The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-31
From the Boston Atlas.
THE VERMONT AND VIRGINIA.

These are now the only ships remaining on the
stocks at Charlestown-and we hope they will not long
be suffered to remain in their present easy positions
but that they will be withdrawn from their hiding
places and sent abroad to perform the services for
which they were originally built. Both of these ships
have been on the stocks for twenty years-and,
during that time, must necessarily have suffered more
or less decay They are, moreover, of ancient model,
clumsy and heavy in the extreme-and probably
prove but dull sailOrs-and, in a time when speed
would be required to capture an enemy any common
sailing vessel would run them 'hull down. in a short
time. Each being 100 gun ships, more, the inn
mense weight of their required ornaments, added to
their poorness of model, and great size, will render
them unhandy, and unfit them for very active SER
vice. What we propose, then, is to have them cut
down to moderate size entirely remodelled and to
have new timbers where old ones defective-and
launched, rugged and Manned and sent abroad as
perfect models of American naval architecture Too
much credit cannot be awarded to the present Secre
ary Of the Navy, for the activity and energy he has
shown in his present stuation-and when we contrast
this activity with the slohfulness and nattention Of
his Loco Foco predecessors, behold, it were,
new and bright era dawn upon the heretofore ne
elected NAVY We hope the Secretary will continue
he has begun-and have all the ships now rotting
the Stocks promptly repaired and launched into their
native element We pray ne will not forget our me-
chanics of the North, but give them the opportunity
Of soon finishing the VERMONT and VIRGINIA. Ano-
Their subject, too in which we of the North all
interested, anu winch we nave before SpOKen we
would press upon the attention of the Government.
1t is the building at our Navy Yard, of STEAM FRI
GATES, and the establishment at the same spot of a
NATIONAL FOUNDRY, for manufacturing steam ma
chinery and other implements of war. There is, at
this present moment, lying unappropriated in the
Charestown Navy Yard, timber enough to complete
three four largest class vesses-and why not use
it in constructing some steam frigates Now that
steam is taking its precedence the ocean, we shall
want steam vessels of war-and, as we have often
reiterated, there is no place in the United States so
admirably, so beautifully adapted for the building of
such vessels, as our Navy Yard at Charlestown. Let
the VERMONT and VIRGINIA be aunched-let the
foundry be established-and then devote the four
stocks of the Navy Yard to the construction of men
of-war steamers. 1t would be difficult to assign a
reason why CUR mechanics of the North, as skful as
any in the world, should not have share of Govern
ment employment-and will guarantee the faith
full performance of any work they may undertake
We earnestly entreat the notice of the Secretary to
this subject-and ask the attention of merchants
and all others interested therein, that they may make
move in this matter, and if objects desirable
cannot be accomplished