part12-第5节

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make　the　first　cannon；　which　shall　be　fired　in　Europe　the　signal　for

tearing　up　any　settlement　she　may　have　made；　and　for　holding　the　two

continents　of　America　in　sequestration　for　the　common　purposes　of　the

united　British　and　American　nations。　　This　is　not　a　state　of　things

we　seek　or　desire。　　It　is　one　which　this　measure；　if　adopted　by

France；　forces　on　us；　as　necessarily　as　any　other　cause；　by　the　laws

of　nature；　brings　on　its　necessary　effect。　　It　is　not　from　a　fear　of

France　that　we　deprecate　this　measure　proposed　by　her。　　For　however

greater　her　force　is　than　ours　compared　in　the　abstract；　it　is

nothing　in　comparison　of　ours　when　to　be　exerted　on　our　soil。　　But　it

is　from　a　sincere　love　of　peace；　and　a　firm　persuasion　that　bound　to

France　by　the　interests　and　the　strong　sympathies　still　existing　in

the　minds　of　our　citizens；　and　holding　relative　positions　which

ensure　their　continuance　we　are　secure　of　a　long　course　of　peace。

Whereas　the　change　of　friends；　which　will　be　rendered　necessary　if

France　changes　that　position；　embarks　us　necessarily　as　a　belligerent

power　in　the　first　war　of　Europe。　　In　that　case　France　will　have　held

possession　of　New　Orleans　during　the　interval　of　a　peace；　long　or

short；　at　the　end　of　which　it　will　be　wrested　from　her。　　Will　this

short…lived　possession　have　been　an　equivalent　to　her　for　the

transfer　of　such　a　weight　into　the　scale　of　her　enemy？　　Will　not　the

amalgamation　of　a　young；　thriving；　nation　continue　to　that　enemy　the

health　and　force　which　are　at　present　so　evidently　on　the　decline？

And　will　a　few　years　possession　of　N。　Orleans　add　equally　to　the

strength　of　France？　　She　may　say　she　needs　Louisiana　for　the　supply

of　her　West　Indies。　　She　does　not　need　it　in　time　of　peace。　　And　in

war　she　could　not　depend　on　them　because　they　would　be　so　easily

intercepted。　　I　should　suppose　that　all　these　considerations　might　in

some　proper　form　be　brought　into　view　of　the　government　of　France。

Tho'　stated　by　us；　it　ought　not　to　give　offence；　because　we　do　not

bring　them　forward　as　a　menace；　but　as　consequences　not　controulable

by　us；　but　inevitable　from　the　course　of　things。　　We　mention　them　not

as　things　which　we　desire　by　any　means；　but　as　things　we　deprecate；

and　we　beseech　a　friend　to　look　forward　and　to　prevent　them　for　our

common　interests。




　　　　　　　　If　France　considers　Louisiana　however　as　indispensable　for　her

views　she　might　perhaps　be　willing　to　look　about　for　arrangements

which　might　reconcile　it　to　our　interests。　　If　anything　could　do　this

it　would　be　the　ceding　to　us　the　island　of　New　Orleans　and　the

Floridas。　　This　would　certainly　in　a　great　degree　remove　the　causes

of　jarring　and　irritation　between　us；　and　perhaps　for　such　a　length

of　time　as　might　produce　other　means　of　making　the　measure

permanently　conciliatory　to　our　interests　and　friendships。　　It　would

at　any　rate　relieve　us　from　the　necessity　of　taking　immediate

measures　for　countervailing　such　an　operation　by　arrangements　in

another　quarter。　　Still　we　should　consider　N。　Orleans　and　the

Floridas　as　equivalent　for　the　risk　of　a　quarrel　with　France　produced

by　her　vicinage。　　I　have　no　doubt　you　have　urged　these　considerations

on　every　proper　occasion　with　the　government　where　you　are。　　They　are

such　as　must　have　effect　if　you　can　find　the　means　of　producing

thorough　reflection　on　them　by　that　government。　　The　idea　here　is

that　the　troops　sent　to　St。　Domingo；　were　to　proceed　to　Louisiana

after　finishing　their　work　in　that　island。　　If　this　were　the

arrangement；　it　will　give　you　time　to　return　again　and　again　to　the

charge；　for　the　conquest　of　St。　Domingo　will　not　be　a　short　work。　　It

will　take　considerable　time　to　wear　down　a　great　number　of　souldiers。

Every　eye　in　the　U。S。　is　now　fixed　on　this　affair　of　Louisiana。

Perhaps　nothing　since　the　revolutionary　war　has　produced　more　uneasy

sensations　through　the　body　of　the　nation。　　Notwithstanding　temporary

bickerings　have　taken　place　with　France；　she　has　still　a　strong　hold

on　the　affections　of　our　citizens　generally。　　I　have　thought　it　not

amiss；　by　way　of　supplement　to　the　letters　of　the　Secretary　of　State

to　write　you　this　private　one　to　impress　you　with　the　importance　we

affix　to　this　transaction。　　I　pray　you　to　cherish　Dupont。　　He　has　the

best　dispositions　for　the　continuance　of　friendship　between　the　two

nations；　and　perhaps　you　may　be　able　to　make　a　good　use　of　him。

Accept　assurances　of　my　affectionate　esteem　and　high　consideration。







　　　　　　　　DRY…DOCKING　THE　NAVY




　　　　　　　　_To　Benjamin　H。　Latrobe_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Nov。　2；　1802_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR　　The　placing　of　a　navy　in　a　state　of　perfect

