Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-02-03

offered IN Congress, authorizing the Secretary
ct the Navy 10 purchase a steam vesseE-and
as the resolution refers 10 the steam shio RI.
bert Fulton, we take this occasion ad repeating
what VIC have Tor a length Of time believed that
the Rober, Fulton will be Of equal service to
SIX sloops of war in a contest " It'll pirates.
The following letter is addressed By her com
msnder TO a friend IN Washnglop Ii contains
a true statement OF what the shin is sble to
perform, and NO man Is more capable TO de-
eide upon this point, ti.an her experienced
Captain.
Mira Yart. 14h Isn 1926.
DrAR srR-fn reply to your inquiry respect
& the steam chip Robert Fulton To be en-
psoyea on The Coast OF Cuba Tor The suppression
OF piracy, es a vessel OF war, | will state that
the Robert Fulton is capable of carving ,wen,v
boats. live on her qaltters aud stern, tile re-
,palnder ON deck; tie boats IL size equal 10 a
trigates cutters She can accommodate three
HUNDRED or three humid ed ana ffty men: and
can, with such boats, pursue the pirates into
bays, iniets, Greeks, &c. She can perform
more service Than SIX sloops Of war. in cruising
round the island of Cuba. She viii pert,rn
five miles an hour agsIilst the ordinary trad-
winds : Can pass up through the bahama aid
channel TO Cape Maize. round tho cas-, end.
and down the south side OF Cuba, with the
trade wind, when a sioop vi war would have
to pass north ct the Bahama banks and pass
through some 81 the passages to windward, or.
reuad Cape Antonio. and up the south side Of
.uoa asalnst ne trade winss 10 gan the east
end oftbe Island, which would occuny MS much
IT not more time. than would be required 81
the Robert Fulton TO max Tie circuit Of thss
whole island.
The superior advantages Of the stean, sh;n
m = calm, must b. obvious to all nautical meai
without q monent's consideration With one
long gun on pivot, she Can take a paslt,on IN
a cain. and destroy an eneny's vessel az toiee
her force; with the engine She can gar auv
point IN a gwen time, and dc spa,ch her boa,s
into the bays, creeks. &c. and with her long
gun cover them 10 heir o. efalion The great
and decided advantages in this ship consist in
fHs rAciIIrr or roLIowrNa nKu soars in Gains.
isht winds and against The currents, thereby
icssen'ng the severe duties OF boat service and
arford'ng accommodation 10 the officers and
men so employed. AT night. and hen ar di,-
", the crew Will be comfortable Of, board ~.
ship, which will preserve he health anil lives
OF many valuable officers and men. Some OBJ
~Jections have been made to the employment or
steam vessels, IN consequences OF beiny seeu
farther at sea iha, an! other vessels-,hexe can
DC easily ooviatsd IN two ways, BY CARRYING the
snake pipes or chimncys into che wheeI
guards, which will dsperse the smoke overthe
surface OF the ocean, or b, the new improye-
ment IN The furnace, to burn the smoke entire
", the expense OF this improvement will nos
exceed $500.
The topmas's and topgsllan,mssts can bs
suucK, ~ winch case the ship Cannot be seen
Ut sea farther than a vessel Of 100 ,ons-all, his
] say Of her a. a steam yesseI-wi,h ! E,tia az
%teration, which I would propose IN her srara
she IS equal TO any sloop of war or fripste m,
der Canvass; the ship sails taste. works well.
ana performs under canvass all that i shin az
war can d9i hes too in a stein rs well 80 any
ipe~'e, sna ! have Frequently seen her perffrp,
.en ana = nan to eleven sndsa half nlilex nar
hour. scuddlng in a gale, In the two years mi
= nan which | have commanded this shin +
pave seen her under all circumstances ul,ie,.
can happen 1T sea. aud believe her 10 be. h vi
'espsecis' equal 10, any vessel hat foats In
cohhffnation OF this, | will pledge my rep,,fa-
Won Us . seaman OF so years experie { and
"nss niue science may possess, on Tie rcsult.
mere - one decided advantage which this
snP possesses over al The other vessels. lido
not pretend TO define the cause. but st..e az
f&ct thai his ship has been 1t Havana aud Naw
orleans nearly twenty voyages, In the moa, 49,
healthy seasons. and has transported beswren
. ano 1000 passengers. and no case Of fpyrr hss
ever occurred on board. In fact. Tie steam sb;r
IS proserbiaily known to all our health ofRrers
a. A 'healthy ship -
have not the least doubt. and I nm rot h.eL
ed IN my opinion by that Of the pantic.l men
with whom | have conyersed. thai this sbin.
armed with a suitable battery--say ten 1i
pound csrfonades, and one Ieng gun. and fur
nls'ied with boats. will be more effective on the
coas, OF Cuba. that all the naval force employed
on she station
The engine MIL rou..-
drons OF coal, or eighteen cords IL pine wood
tor "a hours Of full firing. The rioridas far.
n'sh abundance of pine wood. a. d an abundanf
supply Can DC cfespiy and easily obtsined. Anv
quantity OF coal can be had at New Orleans az
hse TO seven dollars per chaldrou; and 4 supulv
can DC deposited at Key West and Havana. at
about III dollars per chaldron. / have never
round IT necessary TO use coal or wood more
than the time ! have been II sea IN the shin =
When the wind IS favorable, the steam is not
wanted; her performance under canvas is equal
toshat OF any vessel, and the whole expense Of
ner engine, viii not average more than City
ooiAfs' am &C. PAUL CHASE.
Inc Pe,u'enters On Sunda, between 90 and
~ carts. most OF them drawn by two yoke Of
oxen. accompanied by several Of the Green
Mountain boys OF Vermont, TO which state they
belong, passed through Weslchester for this
cry, Tor the purpose it appears of earring dirt
70 MI up the meadows near Corlxr's Hook
These enterprising Moantaineers. who are
stated 10 have travelled 500 niles. and % have.
been 20 days on their Journey, remind us Of
the annual peregriastions of the Highland ~
OF Scotland. who regularly descend To the low
lands TO reap tie gsaia; then proceed TO the
Northern Counties Of England for the same
purpose; after which thew retnsB 10 heir fer
inef habisaiions to enjoy during the winter tho
fruits vi their labor. fFreuspg Past