The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-02-23 00:00:00, page 3

Cijc inquirer.
- _. . .. .
RICHMOND. FEBRUARY 23, 1810.
FULTON’S TORPEDOES.
•• /\f*er all, the most useful discoveries in Philo
so|>li>» the nr osrt important changes in the!
“ inurvl history of Man, have been innova
titns"LKKAiu
A hold and dat ing project is, at this mo
ment, i'.bmtlted to the American people and
their representatives. The projector is an
American-his plan is peculiarly calculat
ed fnr the meridian of America—and if suc
cess should crown its > tlorts, it will save to
the United Slates millions of treasure, and
a precious fund of national blood.
The work of Mr. Fulton on Torpodes is
before me—a work of more value, in pro
portion to its bulk, has not been, lately issu
ed front the Press—it is truly tnu/Uitn in /iar
-jo—it is comptessed into sixty pages besides
five illustrative engravings—but what dar
ing enterprises does it untold to the Ameri
can people ! What a fund of information
on the cxpences and resources of navies !—
What bold strokes on the relations of nations!
What strong touches of Common Sense on
the general policy and prospects of the U.
States!—Mr. Fulton’s mind is of no ordinary
cast—he possesses that independent, aspiring
and observing spirit, which is necessary to
strike out. something new, to astonish and
benefit the world!
Mr. F. is fully aware of the resistance he
is likely to experience. It is the f ile of all
that is new to meet with opposition from all
that is old—Innovation must, in nu>st cases,
pass through the numerous and perilous ac
cidents which surround the cradle of infan
cy.—In proportion as these novelties are
more important, they wil* excite more curi
osity and hostility—those who have been
stsed to seeing things done in a particular
■way, are reluctant to believe that they can
be done in a better—the oldest customs ex
cite the strongest prejudices—the number
of unfortunate adventurers,whose ruins strew
the avenues to science, are only obstruc
tions to those who are more worthy of suc
cess—their visionary and blasted projects
are so many monuments to deter those who
liave to undertake new enterprizes, and to
warn the world who are to judge of them.
1 he benefit of,new things must be se lf e„
vident—they tmis* appear as soon as these are
introduced—to lull the storm of resistance.
—Tht y must strike with the forco c,f intu
ition—the discovery ought to leap forth, as
Minerva did from the brain of Jupiter, full
grown and armed cap a pee, prepared to o
verthrow every obstacle — there must be an
entire evolution-of the plan, its application
and uses—these must not be left for the fire
of imagination to conceive or the force of
understanding to infer—but they must at
once strike the senses, in order to strike
down opposition.
Tint when the discovery is to start, as it
■were, from a point, and pass through, aa im
mense range of space, before it can reach
any firacticublc conclusion—when it is at
first a germ which requires a long period of
nun and air to mature its resources, to deve
lops its parts ere it yields “ fruits useful to
'man,"such a germ isapt to meet with perils 5c
foes. It must be of use and fit for use, the
moment it meets the eve mf the world.—to
command its friends—but if it should Krove
xo he one of those discoveries, which are to
f *j.sa through long stages of progress, fit a lung
c.bain of preparation, before it can arrive to
maturity, it is apt to excue the sneers if not
the antipathy of the world.
ft i* proved by the history, of evert' art and
science, that their growth is not all at once
-but gradual and slow. Man r fst creep
before lie can soar——every step that he
makes in fhs progress, gives him greater
t.ircngth to met-, the obstacles which lie he
lm e him. Kead Priestley’s history of ()ptic»
-or his history of Electricity-Pursue
all tho^e improvements, which are of so mo
dern a growth, that we have preserved some
tracesof them in out records. The fact be
comes as clear as noon-day sun. that all
£t eat improvements go on bysloix degrees—
that when anew truth has burst /orth upon
man. so slow is his intellect, so much’ does he
require the aid of accumulated expei’i^nce,
that its consequences cannot he forestei.**' or
grasped. A more beautiful illustratione’fcn
ftot he furnished of this principle, than ft*
the history which Mr. Fulton himself gives
us (pages 32, 33.) of die gradual improve- |
nu ntsof the use of gun powder.
