Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-05-19
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kiCIlMOMD. MAY I0.
TIiE STEAM ROAT

than The earliest essays ofnavigaiors. previous
10 the discovery ofthe mariners compass, ac-
cOiaplished gong up and down the rivers and
cO"st,ng aioug the shores. The next step viii
hs 10 launch Il boldly upon the deep. a plan
was IN agitation some time ago 10 navigate a
steam boat from N.Nork to st. Petersburg. (;
hnt Tor reasons not fully explained, IL WAS
abandoned. We a:e happN to see II revived
10 the South, unuGr the auspices OF the citizens
OF Savannah. who propose 10 purchase Il ship
ofthe first class. completely htieaand equip
ped IN the ordinary inauuer"--on board of
winch is TO be a SieaIn-en.in inc, upon a plan Suy-
ScSted by captain Rogers Vi tie - pc, .,nent
tails, the los, To tar concerned viii he irll.np-
me ship. II sad wit be nothing the Not - :"
amd the machinery maS De taken our, sd.,. ap
pred 10 oiiier purposes.
The National imteiuscmcer in noiicing this
enterprise, expresses " great donbt whe;hvr
team boats can safely beempio, ed in tossing
me ocean. There are some dangers "a SAYS
incident 10 satin. vessels from whiri, Tie ioy
mer arecAempt; hut there al others peculiar
10 them, such a. fractures Of tiie mac hluerA.
niSiing 81 boIcr,, difficulty 81 naulrin Gre
ahd machinery IN gale al wind, rOush
swell alter storm, hazard % paddles breaking
ana rendering the vessel uumauag ca tttr anIoi
the NhvFlS themselves DsIn. ~ rpi t,1lA the
vessel. We shalt be happy 10 fnd all ihcSe :
abilities ccunicracted by construction ~ tie
boat an'macbnery different tiOmai.y we have
vet seen"
VIC agree with the Inteigeuccr, ;iat IN the
infancy OF steam navigation, ibis eutcTor.le is Il
bold one FOR that its difficulties iteitter
few nor tri2ipy. No one wl,o,embaras in it,
howcEer great his enthusiasm may be, cushttO
despise them. The best way j. to wei.i them
well, 10 anticipate all The dangers VII. IL may
be expected to occur, tn take time and employ
every pains for overcoming HEM, 10 draw up-
en- men OF talent III ali parts, fUr all The licht
they can shed upon this splendid enterprise,
and not endaneer the lives OF the advenLiirers
ord'sconrase future attempts by premature
experiment.
Ian G.. "a fs
us wise one. I he vessel which is to be
launched, isnot one of II e common steam boats,
but a sen ressel--ca,cuiated by her draft OF
water hciter 10 brave The storm. She is to take
with her the usIldt nasts, SparS aud sails OF a sea
vessel. that in case The steam machinery fails
her, she may trust TO line wind To hear her To
her port; Thus ia all the cases mentioned
whether her paddles break in n storm, or her
wheel IS HnSiIIpped her machinery breaks or
her OOiter bursts, She may still he, as other YES
seis, obedient 10 the wind Without ti;is double
provision, both tor Steam and tcihd Wa should
mink, IN the present state of steam navigation.
a'n al me hrst attempts TO cross the sea, ii
wonid ne very hazardous TO tempt the dangers
OF the deep. Ail that we can safel, attemp, at
present Is. 10 call in Ike aiu of the steam 10
expedite the motion ofthe ship not 10 trust To
u altogether 10 attach The steam mac hinery 10
hcf, so as 10 40 the least possible iuiurS TO the
means al present adopted for moving her Inv
the WING and in case the machinery should
Ial' OF Hs purpose, to detach II from the ship
With the greatest possible ease, so as 10 leave
hef free TO The wind. Should the first expert
ment succeed, we may expect TO witness ra
pi1 conTSe OF Improvement F.; the end is SD
brilliant a one, the saving of time and expense
OF transportation is so important, and so ma
ny VIII JOIN IN II The effort will o. course he
te use as much steam, and trust as little to the
"ihu as posi- 49,. hut though the i,uDrovp
mentS will approach this desideratum ;.sranid-
~ as possible, Yet they will never perhans
be able To dispense with the wind apuaratus At
Wemay so cali u, altogether; because OF ,b,.
dangers TO which the steam fixtures are liable.
great seld Of improvement viii of course be
opcned M he mode OF attaching and delach.Ig
me machinery, OF preparing and econoniiziug
Tue inei SO az to lake up the least possible
space IN the ShIp, sc. sc.
we confess there is no experiment TO whose
result we look forward with more anxietvtilan
the one before ms. The Intellgencer prouos.
es :" il succeeds" 10 call the . Atlantic steam
pnohc spirit introduced them" We are will
ing TO grant this or almost any other honor.
which such anObie enterprise demands-hnt
we confess, we are so clannish or so Dstriotic
as TO wish hat this experiment may succeed
nTsi III Tue united States. America was first
to give tue steam boat 10 the world Let her
aiso De the first to traverse the great deep
by its assistance.
should IL succeed, the sea-boat would nro
Daddy DE put at hrst TO the same use TO Which
the steamboat has been applied ON our rivers.
She VIII be used as packet for passengers.
rs sire Wui not nave to keep IN the course of
the gull stream or the winds as much as the
present shps do, she may take more direct
pam ana shorter cut 10 H.. destined mort
HeI voyage mag he shortened one fouYth sor
perhaps hali.-lntelIigence NAV fy and pas
sehgers traverse from port to pert in ~ o. Is
uays'-bnt all TINS iSanticipati0n--let Us make
the attempt hrst-before we dream more.