Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-01
THE NEW STEAMERS FOR THE
NAVY

AAAA 49, " % "A EItS FOh THE
NAVY
During the last session, Congress made an
appropriation for the construction of six steam
trigates. This addition to our national ma
rine was much needed, and we trust il will be
followed by similar action on the part of Con-
gress, and by a thorough reform in our naval
system, which will restore its usefulness and
efficiency to the high standard of 1912 and
1914.
The hulls of the new steamers will be built
by the government, but the machinery for FIVE
of them will be built at private foundries. One
OF the vessels will be built at the Washington
navy-yard, and her engines will be fashioned
at the same place by the employees ofthe gov
eminent The other five vessels, with their
engines, will be constructed as follows:
One will be built at Boston with machinery
from West Point; one at New York with ma
chinery by Pease & Murphy; one at Philadel-
phia, with machinery by Merrick G Son; and
two at Norfolk, Virginia, with machinery by
Anderson, Delany 4 Co., of the city of Rich
mond.
Of course, there was great deal of compe-
tition for these important machinery contracts,
and of course those who failed to obtain them
were somewhat disappointed. There are
some who think that two of the ships, with
their engines, ought not to be built in Vir-
ginia but we think that the Secretary of the
Navy acted right, and that he deserves credit
for resisting the dictates of narrow preju-
dices. 1t has rarely happened that MACH
merry of any kind for the use Of the govern
ment has been ordered at the South. Hith.
erto, the excuse has been that extensive
foundries and machine shops did not exist
at the South. But that excuse is no longer
valid. Anderson, Delany & Co. control one OF
the largest establishments in the country, and
they have ample resources for executing the
work they have undertaken, or any other work
in their line Of business We feel confident
that any candid mind must admit they were
fairly entitled to the two contracts which have
been awarded them even on the idea that gov
eminent work should be equally distributed
between the different States In addition to
this we understand that the proposals of Ander-
son, Delany, 4 Co. were lower than those OF
their rivals and that their plans ,cere fully and
entirely approved by the Board Of Engineers
dppointed for that purpose.
The mechanic arts are beginning to spread
through the South and we have full faith that
the engines to be made in Virginia, will prove
that there is no need for the heavy taxation
which the people Of the South have so long
submitted to by failing either to produce oil
purchase those mechanical contrivances which
add so much to the productive labor of peo
pie. The steam engine itself, is almost entirely
unused on the farms of the south and nearly
all farming operations depend on the sheer
strength Of men and horses, But this cannot
last long. A few more enterprises like that o.
Andrew Delany Co., viii give new feature
to the city of Richmond, and to the vast coun
try which is commercially connected with it
| The James River furnishes unlimited water.
power. Coal abounds in the immediate neigh
borhood, and iron ore of rich quality can b.
easily obtained. A little of the spirit of enter
prise is all that is needed, and the contracts
which we have mentioned are well calculated
not only to infuse that spirit but to impar
confidence to capitalists in making investment
ola new character. In this point of view, III,
services rendered by the able and efficient re
preventative the Richmond district, in procur
ing those contracts for his city, are of the mos
important character, for they may lead to tn,
most important results. He has performed
his duty to his constituents, and Mr.. Dobbir
has, under the impulse Of sound Judgment ant
just discrimination, given, as far as he coulC
give, an impulse to most interesting move
ment.