The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-25

Cheaper 8uu tucXeIoTc MuCu uoIS u0MSrouS
class Of vessels for defence than that with which
the enemy makes the attack. For the home
vessel, although cheaper and less seaworthy,
may be feeter, and at the same time carry an
armament of as heavy calibre and Of as great
range as any brought against il. Wherever
you can build river steamer, there we can
construct steam gunboat. Wherever you
can find q man that can run an engine, there
we can get crew for gunboat. Wherever
you can cast cylinder for steam engine,
there we can cast and bore Paixhan for the
gunboat. Therefore let US have few steam
gunboats, just to see what we can do.
The FIRST AMERICAN RIVER STEAMBOAT IN
EUROPE Our readers will remember that, some
three years ago, we mentioned that the Danube
Steam Navigation Company in Vienna, had
ordered steamboat engine at the Morgan Iron
Works of this city, and was going to intro
duce the American system Of river navigation
on the Danube.
It appears that this boat-constructed &C
cording to model furnished by Mr.. Thomas
Collyer, and the plans taken from the Rein
The speed of that boat exceeded the fastest
boat on the Danube by twenty per cent, and
the consumption of fuel proved to be less by
twenty-one per cent, in comparison with five
other boats Of similar size.
The Danube Company has adopted the Ame-
rican plan of building steamboats, since
then, and travellers on that beautiful
river win now meet with all the comforts and
conveniences for which the North river float
ng palaces are justly celebrated throughout
the world, and which, up to the time of its
adoption by the Danube Steam Navigation
Company, were only known on the other side
of the water by faint descriptions
The John Baptist, the FIRST American river
steamboat in the Old World, carrying with it
the evidences Of American ingenuity to the
very heart of Europe, becomes, therefore, an
object of high historical interest to the mocha
meal science Of this country, and there lie no
doubt that since this enterprising company has
introduced the system, in spite of the many
pr+judices in favor of the English plan Of
building engines and boats, it will soon gu
per sede, by it's evident advantag es in all par
ticulars, the present absurd system of construc-
ton in every part of Europe where the inte-
rests of companies and the comforts Of the
travelling communities are the ruling consi-
derations Of managers
The success attendant upon the John Baptist
induced the Danube Steam Navigation Company
to have two other large sized steamboat en-
gines built in New York, intended to run over
the rapids Of the "Iron Gate,' on the Lower
Danube. These rapids it was considered i'm
possible to ascend until very few years since.
The speed of the water at some parts of them
is equal to ten miles an hour; and the river as
sumes, in passing the narrows formed by gi-
gantic perpendicular masses Of rock, the ap-
appearance Of boiling surf, dangerous in the
extreme to navigation, and requiring the most
consummate command Of the boats in master
ing the mighty pillows rolling down through
the pass.
The en- gines intended to stem these rapids and
currents are now being completed at the Morgan
Iron Works, and will be shipped to Austria in
the course Of this and next week. The boats
to receive them are being constructed in the
ship yards of the Danube Company at Alt
Ofen, according to the models of our ingenious
country man, Mr.. George Steers; and it is to
be hoped that these boats will perform their
interesting and hazardous task to the full
satisfaction of the company that has paid go
high compliment to the artizans Of this
country by coming so far and going to SO
great an expense for the purpose OF obtaining
engines and models to effect the most difficult
fresh water navigation in Europe.
The Danube Steam Navigation Company is
the largest steamboat company in the world. 1t
navigates the Danube from Linz, in Upper Aus
tria, to Galatz, in Moldavia by means Of eighty
eight steamboats, and upwards of three hundred
tow barges, which ana 1ow being augmented
to one hundred steamboats, and five hundred
tow barges to meet the increased demand for
freight and passage. The company employs
about 1000 persons in carrying on the shipping
business, and in the construction Of the boats
at her extensive works in Alt Ofen. The en-
pines for these boats are ordered whenever ne v
improvements are made in their construction,
thereby always keeping pace with the progress
of the times and the experience Of other coun.
triee.
The company's affairs are conducted by an
enlightened board Of directors, under the able