The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-01

die at the Stock Exchange
New YoRx, January 90, 1851.
The mania among the merchants Of New York,
just now, is for building clipper ships, and it has
been productive Of some Of the most superb speci-
mems OF naval architecture that the world has yet
seen. TIE London Times, short time since,
leased that the United States ten years in ad-
of Great Britain in the art of ship building;
but this judgment was based upon our past efforts
in this noble art; the clipper ships which have
Gently been built than ten years in adj
vance Of those that had been seen in England The
founding Of new States on the Pacific has had some-
thing to do with this remarkable development of
our national inventveness in the art of construct.
ing ships; but the work begun long before gold
was discovered in California The first of the class
Of ships called clippers the Sea Witch, built by
Messrs. Rowland and Aspinwal for the Canton
trade; then followed the Oriental, which has lately
astonished all London by her appearance in the
East India docks. The construction of these fast
sailing vessels has made new in navigation,
and effected great revolution in the whole econ
omy and appearance of our merchant marine For.
merly men, of-war were easily distinguished from
merchantmen by their length Of spars, low bulls.
black paint and general air of trimness as though
they were intended rather for sailing than carry.
ing; but the is reversed; the clipper ships
recently at wharves are, in all the exter-
nal appearances that denote sauciness and speed,
altogether superior to any ship belonging to our
navy There are now five of hesc splendid vessels
lying at our wharves, and all up for San Francisco
and Canton, which, if not superior, are at least
fully equal, to any that have gone before them
Three of them, the Stag Hound, Witch Craft, and
Game Cock, were built in Boston; the Ino and the
[illegiblel were built here. The Game Cock is
al k..x~J H. 49,
her model that, seen by herself, she looks hardly
larger than pilot boat The names OF these clip
per ships all indicative of their qualities for in
stance there the Eclipse, the White Squall, the
Pampara, the Black Squat, the Sea Serpent, the
Surprise, the Sea Witch, the Witch Graft, Stag
Hound, and so FORTH II is a curious sight to see
lying by the side of these ocean racers that look
as though they were built to embody the beau
ideal of speed, Dutch galliots and other slow
goers frem the Old World, that are built from
models that existed in the days Of Van Tromp
II the friends of protection needed an argu-
ment to enforce their doctrines, they could not
have more powerful or convincing. one than our
supremacy in the art Of ship building, the only
kind OF manufacturing business that has ever
been really protected by laws the only art that we
have actually fostered by prohibitory duty
What is it's condition now, after fifty years of pro-
lection? Our productions of this kind are confess.
eddy superior to those of all the rest of the world
The Oriental, an American ship, was freighted in
Canton. by English merchants, to convey cargo
to London, at just double the rates asked by Eng
lish vessels because Of her superior sailing quail
tics. When Peter the Great went to London to
learn the art of ship building, that he might estab-
lsh the business in his own dominions there was
not shipyard in New York; and now the dcscen-
ia, 1f H.. i
built frigntes, steamships, and merchant vessels,
to serve models for his own builders in St. Pc
tersburg.
Apropos DIES bottles Speaking Of our achieve
ments in ship-building, which we may surely be
allowed to do without any imputaton of boastng,
reminds me of an unique entertainment which
had the pleasure Of assisting at last night at the
Aston II was dinner given by the proprietors of
the New York Sun to Richard M. Hoe, the inven-
tor and constructor of the new press which has
recently been made for that paper. The press was
exhibited to party of invited guests yesterday
afternoon. 1t 10 in cayernous apartment dug
out OF the bowels Of the city underneath the Sun
buildings, on the corner of Nassau, and Fulton
streets, and is better worth seeing than any of the
numerous shows open to the public. At the time
saw it in operation, it was throwing off at the
rate of nineteen thousand sheets an hour but it is
capable Of printing twenty five thousand an hour
1t is, believe, the largest and tastes. printing press
in the world. The dinner was superb one, and
the company being composed of editors, authors,
artists, and inventors, need not add, was choice
Mr.. James, the novelist, who is indispensable
at our public festivals, confessed, in his speech,
that the New York press could print romances
much faster than he could write them, which is
saying good deal, and he expressed hope that
- ..-~k =.
chine; therefore, he would reverse the often heard
and would say to the distinguished
guest of the evening, Eastward, Hoe!''
While this grafton to American genius and en-
tcrprise was taking place at the Astor House. an
other American triumph, in very different sphere
Of action, was achieved at the Aston Place opera
house. A young and beautiful American woman,
born of American parents in Boston, made per-
fectly successful debut as prima donna in Italian
opera. Who shall say that, in time, we will rot
produce our own operas we'll operatives. Miss
Virginia Whiting, the young debutante, is the
laughter of respectable comedian now playing at
The Broadway theatre. She had sung at two or
three concerts at Tripler Hall, and made most IN
vorable impression by her beauty of person, win
ming manner, and sweet voice. She appeared last
night, the first time on the stage, in the character
Of Julietta, supported by Parodi Romeo, in Bel
ni's opera of Cnpuctti and Montcce. Her debut
was perfectly successful She looked the character
admirably, which was great and rare point and
10 did Parodi in Romeo. mousache makes
man OF her, for she has but few Of the soft graces of
her sex, physically. Mics Writings voice ia not
very powerful, but it is pure soprano and exceed
ngly sweet. She is but seventeen, and has n fine
hgure tall and graceful and pleasant girli.h face.
A lady of high fashion, living in Fifth avenue,
gives large party this evening, and has had the
good sense and bodncss to invite her guests to come
1t two O'Clock in the afternoon. This is not what is
called matinee dansane, but regular ball. which
will not break up until midnight, SO that decent
people may be able TO get home at decent hours.
People here are most anxiously looking for the
action of the House on the New York Mint bill, for
small coin of all kinds is growing most inconve-
,iently scarce and dear silver Of all descriptions,
except the Silver Grays, is fast disappearing and
Unless new mintng facilities shall be created, there
will be general resort, from sheer necessity, to
haf ndi Of all .li,J A..