The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-22
New York Correspondence.

| NEW FORK, september lStn
As all the world, just now, is talking about the
exploits of our yacht America, which has BUNDLED
the pride Of John Bull. and established our reputa-
ton for superiority in naval architecture over all
competitors, il will not be uninteresting to your
Washington readers learn that the credit Of this
great achievement is due to the Federal City The
ostensble builder of the America was Mr.. w. H.
Brown, one OF our most enerprising and extensive
shipwrighs. He agreed with Commodore Ste
vens to build yacht schooner which should beat
any thing on the other side Of the Atlantic for
which he was TO receive thirty thousand dollars
but, in she failed to do this the builder was TO
receive but twenty thousand dollars. This was the
original bargain, but it afterwards altered so
that the new yacht was to beat the Maria, sloop
yacht belonging TO brother Of Commodore Ste
vens. Mr.. Brown, after making the contract
employed Mr. George Stears, young ship builder,
to make model, and build the schooner in his
Browns, yard; 30 that the real builder of the
America, and the person to whom credit should be
given for her excellence, was neither Commodore
Stevens nor Mr.. Brown, but MIR. Stears. The
yacht was launched last May, and in trial with
the Maria, in harbor, was beaten and, of
course, ten thousand dollars lost TO her builder
But ii is said that the race not a fair one and
that, II properly managed, the America would
have won in her first trial. The America is not az
has been stated built on the model of our pilot
but is, in many respects unique in her model and
Ia remarkable, that when she was the stocks,
perienced builders prophecied that she would be
failure. But the intelligent young mechanic who
modelled and built her never had any misgivings
respecting her speed, and says now that he
build another vessel to beat her and probably ne
will. But now to the point in which Washington
is interested.
he hui If he mi
was born in Washington city in the year 1921, and
Is, consequently now thirty years old. He is
modest, active, intelligent and persevering me-
chanic, a diligent student of nature, and an apt
one, as his proves Unfortunately, he is
possessed OF sufficient means to be the proprietor of
ship yard, and consequently other men reap the
advantages and fame of his genius; but he will
doubtless, long, be his own q" boss" and take
his proper place among the masters in his pro.
fession.
All the English newspapers, magazines, and
periodicals of every description, received by the
last steamer, contain articles about the Yankee
Yacht" The captain ofone of the London packets
says that the news of the French revolution didn't
much talk in London as the America had
done since her first race at Cowes.
Since Sunday morning we have been visited by
the most delicious weather conceivable; bright,
sunny, elastic and bracing, and under it's
influence business of oil kinds, in spite of an
occasional suspension among our obbers is
unusually brisk But the last week was the
most terrihcally hot that have had to en-
dure III ten years. However, it cooled quickly,
and on Saturday night the thermometer exhibited
change Of Fifty nine degrees People who went
TO bed melting got up shiverng. But now the
days that our great poet calls the saddest of the
year" have come; the year is on the wane, and
every thing is lively and cheerful, and the sadness
is only in the imagination of those who choose to
be cad because "time is on the wing"
One of the palpable indications of the season is
the appearance of grapes the fruit stalls in our
markets, which have ripened early and give pro-
mise OF great abundance. Although nearly every
house in New York and its vicinity has grape ar
bor-and there several large vineyards in the vi
cinity-this fruit is very dear in our markets; it
sells now at three shings pound, and is not much
cheaper at any time. But fine fruit of all kinds
brings enormous prices here; the finest kind of
Morris white peaches, such used for pre-
serving, bring from five to ten dollars basket;
saw some Bartlett pears on stall the other day in
Fulton market, which were by no means remarka-
bly, fine, that were sold at twelve and a. half cents
each; little SICKLE pears. the most delicate fruit that
our orchards produce, command four and five dol
lars bushel. But the highest priced fruit that is
brought to our market is the Virgalien pear which
is hardly yet fit to be gathered. Notwithstand-
ing that we have so many fine kinds Of native
grapes, that may be brought to market at a very
small expense, we still import yearly from
Malaga and Lisbon immense quantities of that
fruit which is much inferior to our own. Tic
Scuppernong grape, that grows SO profusely in
North Carolina, might easily be sent to our mar
ket, and if anybody would but make an adventure
in that business, it would be to afford hand
some profit. The Scuppernong grape is much finer
than any that we receive from Malaga, or our ma
tive Isabella. A gentleman in Edcnton, few years
since, told me that he intended to make the expe-
riment of sending grapes TO market, but have
never heard of any being offered for sale here
There is no more need of importing grapes from
Malaga than there is of bringing gingerbread from
Holland, as our ancestors used TO do and ina
gine that our grandchildren will hear with amaze
ment that we sent across the Atlantic for such
fruits when they growing wild on our own
soil. They can produce better grapes on the banks
OF the Ohio than grown on the banks of
the Rhine; and drank short time since some
sparkling hook that was made by Mr. Longworth,
of Cincinnati, that was fully equal to any Rhenish
wine that we ever getin this country. Why should
we be sending specie out of the country to pay
for wines and fruits that we well produce at
homer The London Leader says:
"Six months ago that would have been
laughed at as insane who should have predicted
that the Americans would beat Old England in
yacht racing Yet the deed has been done. Eng
land has been beaten in lisr seas, in the sight
oil the court and the queen IN sight Of the largest
number of yachts of all tonnage, of steamers and
boats, and beaches crowded with spectators ever
beheld, and beaten by 'Yankee!'"
Perhaps we should be laughed at as insane five
predicted that in six years we should beat the old
world in vino making well as in yacht build
ing 1t is just az easy TO do the the other.
The immense number of immigrants from the
wine making districts of Germany that have re-
Gently arrived here and gone West to cultivate the
SOIL viii be very likely to lead to the development
OF our vinous resources, even though they should
be neglected by the natives Of the soil,
One of the most eminent of the expatriatod phi |
losophers of Germany that the late revolutions
there have sent across the Atlantic, is Godfrey |
Kinkel, of Prussia, who arrived by the Pacific on
Sunday morning. His remarkable imprisonment