The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-20
co M M UNIcATnO !.
For the Union.
THE STEAMER PRINCETON rs. NEPTUNE.

ed Neptune, )" on the subject Of the proposed alter
alton by Commodore Stockton Of the frigaie Con-
stellatlon TO steamer
"Neptune, !" after considerable neutrality-suspicious.,
of course--goes 10 sustain his appeal, that the
may not take place, by attempting TO
prove, FIRST that war-steamers are more effective
with "side- wheel power;' and, secondly, that the
"Princetonn is a failure; and throws great stress up
on what England has done. John Bull may "pad-
die his canoen afler his own fashion; but at this
late day. am rather inclined 10 the belief that we
can do better on our ''own hook" "Neptune"
must have read and observed to very little purpose
il he has not yet discovered that to render war
steamer perfect, You must place her propelling pow
er az far beyond the reach of an enemy's shot as
possible. This has been the great desideraum with
all inventors; but in no one instance has II been
brought nearer to perfection than in the Princeton
The position Of her propeller, the compactness Of
her machinery, and the small quantity Of coal which
she consumes, have, in great measure, overcome
every difficulty heretofore encountered.
have at this moment riding at anchor, within
short distance Of where am writing, the "PriDce-
ton" and the "Mississippi," both IN view. The oc-
casion presents favorable opportunity TO draw
comparisons. The former offers other object to an
enemy than an ordinary ship does; but what mag
nifcent target the ''wheelhouses fthe IN ississip
pi" present. Pray, what would become Of the ''sde-
wheel power" if couple of shells were thrown into
that part of the vessel Why, far stearnpowe
was concerned she would in q moment be rendered
useless. Not so the Prnceton her ''propelling pow
er" exhibits prominent object to attract an enc
my's fire. Indeed, the facility with which she
run under steam, or sail, or both together, must
necessarily battle an enemy, and give her decided
advantage over ordinary steam or sailing vessels,
Now know the fact from having sailed in the Mis-
sissipp, that it takes two hours TO ship and unship
the buckets Of her paddle-wheels. Should she be
required to use her steam and sails alternately the
operation Of throwing the propeller either in or out
of gear, is performed on board the Princeton IN
minute.
"Neptune" descants upon the Archimedean screw,
and, as that is an English invention, why, before
we build any more war steamers, tins sea dog"
would have us wait until we hear how the s'Great
Britain" turns out. Well, we have heard; her voy-
age to New York nothing extraordinary.
Great allowance 10 be made for the first trip
Wait until she gets her "wheels creased" And
yet she has been spoken homeward bound going
at the rate of FIVE knots PEI hour. Very promising
indeed!
My object in writing this, is not for the purpose
of discussing the relative merits of steamers, but
simply to show that "Neptune" in his appeal does not
state facts when, in that part Of his communication,
he attempts to chronicle the "doings of the Prince
ton" He either wifully msrepresents, or is to-
tally ignorant and has allowed his patriotic feelings
To lead him astray-a very common occurrence, by
the way.
It is well known that the Princeton was built as
an experimental vessel The Ericsson propeller was
first tried; and, although found satisfactory, Com
modore Stockton deemed trial of the "Stevens
scu necessary, in order to apply the greatest pow
er that could he obtained to his vessel. When ex-
perimented upon, the ''scull" was found success
full, that it was retained and is now in use. "Nep-
tune" asks, HAS she gone faster I" and goes into
variety of ciphering to prove she cannot beat sa-
ing vessel. Now, | happened to be attached to
Commodore Stockton's squadron at the time he re-
IL. Al.
vessels their way to Texas; and, for the truth Of
my assertions, appeal to all who were on board
and the log-books Of the ships
"Neptune'' further says that the sloop-of-war
"St. Mary's" beat the "Princeton" twenty hours
to Galveston The true state Of the is as fol-
lows: The Princeton, ST. Mary's, Saratoga, and
Porpoise sailed from Hampton Roads on the 9th
of April last, under Commodore Stockton, for the
Gulf The squadron passed the "Hole in the
WALTZ on the 81 of May, and on the 9th reached
Tortugas. On the afternoon Of that day the COM
modore directed the St. Mary's and Saratoga to
make the best of their way to Galveston. The
Princeton got up her steam, (or heretofore she had
been under canvas,) took the brig Porpoise in io,u
and in this manner proceeded to Galveston at which
place she arrived on the 18th at o'clock, p. MI
having crossed the Gulf in four days, against the
current, towing twelve-gun brig fully equipped
astern at the rate ofeght and nine knots per hour
as the log-hooks will show and yet Daddy "Nep-
The St Mary's did arrive at Galveston in four,
not twenty hours, before the Princeton; and why
was in Because the St. Mary's, remarkable for
her fast sailing in light winds, had the only correct
chart of the coast of Texas in the squadron; the
other vessels running by the old charts, which
over a degree out of the way. Consequently,
when, at sunset on the l2th, land was made by the
Princeton and Porpoise, (there being no land
marks on this part of the coast of Texas,) these
vesaels were compelled, owing to the noorrectness
of tho charts, to stand off all that night, and the
ensuing morning made Velasco, forty. Ave miles
from Galveston. The Saratoga "a fast-saing yes
sel) started in company with the other ships, and
did not arrive at Galveston until three days after
the same cause having led her officers into similar
error. The following is the position of the east
end of Galveston island, as laid down on both
charts VIII De Mayres Admiralty chart, (incorreot)
latitude 29o TO- NJ, Longitude $50 s. W.; Commo-
dore Moore's survey, the ST. Mary'schart, Correct
latitude $50 49, so" NJ, longitude $40 as 3V' w.
giving difference Of sixty-seven miles. Now
taking into consideration that besides steering by
an incorrect chart, the Princeton towing heavy
brig surely prejudice must give way to her per-
forTanre an this OCCASION, and prove her superb
GRITTY.
"Nepune" then goes into calculation to prove
that her run from Galveston to Annapolis was be-
hind time. He makes the distance (delucting cur
rent) to be only 1858 miles, while the actual dis
lance is 300; and il is well known that vessels
often make their way through the Gulf stream with
out experiencing any very great current, Be that
as my, had the Princeton been fpraad by carry
ing heavier weight of steam, abe could easily have
made the passage in six days. The distance from
Pensacola to New York is estimated to he l 500
miles by the same route. Now, in 1884, the "Mis-
sissippi," with her side-wheel power, was eight
days in running, under steam and sail, between
these two places. The Princeion's run to Annapo-
lis, in nine days, was certainly the quickest.
Since the Princeton has been attached to the
"home squadron abe has fully sustained her rep
utation; her run from Philadelphia 70 Pcnsacoia,
under canvas, was, for the Of the year. July
and August,) a very quick one. Her recent trips
in the Gulf, between Pensacola and Vera Cruz, a
distance Of nearly 300 miles, have been performed
in from four days and half TO four Gays and four
hours, using only 10 lbs Of steam to the inch, when
her engine was constructed 70 carry %. indeed,
so successful has she proved that converts daily
made from among those who were loudest in de-
riding her. All have been compelled TO acknow-
ledge her usefulness. The most merciless abuse
has given way to commendationsand praise. When
Neptune" or any one else, undertakes the speed
of the Princeton he should remember that nnen-