The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-09
Our London Correspondence.

Our London Correspondents.
LONDON, June al, 1850.
Uos&secs of E~glaxd and the United Stats-
iSseaw Shiys-Saeiing Yessels-Impusawce Of
-Sxsam Ma,ine-C Hba-Polities &c.
The Congress Of the United States represents,
without question, the first maritime power that ever
existed. England has been in the habit of COM
pairing herself with the confederation but in this
year. after letting out the last tack Of canvass she
has been driven into acknowledged inferiority
The commercial tonnage of the two countries may
be stated at the following conclusive figures -
The United States. ... $50 600 tons
bngiHnd.. s..''..' ''.' 'oiiooV0o
U. B. superiority. Zoooo
Every day is making Frodigous increase in the
space by which England has fallen behind IL Is
evident as the light that there hereafter oe no
struggle at all for the mastery OF the seas france
no competitor at all at present she has not inc
fourth of the tonnage of either Of The other nanons'
and until the reign of republicani'm approaches In
Europe che must not hope 10 compete with the
limited States Even then, it will require an abso-
lutte halt in the prosperity of the Union, and pro-
babIv a grand revolution in the affairs Of Asia, as
well as of the other quarters Of the world, to de-
prive the United States Of the maritime supremacy
They must become disunited, and not only disunited
but hostile clusters of states 10 descend in the scale
of nations The amount of their tonnage is not
only larger, and prodigously on the increase, but
its quality is incompatible. Nothing in the naves
of other countries is equal to the vessels recently
built, and now employed in the divers naval en-
terprises OF America. The British whaler has al
most ce ased 10 live in the Arctic the hughes
prey of man has scarcely an enemy in his vast and
freezing solitudes, except the republican OF the
United States, following This dangerous trade"
under the prosd stars and prouder stripes of the
American flag The American packet ship on every
equal sea, by her clear superiority, has shaken OF
every rival American merchantmen absorb the
freghis of the remotest as well as nearest ports.
And none contest the defeat of the British in
the steam communication, by Collins line, from
New York TO Liverpool. The apparent advantage
of the new ships from New York, over the Gu
nards, in all respects but speed, which will be in
staDily reclaimed, will go on increasing from day
TO day The last citadel of British prde-the
steamship-will have been taken by Americans inn
mediate and remain for the future easy con-
quest her hands IL iollowsthat the navy of
the United States will also sand forthwith above that
of England The United States can, and will build
twenty or il need be, fifty such steamers ply in
the New York linz across the Atlantic. And they
can do so without the slightest secuniary embarras-
ment, because the revolution made by steam in ma
Tne navigation has not only made the old vessels OF
war obsolete and ridiculous, but has made the new
once sensible and profitable The results OF the ocean
steamers are but commencing to show themselves.
Not one of the smallest trumphs will be- very short
ly To abolish the last hold of arstocracy amongst
republican,, by turning out of employment useless
ships and idle officers alike, and engaging splendid
models Of naval architecture, and officers after the
character of Lieutenant Schenck. 1t is amazing
that ever since America began TO have a navy, now
near seventy years. the udicrous pretence of utility
has been held out IN indication, and that OF
seamen of every rank considered themselves
specially occupied IN consuming the public money
in the most utter idleness. II the establishment
had been like the army, under the immediate eye
of the pubic, II woul! have shrunk long ago to
other proportions. The war navy of the United
States however, will hereafter idle away very little
time and il Is fortunate that il is small enough to
throw away almost entirely the old vessels for the
vessels propelled by steam, OF which the United
States have obIained in the different mail lines from
New York, models without parallel. Such models
tor hulls do exist in this, or any other country.
They cannot be made under any other Institutions,
or by any other people; and the whole Of Europe
will be compelled to resort TO America for steam
ships In the steam engine alone, can England now
offer any competition. But IL is all in vain for her
TO strive against steamers which can surpass her
highest speed with two-thrds the power. Ii was
the shape well sthr Internal arrangement Of the
Atlantic which made the mechanics Of Liverpool
give way To despair. lIerengines they could build
but her grace and comfort, united TO her perform
aDce, they had never seen, and do not expect 10
oyertuke. IL they should obtain II, by that time
the Atlantic herself will be as far in the rear
ofAmencan Improvement, as she Is now IN advance
OF her Southern compe utors.
With thus Obvious aud increasing naval su-
perioniy over every other nation, the re-
personalities Of the United states in both
houses OF AnuEFtS. nave tHc Ntiy hlbuCot
duties and responsibilities. To re-estabsh the
harmony and consolidate the union Of The States,
nothing could contribute more than the erection OF
more strsm ships of the largest capacity The build
ing az the bus and The engines might be SO dis
tribued to draw all sections OF The country
together. The keys of the Union lie in the lap Of
the Mississippi Long before the discovery Of Cali
fornia, the political power of the confedsrdcy had
crossed the mountains. and awaited but the enune-
ration Of another census to declare itself alold.
Since that iuut- nee dlcovery, the slepl of the
enahlts lrya lgen hlsfeuiup. with every
circuit OF the sun, more and more fapidly 10 the
West. That great, that mighty West, ~ the ha'n-
raj aIbiter between the angry south AMI the exci-
ted North and her hat Is conclusive, lhe west
can be made sacrifice her Interests 10 the Union,
but il were wiser TO appeal to her to save u, by
showing that she has every thing 10 gam oy .he
Union, and every thug To lose by its oissolunon-
that IS all the rivers the United States, except
the ST Johns.) flow TO the South from the West
and North, che has infinite stake IN keeping
o?en for her woodworking produce these great out
lets to the sea. Wairisd by the largest tributaries
Of tbs longest river Of the earth-the Father OF
Waiers"-the MI ssissippi--shc must, and Will, Tor
ever descend among the people Of the South, with
her supplies, and. IN return, carry back the ex-
changes demanded by her wants These stronger
than links of iron, might be unitsd at the different
Southern ports, To frmer Than hooks Of steel, by
the establishment of an immediate ocean steam
communication with Europe. The West already
eees and feels the invaluable nature OF the com
merce with the southern States, but she has 20
long looked the Mississippi and iis rieu ires as
common properly, that she does not weigh enough
the change "a hlCh disuniOn would pIOduCc. hnl,
indeed, IL IL hard to conceive that rupture 81 the
Union would greatly embarrass these channels OF
trade But IL might be Added to this apathy
with reference TO the Western rivers, there 70 the
other important consideration, that the North fur
nishss nearly all The shirpng for Southern, well
as Western produce. Frcights are monopoly,
and 80 are passengers. Men and goods leave for
the countries Of Europe from Northern ports; the
former from Boston and New York, for the most
partthe latter vessels owned in those and other
cities Of the North The Effect Of these facts on the
Il hmm h.,
West more indifferent To the South than IL Just or
natura for IL is The interest not less than the duty
OF the West, 10 break up The shipping monopoly
and slso, TO psttonize her steady, and almost only
customer, the South. She has nothing to do but TO