The republic., 1851-07-10
Iron ships.


celebrated JOHN RUsKIN, says, in his chapter on
the materials of ornamentation, 81 say, without
any manner of doubt, that ship is one of the
loveliest things man ever made, and one of
the noblest; nor do know any lines, out of
divine work, so lovely as those of the head of
a ship, OF even as the timbers of small boat"
RUsKIN is an enthusiast, but most careful
and elaborate writer; and his opinions on asthe-
tic subjects are, just now, creating much discus
sion among English critics, from the great
knowledge which he displays, and the boldness
and originality Of many of his theories he
makes no rhetorical tlourishes, nor alters an
opinion without apparently weighing the force
of his words. What he says about the lowell
ness and beauty of ships is incidentally intro
duced, and is the more remarkable as the SEN
tence occurs while he is treating of what he
considers the grandest architectural objects in
Europe. His opinion on such subjects is not
likely to be gainsaid, especially by his own
countrymen. We once heard sailor say that
the three loveliest objects in the world were,
woman, ship, and the rising sun; and doubt
less many landsmen, as well seamen, will
applaud and echo the eloquent tribute Of the
author of the ''Stones of Venice" to the love
illness of ship and the beauty of her lines.
But there is vast difference in ships; as great
as there is in women, or men, or houses, or
churches; and it is particularly gratifying to
us, just at this time, when one of the first
writers on art in England speaks of ships
as the loveliest things ever made by man, to
remember that the Times, the leading journal
of Europe, confessed month or two since, that
in building ships America is at least ten years
in advance of England. We only wish that
the writer's for the Times would bear this fact
in mind when they feel disposed to rldicule our
contributions to the Great Exhibition. Ii we
are so far in advance of England in the noblest
of all arts, and in producing ''the loveliest
things ever made by man." how absurd, how
perfectly ridiculous are the comments of the
Times on the articles in the American depart
ment of the Glass Palace, and the reasoning
hence that we are incapable Of competing with
Europe in the production of things-such as
calico, for instance-which do not call for the
exercise of tithe OF the talent, genius, or
knowledge that are demanded in the construc-
tion of ship!
We trust our readers will not think that we
are giving too much importance to the Great
Exhibition and the comments of the English
press on our appearance there. 1t is subject
whose importance cannot be over estimated;
in il are involved too many subjects of serious
consideration to US as nation for it to be lightly
passed by; and we are very glad to observe
that it has elected so much attention, and
caused so much feeling by the people in
all parts of the country. We are not
over sensitive about the remarks Of foreign
ers, and have too much faith in our national
greatness, and our republican Institutions, TO
have the least misgivings in respect to either
because they are slightly spoken Of or ridiculed
by foreign writers. But when an attempt is
made to prove us incapable of excelling in the
higher branches of manufacturing industry,
from the evidence which we have furnished of
our ability, and we are quietly told it is our
mission to raise raw materials for European
workmen to impart value to by their more in
telligent labor, 1t is time that we looked about
us to see whether we be the incapables we are
called, and whether we must be content to re-
main the ield-hands, the miners and delivers of
Europe. That we are living life of misera-
BILE dependence on European artisans, to most
Iuinous extent, there cannot be any denial; but
as to our ability TO produce the greater part Of
the articles which we now import from Europe,
we need not look further than the Times itself
tbo Of a.
In building ships, we can in any other branch
of industry the greater must include the lesser
arts; and the same cause that has given us su-
periority as ship-builders, would, long since,
have given us equal eminence in every other
art in which we are now excelled by Europe.
In ship building we have been thrown upon our
own resources; the law has excluded all foreign
competition; there has been no tariff on ships,
but actual protection, in the shape of a non-im-
portation law. But this law has been repealed,
and we have yet to witness the results What
theywill be it is not very difficult TO anticipate.
The world keeps going round, and every day sees
some new change commenced in human af-
fairs. If things were to remain stationary if
no Improvements were 10 be made in machine
ry, nor new discoveries in science, we might
retain our superiority in the only art in which
we excel Great Britain and France But
very great change, which has already COM
menced, will soon deprive MS of our we'll
earned and boasted superiority in ship-buld-
ing. The rapid increase in the size of our
merchant vessels, during the past three OF four
years, has been prodigious and startling. We
now rarely hear Of ship being launched of less
than Thousand tons, while sailing vessels of
two thousand and twenty-five hundred tons are
common, and steamships of three thousand tons
matters of course. 1t has been found that the
proftableness of steam vessels increases greatly
with their size, that steamships of four, five,
and six thousand tons are already talked Of, and
there is no reason why ships of ten thousand
tons should not, in very few years, be running
between Europe and the United States. They
would be safer, more comfortable, faster. and
more profitable in proportion to their magni-