Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-11-28
TO THE EDITOR OF THE Eyou,pgn.

SIR-i have perused several communicate
ons, which You have received on the problem
published IN the Enquirer relative to the COM
b'ned action OF steam and wind in propellng a
BOAT put have SecnnIcause TO induce me 10
alter the opinion advanced" That for soiis
To beRcft a steam boaf, the ueiocity Of the triRd
ought TO be gTeGter than The reiocify ofthe bat
out not SO great as IF itse!fto giUe tie bout the
same motion as The machiHery Of steam" Two of
your correspondents under The signature Off.
suppose that oreriooted The fact Of an en-
SiaeS ,Uork'ng quicker ,uhen the resistance is
Potiy taken OF, BY the pressure Of 'oind on the
sd'tS and also that The paddles more faster fhan
the boat But so tar from the paddles being
less resisted, when the wind presses npOn the
sails than when there are 10 sails the truth is
The paddles S,.ier then "a greater resistance,
ana thiS resistance increases with the velocity
OF the wind: for lfa boat be propelled by wind
at the rate oftlve miles an hour the effect M
onthe paddles is the same as it they had to re-
TlSt current running five miles an hour
therefore the Swiiter the boat is propelled by
the wind, the greater is the resistance of the
water to the motion of the paddles. There is
another circumstance also to be taken into con-
sideration-When sail is hoisted il acts as a
lever I'D pressing down the fore part of the
boat, which causes the wheels or paddles to
work with more difficulty, and the larger tile
sail and the greater the velocity of the wind, so
much the more will the motion of the wheels
be affected by thscause.
Your last correspondent, u. has attempted
10 reduce the whole to minute calculation
and he supposes when the steam and wind act
at the same time upon tile boat that her motion
VIII be increased by mile 1928 y'ds and fl. !:
that is, III place of five miles an hour, she will
move miles ll2S yards and 2 feet very
little ELECTION, however, w II satisfy any pef-
son that this problem involves so many parti-
cnlars, as to render it incapable of being redn-
ced to accurate calculation. Not only the We
locltyand direction of the wind but the form
AMI quantity of sail the situation Ofthe mast
IN tie boat, the height the mast, aud the size
aud form OF the boat ought all to be given
This wrIcT, n. falls also into another mistake .
tie says" IlheR the urea Of a sail is gle IN, The
momentum tCith Uhich the uriHd ,CM strife me
sail. TiHbe as The square Of tie reiocify. The
monlentUBl ~, az the qunHtitg Of matter and peIo
city cogWctIy, bm The quantity Of paatteg is as the
retoettg for the quicker sower the ,ciad mares
rae piorc or(etSer Pmttc!es strike against gitcH
surface "a girCn time"
T.. might as well affirm that the auantitv Of
matter ~ cannon ball is iu prOpoI lion to its
velocity. The quautity Of matter i'm ih,. wind
Is as tue density OF the air aud tie momentum
with which the wind strikes tie sail viii he AZ
MS velocity aid The density OF lie air cos
Juhcuy but "a the density Of the air may he
supposed IN this case uniform, the momentum
winch tue wind has np9n the sail, is as ITS veto.
'''s' ana not TIE square otis velocity. ".
~ The Congress Of the United States and tl,e
Legislature OF Virginia, will respectively con.
yene on Monday next.
~" most Important question which is likely
70 DC agitaied at Washington during this win.
ler,is tic course that the United States ought
70 STEER ~ relation 20 the Patriots ofSouth A.
neTica. we have no doubt il will be found
eiiI interest as well as duty, so recognize the
independence OF those states which have mani
Tested az ability TO maintain it..
ne BoEHy IiW viii be revived il will be
pressed upon tOrgrt IS with an enthusiasm
which no constitutional restrirtsua. no 70.
spect to tie uususwerahe obicctions of James
MADISON, $50 difficulties, are c5icuiatcd fodap.,
bnt success u impossible IL nic disccrilnenf
on neither braics Of Congtcss is su hcicnt 70
lb4s osGiidahle rrccrdcntWli cil
sweep before u al tic reshicio.t wbich were