At the ur.ic a new discovery is macTe in
physics or mathematical science; the whole
« ; sconsequence* cannot he foreseen In
'itr' / - ir 1130. Bartholomew Schwartz is said
. > • ve i..vented gun powder; tw:-nty-five
years alter, a ve ry imperfect kind of cannon
as c<ni3ti ucted < t welded bars of iron, others
<>l knfc«.t in n, rolled in the foroi of a cylinder
t nd 1"toped with iron rings; in some caves,
Huy -ere made of leather, strengthened
smth plates of iron or coper; halls of stone
•‘V ' ’ ' * °*nd was not until the beginning
of , it. fit eonth century, that is, one hundred
and st*\ •ity yeai s after the invention of pow
dur, that iron balls were introduced into
practice. Muskets wer e not used until the
ye<-1 15^1, or one hundred and ninety-one
years after the invention of gun powder.—
Spaniards were the first who armed
t heir foot soldiers in this manner—they had
niatchi -cks; but firelocks, that is, locks with
flints, were not used until the beginning of
the eighteenth century, one hundred and
i 'gj't' } cars after the invention of muskets,
ond three hundred and eigluy years after
the invention of powder.
“ When firelocks were first invented, Mar
shrl ,-v>x had so little confidence in a dint, that
he ordered k match to be added to the lock,
■whit a Flint, lest the flint should miss fire ;—
such is th e force of habit and want of faith in
iiew inventions
“ Although cannon, fire arms, and the
whole detail of ammunition, now appear ex
tremely simple, y.-t we here see the very
slow advances to their present state of per
fection, and they are sill improving ; hence
I conclude, that it tsnow impossible to fore
see to what degree aTorpedomay be impro
ved and rendered useful.
“ When Schwartz invented powder, it may
be presumed that his mind did not embrace
all its consequences, or perceive that his
cisrovery would supersede the use of cata
pultas, armour, bows and arrows, and totally
change the whole art of war. He certainly
could have no conception of such a combi
nation of arts as we now see in a ship of the
line ; those moi'ahle fortifications armed
with thirty two pounders, and furnished with
wings, to spread oppression over every part
or the oc nn, and carry destruction to every
r. arbour ot the earth. In con,.*queiice of the
invention ot f' li.powder, ships of war have
been conti ived, and increased to their prr
Iii tor pc loes. there is a small coppet'
case, about t 'Vo fret long, and twelve inches
diameter, capa ble of containing from 100 to
150 pounds of r, 'wder-a brass box. con
taining a lock simi. ,Jir to a^ommon gun-lock,
with a barrel two inches long to contain
a musket charge of p '>wderj the box, witli
the lock and barrel, is 'crewed to the case.
When the Torpedo, is t0be anchored in a
harbor, and so arranged .’s *° blow up a
vessel which should run a. ’ttirist it, there
I is a lever ( like a trigger •) projecting on
the outside of the box, and bavin.‘r a commu
nication with the lock inside of the box—the
lurk is put down c<»cked a Lid ready v'o lire—
when the trigger is struck by an adequate
force, the barrel is discharged! into t.ie cop
per case, whose contents ate therefore v*x
ploded-»nd the vessel is rent i,i twain.—
Hesidcs this mechanism in the anchored
I orpedo, it has a deal box tilled wit*.' cork,
to jender the Torpedo •*specifically lighter
than water and give it a tendency to nse to
the surface. It is held down tr any given
depth under water hya weight of 50 or 60”
Ins. with a connecting rope ; besides a small
anchor to to prevent a strong tide moving it
from its position.
“With Torpedoes prepared, and knowing
the depth of water in all our bays and liar
hors, it is only necessary infix the weight at
such a distance from the Torpedo, as when
thrown into the water, the weight will hold
it 10, 12 or 16 feet below the surface at low
water, he. he ” “The Torpedo thus an
chored, it is obvious, that it a ship in sail
*‘ing should strike the lever, the explosion
“would be instantaneous, ami she be imme
"diately destioyed; hence, to defend our
“bays or harbors, let a hundred, or more if
" necessary, of these « ngines he anchored
“in the channel, as for example, the Nar
rows, to defend New-York.”——The lever
* “ Compared si'ith e visting military
marines ; 1 c ongider all pulleys and v< *«</»
oj war, which were in use precious to the
invention of /‘ovulcr, us vertt insign fit ant
h is prohabl ,thar four 74 gun thlpj in o.
pm sea would dry r, oy all thit rvt r ex. de t
at any one lime.’*
9
I nvttisn subjects wui range themselves
against it,Jor the same reason that F.arl St.
