The daily union., 1852-03-17
The Collins sts@msrs.

Sin have noticed an article in your columns OF the
l4h Instant over the signature OF "Fau Ptdy which
wears the garment OF sheep, but the tone OF the article
beirays the wolf.
Taking up the points of the article in succession.
hst notice the assertion that the rends OF the Collins
steamers are confined principally TO New York." by ask
ing any in doubt upon this point TO read the expires
sion OF the press from every part OF the Union during
the construction debut and subsequent unequalled pas
saxes OF the Collins steamers or let him go abroad ana
see he can find genuine American who has mol felt
an additional aaonal pride in consequence OF the splen
did achievements Of these noble steamers.
The next assertion that the steamers are not easily
into war steamers and that capable OF being
they would cost the government at least Sl0O.OOO VIII
answer by saying that eminent United States naval
constructor asserts that he convert them into war
steamers for $40, 600.
tbs not denied that, when the Collins steamers were
first commenced, they had before them the experience
of the Cunarders excepting in such points the Cunar
ders in their admirable sagacity and good management,
chose keep to themselves and in this they have DIS
played great tact in the management OF their steamers
which, with their experience makes them indeed ormi-
dable rivals.
When the Collins steamers were commenced, the new
Cunard steamers amsrioa, Europa, N1gara. and Canada
were in the field and astonishing the world with their
quick passages and il these steamers
that the Collins steamers built compete with During
the constructions the officers and engineers OF the Cunard
boats frequently visited the shipyards and engine-works
engaged in the construction OF the Collins boats, and
were uniformly treated with courtesy, which they al
ways recprocated looking upon the matter an honor
able rivalry between the two great commercial nations OF
the earth Their convictions OF the character Of the
opposition they encounter s best proved by the
facts that before Collins boats completed the Cunard
company contracted for two additional steamers the
africa and Asia they were both longer and sharper
than their associates, of much less tonnage than either
OF the Collins boats, while they put in engines OF pre-
cisey the same capacity those Of the Atlantic and Pa
cifc, viz 9s inches diameter. feet sroke-(he largest
diameter and the longest stroke before built in Eng
and) The expectation in favor OF the new Cunarders
may be best illustrated by quoting the language OF Lv-
erpooi paper:
..The Cunard Company have contracted for two new
steamers five hundred tons less tonnage man Inc Co.
commodaons will be greatly improved ana when tney
are once afoat, for moment Wilt entertain the
absurd idea that america can compete 7cih England ~
ocean steam navigation"
The six Cunaders above referred TO and the four Col
Inns steamers have for time been before the world
in the glorious and paisewerhy race for the supremacy
OF the seas In the contest (Which has always been con-
ducted with the best of feeling both sides the per-
Torrance of the four Cunarders which TO be the
competitors of the Collins line have been lost sight Of,
and the performance OF the asia and africa alone COM
pared with the Collins boats The result is before the
world and it is one that should awaken the pride OF
every American. The Cunarders in good earnest, are
not willing TO give up the glorious contest which they
acknowledge TO have lost, and are now building two
other steamers the arabia and Persia much larger than
any they have built before. They have adopted tubular
boilers, and braced them for carrying from is TO Is
pounds the square inch pressure OF steam, which is
the pressure OF the Collins boats As the ARABIA, from
some best known to themselves has been sold TO
the West India Company, il is fair TO infer that the Gu
narders are going TO make another and more powerful
attempt TO regain The iaursfs they hare iosf
'sFar Play" accuses "the projectors OF the American
line with being resolved 10 eclipse the English lne and
of considering expense object" This will admit,
and will endorse the accusaiion for witnessed the
liberal disposition the part OF the projectors whenever
they found what necessary to produce steamers
equal their task was allow
ed for hence the obligation Of the government to
courage the enterprise for they just much nation.
ally interested as the projectors themselves.
Fair Play next that the cost OF the Cunard
steamers 10 not known II may not be TO him but II is
well known TO others; and is also well known that
each OF the Cunaders much in proportion their
capacity either Of the Collins boats and the express
sion that either OF the Collins boats cost much any
-four of he Cun~ders." exhibits how little he knows
OF the subject he writes about That the reader may de-
eide this point for himself, give the cost of the British
Queen" the " President" and the Lverpoo"-steam-
ers that preceded the Cunard line, and of smaller capaci
tyas published by the association at OF f0o ,000
or $780, 600 each Is IT, then, fair presume that the
Cunarders-any one Of ihem-coa less, when, in every
feature, they were OF larger dimensionsi
"Fair Play makes specious argument OF the disad
vantages OF flush deck" As he is 80 fond OF refer
ring 10 English examples, will do likewise, and refer
him to the FIVE ships for the Royal Mail West India
Company-the dna-on, Oronoco, DsmArara Pdrdn1, and
Magdalena-all OF which have flush decks" and en-
gines OF exactly the diameter and length OF stroke
as the Atlantic and PaGswhile the hulls much the
lnl L. 49,
And again-to quote English authority concerning the
flush deck"-I refer TO the New York Albion OF a late
date, containing extract from London paper:
I'm reference the 0RosoEo steamer Just completed
she s regarded the most complete and efficient
shoa in either the English. French, or American navy,
Tor war purposes Her length is 276 feet 10 feet beam
and 80 feet hold.
This steamer possesses spar or flush deck which is
regarded OF great and decided superiority from the actual
experiments, which have been made by order OF the Ad
mirally, in the use OF circular or pivot guns"
Thus il s that the best authority in England ap.
proves OF the flash deck The assertion that not one
of the United States mail steamers is fit TO carry such a.
battery that used board the United States steamer
Susquehanna' is unjustihabe and unjust | will cha.
enge comparison with miniature models OF the mail
steamers OF the Collins line and the navy steamers !;
and will even agree that the investigation be conducted
by naval constructors solely, who sha decide upon
the structure and fitness OF the mail steamers for
vessels of-war Several OF eminent naval con.
structors. who have from time TO time inspected the mail
steamers during their construction have expressed them
selves satisfied on this point. The attack upon the ma
chinery oil the mail steamers being unusually ex.