Page:Memoir upon the negotiations between Spain and the United States of America which led to the treaty of 1819.djvu/99

89 enemy, should they present themselves. But the English lost their best general, Ross, before Baltimore, retired in considerable perturbation, and returned to their ships after a slight skirmish. A dexterous enemy might have succeeded in this enterprise, laid the whole country under contribution from Washington to Philadelphia, and made good their retreat at will; for every thing was at the time in confusion, and there was not a single corps capable of resisting veteran troops.

By this a judgment may be formed of what the Anglo-American army is; and it will never be otherwise, while the present constitution subsists, and while the states persist as heretofore in their system of neither augmenting nor improving it, for fear of its committing abuses against the liberty of the country.

But if every thing conspires to render their army insignificant, their fleet is every day receiving augmentation, and is already upon a respectable and brilliant footing. The Anglo-American sailors, if they do not exceed the English in skill or courage, like them possess the profoundest knowledge of naval tactics, and great experience in every thing that can contribute to a favourable result in naval actions. It is true that, hitherto, they have had no actions, except of ship to ship, and with small divisions on the Lakes, but in all they have manifested great skill and great bravery 12