The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-15

twenty three miles an hour have been performed,
not once but often, by their river steamboats,. To
that We cannot in this country offer any parallel.
The next point in which they had beaten US was in
the construction Of the beautiful ket chips which
| carried ON the passenger trade between Liverpool
and America, before the Of ocean steamers.
These were the finest ships in the world, and they
were mainly owned and sailed by Americans. The
next point at which we have come into competition
with the Americans has been lately in ocean steam
navigation. Three years ago they began. They
were UNNECESSARILY behind at starting; they
are already nearly equal to US. Their transst-
lantic steam packets equal ours in size power and
speed; in regularity they still inferior If they
continue to advance at their present rate Of inn
provement, they will very soon outstrip Next
come to the trade which has long been peculiarly
| our own. the China trade. The clipper-ship which
they have recently sent home to this country have
asonished the fine ships Of our own Smiths and
Greens. Our best ship-owncrs trembling
for their trade and reputation. Finally, il 10 true
that the Americans have sent to England
yacht called the America, which has found on this
eide Of the Atlantic no match; and we only escaped
| the Disgrace Of her having returned to America,
cept her Defiance through the chivalry Of one gen.
| tleman, who accepted the challenge with yacht
half the size. on this principle worthy Of John
Bull, that the Yankee, although he might say that
he had beaten US. should not be- able say that
had all run away. Such, then, at present is
tual position in the matter OF ships, yachts, and
steam navigation; position highly credable to the
Americans, and which deserves own very seri
Gus consideration. propose to examine little into
the physical causes Of the naval success of the Anne
ricans; but before doing permit me to point out
moral one which, later in the evening you will also
find to lie at the bottom Of the physical causes II
| is this: John Bull has prejudice against novelty
Brother Jonathan has prejudice equally strong in
favor oft. We adhere to tradition in trade, man
nn NalatA Nrx( coicno t, Ion tJos. ha
spises it, ldOn't say he is light and we wrong;
but this difference becomes very important when a
race OF competition is to be run. These prclrni-
Il nary remarks find immediate application in the
causes which have led to our loss Of character on
the sea. The Americans, constantly on the alert /,
have carried out and applied every new discovery
to the advancement OF navigation; while, with the
Eng lish, naval construction and seamanship ia
exactly that branch of practice in which science
has not only been disregarded, but is altogether
despiscd and set aside. The American ships show
what can be done by modern science unlinchingly
put in practice; the English show what can be done
in spite of science and in defiance Of its princi-
Piles.
II appeared, from the comparison which was ins-
tuted between the construction Of American and
English vessels, that the American ship builders
have gained over the English chiefly by the ready
adoption Of the true principles of science and the
most modern discoveries. They have changed
their fashion of steamers and ships to meet new
circumstances as they arose. For river steamers
~
forms, and created an absolutely new form and
general arrangement both OF ship and machinery.
We. on the other hand subject TO the prejudces OF
class, invariably attempted to make river steam
err az nearly as possible resemble seagoing ship
propelled by sails. We were even for q long time
80 much ashamed of our paddle wheels that we
adopted all sorts Of forms and inApt
tifices to conceal them, as If it were high achieve
ment to make steam. vessel be mistaken for a
|, sailing vessel. The fine sharp bows which the
wave principle has brought to our knowledge have
honn adj ttNA
luctance; and those who adopt them are often IN
willing TO allow that they are wave-bows, and
would fain assert that they always built them co.
were il not that the shps' lines are able to speak
for themselves. The Americans, however, adopt
ed the wave-bow without reluctance. and avowed
it with pleasure the moment they found it give
them economy and speed. In like manner, the
Americans having found the wave bow or hollow
bow good for steamers, were quite ready to believe
that might be equally good for sailing vessels.
| We, on the other hand, have kept on asserting
that, though we could not deny its efficacy for
steamers, il would never do for vessels that were
meant to carry SAIL The Americans, on the con-
trary, Immediately tried il on their piot-b boats,
and finding 1t succeed there, avowed at once, in
their latest treatise on naval architecture, the
complete success of the principle; not even dis
claiming its British origin. To prove to our
selve: our insensibiity TO s advantage they built
the utmost and, despising the prejudces and anti
quated regulations Of our clubs, came over and
beat US. rhe diagrams and models which were
exhibited showed the water line Of the America to
coincide precisely with the theoretical wave line.
In one other point the Americans bad shown their
implicit faith in science. and their disregard OF
prejudice. Theory says, and has always said
sails should sit fiat as boards We have said
They should be cut a to hang in graceful
waves. Il has always been SO; we have always
done it, The Americans believed in principle,
and with fiat sails went one point nearer to the
wind, leaving prejudice and picturesque sails far to
leeward. Ia other points, the Americans beat us
by the use of science They all the refnemcnts
oil science in their rigging and tackle; they, il is
true, have to employ better educated and more in
telligcnt men; they do so; aud, by employing a
smaller number Of hands, beat US in efficiency aa
we'll az in economy"