Vincent blamed Mr. l’itt-“ The morning
“ of mv first interview with Earl St. Vin
cent,” says Mr. Fulton, p. 7. “ he was
“ very communicative I explained to him
“ a torpedo and the Dorothea experiment.
“ Merellected for some time, and then said,
“ l’itt was the greatest fool that ever existed,
“ to encourage a rm.de of war which they,
“ who commanded the seas did not want,
“ and which, if successful, mould deprive
“ them of it.”
Federalists will be, generally, opposed to
«t-either because they wish to see G. 11.
riding triumphant on the seas, as a check
upon France, or that they wish tb have a na
vy of our own.
Men. soured by disappointment, will vent
their spleen, because they dislike every thing
that is not their own-Let Mucius conti
nue to rail at Torpedoes-let him nick.
name Mr. Fuhon ** the soi-disant Ar
chimedes”-the wit of Mr. Randolph is
harmless-there is no electricity in it
it is destitute of all power, as well as of
point-**—Let Mr.- H. laugh at what he dees
not understand-he will find it hard to
make any man believe, that the mechanical
sk ill of Mr. Fulton is not above the reach of j
the mechanical mit of Mr;R.-Let Mr.
Dana satirise the “ JLcls’'—or let Mucius rail
at the American Archimedes—their witti
cisms ai c of no account Whilst such men
as Montuglp, in his Ifistoire des Mathcma
tiques, continue to lavish their praises upon
Fulton, such wits as Dana or Mucius may
be permitted to break tlir.irjests.
Such opposition, however, will be unavail
irg——the work, is in too great a forward
ness to be arrested by witticism or preju
dice——-too many men, have taken an inte
; rest in it, not to resent this injustice-the
eyes of the country are upon Mr. Fulton
let him go on with his experiments and ef
forts-the world are calling aloud for more
light, let more experiments be made.
1 o those who have not the engravings be
fore them, it is impossible lo give a clear
description of the contents of this pamphlet
-of the torpedoes, and the means by
w hich they are to be affixed to ships of war,
to b hnvthem into pieces.
To."P^does are more or less complicated,
accord. u£ to the wny in which they are to be
used.
sent enormous size and numi>er* ; then may ,
not science, in her progress, point oijt a means
by which the application of the violent explo_
sive force of guw powder shall destroy ship • of
war, & give to the seas the liberty which shall
secure perpetual peace between nations that
are separated by the' ocean? My conviction
is, that the means are here developed, and
require only to be organized and practised
to produce that liberty so dear to every ra
tional and reflecting man ; and there is n
grandeur in persevering to success in so im
mense an enterprize——so well calculated
to excite the most vigorous exertions of the I
highest order of intellect, that I hope to in
terest the patriotic feelings of every friend
to America, to justice and to humanity, in
so good a cause.”
In fact, it is only upon such bo'dand aspi
ring minds as Mr. Fulton’s, that besegerfns
of great improvement can be 'edged with
safety-useful hints may strike men of a
less sanguine hue-but the want of energy
and fire, chills and nips the bud of promise.
It is fortunate, therefore, far the world, that
the system of Torpedoes has met with a
friend of such nerve and perseverance as
Mr. Fulton-whilst it remains in his hands,
it is impossible to predict vhe consequences |
or calculate the benefits.
That the mere attempt to make experi
meats, and bring it to maturity, will meet
with opposition even in the United States,
who is so unwise as to doubt ? Who is so un
acquainted with the state of our parties, as j
not to see inevitable ?
Men of sober minds may conceive very
honest tjmugh unnecessary doubts, about
the capacity of Mr. Fulton—"he maybe an
impostor, a mccr quack, or at best, an enthu
siastic. visionary projector.” But such men
should know that Mr. Fulton is one of the
first minds m this country—that he is neither
a bedlamite nor an impostor—that be exe
cutes as lie plans, reducing every thing as
he goes along, to models, diagrams and cal
culation—that he stands on elevated ground
among the wisest men of Europe-that in
j this country, Messrs. Jefferson and Barlow
I are the friends of his system—that we have
the best security for the cornm'jn venae St
practical rui n of his character, in the works
which he has already put into practice—his
iron Rail ways, his compositions on roads Sc
canals—his steam boat, which goes against
wind and tide, stems the current of our most
rapid rivers, and fixes a new sEra in the art
of Navigation.
doubt on my mind, that the one which l made
ill the harbor of New-York in August 1 Mj7,
would be tqually successful. The brig on this
occasion, was anchored, the torpedoes prepared
and put into the water in the manner before des
cribed ; the lids drove them undei the brig near
her keel, but in consequence of the locks turn,
ing downwards, the p0tt\*!?r fell out of the pans
and they both missed lire. Tiili discovery of an
error in the manner of fixing the ioC!'." t‘‘ a
torpedo, !.as been corrected. On the second »t.
