The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-11-24
The American Steam Navy-A Rival 70
England.
from the London Times, Dot. ISL

From the London Times, Dot 2S
Another rival has entered the lists in the great
race Of shipbuildlng Sir Charles Napiers words
have found an echo across the Atlantic, and the
Secretary of The United States Navy has been po-
litely requested to g have the goodness to put on
the steam' Sir ChaIles's contrasted sketch OF
the British and French steam-heets has been trans
tered from our columns to those OF the Vep York
Herald, and with the very unexpected result OF
creating in America that spirit OF emulation which
II was intended TO excite at home. II had been
represented as partially dangerous and wholly de-
plorabe that We should have but IL steam-frgates
against 70 French but our contemporary, after
striking the balance between these two llsts pro-
ceeds uneaslly tn inquire what the Americans could
produce against either the 20 Frenchmen or the IL
Englishmen. 1t seems that the steam force Of the
United States Is really TOO Insignificant to be ex:
hIbited III tabular form. There Is the Mlsslssppi
" somewhere at sea-" the Massachusetts and the
Edith, on the Pacific coast the Michigan, sup
ysDder' in the lakes; and the Allegheny and
the Princeton, still disposable in harbor. This is
the sum.tolal; and d conspicuous example 1t GER
tsinly supplies OF that economy and thrift Tor which
the American service has been so loudly extolled
The result, however, proves to be anything but
satisfactory IN the opinion OF the States, and we
recommend the unadorned remarks OF our most
commercial and matter O-fact contemporary to the
attentive consideration of those who have recently
been taught that ships of war serve purpose but
that Of amusing an aristocracy at the expense OF
the Exchequer
In this country we still entertain doubts as to the
part which steam will be found TO play in the event
of naval war, but our transatlantic brethren seem
to be pefrcrly' concluded" in their opinions both
that may some day come, and that steam will
be the principal agent in IT, The expedlent OF arb-
tratOn scarcely attracts even the cursOry notice OF
intelligent republicans. "Psrt's tobacco claim"
or I" the salvage case" or John Bulls impudent
claim on the Nicaragua territory" are all enume-
rated as questions which might naturally lead to
Irregular knock down' either with France or
Great Britain; and then" What force have we to
meet their war sreamers|' The case and its con-
ca Fl, g W,thn
we can do nothing. Our sailing vessels would be
Just so many storeshlps sent out to the enemy's
steamers with supplies Of munitions and provisions.
A swift little steamer with one big gun could sink
the Pennsylvania with her armament of l2O. A
fleet of steamers in dark night might run the
gauntlet of the Narrows, and lay New York under
contribution at daybresk," We are not qule so
clear about the results OF a brush between the
Pennsylvania and the "swlft little steamer" but
might not the reader of these remarks imagine
that he was perusng the Duke of Welllngtons
letter, or the pamphlet of the Prince de Jolnville
Think of the national defences' question being
seriously taken up again by the good people OF New
York
Considering the vigilance with which the Ameri-
cans have maintained the general effectiveness OF
their navy. il does seem somewhat singular that
they should have suffered themselves to fall IN
arrear in this one particuoT department Nothing
can exceed the care which b. shown in American
dockyards tor the thorough nclency according 10
the highest known stand ofevery vessel which
glng, guDnery, &c, arr Introduced and appro-
priated without a months delay, and when
an American frigatc does put to sea she
is still as perfect a model of her class as the old
Chesapeake or Constitution. There was more IN
the American marine than met Mr. Cooden's eye,
for lltIle show is made, although there is good
deal IN store. Even in the matter OF steamers, we
should not be surprised # they were doing more
class steam frlgates on the stocks, every one OF
which, according to their system of ship bsildlng.
10 likely TO be larger and heavier than our Terrible
the single "whUlesome maa- of-war" which our
steam fleet can show. II may be assumed, with
the most perfect certainty, that when an American
steamer does show herself on the seas, she will be
q fair match, In point of mafriel, for anything
likely to meet her from any port Of Europe. Mr..
Mackay tells good story Of the jealous dsquetude,
of the States people, even upon the smallest mat
ters Of naval rivalry. He was standing on the Bat
terry. at New York two or three years ago, on one
OF these anniversaries which the Americans sull
celebrate with fervid tenaciy almost IRISH in its
character and purpou. In the harbor was the
Norih Carolina, dong duty as guard ship, and
little distance off lay the Warspte, under Lord
John Hay, which had just brought out one OF our
piebipotentianes 10 negotiate a boundary question.
The Carolina was vt course dressed In her coors,
and, as one O'Clock struck, she commenced royal
salute from the "a Founders, TO the infinite gratih-
cation OF the crouds on the Battery. As gun after
gun was counted the people began to speculate
curiousy upon what the Englishman would do,
and whether the Royal trigate would pay her com
pllmepts to the ang Of Independence, AZ length
the Wursp'e si,ll. with her bunting politely up,
but without the slightest sign Of fife or motioa
visible throughout the whole figure. "The British
eI's on, Of powder, ] reckon, observed voice
turned a second. The words had scarcely left his
lips, when sheet Of brilliant flame glanced from
the Warspi.'s side, end The roar of heavy gun
buret upon the Battery with such sudden f'rce that
the houses all round shook from top bottom, and
the audience were fam TO save their ears from the
psinfulness Of the shock. As the 6S-pounders Of
the fig1te took up the peal, the mortltcaton OF
the Americans was complete, and tho annoyance
which they expressed AT the superiority OF the
WarspIte's metal was far greater than any that
would have been conceived at her silence. After
all, The circumstances were quite accidental, Tor
the Carolina, not being intended for sea service,
bad no sailing armament ON board, and therefore
employed the guns which had been thought suifi-
eient for hsrbor duty. In any serious work, we
need hardly add, the metal carried by the Ameri-
cane u usually even heavier than the British.
The most Instructive feature in the remarks of
our contemporary Is the assumption insensby per-
vsdlng The whole argument, that commercial supe-
rlurity ca not he mdlntsined without naval power.
away with useless ornaments |" eve are trad
ing people" ssys the New York journalist, $50 we
nust loon 10 our steam marine" In the eyes of
the one, brute force becomes expensive and
dscreCiisbe manifestation IN the eyes OF the
other n " The necessary correlative OF commercial
greatness. Commerce requires the command of
psssss, the possession of porte, independence on
the seas and security in hsrbor; aud these results,
thinks the American SPECTATOR, are only procura-
bic ty naval excellence. We could OF course have
quoted many authorities at variance with Mr.. Cob
den, but We wished to contrast his sentiment. with
tbuse OF clsss who set the same store by trade,
manufactures, and money, as he does himself IL
IL clear that there are two opinions respecting the
true method Ut maintaining national greatnese.and
a. Mr.. Cohd, MS opinion IS only deicnsble upon
the suIposition of lts being universally received,
Il
a warning while we fancy we are setting an ex-
ample
TBk DRuRr tsss ArrkMyr TO BAN M.naansr
OtorNtR. al BosTor AT the ming OF the 50 prems
Court, tbis morning. MIR Parser. County Attorney,
fesd TO the court Communication from the Attorney
General ~ New OH rgn.d also BY the District At
t-rb.y ~ New Nors ci setting forth that samuel
Drufy, ~ Ast"fis ana bis con, samuel Drury jr had
been iroictd Ter several offences Of very svst.d
NJ tign character and that Margaret O'Copn.r.
jail s-sit,ug sentence for passing counterfeit
tsxkt.. e. sA~