preservation；　so　that　at　the　beginning　of　a　subsequent　war　it　shall

be　as　sound　as　at　the　end　of　the　preceding　one　when　laid　up；　and　the

lessening　the　expence　of　repairs；　perpetually　necessary　while　they

lie　in　the　water；　are　objects　of　the　first　importance　to　a　nation

which　to　a　certain　degree　must　be　maritime。　　The　dry　docks　of　Europe；

being　below　the　level　of　tide　water；　are　very　expensive　in　their

construction　and　in　the　manner　of　keeping　them　clear　of　water；　and

are　only　practicable　at　all　where　they　have　high　tides：　insomuch　that

no　nation　has　ever　proposed　to　lay　up　their　whole　navy　in　dry　docks。

But　if　the　dry　dock　were　above　the　level　of　tide　water；　and　there　be

any　means　of　raising　the　vessels　up　into　them；　and　of　covering　the

dock　with　a　roof；　thus　withdrawn　from　the　rot　and　the　sun；　they　would

last　as　long　as　the　interior　timbers；　doors　and　floors　of　a　house。

The　vast　command　of　running　water　at　this　place；　at　different　heights

from　30　to　200　feet　above　tide　water；　enables　us　to　effect　this

desirable　object　by　forming　a　lower　bason　into　which　the　tide　water

shall　float　the　vessel　and　then　have　its　gates　closed；　and　adjoining

to　this；　but　24　feet　higher；　an　upper　bason　275　feet　wide；　and　800　f。

long　（sufficient　to　contain　12　frigates）　into　which　running　water　can

be　introduced　from　above；　so　that　filling　both　basons　（as　in　a　lock）

the　vessel　shall　be　raised　up　and　floated　into　the　upper　one；　and　the

water　being　discharged　leave　her　dry。　　Over　a　bason　not　wider　than

175　feet；　a　roof　can　be　thrown；　in　the　manner　of　that　of　the　Halle　au

ble　at　Paris；　which　needing　no　underworks　to　support　it；　will　permit

the　bason　to　be　entirely　open　and　free　for　the　movement　of　the

vessels。　　I　mean　to　propose　the　construction　of　one　of　these　to　the

National　legislature；　convinced　it　will　be　a　work　of　no　great　cost；

that　it　will　save　us　great　annual　expence；　and　be　an　encouragement　to

prepare　in　peace　the　vessels　we　shall　need　in　war；　when　we　find　they

can　be　kept　in　a　state　of　perfect　preservation　and　without　expence。




　　　　　　　　The　first　thing　to　be　done　is　to　chuse　from　which　of　the

streams　we　will　derive　our　water　for　the　lock。　　These　are　the　Eastern

branch；　Tyber；　Rock　creek；　and　the　Potomak　itself。　　Then　to　trace　the

canal；　draw　plans　of　that　and　of　the　two　basons；　and　calculate　the

expence　of　the　whole；　that　we　may　lead　the　legislature　to　no　expence

in　the　execution　of　which　they　shall　not　be　apprised　in　the

beginning。　　For　this　I　ask　your　aid；　which　will　require　your　coming

here。　　Some　surveys　and　elevations　have　been　already　made　by　Mr。　N。

King；　a　very　accurate　man　in　that　line；　and　who　will　assist　in　any

thing　you　desire；　and　execute　on　the　ground　any　tracings　you　may

direct；　unless　you　prefer　doing　them　yourself。　　It　is　very　material

too　that　this　should　be　done　immediately；　as　we　have　little　more　than

4　weeks　to　the　meeting　of　the　legislature；　and　there　will　then　be　but

2　weeks　for　them　to　consider　and　decide　before　the　day　arrives　（Jan。

1）　at　which　alone　any　number　of　labourers　can　be　hired　here。　　Should

that　pass　either　the　work　must　lie　over　for　a　year；　or　be　executed　by

day　labourers　at　double　expence。　　I　propose　that　such　a　force　shall

be　provided　as　to　compleat　the　work　in　one　year。　　If　this　results；　as

it　will　receive　all　our　present　ships；　the　next　work　will　be　a　second

one；　to　build　and　lay　up　additional　ships。　　On　the　subject　of　your

superintending　the　execution　of　the　work　it　would　be　premature　to　say

any　thing　till　the　legislature　shall　have　declared　their　will。　　Be　so

good　as　to　let　me　hear　from　you　immediately；　if　you　cannot　come　so

soon　as　you　can　write。　　Accept　my　best　wishes　and　respects。







　　　　　　　　〃A　NOISELESS　COURSE〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Thomas　Cooper_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Nov。　29；　1802_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　Oct　25　was　received　in　due　time；　and

I　thank　you　for　the　long　extract　you　took　the　trouble　of　making　from

Mr。　Stone's　letter。　　Certainly　the　information　it　communicates　as　to

Alexander　kindles　a　great　deal　of　interest　in　his　existence；　and

strong　spasms　of　the　heart　in　his　favor。　　Tho　his　means　of　doing　good

are　great；　yet　the　materials　on　which　he　is　to　work　are　refractory。

Whether　he　engages　in　private　correspondences　abroad；　as　t