Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-10-01
STAR.
GEORGE STEERS, MECHANIC

Ter the value OF appellations, in bis gran
poem Paradise Lost" calls the Deity :. Oh
artlhcer of hsaven's vast mechanism :" an
Jeremy Taylor, one Of the most elouuept an
piOus Of divines, borrowing Milton. idea. mr.
claims " the human heart Gods chiefest IN
| umph Of mech anism."
Whatever progress the world has made frol
vice t. virtue, from barbarism to civilization
IS owing to the divine institution Of work.
| Is the gastric juice Of the world. The me
ehanlc is Natures true gentleman, as distin
guished from that loafer, the aristocra,
What matters it whether he lies, like drum
| ken Jamaica negro, in the sun, snoring AVA
in debauched browse his faculties, or hang
about ar-rooms, tipping and smoking, or il
his Fifth avenue palace wastes his hours il
dressing, playing billiards, or fiirting9 Al
these are mere lOafers compared to the me
| chanic, whose energy and industry helps tn,
| world along
Among American mechanics George Steer
occupied foremost station, for in addition e
| the dignity attending the mere personal faci
| OF his industry and his genius his efforts had
the effect of increasing the prestige of the
American name in a channel of Infinitely
| more importance TO a great commercial ma
tion, than by bringing unknown planets into
the telescope kingdom, or by eclpxing Shaks
peare, or even by destroying the hostile fleets
Of rival The labOrs of George Steers en-
! abed America to snatch the trident from the
hands Of the foremost nation in the world and
To raise, in the midst Of Englaud's proudest
gathering, a triumphant shou. for the Repub.
lean mechanic whose yacht had outstripped
the world While the recollection of a short
Interview with the great shipwright whose
name now Is part of our maritime history.
is fresh in our mind, let US make il the ccca-
sion Of a brief tribute Of respect to his mem
ory
1t took place on what might be called his
throne For the first and last time We saw
George Steers was Oh the deck of the Niagara,
that crowning triumph of his skill Strange
that his latest works were an c+fering 10 peace
and commerce in the Adristic, AMI one 60 war
ard conquest in the Niagara But these
specimens, fine as they are, are nothing cllu
pared to the new theory Of ship-buildiny
which be inaugurated. Short rs his life has
been-few as are his finished works-his exis.
tsnce has been Of as much value t. his coun.
try a. though he had built thousand vessels
Had Newton discovered the theory Of grayi.a-
tion in his eighteenth year, and died the next
day, his fame would have been cOmnlete-hi.
utility as permanent.
1t is not many days ago since, in Company
with our friend, the Doctor we accepted an
invitation to inspect the Niagara The day
was one of the finest of the season-a blue
sky, bright sun, and a fresh, life -breathinr
breeze blowing welcome to all nature. Ar
riving at the dOck-yaId, tho courtesy Of Mr.
Murphy, the chief engineer, allowed our
friend, Mr. Richards, who was his deputy, to
show us over this great naval and Ordns nee
station. We will pass the Museum, and at
once come to the chief ornament Of our Navy,
the dying work of our great marine architect,
the Niagara. Our companion, who is an
lrlshman, said, as We gazed ON it at a short
distance, at does not require an American
TO be proud Of such glorious work of art as
this Every admirer of beauty-every SYM
pathizer of human progression-eyery man
who takes pride in the intellect Of fellow
being, cannot fail TO gaze with admiration on
this steamer 30
We agreed with the doctor, for il is truly
triumph Of ingenuity and perseverance, Such
are its symmetrical proportions that, althou Oh
three hundred and forty five feet in length, it
has none Of that unwieldy look which such a
monster of architecture might naturally be sup
posed TO pOssess-yet when we went on board
ii seemed like a street wide as Broadway
Its deck is a flush one, and felt as solid as the
Russ pavement before Stewards marble pal
ace 1t is pierced for only twelve guns; bat
these are Of the calibrc Of the peace maker
one of which is in the Navy Yard The
heights between decks enable the tallest ma
to walk with his hat On-the cabins are ex-
cellently arranged, and provided with baths
and every convenience The greatest wonder
is the steam machinery. The boilers are inn
nenss and made the improved plan f
compartments, So that if one were to burst,
the damage could be repaired, while the ri-k
to life has been reduced to q minimum. But
the chief object Of interest We saw there, WAS
the great builder himself. lie was staining
before large table-which was covered with
dlagrams-his compasses aEd rule In his hands,
carefully measuring some distances.
Richards spoke 10 him, and when he looked
| up, We saw 4 calm, Intelligent face, clean
| shaved, mild and benevolent in expression,
| but very thoughtful anu frm; sOmewhs:
| above the medium stature, his figure was well
| made, neither too slim nor too broad. III:
! hair was brown, and the mildness of his look
| left on us the impression that bis eyes weT,
| blue. lie appeared 70 be even younger than
| he was, since We Were informed that he we:
| in his thirty fifth year. After a short conver
| sation, We thanked him for his courtesy, and
| bade him good bye, promising to call and
| see him again. when the vessel was completed
| Thus ended our first and last interview with
| a man, ut once modest, unassuming, and great
We copy from contemporary the bare fact:
Of his life
Mr. Steers was about 30 years of age. He
| was born in Washington city, but lived il
| New York since his boyhoOd, and learned hi,
} trade of ship building at one of our ship yards
| He wss a nsn of rare genius, Of the nobies'
] tIebnCtS duu vi Vi
| scier lie had enjoyed but slender OF por!u
| mites for improving his MUD 10y study, an,
| cut Of his noble art he had but email acquire
ments His knowledge of ship buildiE 3 Seem
| cd to he an Inspiration. ProbsbIy l4o mas
T. who ever achieved So great reputation T.,
his works owed 10 littlc to book learning A
the time OF his making the model for th
! world renowned yacht Amcrica he was jour
neyman in the employment Of the late William
| Ii. Brown, in whose service he assisted i
| building the Artic and another Of the Colli..
! steamers.
Since the victory achieved by the Aneric
at Cowes be has built a great number
yachts, and some Of the most beautiful
those Belonging TO the Yacht Squadron wer
of his modelling But he had genius &,
greater works than these, and lie had bt
just completed those magnificent specimens
laval architecture, the Niagara aud Al risti
! which be has not lived to SEQ fulfill the prom
ise Of their superb models Mr.. Steers W.
anxiOusly awaiting for these noble vessels
make their first sea voyage before he ma,
| new arrangements for building other vessel
| A brilliant career of usefulness was openiI
before him, he had many staunch friend
| he had already achieved 4 hirher renutn Att,