Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-10-06
Our Steam NAVY.

The Journal OF Commerce pays to Secretary Dob.
bin IA well.meted compliment in the following in
terestlng article on our steam navy No department
of the government has been managed with more
marked ability and than the naval, and we
nave every reason to anticipate that Mr.. Dobbns
eserons TO give that of the public service ele-
walton and power will prove emnenlIy successful
He devotes himself with untlring vigilance and ener-
gy the duties of his station and is already recev
ing the reward which is to be bestowed by a
Just people upon official fidelity and ability
"OUR STEAM NAvY-lt is relief to he able to
discover amy signs that the steam navy of the United
States will ever be extrcaed from the shameful po-
sitIon which it has heretofore occupied Almost
every successive attempt to establish its good fame
has only served to detract from what it had already
earned. Several good hulls have been copstructed,
while the engines. in most instances have proved
unmiligaed failures. 1t is said that this result vas
not much the fault of engineers, Inachinists or
naval constructors. as of old fogies," who, by their
ntermeddling, spoiled whatever they endeavored 10
improve Secretary Dobbin, in adopting measures
for the construction OF the six new steam frigates,
pursued very different from his predecessors,
having invited plans from experienced engineers
throug ghout the country, and, as consequence, is
enabled to avail himself of their combined talent
We are assured by we'll known scientific gentle
man, just retdrned from Washington, that there are
reasons for confidently believing that the proposed
steamers wi be model specimens of naval architec-
ure, AMI not inferior 10 anything now TO be found in
the navies of Europe The contracts, we are told,
awarded on Friday, and will very soon be made
public. These ships are to be of 5000 tons burden
255 feet in length, 81 in breadth, and will draw %
feet at extreme lead line. All of the machinery will
be below the surface OF the water, which plan was
first introduced in steamers intended for purposes
by Mr. Ericsson in the steamship Princeton hut
which has since been almost universally adopted in
English and Franch vessels -ofwar Of our own
naval steamers il is claimed that none have proved
successful than the Princeton. During her two
years cruise in the Mediterranean her engines requir
ed repairs whatsoever, and her performances at
tracted much notice 1t during this cruise that
all the measurements of her engines taken, and
subsequently reproduced in France, on the steamer
Pomone and now, before observed, in almost
universal use
We are informed that in all probability one, aad
perhaps Two, Of the steamers will be furnished
with engines substantially the same plan. Mr..
Ericsson had with him at Washington a beautiful
model, with important improvements He terms it
the vibrating lever engine the principal feature
being The application of rotary motion to the pro.
peller, similar to the Prnceon's. Vibrating pistons
done away with. and the ordinary pistons intro
duced. 1t is exceedingly simple and very compact.
The engines of the famous English steamer Ajax
much the same principle, but a larger num-
Der OF cylinders employed, all working the same
shaft necessarily occupying much space, involving
many complications. and consequently more liable
to need frequent repair II is said of Mr. Ericssons
engine with all of its simplicity, that the amount of
power eXerted Will exceed the power of the Ajax"
Breaches of faith ~ screamed Mrs. PartIngton,
she heard the term applied to Mexican violations
of the arni,tce. .Well, wonder what they will
have next have hearn tell of cloaks of hypocrisy
and robes OF purity, but never heard of hreeches
of faith be ore. hope they are made of something
that won't change and out as old Deacon Cud-
pins faith did for his always changing. He
went from believin that nobody would be saved, to
believing that all would be and last turned out TO
be phrenoager. and didn't believe in nothin.
wonder If it's strong as cashmere !" and she bit
off her thread and prepared a new needle full