The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-06


I" some time ago sent 10 the admiralty papiF,r
The whole OF the merchant steamers available M es
ships should DO forward and an 10 lese
II might be then done with very uiang 49, ~ suas
country 10 tie world We have nearly one any other
vessels, halt Of which, least, might ba made avta
case governtnent required their services Oar mereaS
steam ers are some Of the finest in the world and ~ he
dIed oil them might DO TUNED 10 account They shaq
all bs numbered and cassed that government woa
merely have 10 ask for The number OF lhey wrn
when they might go TO Woowich other places ana 20
the on board. and then they would DO ready pat
service" ~ w
Here is the opinion OF captain IN The Brit;h -.
with reference 10 the availability OF steam. vessel Ivy
national defence; and what lesson does Teach - M
Americas where steam navigation is found pene,asna
every portion OF the Union, and spreading itself on %
maritime and lake frontier 10 every direction Hss
found expression OF apprehension lest the meresn;
steamers might interfere with The growth ecienev "
the navy To which The witness belonged TINS onin VI
moreover, expressed in country where aceoni;n
the testimony before the committee already na,oed Ia.
were, IN ls4s, TIA tcar steamers, wh aggrse ale hs
poioer of 4S0 horses; and where MIR Alexandra ca
states, letter addressed the same Commute p
steam navy had then cost the country &c 900 Ooo ~,
ling or $4,000 900, "e1eiusoe Of all reasialem,nh
expenses during Commission y the same gentleman -
alleging that The annual repairs amounted 10 flosSo
Annual cost for Goals Inn@
Depreciation al moderate allowance sooOS
Making the total amount of annual cost ssls0n
of siO9i,OoO
The regular employment OF the best engineers on hoard
of contract vessels and the great experience thew woa
acquire from being constantly active duty would fur
nsh TO the naval service, in the event OF war cous
that would be invaluable. In speaking OF the superiority
of the engineers board OF vessels in ,he em
poy OF the British government over those board Of ths
Queens ships. witness before The select committee n
the House OF Commons says:
Last year there was universal complaint of the n
rorty of the engineers and all persons connected with
steam employed in her Msjesys service Twas explained
and very easily explained, by the superior the
merchant service, and particularly the high wages paid
In all conrac, steampsckes, they have board The
vessels who are competent 10 supentend any
repairs in the machinery which may be required"
Mr.. HUNTER. What was the date Of that examiua.
tion'
Mr.. RUSK. II was in Is47 Since that time num.
Der of additional contracts have been made by the British
government.
There one thing here to be remarked in relation 10
this agentsteam. know that il is said that il cannot
be applied to purposes and the opinion OF officers Of
the navy who prejudiced against it. has been cited
in support of this opinion. But, with the steam power
which the British government possesses at This moment
if it became her policy TO do so. hazard but little in say
ing that she could sweep the OF any nation
from the oceannot excepting her great rival The
United Sates. In 1s47 she could bring nearly thousand
upon coast, all suitable for war purposes All The
steamers which built and put aoa upon the ocean BY
the British built, under their laws that they can
be used for war purposes This is not the with
We have not twenty steamers belonging to the navy
proper that we can for war purposes Without the
steamers which have under the contract system we
have not twenty that can be so used and including The
contracts, we have but about forty that be applied
purposes Our ordinary steamers cannot be 80 an.
piled and why 1t is because OF that sort OF economy
which negects in time OF peace to prepare Tor emegsn
permits no vessel to be propelled by steam that is not ia
speced and required 10 be OF certain amount of ton
mage. and Of sufficient strength We, the contrary
go in Tor eheapness, and for the saving OF money The
experience OF the two counties has displayed itself fear.
fully upon that subject We may, perhaps have made
money, but we have sacrificed human life to an awful
extent.
Then, sir, under these circumstances considering the
dispropoftion which exists between steam marine
and that OF England, what to dor Must we
abandon this enterprise When the victory is in OUT
hands 10 throw il away, and say that il is loo
costly to keep il land that TOO, at time when any
reasonable man who will examine the must that
these lines, far from being charge the treasury
will not be ten years old before they will bring hEs
revenue TO the government Are we then TO put our
selves in position to invite foreign governments 10 be
our rivals 'or il must be remembered that the British
government is not the only that is making Of this
mighty power of steam Are we. under the cry OF econ
ony, which is potent before presidential election 10
abandon everything which looks toward putting ourselves
in position TO defesd our rights upon the ocean Are
we now. for temporary purposes, TO abandon system
which, IN my opinion, viii In lew years not only En-
tend our commerce, but which, without additional eI
pense will furnish the ocean, as have on The
land with strong arms and stout hearts, ready defend
which are not quarered upon the treasury OF the United
States. I6l-N
Sir, we are extending our commercial relations The
build Chinese wall around country. cannot stop
The enterprise of our citizens. They will go 10 every
country under the sun and they will trade and our CON-
merce will be exposed on every Shall we take no
step to put ourselves in condition TO defend it, We are
liable at any moment in the present disturbed condition
of the world if all that have heard here about inter
venon and the outbursf OF slumbering revolutions IN
favor Of the liberal principle in Europe be uue-and
probably there is some truth in ito be involved IN
rupture with some foreign government What woald %
the result We would have TO allow our merchants
10 be robbed upon the ocean, or we would have 70
adopt another system II we should not adopt the con.
tract system in me would have 10 do as England did
before she adopted IT, and spend thirty forty, or per.
haps hundred millions 10 increase our navy proper
Much has been accomplished by this line. LIS pro-
pretors have fully complied with their contract sp
stated by your officers The outlay which you have
made is only Si26 year, and that under crcamsan
which show you that the next year You will be paid
back part or the whole OF II and that in very few
years, especially il you put this line equality with
the Cunard line. IL will be source oil revenue, we
increase the compensation TO the amount asked for VI
This have sort OF doubt. This system has, then, pro-
iuced you four OF the finest ships in the world There
ID has put you in condition which il would have taken
you five years. by the operation OF the government to
attain n order defend yourselves in OF amame
war AT the lime Collins and his associates went INTO
this businsss, there were no machine shops here; ma
chioery for steamships before that time had TO be i'm
ported from England There were no engineers in this
county who could be trusted 10 carry steam vessel
the Atlantic. This company have, by their outlay
Of capital and at unous loss 10 themselves creaed
shops here that can vie in their productions WIN
England any other country, and they have now ensi
neers who be safely trusted than even tho~
who have been educated in England for Lifetime be-
they take the kind OF materials out oil which tny
make those who not bound down to certain rules
but who have spirit OF enterprise and experiment ana
reason well learn by rote. This company nss
the direction Millions of capital