Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-09-07
Il IOIII gIIO IIdVI z JOlII II
NAVAL CONSTRUCTIONS.


In ship building the Americans have dsiane
Ced, on the road towards perfection, all other
maritime nations, not even excepting England
Their enterprising spirit and natural capaci-
ties, have enabled them to turn to singular
advantage, the resources in which their i'm
mense territory abounds. They have a rare
faculty of utilising their natural riches, and
by the number and beauty of their vessels
they are, at this day, without equals
At this moment, we have under our very
eyes a new specimen of the perfection they
have attained in the construction of ships, and
of the improvements which their genius has
suited 10 various wants hitherto felt.
The packet g Seine," Capt. Williams, late
" arrived at this port, has excited an uncom.
mon interest with all inquiring men, not so
much on account of the superior elegance Of
the build, and the symmetry of her model, as
the entirely new plan which has been adopted
in her construction. -.
This ship has three decks, and measures as
follows: Length, 100 feet; breadth of beam
So feet; depth, % feet, which latter Is thus
divided: First, between decks, feet sec.
ond. do do, feet; hold, 8 feet
The object of this new plan is founded on
the new American passenger law. Instead oil
regulating, according to the tonnage of the
ship, the number of passengers allowed, the
present law, passed February 22d, 1847, de
termines the number of passengers by eacl
vessel, according to measurement, granting t
each individual the space of fourteen superb
cial feet. From which will be clearly seer
what immense advantage three decker pos
sesses orer ships built on the old plan. Th
following, however, proves the case;
The largest ships of the Havre and New
Il e lyofc
date 800 passengers, while the Seine has room
for 444, exclusive of the cabin, which in
ereases the number to 528.
There are already several large packets o.
the New York and Liverpool lines one O
them, the " New World" lately arrived in N
York with 7S0 emigrants on board.
When we see the Americans thus advancing
and improving in this all important branch Q
commerce, our national pride cannot but sui
fer, at the despairing slowness with whic
improvements are hailed in France. Our mel
chant marine has undoubtedly greatly lmpro
we'd; but when compared with the enterprls
of our neighbors, how we have cause 10 blus
at the contrast with ours; while they are ad
vancing, with giant leaps, we are but crawl
ing, as it were, tortolse-hke.
The Seine cost 100000 francs had sh
been built in France it could not have bee
done at any thing like that sum, and this
one of the reasons of our inferiority. And
is now frequently asked, whether it woul
not be advisable to send some of our Frene
naval architects TO the United States, to pei
feet themselves in every department. and au
thorzed to construct some large ships, who's
dimensions should be fixed by Government
The effect of this step would be TO stimulat
10 greater emulation our ship builders, an
give a new life TO our marine; and our vessel
would command high prices. to obtain whic
the American flag has frequently been mad
use of
This is serious question, and cannot b
too seriously treated of we shall, therefore
find occasion 10 refer TO it again.
It is said that the owners of the Seine al
now building another ship, with three deck,
much larger than the first; and we are ais
informed that they irtend establishing a regr
lar line OF packets between Havre and Ne
York