The daily union., 1852-05-13

ehanc ass Yet he cannot suffer this slluson Mr. Ste
o he many services and ingenious Inventions and
appilanees Of hai gentleman n steam. IN gnnne and 10
mechanics FIom the tune when mere boy ~ lo0t-b,
ne was xeaous working In the machine shop az Hoboken
up 70 Tue passing hour he has given hs e MS faculties
assat phosopAs and the results have been OF great public
bsns or some Of them the following chronological record
.Ss2 Having contracted build for the United States
large shot and shell proof r. l.
Stevens bu steamboat at Bordenown for the sole pur
pose OF experimenting the forms and OF propeller
experiments for many months, the result of which may
YET hope 10 see in an iron warsteamer that will be inuae
design he invented about 1884, and took patent for,
mode Of turning steamship Of war pivot as were
battery We're disabled, she might IN an instant almost pre-
.lsls This year succeeded in advantageousy using an
hyaetts In fast passenger locomotives,
isas Witnessed the successful @ applIcston Of air under
diminished and she has actually gone at the OF twenty
s' I john the Of ad
nious and ehecnal conivance Of L. Stevens first used
Of The boiler ia conclusion Of this v and i'm pc feet chpo
noogcai recital Of Of r. L. Stevenss contributions TO
the mechanic arts, public convenience and national
power, well renown, be added Mr. Size
vens himself the modeer of all the vessels built by for
ing; and especially the Maria which beat without diff
Guilty The victorious Aeica, which, in her carried
disancing all mpetors, she continues do believe
under her new owner, in the Mediterranean.
among whom he has worked and is well known. but the
nation may well be proud"
said that he had "herediary passion for those pur-
suits to which he has devoted most OF his life; and here
sir, my State pride may be pardoned If advert TO the
name OF his honoed parent TO whose services in pract
cal engineering mechanics and other kindred depart
mens, the country debt which it is too late TO
liquidate now.
Sir John Stevens, of Hoboken, New Jersey, was one
of the extraordinary men CT his age so prolific of
great men. He the compeer OF Fulton and contrib.
uted his full proportion towards making steam that pow
erful locomotive agent which it has become Like Full
ton and Oliver Evans, he was in advance of the age in
which he lived Near fifty years ago. he asonished and
confounded committee of the New Jersey legislature by
the prediction that the time would when would
travel as fast as pigeon could fly They would hear
him no longer; they turned from him with pity and in
credulity; they told him sFestus" told .sSt Paul."
''much Learning has made you mad" AS he was in ad
vance OF his age in relation to the of seam he was
IN relation to railroads These he used expermenally in
his work yards long before public directed to
theimpoance He in vain solicited from the New Jersey
Legislature permission to connect the OF the Della
ware and the Hudson. many years before the legislature
would permit any such enterprise to De attempted He did
much ii not more, than any other man 10 bring the
steam engine for locomoon 10 its present perfection
When his history is written, his will rank with the
names OF franklin, Fulton, Fitch, and Ri,tenhouse
among the greatest beneacors OF his country and the
human race His genius and his fondness for practical
engineering he has transmitted his sons who are
among the most eminent men in their vocation OF which
this or any other country boast 1t is for Congress
now to say whether this government shall avail itself of
the services OF such in constructing just such vessels
for national defence as the necessities OF the naval
vice require.
Had This government taken by the hand Fulton and
John Stevens nifty years ago. there is no telling how far
we might now have been in advance of our rivals in
many important elements of national power
The proposition now submitted to you is Intimately
connected with The national defence and the growth and
efhcIency OF your navy; and avail myself of the
opportunity to make some general remarks that sub.
ject
Sir. the victories of your armies seem 10 have
ooscured somewhat the spendor of your naval achieve
ments entertain no apprehension, however, that the
country will undevalue the importance of the navy
A. sure reliance for the protection of the national honor
and the vndication OF national injuries You are des-
tined (excuse the word>but if you continue united
people you will be compeed-to become the greatest
naval power which the world saw. Yet, apparent
Iy appalled, The expense to be incurred in any attempt
10 rival the lavish expenditures OF England and France
on their navies we seem to have been embarrassed
what was the true course TO be pursued Steam has as
you have often been told revoluionzed upon the
ocean. The eyathan ships with which Nelson annihi
lated the navy OF Napoleon at the Nile and Trafalgar
no longer invncible.
have long thought that the Improvement OF our steam
marine has not received from the country and from Con-
gress that attention which il deserves There be
little doubt that we are at this moment inferior
naval power for purposes of immediate defence CON-
pared with the offensive possessed by other power
fal nations than we Were forty years ago while Eng
each other in the creation of formidable steam navy,
we have been standing by comparatively passive In the
admiralty navy list OF 1850 of Grea, Britain is found one
hundred and fifty ars,eamers and she is constantly
building and launching others In addition to these she
has between sixty and seventy mercantile capa
warequipments all prepared In further addition,
she has upwards OF eight hundred steamers capable of
furnishing formidable assistance for defence
France, since 1918, has lost sight OF the impor
lance OF maintaining navy; she is next after England
now the greatest naval power in the world She had
the commencement OF the present year line of battle
ship OF ninety guns. with propeller; fourteen
steam frgaes, mounting from eight To sixteen guns OF
heavy ordnance and many others OF smaller size We
shall have in the navy of this great republican The
navy OF country whose people, and patros and
men, (some o them are ready TO dictate code OF
laws for the nations OF the earth, and to throw fire.
brand into Europe, regardless OF all consequences war
no war-l say, sir, We shall have in our navy, when
completed, FIVE seam-frigaies and steam. soop
mounting from SIX to ten guns. Sir, had better be
prepared Tor fight before attempt TO bully. This
disparity between naval steam force and that OF
other powers 10 growing greaief every year Yet the
tonnage OF the United States engaged in foreign do
niestic commerce. il include that OF our lakes and
large rivers. about equal TO that OF Great Britain and
far exceeds that OF France or Russia '
Now these three facts being asceraned-our defence
less condition; second, the disparity Of our naval power
compared with that OF the other great powers; third
the equality or superiority OF our mercantile tonnage
IT becomes question OF great magnitude what policy s
proper for 10 adopt 10 guard against immense
and incacuable losses, in sudden war should
break out with any Of the great powers
My mind has been anxlousy directed to this subject
Tor many years, and avail myself Of this occasion TO
throw out few other suggestions in relation TO IT,
This gigantic species OF warfare II is utterly useless
and impracjcable, at any csst, TO wage with the old
sells would only be built and sailed for the benefit OF the
enemy In the present improved condition Of naval tactics
and steam superiority OF great Britain there can be no
doubt that we must take obseTvatiops-a new lat