University of Virginia Library

5782. NAVY, Necessary.—

A land army
would be useless for offence, and not the best
nor safest instrument of defence. For either
of the sea purposes, the sea is the field on
which we should meet an European enemy.
On that element we should possess some
power.—
Notes on Virginia. Washington ed. viii, 413. Ford ed., iii, 279.
(1782)