shment
of Astoria. This settlement fell into the hands of the British during
the war of 1812. Mr. Astor sought to persuade the American government to
permit him to renew the establishment at its close, only asking a flag
and a lieutenant's command, but Mr. Madison would not commit himself to
the plan.

Among Mr. Jefferson's pet schemes was that of a substitution of gunboats
for fortifications, and for supporting the authority of the laws within
harbors. The mind of Mr. Jefferson had no doubt been favorably disposed
to this mode of offensive defense by the experience of Lafayette at
Annapolis, in his southern expedition in the spring of 1781, when his
entire flotilla, ammunition of war, and even the city of Annapolis,
were saved from destruction by two improvised gunboats, which, armed
with mortars and hot shot, drove the British blockading vessels out of
the harbor. Jefferson first suggested the scheme in his annual message
of 1804, and Gallatin did not interfere; but when, in 1807, the
President insisted, in a special message, on the building of two hundred
vessels of this class, Mr. Gallatin objected, because of the expense in
construction and maintenance, and secondly, of their infallible decay.
Mr. Jefferson persisted, and Mr. Gallatin's judgment was vindicated by
the result. Two years later, of one hundred and seventy-six gunboats
constructed, only twenty-four were in actual service. In his letter of
criticism, Mr. Gallatin gave as his opinion, that "it would be an
economical measure for every naval nation to burn their navy at the end
of a war and to build a new one when again at war, if it was not that
time was necessary to build ships of war." The principle was the same as
to gunboats, and the objection of time necessary for building did not
exist.

This year he also laid before the President a memorandum of preparatory
measures for defense against Great Britain, from whom an attack was
expected by land and sea, and a second plan for offensive operations on
the northern frontier, which is complete in its geographical and
topographical information, and its estimate of resources in men,
material, and money. At the same time he urged upon Mr. Jefferson to
moderate the tone of his message, so as not to widen the breach by
hurting the pride of Great Britain.

In connection with the land system, Mr. Jefferson favored, and Mr.
Gallatin devised, an extensive plan of internal improvements. The route
of the Cumberland