The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-06-04
SHIpS-IRoN Us. WOOD.


tho Naval Committee Of the House, through Mr..
Thomas Butler King, have reported bill No.
44S, authorizing the s. building of twelve iron
war steamers and one frigale" The bill provides
that the steamers shall no, be less than lO00 nor
more than 1000 tons burden-,he boiler and ma
chinery to be placed beyond the reach Of the enc
my's shot, and to have speed of at least fifteen
miles an hour, IN ocean navigation in ordinary
,oealher. The bill provides that the frigate shall
have capacity to carry sixty heavy guns, or, in
other words, be of the dimensions of the Congress
frigate. This contract is to be given to Mr..
Bergen, whose project it is, and who could not
get the approving voice of single experienced
naval officer while We were in Washington, TO
this magnificent humbug, which is designed only
to put money in that financial genleman's pocket.
The bill also provides that one of the steamers
shall be built by Capt. John Ericsson, and anoih
er by Messrs r. & c. l.. Schuyler, with pro-
uisos. This first condition is all a -, as the
speed required has never yet been obtained in
ocean " navigation by steam," and certainly can
not be obtained by Ericsson's plan, or any other
plan that places the machinery out of reach of the
enemy's shot. This bill apprcpriates five mil
lions of dollars to The carrying of this splendid
humbug.
The Senate's Committee have reported bill
TO authorize the building of " ten steam ships or
vessels of war three Of the class Of rgates five
of the class of sloops- of-war; two of smaller
class, or any less number of either class and that
the Secretary of the Navy, be further authorized
TO cause said ships or vessels TO be built under
tba alctat nd ri
Their of iron or wood, as he may deem most pro-
motive Of the public interests This bill appro-
PIRATES two and half millions Of dollars to carry
out the object stated.
We have only one word more TO say on this
subject. We have iron vessels enough, TO test
the fact, whether they will answer all the pur-
poses required Of vessels of war. We are in
formed, by experienced naval officers, that the
bottoms of iron vessels will foul in salt water in
two or three weeks, so to materially impede
their sailing, which will render cleaning thus
often, imperative. If this is the fact and its i'm
portance demands thorough investigation to as
certain its truth or alsity. it presents an insupe-
rable objection to ratfying this extravagant pro-
position of the Committee Of the House.
In the fact that our Government is supplied
with great quantities Of the best timber in the
world for building ships, we find the best reason
for not going into the untried experiment of iron.
Great Britain, supplied as We are, would never
have resorted to the latter material, and the 9th
er fact that our enterprising ship merchants, who
are at least quarter of century in advance of
the Government in the strength, beauty, and
speed of their vessels, and who seeking for
every improvement in economy and safety, and
who yet adhere TO the wooden material, should
deter our Government from wilful waste of the
public funds, which has been going on for few
years past, to carry out the schemes Of vsionares
at an enormous expense to the people. IF the
House bill should pass Congress we hope the
President will veto the bill Let US use up the
wood we have on hand, already paid for, at least,
before we plunge into this ridiculous humbuggery
of building iron ships to lie useless at wharves,
not fit even to house rats, and which will DO no.
thing but ovens in which to bake men.
In Mr. Fairfield's bill we find grave objec-
ton, which is the authorizing the Secretary to
build these ships by =" Contract" The Govern
ment has, at an enormous expense, fitted up ex-
tensive Navy Yards. with every appliance and
material to do the Naval Work-has placed Thorn
under naval control, the officers of which branch
of the service are retained at high salaries; and
more than all this, it has collected together large
numbers of skilful mechanics and hardy laborers,
to do the work of the Government. who have set
tied their families around these Yards, in order
that they may be convenient to the orders of the
Nation. Now, if this injustice is 10 be done TO
this large class of fellow citizens, of chs oging
the manner in which our Naval ships is 10 be
built, as well as the materials Of which they are
composed, in Gods name, 90 one step further and
break up the Navy Yards, discharge the officers
who on full pay at the different stations, at the
expense of the people, and authorize the sale o.
all our live oak and other timber, now in STORE tC
Great Britain, the Russian autocrat, OF Louis
Philippe, who will gladly purchase, and the
proceeds will enable the humbuggers TO pay fo
the iron to build some of their ridiculous expert
ments.