The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1840-02-15
From Chambers Edinburgh Journal
PROGRESS OF AMERICAN IMPROVEMENT

From Chambers Edinburgh Journal
PROGRESS OF AMERICAN IMPROVEMENT.
cit is clear enough, as before observed, that
steam is bringing on new era. 1t seems as if
the people here were all crazy. Nothing is un-
projected. | have mentioned the line between
Liverpool and Boston, ola Halifax; that is set
tied, and no more is said of it. But now it is
reported that we are to have line of superb
iron boats between Glasgow and New York, of
construction and power which it is confidently
believed will accomplish the voyage in ten days
regularly. All eyes, of course, are open for the
British Queen, as another scene in this grand be.
wildering drama. Again, New Orleans paper
intmates that there is to be shortly direct steam
communication between that city and Liverpool,
and that there is at this moment steam ship on
the stocks in the latter port, which will be
launched in time to make her first voyage next
fall. These are signs of the times They indi-
cate, as intimated new era-a complete COM
mercial revolution, among other things; but
much more Of course.
Look at the personal INSTRUMENTATION be-
tween the two continents, and consider the ef-
feet of that in all its bearings. Let it be under
stood, however, that it is not the mere steam
facilities of themselves that seem TO aid locOmo-
ton among all classes but the spirit of steam,
who cannot travel in steamboat must travel in
some other way. Those who cannot cross the
Atlantic, are yet bent upon locomoton. The
world, in word, is rubbing its eyes open. This
whole continent, as l have before remarked,
never presented, could one survey its vast sur
face, such strange exciting spectacle Of activity
and agitation of body and mind. No body is
content with the old rate or ratio of doing things.
1t would seem as if the very steamboats, them
selves had put new courage on, and that they
were multiplying their forces by almost super
natural means. You estimated the boats on Lake
Erie last season at forty, whereas they are now
seventy The style in which those mighty in
land seas are now hourly traversed by these float
ing palaces is, as Crockett says, "a caution-a eau,
ton for people to be prepared for all things, and
made the passage recently from Detroit to Buff
falo, (three hundred miles,) with one hundred
passengers, lin twenty and half hours. And
and at something like this rate they are flying
up and down the Mississippi.
IL have alluded to the increase of personal
communication between England and America.
1t was predicted, you are aware, that the new
steamers would supersede the old liners at once.
But behold the operation Of steam! 1t has filed
up not only its own vehicles, but all the others.
The packets-and there are fifty Of them-to
and from New York, were never so crowded,
and in the Storage, as well as the cabin and the
same is true Of all the transient vessels The
Old world would seem literally to be swarming.
In May came about twelve thousand passengers
to New York alone. Of these, probably, three
fourths were British"
After abiding TO the vast increase Of lines of
canal road, and railway, in the aggregate
amounting to 1910 miles, in course Of constGuc-,
ton, the writer proceeds to speak of manufac-
lures:
"a Poughkeepsie man has lately introduced
what is here considered an improvement in pin
making The old fashion of manag ing the heads
YOU are familiar with; but here the wire OF
which the pins are made is taken into the ma
chimes, and the process of making the pins with
solid heads, all from the wire, is completed by
the machines, leaving nothing to be done, ex-
cept the washing, and placing them upon papers.
So, you see, we are in fair way of making our
own pins; and ,.I believe, the same may be said
of buttons 1t is but a few years since the latter
were imported almost entirely. At present,
nearly sufficient supply for the United States
comes from single establishment in Massachu-
sets village. This employs some hundred girls,
and turns out one thousand gross of all varieties,
daily 1t is said also, that we are making pro-
gress in the manufacture Of musical instruments.
About ten thousand pianofortes yearly are made
among us. In jewellery we have, long since
ceased to buy from you. The French make
some pretty things, which we cannot yet do
without. .....
81 was speaking of westward emigration. Be-
fore forgetting the subject should say word
of Texas. You have not heard much lately of
that region, but it has not been idle. | think it
was Talleyrand who remarked, that in America
the same social revolutions were to be followed
in space, which in other and older countries
were to be followed in time. As zoe 60 West,
for the most part It is the same as for you to live
over the past. We have all the processes of
settlement and civilization continually going on