The daily union., 1852-05-07

Insy yons weight Or nearly double the weight OF guns
and would then have less resistance water
sna wind adding in increase teir already great spsed
hs Hon WIN. A. Graham, the present Secretary OF the
Nvv on The Goth OF March, 1862. writes TO the Hon
Nm King, President OF the Senate. in reply TO a
cnon for information 10 relation To contracts for the
saN.ooration OF the mail by steamships between New
Work and California on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
as follows;
aI,Is respectfully suggested that limited number of
h.a, (ssamsbps,) employed ia time Of peace in the
",ortaon OF mails. would be found most useful
souIos OF the government ON the breaking out of war
9in conformity To the standards required by these
c,. their readiness be used the shortest notice.
hr capacity transports for goods and munitions OF war;
"d ther great eeeriy Of motion, enabling Them
would render them terrible as Rqeriiias OF the ocean,
ssd with such armamenls as could be readily put upon
nam in their present condition.,
Rat sir what are the properties necessary for war
,samer' Speed is undoubtedly one, In point OF speed
what other going steamers equal those Of The Collins
Gnsi None, sir !; none They have beat the world. and
hsv stand confessed without rival on the ocean. The
aet Of speed therefoe cannot be among The supposed
Ssnquences OF these ships Great strength is another
necessary property. Well, sir. hazard nothing in say
;s me strength OF ship in the American navy has
hso 50 severely tested the strength OF these steamers
Ia gaes OF wind when sailing vessels lying to, and
meey beasng the force OF the waves. these ships
nrgine their way ahead with the mighty force OF their
Ooweul engines, perhaps at the rate OF eight or
len miles per hour and thus increasing the resistance,
and consequent strain to at least twofod. compared
With the sailing vessel Yet IN this war oil the elements
they have never suffered. +4s !.
Again Mr. President: consider the enormous power OF
e engines by which these steamers are propelled Each
n these engines is OF the calculated power OF fifteen hun
AIRED horses operating directly the ship ITSELF the
ulcmm of The mighty lever by which she is driven
through the Every stroke OF the piston is felt
sir, from stem to sleInIirom planksheaf 20 keeEin
every plank in every TIMBER and in every fibre. Why
s one OF these engines exes power sufficient to pro-
pe ball of the weight Of fifteen hundred pounds, with
syeociiy of thirty Thousand feet per mnule-,a
body which, taking the velocity into the account would
demolish the largest vessel that foated The reco
Of ten Of the largest batteries in the world would not ex
ercse SO much oe OF these steamers as does
the power OF her enormous englnes And yet sir, with
The buhetng OF the in gales and stormswilh the
exertion Of all this propelng power--hese gigantic
ships, like The rock amidst the waves, have with
stood, unscathed and unshaken some Of the most terrible
storms that agtae the Atlantic. Sir, what perfect
lest can be given OF strength, solidity, and seaworh-
ness than has been applied to these noble ships For
myself, can conceive OF none.
But, sir the honorable senator now takes up another
POSITION He says that propeers are superior to side
wheel steamers Tor war purposes. In this statement
perfectly agree with him, taking as general rule But
Dir propeles would not answer the purpose OF our gov
eminent for mail steamers Their speed is not such as
the times require. Under the government direction,
therefore, these steamers were equipped with side wheels,
and without which. however much they may take their
value and efficiency for purposes they would not
have been available for the mail service With the Brit
sh Cunard line the is the same However, sir,
The honorable senator admits require side wheel
steamers and it fortunately happens that in the Col
Inns line have sometha is, have four side wheel
steamers, the best in the world. The honorable senator.
however, regrets that the navy and the mercantile marine
should be united al all Sir the honorable senator's regrets
too late As far as these steamers concerned,
has already been done; and, in doing il, We have but
copied the example OF the greatest naval power in the
world and am far from apprehensive that anyev will
result from the act
Mr. President il does appear to that not only pride
country, but also mercantile interests demand that
this line oil steamers should not be left 10 untoward
late without at least more effort of this government
prevent such result Sir, the of 1912 cost this
country three hundred millions OF dollars And for what
that war waged and prosecuted part IL was,
ar to our rights and promote commercial
ress the and to them 10 be respected
We great object was gained and, SIR, as an American
e1en, thank Heaven that my country has never
anbed to a foreign power. Her flag still in all its
lory, and is respected by every civilized nation on earth
Nor would strike flag of commerce. II has achieved
most important though peaceful victory, and will not
give my TO have furled or struck 10 any foreign
val. But sir such must be the should refuse
The aid contemplated in this amendment; and we must
uder the modification OF descending the scale OF
mecal enterprise, and, for the of ifing Pc
euuiary sacrifice consenng 10 become second when
and might have renamed first
Sir, the superiority OF our immense fleet OF sailing
sells Is already established. Foreign natons with all
their apparent superior advantages, have been unable 10
cope with in this species Of naval architecture Our
ships traverse every and unfur our flag in every port
IN the world and wherever they appear command the ad
mraon OF all observers In this, our ayore and une
qused line OF ocean steamers, have also the evidence
that we excel young as we in this modern enter
by OF steam To deprive us OF this cause Of
triumph, and to prevent from reaping its fruits il is
thai those concerned in the British line have conspred to
Dive the ships OF American line from it's route This
elected and you suffer the spirit of enterprise concerned
10 the business TO be crushed; and IL will be long time
before can again be aroused TO action. On the other
hand encourage and sustain it, and but few years will
have elapsed we shall have a fleet OF steamships ira
vusng the in every direction, giving much greater
facilities 10 commerce than ever yet enjoyed and greatly
facilitating our communication with all parts OF the world
Besides this, cir superiority in this matter being fully
established, and universally KNOWN as will be, what is
prevent us from obtaining large share OF that luca
i've business, now monopozed by Great Britain, of
building steamships Tor other nations which lack the skill
10 build them for ihemselvesl This would be extremely
all classes in the community
MI PRESIDENT, the increase OF our steam marine woull
also make heavy draughls on our immense coal heds.
from Ohlo IRON indiana from Kentucky, from Virginia.
Be transported to all our seapors from Portland TO New
oiieans, and al every port would meet with ready
sale all these interests OF any importance IN
1ew, let us unite 10 promote them by lending helping
and TO the company which soics IL, and whose noble
hps, trust, are destined 10 become the nucleus OF
numerous beei, all equally excellent.
MI President, cannot permit myself to close these
smdks without paying well-mered compliment TO
e geniiemaniy propreors OF the celebrated Collins
hae OF steamers, equaed by none that float The bosom
ihe ocean. Sir, these gentlemen certainly deserve
wen OF their country. With a degree OF munihcence
seldom equaled they have expended their money without
sh on an object truly NATIONAL and BY the result have
paced Out country ahead OF all Others in point OF prac-
wa success, with respect to steam navigation on the
peah and thus wrested the palm Of victory from the
OroW lbat mighty naval power which has claimed for
eenges 70 be the mistress OF the More than this,
Mi the millions they have expended, and by which they
mol prohied themselves, have gone 70 reward honest
industry and mechanical science and skill Thev have
in