“The recent war of England and France against Russia may illustrate
   my meaning; for it has taught us what to expect were either of
   these nations to wage war against the United States.”

“No invasion of territory, no attempt at territorial conquest was made, or thought of; for it was well foreseen that no decisive results would flow from such means.  The war consisted exclusively in attacks upon maritime places—­great seaports—­seats of commercial and naval power.  Such places, by their vast importance to the well-being and prosperity of a nation—­by the large populations and immense amount of wealth concentrated in them, and by their exposure to maritime attack, offer themselves at once as points at which the most decisive results may be produced.  Cronstadt, Sebastopol, Sweaborg, Kinburn, Odessa, Kertch, Petropauloski, and other places of less note, were in succession or simultaneously objects of attack; while such as the first named became, indeed, the true seats of war.”

“Around Sebastopol assailed and assailant gathered their resources, and on the result of the arduous struggle may be said to have turned the issue of the war.  Had it not been so decided there, Cronstadt would have been the next field of combat,—­for which, indeed, the allies had made the most enormous preparations.”

“Is it not certain that in future all war of maritime powers against the United States, will take a similar course?  All territorial invasion being out of the question, it is against our great seaports and strategic points of coast defence—­such as New York, New Orleans, and San Francisco—­pre-eminently New York,—­that an enemy will concentrate his efforts.  Against these he will prepare such immense armaments, —­against these he will call into existence special agencies of attack, which (unless met by an inexpugnable defensive system) shall insure success.”

“The mere defense of the city against ordinary fleets, is no longer the question; but through the defensive works to be here erected, the nation is to measure its strength against the most lavish use of the resources of a great maritime power, aided by all that modern science and mechanical ingenuity in creating or inventing means of attack, can bring against them; in short, in fortifying New York, we are really preparing the battle-field on which the issue of future momentous contests is to be decided.”

A few, however, object to the system at present adopted, on the ground that casemated works do not offer sufficient resistance to ships and floating-batteries, and that earthen works, covering a greater area, will accomplish that object much more effectually, while their longer land fronts will be more difficult of reduction by siege.