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 in the United States Congress of December 4, 1872, the evidence is quoted, which had recently been given by Admiral Porter before the Committee of Congress on the decline of commerce. He had been asked the following question: 'I understand you to say that if, at the commencement of the late war, we had had thirty steamers like those running to New York from Europe, they would have been as efficient as our entire Navy?' He replied: 'Twice as efficient. I say that without hesitation. The ships we had could catch nothing. We never had a vessel that could run down a blockade-runner during the whole war, except the "Vanderbilt" and two others. Our ironclads are only suitable for harbour defence. In case of war with Great Britain or France, our powers would be exerted in cutting up their commerce. Great Britain could not stand a war six months with the fleet of ships we could send out after her vessels. They would break her up, root and branch, and that kind of warfare would be more likely to bring about peace than fighting with ironclads or heavy war vessels.'

Assuming, therefore, that in the event of war our commerce would be the principal object of attack, it is important to consider what types or classes of ships are the best adapted to protect our commerce, to keep open our communications with our foreign settlements, and to convoy the supplies of food from abroad, which are indispensably necessary to the sustenance of our population.

For such a service we do not want large and costly