The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-05-18
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.


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From an Occasional Correspondent.
New YoRK, May 10. 1853.
An Unprecedented amount Of business in given time
being transacted in the New York custom house Our
commerce bids fair 10 double itself What aeconmoda
don, should il quadruple' But why ask question few
can stop to hear answered. Since the disclosure in
your columns of the plans had 10 view by purchaser
OF third OF the bay the jersey shore, the possessors
Of the adjoining marshes, in solemn conyocalion have
resolved TO drain them II is not known whether they
have quite closed correspondence with the authorities
OF Lombardy, or the burghers OF Amsterdam or The
States General the subject !, is an edifyog thought
10 a laughing philosopher think oil the heavy shipping
that will be forced to the Jersey side II would seem
the fate OF too rapid progress TO overlook vast hc-
dental advantages. The happy discoyerer OF these
strollpx on leisuTey, ihoughtiuy, IMAM ho
fellows. what they saw. and makes fortune
Meanwhile, increased business is driving hard 10 Keep
ground at this extremity Of the island Streets that mad
passed from The occupancy OF the olden arstoeracy 10
swarming mmigrants-with no more reverence Tor The
fine proportions and stately prestige OF the dwellings
than the Neapotan boatman for the ducal palace into
which poverty thrus,s himare quietly tumbling about
their ears Even the fine range OF mansions fronting
the Battery and which witnessed small share of the
wealth. beauty and fashion of the olden time, have had
their fate read out. One year is all the grace allowed
Al their venerable porches handles are loose and plates
gone Nothing that fails is repaired. The very panes
are dull and dingy score of earthquakes in given d.
REGIONS OF the city, and with due forewarning, would
save millions OF dollars and tons of dust.
With the present extension of commerce, the ope.
ratons of The newly authorized Lig house Board be-
come matter OF very grave concern The congressional
documents on lighthouses referred 10 the Committee
Commerce in July OF last year, show the work before
them 10 be immense. 1t is true the power OF the
bers of this board is in way independent complete
81 IT. .,.,., -.
ommendat il is to be presumed, carry all the weight
necessary 10 induce action thereupon. Le.he RESPONSE
bity of ascerianng and suggesting remedies for what
ever is defective deficient in light house system,
and of proposing improvements, be fully discharged.
Proof has already been given and allowed that the hts
on our not satisfactory to captains of ships
and pilots generay neither 10 the last board who, under
law made inspection OF them that the cost OF the Amer
lean lights OF the nominal class is but little less
than that oil Great Britain, while the quality quite nIe
rior tina, hghboats defective in all essential
auaties and especially in the lighting apparatus which
is anqua,ed and wastetul in the extreme that the in
specion of oil is inadequate that the French lenses,
consuming blu, one-fourlh OF the oil used in our Ar
gand lamps and reiectors for the amount OF light,
are more economical in the proportion OF nearly four TO
one that there general want of system, just such
as must arise from want OF practical knowledge in the
clubhouse construction and illumination of extend
ed coasts that the system OF inspection and supernlend
ence is insufficient, The Illuminating apparatus nearly
obsolete the sea- coast lights defective in range and pow
er uncassied without proper distinctions. and without
regulation finally, that the coast is unequaly lighted a,
different points There ia occasion abundant for reform
Bes,des light vessels not kept in their places during
of the year especially dangerous the navga-
on aud no efficient system is provided for giving notices
OF changes in lights, beacons, buoys, &C. AS to
s,ruciion, all captains agree that the lights OF this
country, general thing, are TOO low; that, espe
cay on headands, they should be elevated and oil
greater brilliancy Who weuld venture TO estimate the
extent which the Of Philadelphia has been
inerfered with by the known owness and quality OF the
light Of Cape Henlopen, which scarcely in clear wealth
en- is seen ten miles, the shoals lying off nearly that dis
lance. AS most large vessels bound into Philadelphia
are obliged to keep south OF Cape May TO clear e" five
fahom bank" that light is scarcely ever made by
ships from Europe running the parallel OF Cape
Henopen, rendering the sight Of this light OF the high
est Importance. Nor anything be determined from,
soundings the shoals having from ten oweve fahoms
close TO, and 10 places much inside. The char
acer of The soundings, too, from Cape Henlopen forty
miles SOUTH is much the same, and consequently
liable The board, newly organized, under the active
supervision and cooperation OF Lieutenant jenkins, is
understand advancing rapidly with its experiments
on the Fresne and other lenses The disincnaton ex
hbied by the British governme nj TO operate officially
with the enlargement and per ectng OF exist
taxing COxulLAuct VI
pears 10 have been founded misappehenson, either
Of what was required or OF the character Of the work
lii hes, the ascerlanment OF currents prevalence OF
winds in given attitudes, &c, should be left TO private
observers" But OF what public advantage all these
private observations. If not brought together and authofi-
tauvely coaed and compared with view TO general de-
duconsi BY consent, all maritime nations benefited
by conclusions thus satisfactorily arrived al the new
paths OF ocean opened up by science working expert
ence, none show any reluctance in seizng The setu-
ring these conclusions-tbis is the labor foreign gov
is disposed 10 decline. By some foriuiious
OF log books, private observers can do all the
work-so TO the thought. OF honorable gentle
If otherwise, Lieut.. Maury and bis associates, by
The egerdeman OF unceasng toll, are expected to yield
the information necessary for national vessels or private
merchantmen. So this officer must satisfy himself with
parliamentary compliment, and Atlas continue TO bear
hs burden unssssted. Do legisatng gentlemen
The water believe in currents, know that the
shortest route from point TO another is always in
aslraeht linel The passage OF The cpper-shp Sow
eegn OF the Seas" has afforded the latest and most srk
lDg instance OF the advantage derivable from implicit
recognition Of the philosophy Of the wind and current
chartshis vessel, beside splendid run, both crossing
The equator in the Pacific and arriving port on the day
predicted" quote from Lieut.. Maury whose commu
ncaon OF the 10th instant the Secretary OF The Navy
on The performance OF this vessel aside the need of
any further reference. We shall yet have some fine
racing on the California route between believers and un
believers for the testing Of these charts One iavoring
circumstance is, that the number OF clippers put is
rapidly increasing in proportion to that OF other vessels
thus, whilst the year 1851 witnessed the arrival in San
francisco OF $50 sailing vessels from Atlantic ports Is