Daily American telegraph., 1852-03-22
Communicated.
Mercury,s SIander Exposed.

TO the Editors Of the American Telegraph:
1 notice that the correspondent, "M,rcaryr
of the Baltimore Sun, has undertaken TO the
Councils Of this city for having passed law regulating
speed Of steamboats, for limited distance in Potomac
Had he stated the purport of the law fairly the writer of
this communication would not have noticed his article,
then the policy impolicy of the would have
rested upon its intrinsic merits and very certain that
the oPEoN3 Mercury" though adverse would have had
weight But he has msrepresented the provisions
Of the law in question 1t is due the public his
missstement in order that the people distance may
know what little reliance is to be placed in them He
sour present Council have passed law prohibiting any
boat vessel propelled by steam to run at greater speed
than eight miles per hour"
And here this historian stops short vng the reader
this restriction extended the whole Of the
tent of the Potomac subject to the control Of the local
hores of Washington cythus suppressng the material
fact In the case and inducing unjust prejudice to he
raised against the City Councils whereas had he stated the
whole truth, every rejecting wejudging reader would
awarded them the need wedeseryed praise the
enactment of the law called for by the most imperous
necessity and far from its restriction being general II
applies only to short distance to wit from the
the upper landing between which points the channel both
narrow and shallow-so narrow and shallow that the
swes arising from steamboats, running immoderate
rate have caused great injury the property along the
shores by washing away the banks and earth, and
consequence, filling up the channel, and thereby de-
tent II became evident to the property that
stop not put to the prac the speed Of the steam
ers, between the points named, not rcduced-hat
years would leave channel for the purposes Of nay
CATION II growing every year more and more con-
traced shallow In this state Of things very large
number OF property holders and other individuals deeply
interested in the preservation Of the navgable waters Of
Washington msmoriaized the City Councils to regulate
speed steamboats, tho Arsenal and landings
that the injury might be abated The Council after the
most Of all the facts for their
consideration passed ordinance prohibiting steam vessels
from going than at the Of eight miles hour
after reaching the Arsenal and until they got into their
several landings The extent Of the difference to time,
between immodra speed and the speed in the law
will not be than inmate to any steamboat navi.
eating the Potomac between the points named but that
minute narrow, shallow channel win serve to arrest
the further progress Of the injury heretofore sustained by
the holders Of water property. II s faot too which
Mercury knew WE'LL that vessels lying at anchor in any
part Of the channel the Arsenal upwards or at the
wharves those points frequently put in great
jeopardy and often injured by the swells occaoned by the
immoderate speed steamboats, passing them knew
full well the commercial prosperity Of Washington
pended great measure upon the abatement Of the evil
complained Of and that IL the Councils Of our city had not
passed the ordinance in question they would have failed in
the discharge Of duty which they owed their constituents
And yet with full knowledge of all the facts the case
1
"our present Council have passed law prohibiting any
boat propelled by steam to at greater speed
than eight miles per hour So that whilst all Northern
neighbor straning every to facilitate business
and time-which Is money! majority of Wash
nqton Councen declare that the people under their
risdctiou be reduced TO the necessity Of travelling
the old coach speed"
At the very moment when casting undeseryed
reproach upon Councils Of Washington, he that
he was doing them injustice and wrong because knew
that their legislation the result Of the most urgent
cessty that in throwing their protection the
injured parties they made the law senent possible
The ordinance the Councils Of Washington confines the
speed Of sepnboa between certain points where the
pe Is both SHALLOW and ndrro,c to eight miles hours
speed by analogous to the old coach speed
and which, 10 fact only operates loss Of minute
the present and former time Now eight miles an hour
would give from fifteen to sixteen revolutions Of the wheel
according size to the minutes whereas the ordinance Of
the City Council Of Baltimore steamboat nav
igatng its waters within certain prescribed limits shall gc
speed requiring than ten revolutions in minute
and yet complains Of the restrictive nature OF thai
ordinance And whyi Because the preservation Of IN,
channel Of the harbor Is object worthy Of consideration
AFRIEND TO THE WASHINGTON CITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, March 20, mar 22-1t