,en,l*» the torpedo missed the brig ; the explosi
on took place about one hundred >ai Js from her
and threw up a column of water ten feet diamc’
ter, sixty or seventy feet high. On the third at
tempt she was blown up: the effect and result
much ths same as that of the Dorothea before
described. About two thousand persons were
witnesses to this experiment Thus, in the
course of my experiments, two brigs, each of
two hundrd tons, have been blown up. The
uracticab hty of destroying vessels by this means
tn.v* btsn fully proved, it is also proved, that
the lUechanism will ignite powder at any rtuuir
edde(.’h under water within a given time n
now ten.'tins to point out means by which tor
} eriocs may ue uscu in advantage willi tlie least
jjc.'S'ble risqi". to the assailant.”
T».e principal means by which Mr. F.
propose.* to fix l«*e clock-work Torpedoes,
is by mea.'.'* of harpoons, to which tliey are
attached by ropes, and these Ac /toons (of
hi* own construction,) «o be discharged by a
harpoon gun, f% to won: on a swivel in a
"stanchion fixed ii. tho stfirn-sheeu of a
"boat.” "The object pf harpooning a vessel
" on the larboard, and starboard bow, is, to
"fix one end of tire Torpe. lo line, then, if
"the ship be under sail, her action through
"the wa«er will draw the Torpedo under
** her ; if she lie at anchor, the tide will drive
"it under her, where, at the expiration of
'• ti>e time for which the clock work was set,
" the explosion wiil destroy her’"—-Tnc.se
harpoon guns are to be iixed on boats which
approach ihe ship, say within 100 yard:*, und
• • 'i\vetitjt minu-rtbefore the Dorothea blow
up, nipt ,in ixingtiun asserted, that if a torpedo
\oete placed u der ms cabin, while nc was at am
tier, t.e « o dd/cel no t oncern for the esnsrqttrnct
fjcu:. r dan. s.ra ,*n n t/,- best pr,.ol fur a.
Ok- <).”
mrty be “forked, to give me oetrer caancei
of being struck.” To facilitate the taking
them up, he has invented a simple mechan
ism, which holds the Torpedo under water
at any given depth, and for any number of
days; and when they rise, each will lock its
lever, “ so that it cannot strike tire, and the
Torpedo may be handled with perfect safe
ty ”
Another species is the clock-work Torpe
do, of which it is impossible to give a descrip
tion——but it has no outside trigger—in
lieu of it, it has an internal ** piece of clock
work moved by aspring, which being wound
up andsvt, will let the lock lire in any uum
ber of :• iuutes, which may br. determined
within one hour.” Twoof these Torpedoes
may be connected by a rope——and then car
ried under the vessel, by their rope striking
op the cable-as detailed in the following
interesting experiment:
Mowing ufi of the Brtg Dorothea, on the
15th of Oct. 180J.
“ To.convince Mr. Pitt and Lord Melville that
a vessel could be destroyed by 'be explosion of a
torpedo under her bottom, a strong built Danish
brig, the Dorot hex, burthen 2UU tons, was an
chored in Wulmer road, near Deal, and within a
mile of \Vaimer Castle, the then residence of Mr.
Pitt. Two bouts, each with eight men comman
ded by lieutenant Robinson, were put unher my
direction. I prepared two empty Torpedoes in
Mich a manner, that each was only from two to
three pounds specifically heavier tn-ui salt water ;
and I so suspended them, that they hung fifteen
feet under water. They were then tied, one to
each ew l of a small rope eighty feet long : thus
arranged, and the brig drawing twelve feet of
water, l lie 14th of Oct. was spent in practice.
