it was objected, on the part of the Administration, that such a force would be impotent against Great Britain.  Williams, subsequently Governor of South Carolina, insisted, that, if we built ships, they would all fall into the hands of the British; and the capture of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen was instanced,—­the fall of Genoa, Venice, and Carthage, notwithstanding their navies, being also cited.  Story, with almost a prescience of the future, urged in its favor,—­“I was born among the hardy sons of the ocean, and I cannot doubt their courage or their skill; if Great Britain ever gets possession of our present little navy, it will be at the expense of the best blood of the country, and after a struggle which will call for more of her strength than she has ever found necessary for a European enemy.”  To which Williams replied,—­“If our rights are only so to be saved, I would abandon the ocean.”  And in December, 1807, the ocean was abandoned.

No additions were made to the navy during the period of the embargo or non-intercourse, nor was a new ship sent to sea until after the peace; and at the commencement of the war, in June, 1812, the country had neither navy, fortifications, nor disciplined troops.  The relics of the Federal navy then consisted of five frigates and seven sloops and brigs in commission, and three frigates under repair,—­a feeble force, indeed, with which to meet the Mistress of the Seas, but which demonstrated by its achievements what fifty or a hundred sail might have accomplished.

In 1812, Quincy, in the House, and Lloyd, in the Senate, both from Massachusetts, advocated a navy, and Clay and Davies, of the West, raised their voices in its support; but their efforts were unavailing.

James Lloyd, who combined the intelligent merchant with the statesman, thus addressed the Senate:—­“To make an impression on England, we must have a navy.  Give us thirty swift-sailing, well-appointed frigates.  In line-of-battle ships and fleet engagements, skill and experience would decide the victory.  We are not ripe for them; but bolt together a British and American frigate side by side, and though we should lose sometimes, we should win as often.  Give us this little fleet.  Place your Navy Department under an able and spirited administration; cashier every officer who strikes his flag; and you will soon have a good account of your navy.  This may be thought a hard tenure of service; but, hard or easy, I will engage in five weeks, yes, in five days, to officer this fleet from New England alone.  Give us this little fleet, and in a quarter of the time in which you would operate upon her in any other way, we would bring Great Britain to terms.  To terms, not to your feet.  No, Sir!  Great Britain is at this moment the most colossal power the world ever saw.  It is true she has an enormous national debt.  Her daily expenditure would in six short weeks wipe off all we owe.  But will these millstones sink her? will they subject her to the power of France?