American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-11-14
Correspondence of the American Telegraph
PORTSMOUTH, IVA


GENTLEMEN: The line steamer " Roanoke"
Capt. Parrish, from New York, arrived here on
Sunday night, with large amount of merchan-
disc, and one hundred and sixty three passen-
gers, thirty of whom are ship-carpenters, who
have come on to Portsmouth, agreeable to con-
tract with our townsman, VIM. r. Page, ESQ.,,
to commence the construction of large ship,
which that gentleman is about to build on one
Of our wharves.
You may be surprised that it should be deemed
necessary to import to this place, 1.-TWO thirds of
whose population is made up of the hardy sons
of toll, at any time, but more particularly at
this, when large numbers of our own mechanics
are in want of work, men following any of the me-
chanic arts but above all ship-carpenters; when
it is known that the major part of those recently
discharged from the Gosport Yard are men fol-
lowing that branch of mechanism for n support.
Yet SO it is; and the reasons for so doing are
l these: There are no mechanics Of the above
named branch located here, who do not, at least
| a large portion of their time, find employ in the
| navy yard And when it was determined to
| project this vessel, no men were unemployed in
the yard, or were aware that their services were
soon to be dispensed with. Hence it became
necessary either to provide these workmen from
whatever source they could be most advantage
ousy obtained, or have the ship built elsewhere
| by some contractor, which did not meet the
views of Mr. Page, who preferred having the
work done under his own eye, and agreeable to
his own directions Since that time circum-
stances have rendered it expedient to dismiss
from the yard U hope only temporarily n large
number of the workmen employed in shipbuild-
ing, which entirely changes the phase of the
matter, whilst we are presented with the anon
ally of an importation of workmen into our com
munity, in large numbers, whilst many of our
| own are entirely without work, and are there
fore necessarily compelled (for the man having a
family dependent on his labor, which is his only
| capital for support, cannot sit still and await
the food-tide of chance to procure him work, J
| to go abroad in search of market for his labor,
or await the pleasure Of the departments at
Washington to renew the employ they have
been deprived of, which it is to be hoped they
will do at an early day.
These remarks have been made to show that
it is no fault attached to our workmen that has
caused this unnatural influx amongus, but rather
the peculiar position that this community bears
to the Government, whose mandates are big with
veal or wo for this people.
Capt Samuel Watts, the Whig candidate for
the office of Lieutenant Governor of the Old
Dominion, (who, as you are aware, is a native
and resident of this town, left home this morn
ing to make a tour of at least portion of the
State prior to the elections Of the 9Th Decem-
Der. From here he proceeds to Richmond,
where he will meet Mr. Summers, candidate of
the same party for Goyeru~r, and thence pro-
ceed to Wheeling, pia Alexandria and Washing
ton--after which, his movements will be die
tated by circumstances and the interests Of the
party he represents.
10 Ia ~ tatoo
ter Olmstead, will leave here tomorrow morn
ing for your navy-yard, with "lots" Of old met
ais of various kinds that accumulate at the
navy yard here, and which it has been discov
cred can be carried there and remauufactured
at an immense saving, in lieu of having it sold
here by the agent at auction for "mere song"
Yours, truly, NADEL.