Each boat having a torpedo in »he stern, they
started from the shore about a mile above the brig,
» rowed uo .vn towards tier, the uniting line or the
torpedo being stretched to ils lull extent, the two
boats were distant from each other seveulv lect ;
thus they approached in such a manner, that one
boat kept the larboard, the oilier the starboard
side of ilia hrig in view. So soon as the connect
ing line of the torpedoes passed the buoy of the
brig, they were thrown into the water, and car
ried on by the tide, until the cuunecliug line
touched the brig’s cable; tha tide then drove
tl in under her bottom. The experiment being
repeated several times, taught tlie men how to
act, and proved to my satisfaction, that, when
properly placed on the tide, tbe torpedoes would
invariably go under the bottom of the vessel. I
then Hllud one of the torpeuoes with one hundred
and eighty p mds of powder, ‘and set its clock
work to 18 minutes, livery thing being ready,
the experiment was announced for the next day,
ti e 15th, at live o’clock in the afternoon. Ur
gent business had called Mr. Pitt and lord Mel
ville to London. Admiral Hollo way, sir Sidney
Smith, captain Owen, capt. Kingston, col Con
greve, and the major part of the officers of the
fleet under the command of lord Keith were
present ,- at forty minutes past four the
boats rowed towards the brig, and the tor
pedoes were thrown into the water ; the tide
carried them, as before described, under the
bottom of the brig, where, at the expiration
ofeighteen minutes, the explosion appeared to
raise the ship bodily about six feet; she separat
ed in the middle, and the two ends went down ;
in twenty seconds, nothing was to be seen of her,
excepting Boat-rg fragments; the pumps and
foremast were blown out of her ; the fore top
sail-yard was thrown up to the cross trees ; the
fore chain-plates, with their bolt -, were torn
t’rom her sides; the mi zen-chain-plates and
shrouds, being stronger than those of the fore
mast, or the shock being more forward than aft,
the mizenmast whs broke off in t wo places ; these
discoveries were made by means of the pieces
i which were found afloat.
The experiment was of the most satisfactory
kind, for it proved a fact much debated and deni
ed, that the explosion of a sufficient quanti
ty of powder under the bottom of a vessel
would destroy her.* There is now no doubt
left on any intelligent mind us to this most impor
tant of all facts connected with tbe invention of
torpedoes ; and the establishment of this fact
alone, merits the expenditure of millions of dol
lars and years of experiment, were it yot necessa
ry, to arrive at a system of practice which shall en
sure success to attacks, with such formidable en
gines.
“ For America 1 consider it afortutme circum
stance, that this experiment was made in Lug
land, and witnessed by more than a hundred res
pectable and brave officers of the British navv ;
for should Congress adopt torpedpes as a part "of
our means of defence, lords Melvilie, Castle
reagli, and Mulgrave, have a good knowledge |jf
their combination and effect. Lord Grenville,
earls Grey, and St. Vincent, have on their minds
:• strong impression of their probable consequen
ces Sir Home Popham, sir Sidney Smith, and
colonel Congreve, the latter now celebrated for
his ingenious invention of Pyro»echnic arrows, or
rockets, were my friends and companions in the
experiments; they are excellent and brave men,
and from my knowledge of those noblemen and
gentlemen, and their sentiments on this subject,
1 can predict, that they woutd feel much dispo
sed to respect the rights, nor would they enter
the waters of a nation who should use such en
gines with energy and eilect.
“ This fortunate experiment left not the least
* * * •* * '
then efl t>e (fistbarged. —He proposes to
etnplc/ several of these boats to attack out*
ship.
We regret, t? at in this work Mr. F. has
said nothing ot .he uses of his ingenious
diving boat, towards fixing the Torpedo
under the bottom of the ship—if struck us
once, that these two inventions might thus
be combined together-indeed, we have
since understood, that Mr. F. has actually
blown up a vessel in the Seine bv going un
der it in his boat, and then screwing his
Torpedo to it. We are left, however, to
conjecture the reasons why this combination
is not successful.
Mr. F. is silent too about the means of
augmenting the explosive force of the Tor
pedo——The reader may recollect an arti.
c!e, published some months since in tins pa- i
per, stating certain experiments made by
Dr. Woodliouse, with a sort of powder, one
thousand times stronger than gun /ioiv- !
tier.
