Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-10-01


ADMIRAL BUNKER.-We learn, says the N.
! Y. Commercial Advertiser, that this gentle
man has resigned his Office Of senior captain
of the packet steamers between this port and
Providence, and also the immediate command
of the President.-ln noticing this event, the
Daily Advertiser subjoins the following re-
marks, in which we fully agree with that pa
per.
No man can possibly be named in the pri-
vate walks of life, who is so generally known
as captain B; and we believe none enjoys
greater confidence and respect. We shall
never forget that Captain Bunker was the
pioneer captain who merged from river navi-
CATION to that of the ocean. When steam
boats were even yet an experiment, and 1t
was barely admitted that they would succeed
on rivers, Captain Bunker formed the design,
and was sanguine in the belief, that he could
with safety and success navigate the ocean.
With this belief he induced number OF
friends to embark with him in the enterprise
of building q boat to navigate the Sound. a
greeable to this plan, the old steamboat "tul-
ton" the first that ever navigated the ocean,
was laid down, under his superintcndence,
ed to navigate Long Island Sound. The eX-
pertinent was considered one extremely pro-
blematical. We well recollect visiting the
frame as it lay in the ship yard in 1913, and
hearing the opinion of some of our first me-
chanics and nautical men, among them were
Oliver Wolcot, and Captain William Lovett.
These gentlemen agreed in opinion that the
boat would be as strong as wood and iron
could make her; and also, that in ordinary
weather she "might" navigate, with safety
between the city and New Haven; but IN
rough weather she would not be able to keep
the Sound. So perfectly idle and ridiculous
was the project considered, that the owners
and captains of the numerous and elegant
packets that run to Connecticut and Rhode
Island, for long period, rldiculed 1t with the
appelation of"Bunkcr's folly" In due time,
however. the boat was finished, aud com
menced her regular trips to New iaVen.--
For long period the packet interest was so
great that they kept up the idea that she was
not safe III storms, and that she would event
ually blow up. Feeding these prejudlccs,
they were enabled to run until time ard ex-
perience proved their tallacy, and the New
! Haven daily line Of packets could no longer
be sustaincd.-The interest ofthe packet and
stage owners, however, was so great that they
were enabled, by legislative enactments, to
drive Captain Bunker from their waters to
Rhode Island, where, it was believed, the ter
rors of Point Judith would eilectuaIly put
stop to his successful enterprise. Time, how
ever, soon tested the wisdom of Captain Bun
ber's predictions, and all the lines of packets
between Connecticut and Rhode lsand,so far
as they depended on passengers, were effect
ually broken up; thus new era in the trans
portation of passengers on the American
coast was efiectually established. Captain
Bunker then went on, and built the steamboats,
Connccticut, Benjamin Franklin, and Presi-
dent, all Of WHICH are running at the present
time, and have established a character for
strength and speed. But great as has been
Captain Dunker's judgment as to the success
of his enterprise, we think there are other
qualifications and traits of character that de-
serve particular notice. We alludc to his
skill as a navigator. For more than twenty
years he has run those large and valuable
boats on the Sound, principally at night and
in storms of rain and snow Of great violence,
and during summer and winter. Millions OF
human beings during that period have con
fided themselves To his care, aud IT Is fact
worthy Of all praise, that he has never met
with a serious accident His boats have new