New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-11-19


,inc Zoe, ,erorlei m newe columns on lho lal'
e,i,sl or ,ho Arabia Ihis fact the arrival 81 BIO
Am.ioep chip Cbtllengo, hi lhya, LahD 80 runs Tho
,,pof TLo Challongn VIVA ga bor way from India, on
n reported lfin ~ speed win British ship wboss
nuhm In England wnH chfoni'led in The uows Of the
r,cecdng sieninor Onf reflection, thereon arc pre-.
tlcal 10 what point goipg Ia tho contraction
ol our clppol rhpa 1horo 10 nnofble liut SONG
wh,ro To lhc sze and speed Of seagong veasoIa tho
rront Of such vcssola concldcDt With Tho extreme
limit 10 which construction can be carried Whatever
magnificent thing ran be done. the Yankce will DO
mninl, determined In tho doing Of such by oOnsidera
tons of profit We are not such fools 10 be build
inc ships and steamers for mere show The rivalry Of
the Cunhrders il tho nearest approach have made
TO H. and here patient and willing Uncle Sam has
and again consented 10 have his pockets picked TO
thin the job But this is the only example, if example
il can be called.
The Challenge put into FayLl leaky This simple fact
tells story for the clippers, well known TO s nautical
men The clippers are ieaky, class The ships are
immensely long narrow and sharp as a wedge. Their
construction is thus such that they buckle and twist
Ike withe in heavy weather The fact that they 10
80 is one Of the necessary conditions OF their unex
aupled speed stiff vessel cannot be propelled over
the uneven and varying surface Of the ocean like
flexible one To attain the utmost degree Of possible
velocity, ship must be so built as to adapt herself
neasurahly to the surface she trayerses. The
strsn upon the clippers, owing to their great sharp
ness and length, (the prOpelling power being aloit
and not under or upon deck in the steamers), In
duces their rapid deterioration. Il produces weak
ness which increases in geOmetrca ratio TO their years
so that may be fairly doubted whether the average
life OF cur best clippers is going to exceed five years
Ii is not long since the very legible marks Of
premature old age upon one of the finest OF hese crafts
and the Captain acknowledged that such results as
were there apparent were the inevitable fruits of the
peculiar construction of the ship audit is fact OF well
understood significance that our clippers generally
lard their cargOes in California in very bad condition
Tie great marine underwriting interest thus becom
inc sensitive in respect to this class OF ships The rate
OF Insurance is already higher and more difficulty Is
experienced in procuring it, The cargo OF new clip
per is not to-day ayorite risk in the Pacific as the
cargo OF an old whaler As in regard to the general ar
citecura characteristics Of clippers SO too in respect
TO their immense tunnage and capacity Some OF our
richest and most enterprsDg commercial houses stead
lily refuse to touch the largest Of these ships in the
way OF purchase on the ground that the delay and diff
fculty of loading such great carriers, 10 most OF
tie ports Of the world is serious drawback upon the
advantages obtained by their superior speed A COM
paratiycly slow ship that load once and be OF
may reach her port Of destination than a swift
one that waits long for her cargo
These considerations all point to one result ia respect
to the present unparalleled strides OF mercantile
marine 1t is that we have touched or are close upon
tie eliminating point regards the size and speed of
cur clippers Indeed, it seems nOt improbable, in view
them that the present rage for monster cppersbps
will subside, and be followed by general cOngic
ton in favor Of ships constructed model as to
shape and capacity, somewhere between our old Liver
pool liners and the extremes of modern clippers In
respect of gigantic going steamers, however We
not ready TO confess to backward movement. On
tie contrary, we are by no that it will not
lie found that the quickest, safest, most profitable
yeyance for the transatlantic passage, is to be ship Of
lo,OO0 turs burden. We expect to live to the
pertinent tried and the fact tested We ready for
this and also for the entire success of Mr. NOrrs's
feet steamer with tie iron back bone. Our next trip
to Europe We are confident will be in the other