A few more reflections, and we have done
—Mr. l‘\ has drawn a comparison between i
the er/iencc« of his mode of defence and a ;
navy. j
An 80gun'hip costs SlCO.000, r^nd is man
ned with 600 men-the men at 13 to a boat,
would man 50—the 50 boats at S 100-the
.50 clock work Torpedoes, powder included,
$ 150, Hcc. ,'vle. F. puts the whole ex- j
pence of »ne 50 boats with their Torpedoes, I
at S 21.200—which is an economy of $375, j
70Q—— An anchored l'orpedocosts S >14-1
Upon these and other data, tVe might, to I
defend our harbors, have 650 boats, 1400 j
! anchoring Torpedoes, and 13u0 clock work t
Torpedoes, for $ 5*1,000-I'ne United!
i inm, liai the Lady,* w ho with patriot zeal,
Would here the diligence of Greece inspire :
Soli on her Notice let the Poet steal,
And strike, to simple lays, the plaintive lyre.
"71 to lhef» Lsdv ! who, in times lik»> lliese,
VV hen foreign Mshinus seem alone to please,
Gun teei the evil, and attempt its cut e ;
With Seraph meekness, aird idalian l,h,om«
Give love s soft image to toe mystic loom.
And round the sounding wheel the Graces
lure—
Hail to thee, Lady 1 who, with pomp aside,
And all the habcrdtiMhery of prithj*
Prismatic beauty, give* to various dyes ;
With snowy fingers, for thy Maidens gay.
Designs the pattern, and selects the slay —
Emblem of Virtue in her fairest guise !
II til to thee, Lady ! ’tig pursuits like these.
That lead directly to the door, of ease,
Domrat'ic comfort, ami nssuasive health ;
That pale mi*|. iton* of her r ,res beguile j
t'npell the child of Indigence to suni ,
And give a Nation dignity and wealth !
sedlev.
* Mr*. R. G of Dumfriet.
'I ho Massachusetts Mrport is more r**
ioai kabk loi its ing'di iity, than i.sc. udoi —
.
mates' snip •• 'constitution" cost tirst 3 302, !
718- ..and her annual expesice, when in j
commission, is 2 100,000.
Should this mode of defence then, prove j
successful, how much cheaper (to be cilici- ;
ent) must it prove than a military navy ?|
How much improvement would die money j
saved, actually spread over the face of our
country ! Ilow many schools, roads, canals k
bridges would it contribute to establish !
If it should succeed, it will guard our fron
tier from naval incursion-it will contri
bute to protect the Liberty of the Seas from
its tyrants-and of no country, more than
the U. S. is it true, that “ the Liberty of
the Seas is the Happiness of the Land.”
When such urgent considerations therefore,
are before us—when we consider also, the
plausibility of the scheme-is it not worth a
little expence to make experiments on a
subject, which may benefit us so much ?
Is not this calculation alone sufficient to lead
the Congress of the U. S. to extend its fos„
tering encouragement to this project-and
at all events to comply with the proposition
of Mr. Fulton, in the following terms ;
“ Purchase a strong ship; make six Tor
pedoes; build two good row-boats, and pie
pare them as for action, with 12 men each.
Let li e ship be anchored, and ti:e men prac
tised in harpooning, throwing the Torpedoes
and observing the action of the tide in dri
ving them under her bottom. After prac
tising on her while at anchor, the ship to be !
got underway in moderate and stifrbreezes,
I and while under way. the men to row at and
| harpoon her, letting the Torpedoes fail into
: the water and observing the action of the
j current in driving them under her bottom,
j When the men have been so exercised as to
i be certain of harpooning the ship, the Tor.
i pedoes to be charged, a committee appoin
j ted, or the whole of Congress witness the
\ effrCt, the ship to bfe put under way, the helm
| lashed, her men take to the boat, the Tor
1 pedo boats advance, harpoon her, and blow
I her up. The success of such an experiment
will show the value of tne system ; to which
courage must be added in case of an actual
j engagement;
j “ /‘robuble cxpence of such an experiment:
j A strong though old ship S 1000
: Six Torpedoes, 3150 each 900
| Two boats, S 100 each 200
Two harpoon guns GO
Total 3 21 CO
••Twenty four men can be chosen from
the Sailors in government employ.
57“ The Birth day of Hen. Washington
yesterday Celebrated, in this city, with
its customary honors—At dawn of day fa
gun announced the anniversary of the hero
of the Revolution-at sun-rise, a federal
salute was fired. The independent Compa
i mes of Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery
appeared in full uniform, on the Capitol
Square, accompanied by Cols. Smith and
Mayo, and Majors Ambler and Iompkins
-Much credit is due to the spirit which
was manifested on the occasion—The light
infantry Blues and the Rife Corfis (lined
together at the ll'ashinglon -T'he Artil
lery and Republican Blues, joined by srve
ral MHitia Officers of the 19tH Regiment
partook of a cold Collation on the field. __
T'he scene was closed by a Ball at the Belt
and one in Manchester, in which our fair
country women ^ vied with each ether in
joy (Jf festivity.
