The southern press., 1852-03-11

degree, tlaH ~ Outf NOIh u "''t ~ 80 ~
ments of modern skill, taste, enterprise and
mower. Aid il was the acknowledged tiiumph
of the COLLINS steamers over the CUEARD, and
of The yacht America, over her rivals, and OF
McCoRMIcK's reaper, that saved the credit OF
American civilization.
The lines Of American ocean steamers have
been completely successful in rescuing Amerl-
can postage passage, and transportation from
British monopoly. But ever since these lines
commenced operation there has been contro-
versy going on concerning the merits and poll
cy of the system. II has been and is now OBJ
jected that such vessels are not adapted e naval
warfare--ihat being built necessarily fofspeed,
they cannot and do not have strength enough to
carry the batteries or arpament requisite to en-
counter ships Of the line, or even the regular
war steamers of the navy, and hence are unfit
for naval service Now, we maintain that this
objection would totally fail, even if its material
allegations were true. If were true that mail
steamers were of inadequate strength for heavy
ornaments, and were too weak TO resist broad
sides, in consequence Of being built and model
led mainly for speed, it must still be obvious
that this must be the case with the British mail
steamers MS well as our own. And il is clear,
therefore, that ours would be quite competent TO
contend with them. And as there are already
about twenty of the British mail steamers regu-
lary plying between the two continents, and
the number, in case of war, might be largely in
creased from the other foreign lines of Great
Britain, there is a necessity for similar force
on our part. For without it the British steam
ers might traverse our seas and coasts at plea
sure, might transport troops, supply fleets, re-
lieve posts and convey intelligence with ease,
and without interruption. They might carry on
trade itself in time of war with security, if there
were no vessels Of equal or supe<Dr speed to
overtake them. But even these important func-
tons are not the most important that can be exer
cised by such vessels. There is the capture
of merchantmen and sailing packets. Now, il
viii not be denied that one af our naval mail
steamers could, if armed with only single gen.
capture more of our enemies shipping, and de-
stroy more commerce, than any other kind Of
vessel inferior in speed. Here, then, is an i'm.
mense naval efficiency, which belongs to mail
steamers from their speed alone, which no other
class of vessels can claim. To condemn them,
therefore, and exclude them from naval opera
heavy ornaments, even if that were true, would
be about as wi c as 10 suppress the whole
cavalry force of an army, because each trooper
does not carry couple of six or twelve
Founders in the holsters of his saddle.
Naval mail steamers are the cavalry Of the sea.
And if it were true that, in their structure,
strength is sacrificed to speed, it would also re-
suit that if they could not attack seventy
four because they are too weak, she could not
attack them because she is too slow. For il
so happens that speed is as necessary to over
take, as Strength is 10 overcome. And mail
steamer can cross the Atlantic in contempt OF
all the ships of the line afoat upon the sea-
But now We are satisfied that the whole i'm
putation Of ineficiency from weakness, made
against the mail steamer is unfounded. Their,
is necessity for strength in a mail steame
greater than-in man-of. war-and accordingly
there is strength. A mail steamer in order t
have the speed necessary for the service, TO
profit and for competition, must have engines
Of enormous power and weight-engines o
more weight by far, including the boilers, thar
that Of any armament occupying the same space
in any vessel. And the motion of these engines
especially in a storm, produces greater concus
sion Of the vessel than the discharge Of AM
broadside, and requires greater strength to resis
it, And il is necessity that the steamer shall
be almost absolutely infexible to any strair
or torsion. For If it were not, the engin,
would be Immediately thrown out of line, anC
either stopped or broken Whereas a seventy
four can and does yield in her timbers from
stem to stern, in a storm.
II is admitted by all the navy that war steam
ers must be employed, and can be employed, 4
meet the exigencies Of modern warfare. But j
is said that they must be too powerful an
heavy for the speed required for mails and pas
sengers. And accordingly several war steamer
have been constructed by this government TO
naval service exclusively We happened TO ex
anime one Of them, the San Jacinto, built at New
York. We measured the thickness Other side
and found il inferior to those Of the Georgia anC
Ohio, mail steamers on the New York and Cha
gres line. We examined also the French wa
steamer Mogadore, as she lay in the dry dock a
Brooklyn, one Of the finest vessels in the French
navy. Her sides also were not so thick as thos,
Of the Georgia and Ohio, although she wa,
armed with some twelve or fourteen heavy guns
ard measured about fifteen hundred tons. w,
are satisfied, therefore, that the naval argument
against mail war steamers is utterly untenable
We think il proceeds from the fogyism and i'm
mobility incident 10 all professions, even one 81
liberal rs the navy. We know, however, tina
many Of the most distinguished officers Of IN,
navy, old and young, both those who have al
IL A. a. ~ - A =