The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-10

enougho make who has had good opportunities for
education, hang his head in shame"
!
STEAM SHIPs WAR. late number of the Jour
nal OF Commerce contained two letters from London,
signed by JuDius Smith, which relate 10 the subject Of
steam ships. Mr.. Smith is an American by birth, born
10 Lchheld Con; but has for many years resided in
England, and was one Of the mos, active and efficient
promoters Of the enterprise which has resulted in the
establishment Of Steam Navigation across the Atlantic
The following extract from Of these letters relating
TO steam ships Of war, is particularly deserving Of at
| teniion
1 Whaferer nation, England France, or America
and THINK rH be one Of The three, has the largest
and greatest number Of steam ships Of ,car tciH
mana me ocean Nothing can prevent It. In estma
ting the relative force of antagonist fleets the INQUIRY
VIII not be how many frgates how many line Of bat
We ships were engaged; but, how many steam ships
II viii be felt at that the power of the feet de-
Pends on the latter Those who spectators Of the
last continental war will remember that notwithslsnd
ing every effort was made and enormous expense in
CURED by the Transport Board 10 meet the urgent de-
nahos OF the army, yet such the delays arising
rom mead winds, tempestuous weather, detentions n
port and long passages, that the suennrs Of the army
were sometimes appalling, and its operations crippled
IN war, the facility Of transportation il tanamonn To
victory IL fleet of 20 steam shps can ,ransnor, an
army OF 20 ooo men to the American coast in fifteen
ano 70 lhe continental ports time less in pro-
portion 70 the distance, the army can land when and
j in uort do.
LAY In the passage, no lowering upon the coast with
light and battling winds, and thus afford time for the en-
envy to collect the Of defence but the steamers
push at once into port, and in possession Of their
object before the enemy can be Of its danger
The transportation Of the munitions Of war and the
yIcuang stores scarcely less important than that Of
the army itself The great magazines will always be
at nome, whence daily supplies will be drawn with the
same ease and regularity if they in the vicinity
o. the camp The CELEBRITY Of communication and its
absolute certainty supersede the necessity Of sccu-
mulatng stores in foreign country before they are
wanted
But the greatest triumph Of steam power will be seen
IN those tremendous naval which hereafter
viii settle and establish the sovereignty Of the
such Is the locomotive power Of ship, that she
can place herself in any position in reference the
enemy; can run down from tho leeward to the wind
ward upon the bows stern Of sailing man. war
and with broadside after broadsde riddle her fore and
ait, annlhlae the crew, and leave in her scattered
wreck an undenlable evidence Of the irresistible power
| Of steam ship know it will be said that the paddle
Wheels OF a steam ship liable to be shot away and,
thus disabled, she may become herself prey to the
enemy But is she as liable to be disabled a sailing
ship! Suppose shot were to pass though her paddle
box, is not destroyed, and may not be materially in
lured but II 1t were utterly destroyed the ship not
disabled she work with one wheel You nav
therefore, destroy both wheels before she is disabled
How is 1t with sailing ship! Dlsmast her, and her
power is gone. She is lost ship. The argument
therefore, regarding the danger of her being disabled
is vastly in favor Of the steamer She has no masts and
you must imagine her rash enough to expose herself
unnecessarily to the enemy, and that in such man.
ner as to give him an opportunity OF carrying away both
paddle wheels whilst his nasts unscatched and
entire before she Is disabled Not very likely thing,
when consider that the ship, by virtue Of her
locomotive power, can always approach the enemy or
draw of, when sailing ship cannot do either. The
power OF sails is perfectly useless, and the sailing ships
60 into battle like many dismasted ships the sport
and play things of the lively steamer.
II steam man-of-war has occasion to board her
| enemy, she man9uvres not waits not the favor of
wind but darts upon her prey any point she peases
and her combatants march over the bridge Of Ter
deck into the camp Of the enemy.
The boilers Of steam ship Of ought to be below
the loaded water line, and therefore perfectly
from the effect Of shot The resistance OF the water
would efectually prevent the shot from penetrating,
whilst the keel Of the would give her
point blank shot at her enemy
Think for a moment Of sailing ship Of war, mat
ter how many guns, chasing steamer no matter how
few the longer she cases the further she is off, until
if possible to sail in uninterrupted circle, the
steamer in the very act Of running away, would
take her pursuer Reverse this picture and fancy you
see the steamer bearing down upon the "a, under full
sail Can the latter quicken her speed Can she fly
in the eye Of the wind Can she escape before it
Has she the slightest chance Of evadng the combat
Can there be doubt Of the result! When consider
steam power in time Of war, carried in all its multi
form ranifcations, what merchantmen escape cap
turel What harbor afford shelter What village
sis plunderl What city, destruction What coun-
try, invasion! Steam power alone cope with steam
power. and therefore the relative force Of nations
be measured by no other scale Hence all the
maritime nations upon earth reduced the level,
aud the work OF destruction upon large scale must be-
gin afresh All the existing navies of the earth not
worth a peppercon. They will neither augment nor
diminish the power Of nation in any future maritime
warfare. We may just stand upon their ruins aud wit
kingdoms, empires, and republics, all starting
in the Of naval achievements and pressing for
ward towards those grand results which wait upon
periorty. Nothing but steam power navy in the pre-
sent advanced state of steam navigation project it.
self much more nation, from insult l! would seem
therefore preposterous and absurd for any nation to
haust its resources upon useless and numbering
thing sailing ship of The apathy with which
this grea, subject regarded in high places, if indeed it
be regarded at all quite surprising But the time is
Fastening when its power will be felt
England, in all the spreadings Of her vast empire her
universal commerce; great in arms, great in peace ;
manufactures in literature in the arts in opulence in
every thing which exas and adorns nation and may
be permitted after residence Of than thirty years
more England, with all this radiance encircng her
Crown is at this moment more exposed than any other
nation TO the ruthless hand of the invader. 1t is not
enough that she has strength to crush invasion, she
wants the pooer prevent it, Thai she have
| without steam navy.
Your obedent servant,
JUNius SMITH
i