The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 18

Texas Historical Association Quarterly.

and gallant officers who have embarked in our naval service, at
the moment when we had reason to believe our enemy was pre-
paring a naval armament for our coast, would, in the opinion of
the executive, have not only been indiscreet and impolitic, but
would, as he believes, have been contrary to the true intention and
meaning of congress, as expressed in the act of the last session.
It is true it might have saved us some expenditure, but it is
equally true, that it might have involved the country in great
disaster, and an irreparable loss of reputation.
The information afforded by this message is sufficient warrant
for its lengthy quotation. We see that the navy was not laid up
in ordinary,1 and that the officers and men were not disbanded.
On the contrary, soon after the new fleet was ready for service it
was permitted to have a trial.
XI. CRUISE OF THE TEXAN FLEET, 1840-1841.
In June the Texas fleet sailed for Mexico. For this movement
quite a number of different causes have been alleged. According
to President Lamar, the object of the expedition was to impress
Yucatan with the strength of Texas, and thus establish diplomatic
relations with this revolting state. According to Commodore
Moore, it was the proclamation of the Mexican president, declaring
Texan ports in a state of blockade. And, according to the secre-
tary of the navy, it was because of a threatened invasion of Texas
by Mexico, and the termination of the diplomatic mission of the
agent of Texas, Mr. Treat. While it is peculiar to see these
officials disagreeing as to the chief motive for such an expedition,
it is most likely that all the causes they mention contributed to
the movement For some seven months the naval establishment
had been getting ready for such an expedition; and, while the act
of congress had paralyzed the movement for a short time, it was
only momentarily checked. With the consent and encouragement
of President Lamar, the outfitting continued. The most formid-
'Eugene C. Barker, in University of Texas Record, V, 155, says: "Six
months after Lamar assumed the reins of government the delivery of these
naval vssels began, but the financial straits of the young republic made it
necessary to place them temporarily in ordinary. For this needful act of
economy he was blamed." That the vessels were not placed in ordinary
this message shows; although, of course, the act approved by Lamar implied
that it would be done.