The daily union., 1852-05-11

senator from Texas estimated il at seven. yet take II, IL
you include the ordinary repairs tea per cent Is mol 100
Mr.. MILLER Rather below il.
MIR. BELL The senator says rather below the true
estimates bat have stated il sufficiently accurate Tor my
purpose.
There is another element YET and want the honora-
Bile senator from Texas 10 state when he comes TO an
upon this point whether II is true or not lhis
5 000 based upon these three elements so lar as hey
co. the ordinary average cost n recent trips is
,hs average cost Of wsaiyesh ps nat these steamers
Mr.. RUSK. About eighteen months II comes up 10
December last. >.
have made Now, what suppose would be more Judi
cous and proper in presenting this subject before Con-
gess and the country. woad be to state all these things
iairly-not that would pretend to say that anything
has been done unfairly but they should be
that both and the country could understand
them because the country will be startled with the idea
that this line be unless has pro-
lection and bounty OF $4,000 aud odd This $4,000
is the average Of all the trips; and what does include
II includes the losses sustained all the experiments and
adventures made by all these vessels understand, in
regard to the first running OF these vessels that they did
not know how to estimate the quantity OF COAL and the
supply became exhausted midway in the voyage two
three occasions and caused delay Hence further ee
men OF cost. in estimating these twenty eight trips,
which is included in this 65 900, includes the breakage
OF machinery the ocean, the long detention OF the
vessels which alone suppose must have heen at least
100000, perhaps 100000 The breaking Of engine
consequence OF the delay II occasoned and the accident
was caused perhaps by want Of proper skill in the
making oil the machinery lnls then, another ele-
ment and all these losses included in averaging the
cost at 900 for the whole number Of trips made. Am
not right Turning to Mr.. MIILERl
Mr. MILLER. do not know.
Mr. BELL. presume il is correct
Well now, as to the cost OF these vesses-and beg
gentlemen, the friends OF this not to understand
me TO say that proper consideration ought not to be
given TO all these circpmstances apprchend that il is
about 100000 apiece more than it would have been If
hs ES
and description at first apprehend that $S00.OO0
paid out as the cost of these tour sbpsmore than they
would have if had had in this country adequate
machinery and adequate skill in the mandatory OF
gines of this sze and adequate experiments had been
made in order 10 test that skill Now, this patriotic, pub
which, without word Of information. will estimate
at $500 O00-whch they would have been under
sy Of spending bufor the preparations they had TO make
and the experiments running these vessels in the first
plan, because such adventure upon large scale
had been attempted in this country before. Sir, the very
purpose, object, and end-for il is end-accompshed
Of introducing this large machinery for the manufacture
OF steam engines regard great boon to this country
And beg leave. if do not fatigue the Senate, just to
refer TO circumstance that has been brought to my
mind, some twelve months ago more, by reading the
very book 70 which the senator from Virginia REFEREED
that when England commenced her experiments upon the
mmarne OF the first steps which the adm
rally took was to give contract to eleven OF the best
engine manufacturers in England and Scotland, not
limiting the cost of them, except by reasonable
terms, leaving large margin for something still 10 be
made by them just in the way OF experiment And, fur
thermore, to illustrate the beraiy and only that
upon this subject they gave out some thirteen con-
tracts to the best ship builders Great Britain to
struc The hulIs of the vessels according the most
suitable models. They were given the problem OF the
finest running model, and directed TO construct
vessel that woud be safe from the shot of the enemy
most secure, and best adapted to.propusion. That
the condition Of things in England as described 50 well
by the senator from Virginia; and how was il in this
country at the time these patriotic undertook to put
this line in operation Even then, short time before
perhaps, the construction Of the large vessesOho" and
"Georgi Messrs. Law CO. did introduce
ch'nery Of some description do not know whether they
preceded Collins not in the introduction of machinery
into this country have heard, but do not
ber. But i say that the introduction Of the quality and
kind OF machinery that brought to this country
cessary for manufacturing engines for these large
selshose of the Collins line, as well as the Oho"
and "Geogia"-was OF inesmable value to this country
Who will undertake TO estimate the value of it Ii |
were to put il down at a million OF dollars would say
il was but poor, pitfu calculation How could we
have done without it, had occasion to inquire OF
dsng officer of the navy time ago TO what
would be the condition OF this country in OF any
danger from being called upon the maritime pow
er Of England How many steamships OF war we
could construct in year, was told not than four
How is that asked you have navy yards, timber, and
other materials in abundance. He answered, We have
not got the machinery 10 manufacture the engines,
now with The addition that has been made by the ntroduc
ton Of the machinery for the manufacture OF the large
steamers OF the Collins and Law lines. Not more than
four steamers in year Ii looked TO me appalling il
such were the fact We have plenty Of machine shops
for making engines of the ordinary sze-hundreds OF
them both the Atlantic borders and in the West; but
u
ness that cannot be got up order II has TO be built
and requires perhaps the best engine factory in
Europe construct OF these great engines, unless
they have double number Of hands and double SET OF
machinery.
II Sir look upon this grea, boon 10 this country
and the OF the introduction Of that machinery with
out any human being having minated il 10 me, |
lnfer-and think may safely do so--enlers into the
elements of the of these ships do think these
ships now when they have the machinery already intro
duced and the skill OF the workmen tried ought cost
more than S5oOoo0 each. That would reduce the cost
of this line OF steamers to two millions. But then the
interest and insurance upon that would reduce the
of running II is little surprising TO me how gentle
ncaion with one another make difference between
running OF these vessels at what the actual cost
and what they ought TO have and would have cost if
the circumstances had been they Now, the
conclusion to which have to is this ought we
TO throw upon this line these losses incurred in the
cost OF three vessels Ought not the country, with all
iberay, and with the of magnanimous feeling
TO indemnify those public spirited individuals who have
embarked their capital in this great enterprise These
gentlemen for their liberaly, their public spirit,
titled 10 some assistance do not speak for other gentle
men-l speak only for myself and say that If this
try were to throw this loss, which these gem
emen have necessarily incurred in taking the initiative
IN building such ships these, upon them, the country
gentlemen
have not detained the Senate long myself, nor will
do Bot am told that there are other gentlemen
who inpatient TO offer remarks upon this sub
ject.
i A SENATOR Let us adjourn
i Mr. DOUGLAS. No, no let us have a vote on this
matter before adjourn to-day