Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-07-03
UNITED STATES sHIp NORTH CAROLINA.


UNITED STATES SHIP NORTH CAROLINA.
"f,hcrn vas. however, IL much finer sight t!dn
this which | did not miss seeing; n finer sight, indeed,
u far prouder exhibition, than any which comes with
in the whole range of nature and of art. Fhis was
an American ship of the line, which lad been long
expected at Gibraltar, and which I had beun extromc-
lyapxious 70 meet She was said to be the lar
Eest, ceytanly the most efficient and formidable, aS
well as tie most beautiful ship that ever crossed the
ocean. After much weary cXpcctation, the ship
was at length signalcd from the tower, aud climbing
TO the top of the rock, I saw her c0ming down be-
tore q gentle Envauter, with skysails and ~studdlng-
sails-a perfect cloud of snow white canvass. H.
and by the lighter sails were drawn in and disposed
oE-Erropa gas doubled and left behind, and the
gallant ship stood boldly into the harbor, with wards
q little btuced, sli!s all filed and asleep, and hull
lust careclied enough to improve tire beauty Of the
broad side. As she came closer, and | contemplated
her from the more favorable position ofthc line wall,
nothing could exceed the beauty OF the spectacle
II, IS We are told in the Life of Columbus, nothing
seems to have filed the mind of the most stoical saw
age with morc wonder, than that sublime and
beautiful trophy Of human genius, a ship under sail.
shat woold have heen the witd ecstaey of the SEN
sitive Anacoona, if, i.stead Of the shapcicss caravel
ofthe ALe!antado, SIZE had frs: seen this snip, at
least twenty times as large, and a hundred times
n;orc perfect. She might not only have believed i.
10 have cunle from Turi, but that the deity himself
had designed to GONE down and visit his children OF
Aaragua. Even to Il ptactised eye the sight was q
magnificent enc. Instead OF the heavy poop and
othcr membranes, which ~dislgurc European yes
scs of the same class, every thing was smooth and
Uniform. calculated to produce an unbrokcn eff
ii:ct and the most perfect symmetry. So perfect,
indeed, are the proportions Of this vessel, that her
size at a distance would DO undcrvalued, and, though
llrgcr IN tonnage and throwing Il greater weight OF
mctal than any ship that ever went to sea, yet her
appearance is 50 deceptive that she might, at a dis
lance, be taken for and approached as q irigatc. It
twas only by comparing the pigmy proportions Of the
liien who moved up and down the masts, or threw
the lead, with her huge masts and wide spread can
Yass, that any idea could be formed Of tue size, un.
til she entered the road and came near other YES
SAIs. 4 British triGate, which had hitherto lock
I'D a leviath m, as the American crossed her stern,
was dwndled into a cdck-boat And now the won
her became still greater, to see this immense mass,
this wooden mountain, playing about the harbor,
with The graceful tallcity OF 4 little schooner; the
huge sails changed from side to side, to receive tile
action OF the wind with the the cliangcirn proW, and,
at last when the anchor was cast, gathered TIP into
pfaits and hidden from view, with the falicity with
Which a bird would fold it's wings. It seemed as if
there was a magic in the whistle of the boatswain. +
"the immense size OF the ship did not, however,
become completely pnlpable to me, until ! had reach
I'd her in a boat, journcyed up the weary side, and
stood at length upon her deck. The sailors were
dawn up before the mainTuast, looking with silent
respect to Tie llulloWcd regions of the quarterback.
Upon this spacious parade ground, fanled by a dou-
Gio battery, a hundred fine looking soldiers, FURNISHED
arms and well brushed attire, were brought ZIP to sa-
IJtc the departure OF the commander. 4 splendid
band ofmusic, dressed in III lorisiI garb, was stationed
- @hS ~ 1AAA VA N1h~Sh WV NA bAAgNkIo vi
the same purpose upon the quartcr-deci IN irregular
groups Of noble looking young fellows, the. present
pride aud future hopes OF our country. At lengtl,
jhe IIercuiean form aud martial figure Ofthe veteran
command ~ was added 10 tie number. Here wfs tue
master spirit that gave impulse and Soul 10 the ma
chine. Il LiJJsdnd eyes were fixed upon him, Il
thousand hats were raised, and as he passed over the
SIDE, the soldiers presented arms and the music sent
forth d III lsial melody. l thought l had never seen
an array So soui-insPiring, so imposing: and when
J. Came iE9la contemplating t,e whole, TO look Into
the details OF this perfect continuance, this little world,
tins moving city, AID to admire the excellent order
and arr aBEenicnt every where observable for health,
comfort aud convenience, for annoyance and defence:
! could not but feel tic folly Of that wish which
could look back with longing after the refinement
81 'the Augustan age The Greeks ana Romans
may have made nObicr buildings and better statutes
and finer paintings tran we do. Veto say nothing
Of our Improvement in morals, 10 leave unnoticed i
thousand rare aud us.,u' discoveries, and especially
tiatsingudar invention q! oIr cofiHtryman, the proud
est production Of human ingenuity, III which The e-
ciDents are made to triumph over each othcr-what,
let ms ask, did the Aug1stan or any other age, ever
produce to compare with this noble production, IN
which art itself Is ~oaidonc, and science altogether
exhausted.
----
= The UlJci Sdts' snip NORM CatoiIa, GO.n. J0la Rogct,
Though tue Caro.iua carries one hundred guns. on tn &C.
UNIFORM decks, tney are Of so heavy a ]cabrc, 31s did as, that
the weight % metal thrown at the double b.ntJside, is greater
tina that OF any first rate III tie British service. Ji Is 80 10 lbs.
And yet this ShIy is called a seventy nur.--Tnis is an absurd -
what gfeat inconvenience would there be ni calling a ship Ul u