■
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
“ I could wantoil ?'i thy nrahc.'W^n« ,
! [,n times of old, as was the will of Jove,
Eurharis carded, and Calipso wove,
Spun the fine thread, anti cull’d the snowy
fleece; J
Eudiaris, graced with more than mortal charms.
\ ,o held e en Love himsolf within her arms_
Calipso brightest of the Belles of Greece '
'V Hit rosy fingers too, fair Helen press’d
1 be purpie mantle, and tire vermil vest ;
^r.IICu’itLl'ro',,IC fart‘nff wa,'l » Nainicfca true
‘ I0.?'kc,*.woor‘ a,ul •funding shuttle threw :
Wlmclierlair Maids, l’enelopc among,
t iayed the bright distaff, and prolonged the song
[WtllTs* sue1’ a spirit ro-VMlvs e.'f’lT i*t r’i
liast, will the tone ol Great Bri'aih fce cbcti
«*d? Can we expect justice from her, when
her iniquitous conduct finds fax or h*vrrg < i r
oxvn citizens? While the wrongs or France
are blazoned, those of Great Britain are al
most softened into nothing-is this fair?
is it consistent with truth or justice?
The R»*v. Mr Guirev is expected to preach
this evening, at seven o’clock in the Baptist meet
ing house.
il f“ Marius, JV'b. 3, floatf:or.cd to make
'.room for the Tonrr.iit>.
I *** -dn interx>icvj with Rvsftcrs is rr
j yarn ted.
j t-ir d1"1) Washington fmfiera—ijeaterday
1 rr— —rrr^ *? jw jj—a. ••-ur-i--- »
X kVtns—All sums uni>eP c? inn „ ,
S WO and not exceeding o cas^ oxer
di,-.ums of S m uuu^ZT&''T„ZV
top credit, prucliasei ’s * >. >^ cre(iit.
payable ut the Baric of Virginia'’ won !!n. * *"?
endorsers, willTbe required approved
^MOWCURH%j1uc'ra
Richmond, tebruary 28, 13lo. *
All persons having demands against me „-i.
please bring them forward for r 1 me " ^
those indebted to meTr J Ja ‘I'^ment-and
mediate payment. I tested to make ini
__ Si L. P HIL IP S.
j\/f ANCHESTER FEMALE ACaITemy"
. „1 , l,0lHe a,ul si,"ation being exceeding
ly well adapted for the rc option of boarders, the
f."'1 ,nf ,KJ» t<» this institution, are respect
fully mforn d, that young ladies will be admit
ted on moderate ,rnns. The great variety of
c cganl Needle Work, Drawing, Sco. exhibited
at the public examination, precludes the necessi
ty ot particularly enumerating the various sorts—
1 he Needle Work, Drawing and French, taught
by Mrs. O’Reilly 6
The music by Mr Weidemeyer. The school
is •uptrimended, and the ddferent branches in
English Literature taught, by Mr. O’Redly_
Str.ct attention will be paid to the health, morals
and improvement of the pupils placed attl.is A
cudemy.
February 53. ^
OTOLEN f om a store on the Mam- >i7« 11, on
*,oV!pn,,.!,rof tl,e ,5th '»»*• mo Bum*
rb.AS, belonging to a Patent Balance, 8 k lb|,.
any person wl,» will detect the thief, or deliver
t.ie peas to the Editor of the Enquirer, shall no
liberally rewarded.
Feb 23. j,
rroU SALK—1 wtivaluable female House scr*
A vantu, fine of tfiem (ah,An 40 jenrs old) i« a
good plain Cook, Washer and Loner, kc. The «
iier, a likoly, active black Oil I, (about 13 ye us of
*ge,) has ht-en chiefly employed as a Nunc, but
Work taAoply'ir>d0,"fi’ aim°Sl *n> k'i,d ofhoU:»«
Febritar. J.,. M^kT MAl,f.
- ___ w)w
A N ASS/ST A« 1 TEACHER 7f the r'.i?
A gh'h Language, Writiigand tr-.hm *tic—
anti A LADY capable of teaching flue ,N -edie
vVork and Embroideiy, may heir rtf S.t.ui . ,,
n the country l y app'ymg st the Office urt...
i lirer.
f-urtiwy JU
CO .VIM Uis IC ATIOX.
