[ 10771 [WRIGHT to AUSTIN AND HOUSTON]
Georgclown D. C. Nov 3rd 1835
To Mess Austin & Houston; Gentlemen.
I trust you will pardon the liberty I take in thus acldressinu you, and attribute it I beg of you lo an ardent desire to see th~ causes in which you have embarked triumphant; I write you for the purpose not only of offering my own views (but the opinions of men of more mature judgement) to a subject in which 1 feel deeply interested; and you will I trust pardon me if I make a few remarks introductory to that subject- Your Adopted Country (Texas) is 110w invated by a foe; a foe which all friends of Liberty must hope to see you triumphantly repel, which foe you are doubtless prepared to meet in evey way by land but for which you have made no preparation lo meet by the ocean, and that foe may sail up and down your Coast [plu J ndering your inhabitants and those you would wish to assist them, preventing an intercourse upon the high seas hP-tween yourselves and your friends more Northerly, restricting that assistance which is necessairly assential for you to receive, blocading your harbours, terryfying the inhabitants along your sea coast, and rendering every assistance to their countryman with whom you are at war on shore- should not some measure be adopted to remedy this evil? It surely ought, [the mea J sure I would respectfuUy propose is this; (it is one that has met with the sanction of some of our most experienced & distinguished Naval Officers) that you should com.mission one, two, or three small vessels Schooners, or Brigan- tines, (of 120 lo 160 Tons burthen) lo cruise; up and down your coast, lo protect the vessels trading with your inhabitants, and to wage war upon the common enemy- Such vessels as I have mentioned carrying a Battery of Ten guns of twelve pound Calibre: with a Forth two pounder amidships, manned with from 50 lo 75 able seamen, could compete with the largest vessels in th~ _Mexican Service; the expens~ of filling Such vessels in a most eff1c1enl manner would be from Fifteen lo Twenty Thousand DolJars each, men could he found who would serve for a recompense to be paid in Lands; the Service which these vessels would render in one year would aply [pay J for the expense of fitting them. Whal would and must be the difference when your [coast is) protected from the enemy why the vessels of the U. States
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