence we see all the maritime nations upon earth reduced to the 

 same level, and the work; of destruction, upon a large scale, must 

 begin afresh. All the existing navies of the earth are not worth a 

 pepper corn. They will neither augment, nor diminish the power 

 of a nation in any future maritime warfare. We may just stand 

 upon their ruins, and witness kingdoms, empires, and republics, 

 all starting anew in the career of naval achievements, and pressing 

 forward towards those grand results which wait upon superiority. 



Nothing but a steam power navy, in the present advanced state 

 of steam navigation, can protect itself, much more a nation from 

 insult. It would seem therefore preposterous and absurd, for any 

 nation to exhaust its resources upon so useless and lumbering a 

 thing as a sailing ship of war. The apathy with which this great 

 subject is regarded in high places, if indeed it be regarded at all, 

 is quite surprising. But the time is hastening on when its power 

 will he felt. 



England, in all the spreadings of her vast empire, her universal 

 commerce, great in arms, great in peace ; England, first in moral 

 excellence, in mechanics, in manufactures, in literature, in the 

 arts, in opulence, in every thing which exalts and adorns a na- 

 tion, and I may be permitted, after a residence of more than thirty 

 years in her metropolis, to say, all this and a thousand limes more. 

 England, with all this radiance encircling her crown, is at this 

 moment more exposed than any other nation to the ruthless hand 

 of the invader. It is not enough that she has strength to crush 

 invasion, she wants the power to prevent it. That she can never 

 have without a steam navy. 



Your ob't serv't, 



Junius Smith. 



London, Oct. 19th, 1838. 



Remarks hy the Senior Editor. — It being obvious that certain 

 objections to the views of Mr. Smith would present themselves to 

 many readers, a letter, dated Dec. 3d, was addressed to his cor- 

 respondent in New York, to which the following is an answer. 



LETTEB III. 



TO PROF. SILLIMAN. 



Dear Sir — In reply to your queries I try to answer each in its 

 order, commencing with " What for instance will the sparless. 