Died, nn Friday (he 9'h inst. Mr. Minor M.
Coshy of Milton, Albemarle county. The lif*
of this worthy gentleman, exhibits an interesting
spectacle to the philosopln ■ , am! an animating
example to the youthful candidate for happiness.
Reared in a decent hut indigent family, ihe true
school of virtue, l;e was ushered into the wo: id
at an early period, with no other resources, than
the native energies of his miml, ami the purity ot
Ins morals, formed by the gentle kgency of friend
ly admonitions. He at length became the pupil,
and the intimate of an cnlignteiieil foreigner,
whose eminent services to the cause of science
have given him a distinguished rank among the
number of her benefactors. In this situation, the
zt-al with which Mr. Coshy prosecuted his li
teral y labors, the fascinating amenity i f his man
ners, and the uniform propriety of his conduct,
obtained at once the approbation of his oatron
and the love of lus companions. Being now pre
pared to act his part on the great theatre >f die
world, he selected for his profession Ine respect,
able business of communicating useful know
ledge. The rapid improvement of the young per
sons, whose studies were submitted to his direc
tion, is a sullicic nt testimony of the ability with
which he performed the functions of an instruc
tor. I his picture would be. unpardonably in
complete, it I omitted to commemorate bis con
duct in the more tender reluti m* of human*
life. As a son, a brother, and a husband, he
lias had but • *w parallels, and no superiors.
He has ilown from this sublunary scene in the
vernal season of life ; but if a miiul enlightened
and invigorated by learning, a heart expanded
w^th all the generous utlectious, and a system of
actions, guided by benevolence and reason, can
ensure an after-life in the breatli of others, tha
memory of iny departed frivnd, will be coeval
with the duration of the world.
Thomas //. Prosser intends leaving
the Suite, for a few months.
C. THOMPSO.Y,
PORTRAIT PAINTER, opposite the Swan
Tavern—Respectfully informs the in ubt
tants of Richmond and its Vicinity, that his R..*>in
will be open, only on Saturdays, lor Visitors
which will be uiiulely devoted to their better ac
commodation.
February 23. 2t
SALES AT AUCTION.
MR. A L PHILIPS being about to remove
to the city of New-York, will be sold pos
itively without reserve a*, his store near the Mark
et Bridge—the Sale to commence on Monday
the 12th day of March next, at 11 o'clock_All
the said Philips’s Stock in Trade consisting of a
very General Assortment of seasonable anil well.
Selected Goods —In account at prime cost to a
boul S20.003—Amongst which are ihe followin'
articles: • . .. »£
600 pieces India Cot
ion,
200 do. Callico,
50 do. Furniture Cop
er Plate,
150 do. Cambric Mus
lin,
100 do. Oil Cloth,
120 do. Wileboars and
Bombazetts,
100 do. Elegant light
ground Chintz 4 4
lOo do. Cotton Shitt
ing 3-4 7 R U 4 4
60 dozen Cotton
Hose,
20 do. Silk ditto,
16 do. Corduroy,
10 do. Tabby Velvets, :
10 do. Checks 4 4 'u
64
do. black Cam*
uric,
10 do. Superfine
Cloth,
20 do. Second do.
15 do. Casimercfi,
15 do. white I'lat
ill.H,
6 do. Brown do.
6 do. Dowlas,
60 do. Rolls,
25 do. Uznabrutra.
4 do Bed Tidur
60 do. Koine?! '
kerchiefs, tUlld'
« f,°' n f ra3 <K
10 ps. Bu-.ldannH
lido. AdarseiJjpa*
I 120. Par ketts u■ *
I 200 lb , __* 1 ina» &
LuS?b’- *«H
l Black Ssttin,
| S'las&‘ C°tton Umhrel
I Sewing Silk:9 & Twis.
s irc? C/ sserneres,
oiii; ocr.w|„
I Sh.!i,#
'islin do.
Siik, Cotton & Thread'
I.ace,
White Pocket H.andfs.
Silk and Laced Gloves,
White and Colored
Thread.
Book Jaconet and Lena
Muslins, '
Jspunk! ditto and
Kobe Dresses, '
Knives and Ftr .
a variety o»' ‘^s* a,u*
tides’ tr other ar
,0 tedious ti*
' aerate.