The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-10
For the uuio,

For several years il has been srea, olo.,
country to possess good and perfectlv as 70 IL
steamers Of war. The Navy Departmer, t.ae s
orally encouraged the genius and Industry os cas
GERS and builders. Many vessels of diileren, -.
have been tried and almost every know , ,Ousa
Of propeing them has had its due shars ~ nelAoi
ton. None who have proposed plans of nro,' alea
at all worthy of consideration have been n.d guaoe
Thousands of dollars have been expended u , sa
ing inventors to perfect their inventions AeeP /
No government on earth could have mora N
ly encouraged the mechanical genius of .,n,ou.n
inventors" yet it is curious fact, tba. eH
neray-satsfactory and well-establisbed NJ. no
propulsion yet hit upon. There is no exns rsa q
yet perfect. Hunter, Ericsson, Lopez stesms,a @'n
have their propelers applied to some one sos,'l
ment steamer; and 1t would be difficult. inSs,ss
say, from any evidence as regards their sfsssA
on government vessels, which is best This ahsasy
of satisfactory determination of their nssni'
merits arises from the incompleteness of the yara
experiments. Scarcely one vessel has been r.sn
tried. The engineers, inventors, builders. and ns.
others, who cannot but have the good Of n, many
alone at heart, have been present at these svn.'
ments; but almost invariably something banfp.'
which presents plausible excuse for Inc S f.a
short Of the hoped for results. would bumIs
suggest that the experiments in future 10 be tr;sd
steamers be conducted on little differen, nl,n S y
that hitherto pursued When steamer shall hss.
been reported complete, by those who have hnS@
fitted, and prepared her for sen, let board Of nav.
officers and engineers be detailed to make ina ~
periment; let the selection be made, NOT from ,ho
who have lived about Washington, and dabblsS :
such matters just enough for their names 10 bssa
to become known, but from due proportion of
scientific portion Of the naval officers, and tbose MI.
have kept at sea long enough, and lately enou,b
to entitle their opinions as TO the sea oualSSs,
of vessels to every respect. Let those officers
with due allowance of oil things which ou,h,
to enable a steamer to keep the sea for Ten dsu
accompanied by those personally in,er,aa
should they desire it--then put to sea, run IN.
hundred miles from the coast, and, after an abssn,
of ten days, return to port and report the result d
the experiment; and something satisfactory NAV Y
obtained. In the report, the exact time OF sarin,
should be noticed the state of the tide direction an
force ofwind draft vessel; quantity of fuel on bos
very exactly ascertaned; the exact track Of the n,
sci carefully laid down on chart of large scale AMI
position of the vessel at the time of each change n
wind, with note Of the direction and strength I'M.
same and set and height ofihe sem quantity Of steam
carried; quantity of sail, and its effect speed Der
hour; distance made per day; how the vessel steers
how her compasses act time of cleaning fires, GUAM
tity of cinders thrown overheard, and exact daly
and general average expenditure of coal the angle
s'heel" or inclination with every wind; the facilities
and difficulties of working the guns stowage Of pr
visions, water, accommodations for crew and Of.
GERS and all other things automatically noted and
carefully reported to the Bureau of Construction by
the officers appointed to make the experiment &C.
companied with the ships and engineers logs; and
the data for forming an opinion of sea steamers will
be at hand, and ready for reference, and much ex.
pense and humbug avoided.
A FRIEND TO THE NAVY.