The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-13

from France, and Cambria, from England, Will
soon arrive with very late news from Europe
They are looked for with considerable interest.
The Cambria sailed on the 4th inst the Chris
topic Colomb was to have sailed between the Both
ult and 9Th inst The general opinion is that
she sailed either on the 3lst ult or the LIST inst
The River and Harbor Convention.
The veto of the River and Harbor Bill, during
the last session of Congress, 1T is well known,
caused much dissatisfaction throughout the
country, and particularly in the Northwest,
where the facilities for river and harbor navlga-
ton are inadequate to the growing and increas-
ing trade of that region
The want of these facilities being severely felt
by those directly interested in the trade OF the
West, but not being generally known by the
people, public meeting was held IN Chicago
some time since, to take into consideration
suitable measures to be adopted to remove the
evils which the West complains of In this
respect. At that meeting several distinguished
gentlemen were appointed committee to
draft an address to the country, setting forth
the premises, and recommendation that
convention of delegates from all parts OF
the Union meet in Chicago on the 9th day of
July next, for the purpose of discussing the pro-
pristy and necessity of improving the rivers and
harbors of the West. This address will be found
in another part of this days Herald.
In accordance with this recommendation, we
perceive that several cities and towns in the
South, West and East have taken steps to send
delegates. On the 10th inst, Albany moved
in the matter; and at public meeting
held there, twenty-four persons, wings and
democrats, were named delegates. On
the same day public meeting was held
In Boston, and great number of delegates
selected, The merchants of New York have
likewise moved in the matter, and called pub
lie meeting on Wednesday next to appoint dele
CITES.
The Chicago Convention will, without doubt,
be one of the most important that has ever been
held in the United States. The whole country
is directly interested in its deliberations, and
will look with interest to these proceedings
The most distinguished men, from all the prin-
cipal cities and towns in the Union, will be pre-
sent as delegates, and the greatest unanimity
will prevail, it is expected, among them.
ANOTHER TRIUMPH op AMERICAN SKuL.-We
consider every step which our citizens make in
the sciences, or the mechanic arts, a subject of
pride to every American-to him who resides In
the interior Of our western wilds, as well as to
him who resides in this, or any other Atlantic
city. In no department has American skill so
signally triumphed in ship building. For ii
series of years past, from time to time, have our
builders produced vessels, that, whilst they ex-
cited the admiration of foreigners conferred the
highest credit on our mechanics and ship
builders. Our envious friends on the other side
of the Atlantic, notwithstanding all their
prejudices, and their reiterated statements
that America could produce nothing, en-
titled to rank as even tolerable, have been
forced to admit, that in the art and
science of ship building, the Yankees, as
they persist In styling all Americans, have out
stripped the whole world-even themselves.
This admission, though tardiy and unwillingly
rendered, is no more than just; but we appre-
bend that similar cause will ere long force
from them another acknowledgement, and that
they will, before many months, admit that If the
Americans have outstripped them in ship build
ing, they can do the same in building ocean
steamers They have yet to see the first ocean
steamer constructed In the United States by
American workmen and they have yet to express
their astonishment at the rapid voyage which
that steamship will undoubtedly make, under the
direction of an American captain, and manned
by Americans exclusively, for we are informed
that there is not a single foreigner among her
crew.
The art of steamship building has only COM
menced in the United States; but young and in
experienced as we are in that line, we appre-
bend that the Washington, which has recently
left our shores, and the other vessels which are
an process Of construction, will never tarnsh
the reputation of our mechanics, but on the con-
trary will add to their character in foreign conn
tries as well as at home.
The kees of several steamships, besides the
Washington, have recently been laid; and ere
many months are past, the flag of our country will
be carried by steam to every port of consequence
in the Old World. We have, on former oc-
casions, spoken in favorable terms of the
Ocean Steam Navigation Company, and OF
the company in which E. X Collins, Esq, is the
head. We have now to speak Of private CON-
pany, formed by C. II Marshall Esq and others,
which has determined on pushing the science Of
steam navigation to the utmost limit of perfec-
tion on their own account, and independent alto
gether OF the government This company in
tend to build tour steamships for the New Or
leans and Liverpool trade-the average burthen
of each OF which Will Ice twenty-one hundred
tons, carpenters measurement. VIM. II. Webb,
ESQ, so well known to the mercantile comm.
nifty, and indeed to the whole world, as one of
our most skilful ship builders, has contracted
for the building of the first vessel Of this
Iine--the United States, the keel Of which
was laid some time ago; and the extensive
firm of T. F. Secor & Co., on the corner of
Avenue and Ninth street, have contracted
for the building Of the engine-ihe keel Of