The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-05-26
r | C II NJ ND, VA,
A SOUTHERN SHIP BUILDER

Our readers are familiar with the name and
lame of Steers, a young man, native of the
District of Columbia, the builder of the yacht
America, whose brilliant triumph over the
British yacht squadron, achieved for the
architect worldwide reputation Mr.. Dob
BIN, the Secretary ofthe Navy, employed Mr.
Steers to build one of the FIVE steam frigates
which was authorized to be constructed by
the last Congress. The New York Tribune
gives long account of this vessel, the Mag
ara, which is now on the stocks in the Brook
lyn Navy Yard, and is very enthusiastic in
It's praise. For once we can agree with the
New York Tribune, when it thinks ship is
the most beautiful creation of art, and quotes
John Ruskin, who says, in the first volume
of his Stories of Venice, that without any
manner of doubt, ship is one of the loveliest
things man ever made, and one of the no.
blest; nor do know any lines out of divine
work so lovely as those of the head of ship,
or even as the sweep of the timbers of a small
boat
The Tribune sitwas sforciblyreminded of
Ruskin's tribute to the beauty ola ship, few
days since, while standing at thestern of the
frigate Niagara in the Brooklyn Navy Yard,
and taking in by one glance ofthe eye the ex
quisitely beautiful lines of that superb speci-
men of naval architecture. 1t is an odd ex-
preston to apply to such huge mass Of
timber, for we believe she is the largest YES
sci in the world, but lovely is the only term
that properly tells the exquisite sensation
with which the view of her fills the mind
She is truly the most graceful and satisfying
work of art we have ever beheld, and look
ing upon the faultless curves of her timbers
and the fascinating sweep of her enormous
hull, one feels as every artistic and thought
ful mind must sometimes have done, when
gazing upon sleeping infant or bank Of
cumulous clouds in summer sky.
"What adds to the sensation of delight with
which we view n stupendous work of human
ingenuity like this noble ship, is the almost
sublime impossibility of its conception and
execution. The Apollo Belvidere or the We
nus of Milo, is only.a. beautiful copy of hui
man being gracefully moulded and elabo-
rately carved, patched, chiseled, mended and
altered until its resem blance to the original
or to the artists ideal was complete. But in
the case of ship infinitely complicated prin
ciples are involved, the combination of
which, in the mind of the builder, must pro
duce the perfected form before the first tim
Der can be laid or the orders issued to the
thousand workmen who are to aid him in
accomplishing his splendid design
The Niagara is constructed, like all the 60
vernment vessels, wholly of live oak, and is
said to be the largest steam frigate in the
world. Her tonnage 5000; extreme length
on deck 345 feet; load line 1923 feet; extreme
breadth SIS feet; depth of hold 81 feet, there
are three decks beside the orlop. The arma-
ment will consist of u eleven inch pivot
guns to carry 170 h. shot and charge of
5 lbs. of powder She is to be full ship rig
ged, her mainmast being Ill feet long and 3
feet inches diameter; the main yard will be
IS feet, and the mizzen spanker boom 81 feet.
Congress appropriated million of dollars for
her construction, but Mr. Steers thinks she
will not cost over 5000, 200. He is confident
that under sail she will go II knots an hour
with a good breeze, but that her speed will
not be greater than Is knots under steam, SIS
her engines will not be of corresponding
power to her great bulk.
We rejoice to record this new triumph of
Southern genius, in the person, too, of a
young man, who has had but little instruc-
ton from books ard masters, and is indebted
for his marvellous success to his own extra
ordinary genius and energy.