The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-17
THE DAILY UNION.
EDITORS coRREsp oNDENcE.
From our regular correspondent
NJ. Xo., No, "a xo.l

i From regular correspondent
( New YoRK, Nov. IA, I645
This is the last day allowed by law for those VII,
hold the old stock Of the Erie railroad TO surrcndc
two shares for one Of the new, forfeit the whole
! imagine few will fail 10 avail themselves Of tn,
opportunity.
1 One Of the most important changes made IN IN,
navies of modern times, has grown out of the in.
PRODUCTION of steam vessels. Every modern nation
Is striving 10 strengthen its naval force by the add
ton OF steam vessels Of II was not long after
the introduction Of steamboats, our rivers before
It was discovered that, to t steam vessels for sea
service, would require great modification in their
structure. While we cxcelled England, and ali
other parts Of the world in the speed of boats for
river service, the English cxccllod all others in ma.
rine-built steamers.
These differences grew up from the geographical
discrepancies between the two countries. we had
long, deep, and splendid rivers, reaching from the
seaooard TO vast tracts of country in the interior
IL, OF course, became our interest 10 adapt our
boats, as far as possible to the best forms for river
navigation. England, on the contrary, being mere
island, surrounded by the and ocean channels.
and destitute Of navigabe rivers, compared with this
country, was forced to adopt steam vessels of such
form, which, to be useful her, would have at the
start, to traverse rough seas in crossing the ST.
Georges channel to Ireland and the west of Scot
land, and the English channel 10 the continent At
certain seasons Of the year, the channel navigation
IS about as dangerous and rough the ocean itself
II became apparent that such boats az were built 10
| run on our rivers, would never succeed, as safe
and regular mode of conveyance, OH atempestuous
sea- England, therefore, was compelled to study a
modification in the machinery and construction
Of steam vessels suited to her exisencies before
they could be made of service to her PECULIAR nay-
CATION. This she has done with the most extraor-
binary success The engines, with boilers, &c were
early deeply imbowelcd in the hull of The vessel,
lxstt ia .a .l...I. -.
Meeting crank rods, passed up vertically, and made
to turn the strong wrought-iron paddlewheel shafts
This general principle Of arrangement is adhered to
IN every steam vessel ever saw in England perya.
ding the whole craft, from the Great Western down
to the least boats, not much bigger than a cookie,
which are seen darting up and down tie Thames,
or bouncing over rough on the Mersey, be-
tween Liverpool and Brkenhcad
The difficulty with other nations, and particularly
with ourselves is, that from dislike TO copying
after the English, we have failed to profit by her
experience in marine navigation to the extent we
ought to have DONE ! was in Liverpool when the
Britannia made her first appearance having had her
engines built by the Messrs. Napier, of Glasgow,
whose works occupy the site of the steam engine
works Of James Watt. Her hull was constructed
at Greenock. When she reached Liverpool went
on board Of her, and, having had some experience
with steam machinery, felt no hesitation in pro.
nouncng her engines the most perfect specimens
OF marine engines had ever seem and predicted
that barring untoward accidents, If all the Cunard
steamers equally as well built, they would prove
the best marine line of steamers launched. The
Britannia has now been running near six years, and
inner sea vessel never crossed the Atlantic. There
was but fault with the first Of the Cunard steam
crs-and that was, they were rather under size for
the Atlantic, being rather wet in rough weather
Mr. Robert Napier told me, himself, that he had
suggested larger engines and stouter hulls in the
Of the four first steamers OF the line The Hi
he pInx adanfa d fs,h
most perfect Of the medium size steamships which
has ever crossed the ocean. The Great Western
we consider the most perfect of the larger class.
The engines in all, as before remarked, except the
Great Britain are alike; although consider the
finish and adaptation of the Mcssrs. Napier's en-
gines the most perfect Of any have ever seen.
How much better would it have been for us to
have bought, in the first place, vessel fitted with
Messrs Napers engines OF the size Of the Hibernia
as model from which steam-vossels for our navy
could have been regularly constructed
The steamship Mississippi s the only steam war
vessel we own which has been built after the En-
glish plan; and regret to say, she is the only
steam-frgaie belonging to our navy worth anything
for cruising voyages at sea. With all due Difference
70 the score of inventors their relations and hackers
must be permitted to state it as my humble opn-
ion, (for what il is worth that oil except the Mis-
sssppi have been dead failures!
The Missouri was failure, which the element Of
fire forever concealed from further exposure.
The old Fulton was dead failure; and all the
Hunter conrivances, Princeton, and other visionary
conIivances, are miserable failures compared with
the Mssissippi. So will bomb steamers and sub
marine batteries fail II is not hazardng too much
10 say that in seven years government have,
probably, sunk 100000 in experiments with
steam vessels, which, had it been judiciously APP
Piled would have built six sailing frga,cs, or five
10 six such steam frigates Of war the MISSISSIPPI
pi the only steam-frigate of our navy deserving
the name.
While we have disregarded the experiments of
the English, and wasted large sums. in fruitless
attempts TO improve upon her well-tNed system,
she has gone on TO build up the most powerful
land, there were nine large marine steam-engine
buildcrs-viz: two in Liverpool, one in Glasgow,
one in Bristol, and five in London. Such the
magnitude of these works, that it was understood
that each one Of them could, in three months, pro-
duce pair of engines for large steam fngate, we're
the government to order them. England, by hav-
ing the huls ready, could, in three months time 6t
out and equip nina Steam Gigates as large as the .Mis-
sissippi be
! have no prejudccs towards those who have, by
ai1 Of family or other influence, involved the gov
eminent in wastefal expenditures Of money, in ys-
ionary stcam-yessel experiments. They, class,
are unknown to me, and may have intended well;
but the incxporience in such matters Of members of
Congress, and others heretofore in authority, las
been most grossly imposed upon. New-fansEd
nOuOn5 LOT pushing vessel tnrOugn wafer are ID
terminable, as well as for making them bomb-proSf,
and supplying them with big wrough,-iron gurs,
&c. They arc all of piece They may serve rs
drains upon the treasury, but they will never
coed in adding to our naval strengthen giving as
either efficient sailing frgates, or steam frgateB, 70
necessary for national defence. We have fritterd
away our resources in idle experiments, when they
should have been applied to building up a navll
force best suited to the dignfed defence Of lie
country.
| know, in speaking thus freely, am likely to
incur the censurc of large number of interested
persons; but, as an honest and pain-spoken Amcri-
can, value the interest and prosperity of our coun-
try more than do the good III will of those who
may happen TO differ from me in opinion. One o,
the greatest advantages of a good sailing steamer
in time Of war, is in the speedy transmission of des
patches. The superiority Of the "Mississippi'' was
proven the other day in her trip from Vera Cruz tt
Pensacola; and she will continue superior to any
other steamer in our navy at present.
The accidental death cf Captain Hepburn, of the
shin Cahota anpeara in the paners NJ to-day in al