THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH NA VIES.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 143, 30 November 1844, Page 155

THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH NA VIES.

[From the Times.] If we were not credibly informed that the French King had pulled his sailor-son's ears for allowing the publication of his "Note" on the state of the French navy, we should certainly think that that very shrewd monarch had had a " finger in the pie." The aspect of the pamphlet is one of hostility to England. It is all very well to talk of using the name of this country as an abstract representative of naval power — to speak of war as a mere hypothesis, necessary for the purpose of illustrating the writer's argument — all very well to disclaim all " narrow animosity or even national rivalry;" but we all know what is at present the spirit of the French nation towards our own, and we can all see that the mode in which the Prince de Joinville dwells upon our present activity, the perils arising from our steam navy, and the corresponding but hitherto undeveloped means of annoyance which the invention of steam has placed in the hands of France, amounts to aa indication of sympathy with those who openly call for war with us, whom they are gratuitously pleased to designate in advance and treat as their " enemy." Yet the moral of the royal author is a sage one, not at all unworthy of his farseeing father, though not at all inconsistent with the aspirations of the war party. " Put yourselves in fighting order," says the Prince, " but don't think of quarrelling just now, for you will inevitably be well beaten. The Chamber is always liberal for the marine service. Increase your steam navy enormously. Build separate classes of vessels for each separate service — large frigates for distant stations where there is no coal — repeating steamers in which everything is sacrificed to swiftness — large armed steamers to defend our own and menace the British coasts^^ToixrasreTigtartirtne onannei ancr command the Mediterranean — keep up an experimental steam squadron of at least twenty vessels of war, and above all prepare yourselves, on the first shot that is fired, to pounce upon British Commerce."

On this latter branch of French tactics, he is pleased to speak with real unction. If the fleets of France have been uniformly beaten, her cruisers, he tells us, have been almost always fortunate; and he anticipates similar success in any future war. We were puzzled for a moment to understand what he meant. But he shortly explains himself, and we must allow that his aspirations are not of a presumptuous order. "In the Channel and the Mediterranean," he tell us, "the office ofcruizers may be well intrusted to steam boats. Those which in peace serve as packets would, from their swiftness, make excellent privateers (corsaires) in time of war. They could overtake a merchant vessel, plunder her, burn her, and escape from the steamers of war themselves, whose movements would be retarded by their heavy construction." This warfare is not of the most glorious kind, but we doubt not that France has officers whose talent is peculiarly adapted to it. The name of Dupetit Thouars — the subduer of savages, the vanquisher of Princesses in the family way, will occur to every one as a commander, whose genius and courage eminently fit him for the complicated operations of burning a merchantman and running away from an armed steamer. His rank, indeed, as an admiral, may disqualify him for the conduct of this guerilla warfare. But a kindred spirit must surely be found in those gentlemen and sailors who are subscribing to give him (of all things in the world) a sword. Amongst these the Prince de Joinville can be at no difficulty in officering his privateering steam-packets. Yet we cannot help suspecting that, even in these runaway tactics, the Prince overrates the opportunities of his countrymen. He may depend upon it that we shall not be behindhand in filling the Channel with fast steamers, whose movements may be not quite so much retarded as he seems to contemplate by their heavy construction. He does us no more than justice in supposing that we are not asleep — that we feel the vital importance of our own commerce, and shall be ready to put forth, without delay, our whole energies to defend and avenge it. Meanwhile, it is not unamuaing to see the royal author counting his chickens — though we venture to hope that the hen is not yet alive which is to hatch them for him.

His visions, however, produce an obvious ef- ■ feet upon his countrymen, and will probably enable his august father to carry into effect, without opposition, any naval project corresponding in its way to the late fortifications of Paris, by which it may be his pleasure to increase the security of the country in general, and of his own dynasty in particular. But, lest their enthusiasm should become inconvenient, the Prince tempers his visions of success by a dose of wholesome but exceedingly unpalatable truths of a most sedative kind, aad productive certainly of a very instructive variety of wry faces among the French press, which can neither disprove nor digest them. We must not disguise from ourselves, he says, that in this very matter of steam, which is to change the face of naval warfare — to turn the tables, to give France a fresh chance upon the sea— England is at present so unaccountably, so immeasurably ahead of us, that, "the day after war was declared, we might possibly hear of the destruction of Dunkirk, Boulogne, Le Havre, &c, which nothing can protect from bombardment." Nay, more, four years ago, when France had twenty ships of war in the Mediterranean, an opportunity was let slip of setting upon the English fleet at an advantage. " The national sentiment was deeply wounded" (vwemeat blesse) at 'the loss of so glorious an opportunity. The Prince participates in the popular feeling. The omission was distressing ; but, he adds, it was inimitable. Even victory would have been ruindtfez

The French fleet of twenty ships — the first and" the last twenty ships that France could send forth in fighting order, would have, at best, returned to Toulon conquerors, hut shattered to pieces. England — inexhaustible England — would have poured forth her fresh armaments ; and the rising French navy would have been again annihilated. The recall of the fleet in 1840 was a humiliation, but a necessary one, and must be repeated on the next occasion, when similar circumstances shall present themselves. We need hardly suggest what would have been the fate of M. Guizot, if he had ventured on such a statement as this. His head and the throne of his master would have been dear at a week's purchase. But now, that such assertions are thrown out without doubt or qualification by a young and popular Prince, who comes forward under the war banner, and shows his sincerity by the highly practical character of his advice, the press is wholly puzzled. Some • gulp the opprobium, and thank the writer for his candour. Some look at it and shake their heads, or turn it over with a dissatisfied growl, as an hungry dog would an empty trencher. Some fairly take up the cudgels, and let fly at the head of the Prince, as a presumptuous young man, who has no business to entertain such notions, and is next door to a traitor for publishing them. On the whole, amidst much eulogy, there seems a considerable disposition to play at " none of my child" with the young man. For ourselves, if we must express a general opinion on the subject, it appears to us a well written production, of much truth, by which we hope neither his nor our own countrymen will in their different ways neglect to profit.