The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-06-07 00:00:00

cnus far shalt thou go, and no
.evements, partially developed, of late
and enterprise of individuals, give a death
_.ouraging an assumption, and would rather fa-
:lusion—humbling as it may be to our pride of ad-
aarticularly as regards steam navigation, that it
aaratively in its infancy. So little, indeed, has
accomplished in reducing naval architecture to
des for the attainment of definite euda, that
sumbuilders, if left without limitation to carry out
n views, appear to entertain the same opinion, either
modelling of vessels, in the precise proportion and
materials to be employed, or the manner of putting
gether, so as to attain, by a given expenditure, the
strength, speed, durability, and adaptation for any
• service • and, though some have been eminently suc-
few of ;hem, as might be reasonably expected from
,ulgence in vague fancies and speculations, can safely
to predict, with any degree of accuracy, the good
,s of a ship while she is yet on the stocks. Experi-
lone can accurately decide the question ; and though
ind acknowledged principles may to some extent be
upon, his most sanguine expectations are more fre-
lot realized than exceeded. Much is left to chance,
^ards speed and durability; and with respect to
should it be, as it generally is, almost wholly of
nted with whatever care, and however appa-
his hopes are often defeated by its pre-
-d decay. In the fashion or model of
de for ages appear to have studied safety,
exclusion of high speed. Our bluff bows
ns gave our vessels, indeed, a buoyancy, like that
It light-ships, to resist the severest storms when
iple sea-room ; but rapid sailing, and the conse-
•ty of working off a lee shore when imminent
ited itself, were not amongst their qualities, and
in such emergencies were frequent and often
By a dogged adherence to the practice of the
A to principles partly admitted and partly indefinite,
ships of war became obviously sluggish in compari-
h the sharper vessels of several continental nations :
-.R elapsed before our hardy navigators could
.elinquish their fullness, and bluff-
:uction to which they had so long been ac-
id the circumstance that our enemies' cruisers,
and other smugglers, were eventually enabled,
arpness of build, to elude their pursuit, alone com-

inexpee

Ind to print,

yes to r,

antly, to relax their stubborn opinions,
f model which combined rapidity
arity. It is notorious that, though

adopt that fine

h adequat

mere ever, until of late
attainment of these desiderata, if we
1,3 an occasional smart frigate or sloop of war,
yen during our last contest with France and Ame-
of our fastest ships (we may instance the Pique
Ireviously the French Pallas) were of foreign
ptured by our dauntless tars, whose prowess
POAfI wnq ever transcendent. If such was the

a maritime natiou, %

...,Lued with regard to the mo-
uch its very slow dislodgement from
even practical men, no great surprise need
.ng a still more rooted predilection in be-
i, as par ercellance the only safe and appropriate
so long were we accustomed
and so intimately connected are all our
nterprise, rdventure, and triumph of our
high seas, with our " wooden walls," that
natural, but patriotic ; and if, after

)1; obser'

hip-building ; tor

not only

____ employment of a harder
) such a partiality may he deemed a
which. considerine all the circum-

arsin t

!rice of correct information.—" leans to
'principal causes have probably operated
to confirm this prejudice against iron,
and tend-

—namely,its wet

is supposed liability to rapid cor-

A I, y oxibuu - -
Nn iron ship is lighter and more

p, an 1 equal

or even much
is,a bole

ace of water-tight bulls

of an extent
L), would-ord

that would
ly produce

er into one compar

still afloat and sea worthy. On the
ran sail profitably or safely without

nt of such an accident
,t free, a wooden ship
Is a little more slowly,

and withou

ther the

s prolonging the sufferings of

alarly if the v

nd, this point may, we think

to the corn-

t constantly in

1 ; and

tied by il

"°lvsro4

I should
ions imp