Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-11-25

iolars, TO be appropriated to the support Of Jisa
blod seamen. Ofthe two thousand and fifty men
employed in our foreign and coas,wse tonnage.
perhaps fifty of them, in tho course Of the
year, apply for and receive aid from the Custom
House, and AS we have no hospital, they board
ell out in plivate families, at high rates. aud proba
bly, exhaust all the actual receipts OF the lio pa
revenue. OF this, we are, however, by no mean.
certain; although we are perfectly satisfied, tina,
all of the money received at our Custom House,
from the Hospital .ax, the last year, has been ex
hausted. With the means derived from this tax, il
appears tQus that Marine Hospital, conducted on
strict rule OF economy, might be supported, and al
the same time, the several towns would be relieved
from slecioS Of taxation which they ought never
to pay.
1t is not deemed important TO have more than
one Marine Hospital in the State and where that
should be located, leave to the dicreton and dc
tahon ofthosc who better calculated TO designate
than we are. From what little investigation we
have made, relative 10 the subject, it impresses
with an opinion, that Marine Hospital, might be
established in thls State which would succeed inpro
noting two great objects, the first of which would
be to lessen the taxes Of the towns, and the other
tha, OF promoting the cause of humanity. a. the
mat now res,s. The commercial towns oi the
State, laid under heavy, and unjust fable taxo-
tions. which norule of right can impose upon them,
and which certainly very unjust.
II is far from US to say, that the Custom House
mont IN Tina toSyn Inps NOT its tlu.
,y, in relation to unfortunate seamen or that what
ever evils may grow out of the system, chargea
he 10 the very worthy Collector OF the lot ol Pro
whence, TO him who ably fills the office OF ,hc
nominal head OF our Customs. We know tina
both of these gentlemen are lndeiatisab'e IN then
exertons TO do the State service, that ihcy
discharge their duties ith laithiulness and promp-
tltude-6nd that they would be amopg the first TO
support any measures that would, IN the least, ,eno
to- accelerate the interests Of the people, certain
ly believe.
We have already extended these remarks to a
greater length than we originally intended. al
though we have SAID but ltle-and must dele'
what we have yet To say, to another occasion.
The next thing that should engage the attention
Of our Delegation, is the subject oi filling up the
West Passage OF the Narragausett Bay Tor the pur-
pose as It is said, OF deien.ns the han Dor OF New
port, and ,he adjacent inles and ports.
The engineer, employed to report the best me-
thod OF defending the harbors OF the Narrasanseu
Bay, has reported that to effect this purpose, 1t VIII
be cxl ledIent TO run an a,ufclal reef across the
81, pcl s hct
TO prevent the insress esress Of any Other vessels
than those which draw bat lew icet Of water. The
report understand, has avourably I'm resse1 the
Secretary OF War, As TO the expedency of The nea-
sun and some fears entertained by our ctizen,,
hat the project wi, be carried II into effect 1t be-
comes the people TO protest Ia the mot em. ."tc
inner o. 2ainst the uudertak,u- ,aud our Rerroscn
tatIves are bound TO depreca,e II, and t. us. all q"
their nhI 10 defeat the Wild ptoDcct Of hare
bralned engineer The closing up ol tiis cham
would produce injury 10 the town "i Provldence
ani all the northern ports Of he Stale, far more
destructive their in,e rests. than All the spoilatio
that an enemy could commit even should a fleet
pass up to the centre oil the bay, and lay the border
towns under contribution, and PROSTATE them with
rum. II is the man ship channel to the ocean, ii is
the common thorough-lare Of our entire nav CATION,
and without if, our shipping would be subject 10
detenuons, and our commercial relations would be
comparatively cut of The project, if completed,
can event, benefit any portion of The State,
and instead of adding to the defence of the harbor
of oiNewport, would in the end, only render that de-
voted port, more liable to the assaults OF ,indicve
ioc fol if in time of war, feet should make sail,
upon the upper districts of Rhode Island,they would
If not noesed, proceed up the Yves: passage, with
out offering annoyance 10 Newport, when, If on the
contrary. that passage were closed, they would be
compelled to take the eastern channel and thus ne
cessarily force their way through the harbor o.
Newport. The Yves, passage is OF immense mpor-
tauce to us and il is hoped that the people Of Rhoc
Island, will never suffer j, TO be closed II appro-
prlations have already been made to complete the
design of the engineer, we hope that they will hc
withheld, and given to the State, to erect Marine
Hospital.
PRIZE PoEMs.-Within a few years. numerous
Theatres have been erected i'll the United States, at
the opening Of which, according TO custom. Poet.
by the way of prologue to the dramatic seasun.--
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