The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-15
WHOLE NO. 4l6.

hOuntyy anu 10 )H 1udfieS Duugids, MS zap
tain Of the fleet. They repeated the text, and
showed the diagram 10 his Lordship, who, in
his brilliant achievement Of April, 1882, was the
first TO give the practical demonstration OF the
andsman's problem for cutting the hne.'-
| Though the first germ of this new system was
undoubtedly developed in Anson's engagement
of AZ, TO Clark belongs the honor of giving il, in
mathematical proportions, the symmetry and
form.of distinct proposition; and of showing,
by his theoretical deductions, the glorious adyan-
tages of its practical operation
And now, sir, before write the c. T.. ID. in
proof of the defects which obtained at that time
in the education Of nautical men, let me ask,
how il came TO pass that landsman-one who
had never been 10 sea-should have conceived,
and detailed with all the minuteness Of practical
operation, the best system Of naval tactics that
is known at this day2 How is il, that this man,
who had never seen feet in line, should
teach such men as Rodney, St. Vincent, Howe,
Nelson, and host Of others, who lived in fleets
lay, the whole British navy--to manPuvre
their ships by squadrons; CALAMITY TO lead
them to battle, and VIGOROUSLY TO bring them
out? answer, because the system of educa-
ton in the English navy was then as defective
as il now is in the American-because the book
learning of officers generally, was not of that
solid, practical kind which is required in such a
profession; and which would be dispensed from
our Scholarship or any other well regulated in
stitution for the instruction Of young officers.
| Considering that the advantages Of education
are more generally diflused among all classes
now than they were fifty years ago, and making
the allowance due TO this circumstan &c alone,
the means of education afforded at the present
day to officers Of the American navy, are very
much such as were enjoyed by the English offi-
GERS in the time of Clark; and in support of this
| assertion, let US examine on this side of the At
lantic for some of the practical results Of such
system. Two or three years ago, Commander
--, of considerable, but by no means enviable
notoriety, invented double-finted lock for naval
ordnance, and offered to present the right Of pa
tent to the government. But strange to say the
work on naval gunnery by Sir Howard Douglas
(son to Rodney's captain, (which is a standard
work in our navy and which has been in the
hands of midshipmen as far back as my recollec-
ton extends on the subject-contains drawing
and description of double-flinted lock very ST.
milar indeed to that Of the Commander afore
said. The difference in the description of the
two would hardly afford loop on which the in
ventors could hang specification for separate
Inventions But it would be a waste both Of
your time and Of my ink, Mr. Editor to discuss
the right of parentage to this invention, espe-
cially since Sir Charles Doughlas, (Sir Towards
father who | believe was the first to try his
sons lock, has been dead for many, many years
and the lock itself has long ago gone into disue-
hammer Of modern improvement.
AT suggestion of a worthy old commodore,
(de mortuis nil nisi bonum, an inclined plane
was constructed, not great many years ago, at
one of our navy yards, for hauling up ships for
repairs When it was finished, it possessed
these remarkable advantages, Wit would cost
about as much to get ship up, and of this
plane, as it would to build new ship; and
ship which was really decayed and which re-
qured repairs, could not be got up on the in
clined plane at all-for none but new and strong
ships could withstand the straining process to be
undergone in the operation of hauling up from
the water such a mass of wood and iron. This
wonderful invention had been tried in France,
years before, where it likewise proved splendid
failure. A knowledge of the first principles Of
mechanics correctly applied, would have taught
the protector Of this contrivance, that its princi-
pies were at variance with the laws of philoso
ply, and that therefore his ideas were impracti
cable, and his invention failure. But the mo-
ney expended by the government in its round
aboutway of arriving at such a result, would
have snfficed handsomely to endow score OF
scholarships.
Some years afterwards, the same officer con-
ceived another invention. His wants being adj
ministered TO by the public treasury, the schooner
Experiment was brought forth-a non-descript,
which Jack not inaptly compared to the rhind Of
watermelon cut in two, and considered sort
of sea-trap for sailors, admirably calculated for
cruise to 'Davy Jones' Locker She was
built without timbers somewhat on the plan OF
Townes' ca bridges But il was not sufficiently
borne in mind, that though dagonally laid scant-
ling will make very substantial bridge, which
is stationary, il will not give the necessary
strength to ship, that is continually worked
and twisted about-requring, 10 Withstand the
force of winds and waves, all the strength that
wood and iron can give. The same plan OF di-
| l...I n II L.
pertinent there, too, had long before showed that
It would afford strength barely sufficient for fri
gates launch. And after the point was gained
of building row-boat without timbers, the plan
was not found to possess any decided advantages
over the usual method of building with timbers.
And here, again, was uselessly expended money
| enough TO put in operation Scholarship on the
most enlarged scale. Such results as these indi-
cate more surely, than any theory can prove,
that there are defects in our system Of educa-
ton in the Navy. But to treat of them is an
unpleasant and an ungracous office; therefore
let us turn TO more pleasing picture.
| The experience of every officer will sustain
me in the assertion, that Tor the last fifteen or
twenty years, the moral and intellectual condi-
ton Of the Navy has been steadily advancing.
And think upon due examination into cause
and effect, it would appear that this improve
ment is in great measure owing TO the cstab
lishment of Libraries on board OF our public YES
sells Furnishing Libraries TO our men -of-war, IS
the only efectual step that has ever been taken
towards education in the Navy And for this,
we are indebted to the device of another lands
man, Mr.. Wood-known to yon Mr. Editor, as
the Phianthrope who would never be permitted
to live in Siam, where it is not lawful even for
his Magnificent Highness, the King himself, TO
do good every day. II is this gentleman's amuse-
ment to 90 about doing good every where, and
TO all classes, in his own peculiar quiet way He
is the originator both in this country and in Eng
land, of those excellent institutions known in our
large cities as Mercantile Library Assoca-
| tons.'