The Arkansas banner., 1844-03-06

duNllidFv lHcfcbO. Olt SlloNo Ho sliiiinCY , and makes no smoke, and there is nothing in her external appearance to indicate that she is propelled by steam.
 The advantage of the Princeton over both sailing ships and steamers propelled in the usual Way, are great and obvious. She can go in and out of port at pleasure, without regard to the force or direction of the wind or tide, or the thickness of the ice. She can ride safely with her anchors in the most open roadstead; and may lie-to in the seyerest gale of wind with safety She can not only save herself, but will be able to tow a squadron from the dangers of lee-shore. Using or dinarly the power of the wind, and reserving her fuel for emergencies, she can remain at sea the same length of time as other sailing ships. Making no noise, smoke, or agitation of the water, (and if she chooses, showing no sail, } she can surprise an enemy. She can at pleasure take her own position, and her own distance from the enemy. Her engnes and water-wheel being below the surface of the water, safe from an enemy shot, she is in no danger of being disabled, even if her masts should be destroyed. She will not be at a daily expense for fuel, as other steamships are. The engines being seldom used, will probably outlast two such ships. These ad- vantages make the Princeton, in my opinion, the cheapest, fastest, and most certain ship of war in the world. The equipments of this ship are of the plainest and most sub stantial kind: the furniture of the cabins being made of white pine boards, painted white, with mahogany chairs, table, and side O.J o,,J A,,,o ettlITpJ fIt- cloth on the floor To -eeonomize- room, and that the ship may be better ventilateds curtains of American manufactured linen are substituted for the usual, and more cumbrons and expensive wooden, bulkheads, by which arrangement the apartments of the men and officers, may in an instant be thrown into one, and degree of spaciousness and con- fort is attained unusual in a ship of her class. The Princeton Is armed with two long 225 pound wrought-iron guns; and twelve 42 pound carronades; all of which may be used at once on either side of the ship. She can consequently throw greater weight of metal at one broadside than most frigates. The big guns of the Princeton can be fired with an effect terrific, and almost incredible, and with certainty heretofore unknown. The extraordinary effects of the shot were proved, by firing at target, which was made to rep resent a section of the two sides and deck of a 74 gun-ship, and timbered, kneed, planked, and boted in tAe same manner This target was 560 yards from the gun. With the smaller charges of powder, the shot passed through these immense masses of timber, (baing 57 inches thick tearing it away, and spinterng 1t for several feet on each side, and covering the whole surface of the ground, for hundred yards square, with fragments of wood and iron. The accuracy with which these guns throw their immense shot, (which are three feet in circumference, may o jiJg cd by this :; that six shot, fired in succession at the same elevation, struck the same hori- zental plank ia a target more than half a mile distant. By the application of the va rious arts to tie purposes of war on board the Princeton, 1t is believed that the art of gunnery for sea service, has, for the first time, been reduced to something like mathe- ma;ical certainty. The distance to which these guns can throw their shot, at every necessary angle of elevation, has been ascer- tained by a series of careful experiments.- The distance from the ship to any object is readily ascertained with all instrument on board, contnved for that purpose, by an ob- seryation which 1t requires but an instant to make, and by inspection without calculation. By selI-acting locks, the guns can be fired accurately at the necessary elevation, no mat- ter what the motion of the ship may be- It is confidently believed that this small ship will be able 10 battle with any vessel, how ever large, if she is not invincible against any foe The improvements in the art of war adopted on board the Princeton, may be productive of more important results than anything that has occurred since the inven- tion of gunpowder The numerical force of other navies, so long boasted, may be set at nought The ocean may again become neu- tra ground, and the rights of the smallest as well as the greatest nations may once more be respected
 All of which, for the honor and defence of every inch of our territory, is most re- spectfully submitted to the honorable Secre- tary of the Navy, for the information of the President and Congress of the United States,
 By your obedient and faithful servant,
 k. r. STOCKTON,
 Capt1ia U. s. Napy. To Hon. DAVID HENsHAw, r
 Secretary of Ae Nary.