The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-05

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oil Difference, yet In full CONSEQUENCES Of the abso
lutte adaptation Of lis principles oil the requisites
our standard, and with knowledge OF their truth
derived from personal experience, ] point unhesi.
tatingy 10 the plan Of propulsion have proposed
J, " the models and drawings now before Congress
In part evidence Of the efficiency Of this psn refer
To my ohcil reports and those of other officers
made TO the Secretary Of the Navy. upon the trial.
and cruises Of the Union; 70 the testimony Of hel
achievements given by the late Secretary Upsh ar
and 70 the evidence OF her performances he'd before
members OF both Naval Committees Of Congress Ia
the years l542, ls43, and lS44. Bun beyond these.
and egardlesa Of thsm all, invite deliberate con
sideralon TO the examination ! now propose 10 in.
stitute into the qualifications Of this msnues OF
steamer and their value when Judged by the stand
ard which we have declared 10 possess all the
iial: Of an eieisnt Cruising ssASoing steamer. !,
met; and, n h were possible that the eovious,
the jealous, The soeptlcs, or The ryilers OF
this plan could be confronted with nae 10 urge
their opposition and objections 70 IL, l should
be too happy TO meet them all and at issue for
ever put 10 rest the ealumnes which have icon
heaped uPon IL through misguided zeal and isoo-
rance. But, with the model and drawings before
LEI US pass TO the judgment Of this plan by the
standard determined upon. a.. 80
| A cruising sss-sseanser ,h,. plan possesses all
tho sailing qualities OF the ship, because all her
steam motive-powss 10 wholly within the yssss, no
PAT Of Il prosrudiss nom nv isuss, &C.,
The model shows; IL therefore offers more resist.
anee TO her passage through the waller than 90 much
cargo woah do. Experiences has demonstrated that
| with s;enm.power alone, she has accomplished
speed equal 10 that Of any other seasteamer in al
ioealSrs al Her two powers OF steam and
sails entirely Independent Of and IN no manner
interfere with, each other and yet they harmonic
so perfectly, that both may be used together with
fullest effect. .. -. ~. ...
! Her st am motye-pover is invulnsrabie by shot,
because il is beneath all her decks below the water
line, and is protected by the sheld-deck. For the
same reasons it leaves her decks free and unencum-
bered for the OF her battery, which, in propor
tion TO her tonnage, may equal that Of any ship
aaoai. The machine exercises so absolute COO
troll over her. that she may be seered by the throttle
valves and starting-bars Of the engine, and may
therefore dispense with the rudder. The laters
horlzni action Of her prnRellers enables her 10
turn on tbs csnre Of circle. She can therefore
Out-maBG iVre aiy other vessel.
! Having neiIhtr wheel-houses, wheel guards, nor
| cross-shaffs, IN point OF tonnage she saves their
seight she also hat Of her propeIlers, which
| A, IT with bu ysncy equal 10 their own weight,
and thai of their shafts, eranks, and connecting
r,ds. Hence, besides her ordinary stores ani sup
Plies, she IL enabled carry all this saving Of ton.
mage in fuel; nf which, having unoDstrucied use
Ut her SAILS she j. enabled TO carry sufciency for
| the longest cruise . .t-...
Sne ~ built of iron her sides not being half an inch
IN thickness, the Paxhan or horizontal shed ,nnot
therefore become imbedded IN them, and Is
quenly Invested Of its destructive character when
| used against her. .... ........ -
Her draught Of water is so light (it never exceed
ing l6 feet ia the largest class vessel fully ftted
and equipped to make one of the ine-of balte) that
she can enter all southern harbors, and be made
available for their protection and defence Our hrst
class ships cannot now enter into one Of these south
OF the Chesapeake. -... ...... .. ..
I Besides these qualities, which our standard Of
efficiency has declared to be indispensable in a
cruising sea- going steamer, and which We have
shown the plan of vessel propose to possess in an
eminent degree, there are many other advantages
claimed for it, Not the least Of these is the fact
that their light draught of water will permit
them to be built on all the nAvigable tributaries
to the Mississippi, from the head waters Of The
Ohio down. The banks Of these streams are filed
with the coal and iron necessary to their construc-
ton; their borders abound with the artisans skilled
by long habit in working them; and, employed in
the navigation Of these great rivers, are 81 900 sea-
men. ready to man the ships after they shall be
built, who have already gone through the iniatory
school of discipline to prepare and qualify them for
sery ice in this and controlling system Of naval
defence. Communlca tions upon this and other
points connected with this subject have been made
heretofore to Congress and published, to which ref
erence is now respectfully made--See House Doc.
No. 1879, Sd session 9th Congress; Senate Doc. No.
-, Sd session 9th Congress- .,..g ... ~. -...
| This manner Of steamer, then, combining all the
|
question that it is the description of vessel which
must be used to accomplish the great ends the ma
ton has in view. Ncip, then, is the time for their
construction, and they may he built anywhere
where the greatest facilities can be found within our
broad expanse of territory, from the heal waters of
all the navgabie tributaries Of the Mississippi to
the easternmost extremity Of our Atlantic seaboard
five have found, then, the manner Of steam
navy which will protect us against rival national
animosities, whether induced by jealousy of our in
situations or of wonderfully matured greatness,
by our territorial expansion, or the commanding in
! auence these must necessarily exercise over the
governments of the earth, and one which will ena-
ble us TO oppose controlling force to all resistance
offered no matter in what shape, TO the extension
of the principles Of selfgovernment on this conii-
nen,, the only remaining point to be determined is,
what shall be the manner of organization for the
personnel of this seam-ravy, to secure for It the
greatest possible degree Of efficiency .... XIII.
4 .n. .. ORGANIZATION. f s.ag4. . ufaa..
| T. The first essential for command will be an in
innate, thorough, and detailed knowledge of the
1 steam-engne, and its application to the various
modes of propcllmg ships at sea. Without this
knowledge, no man will be capable OF command.
He will be virtually under the control of those he
Ia pluosd in the ship TO control. He will be de-
pendant upon his subalterns for the knowledge me-
cessary to control and manage his ship understearn,
and will, in effect and truth, from his very ign".
rance be compelled to devolve the responsibility OF
his command upOn nb cI'SiHocI. .
O.. Il is obvious the commander Of cruising ma
tional sen steamer should be perfectly familiar with
the usages, discipline, and laws Of the navy. He
should have served his apprenticeship in the navy
He should know the economy of ship-of-war, and
her Management. The detail Of her battery, and Ia
drill, should be as fami to him as household
terms; whist, TO main ain and promote the har
mony and comfort of the crew should have been
suiy with him, in which he coud not have per
fccted himself elsewhere than under the wholesome
and sautary restraints provided in man-of war.
Where, then, will you look for the commanders
Of your steam-navyi st .. ....
This is question which confess approach with
some deIicacy; yet sense Of duiy To the service
and the country will not permit me to shrink from il
II is well premise tho fact in the consideration oft
that this proposed navy can hardly he callet
an enla cement Of the navy proper IL is virtually
The crestion Of and separate branch ofthe NJ
tonal defence l. requires in the commando oihe
and bighir qushaions than those ofthe "aval con'
, mander mercy. The salty of his ves.' and PEG
pie will depend wholly upon his knowiedgeof tn
| 70 ond r,,iIs nou or which moves his ship.