The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-10-04


Der Of mechanics. and unless precautions be taken
in time the distress and suffering suongst the Ia
boring population will be very great Its, there
fore, the duty Of every employer and Of every
working man to prepare himself for this state of
things. Although the pressure of distress cannot
be avoided. it may. by care be very much miti-
gated Manufacturers, Tor instance whose re-
sources are not sufficient to carry them through
the winter without the certainty of stopoage
would do well TO commence their retrenchments
at once, SO thai they may be enabled to avoid
that distressing necessity. BY putting their men
on hs'ftme now they will be able probably to
pass safely through this critical period, and thus
some resource against starvation. This would be
better than continuing mouth or two logger in
full operation and then stopping short, when the
rigors of the winter would render the effects Of
the suspension disastrous to a number Of poor
families. To mechanics themselves we would
say-practice for time the most
rigid economy, deny yourselves every
thing that your necessities do not absolutely cali
for spend no morey on superfuous dre-s or id'e
jonketipg. Recollect that the lives nf your wives
and children depend upon yoar foresight and
economy. Every dollar spared now will be worth
ten when the horrors of such a winter as that
which we have reason to anticipate will come up
on you. The mechanic who grati6ss unnecessary
tastes or appetites in presence of the dangers
which are Threatening his family, we look upon
as criminal.
Az the large cities are likely to suffer mos.
from the number Of sufferers who will crowd in
upon them during the pressure Of the severe sea-
ron, the municipal authorities should everywhere
take care TO anticipate as far as possible the
heavy calls that will be made upon them.
Thus wherever there are works in contempla-
ton which are likely to give employment to the
laboling population, steps should be taken to COM
plete the arrangements for putting them into
operation 1t is better to pay large sums for use.
tut or even ornamental works than to have to
dole them ont in eleemosynary aid. By facing
the difficulties that threaten us manfully, and
making timely provision TOR them, We may pass
over the winter without having to lament any
ex'raoi dinary aggTavation of suffering.
Screw ana Paddle StoamerS-Wh1Cn are the
most ProGtabley
When Robert Fulton sent his first steamer
from New York to Albany-just fifty years ago
he adopted side paddle wheels as a means Of
propulsion. Except that the wheel was not
covered by q wheel house, cur river and ocean
steamers present the same appearance to- day
that Fulton's primitive craft did in the infancy
of steam navigation. Cunard, Collins and Van
derbllt still employ the paddle-wheel, notwith.
standing the facts which we publish this morning
c.Rrly chow that this class Of steamers is rapidly
disappearing from the ocean. In another column
tables that give complete view Of the different
classes of vessels in use in the British navy and
the British mercantile marine.
1t will be seen that Outing fifteen years-from
1912 to 1856 inclusive-there were built and
registered in Great Britain 1879 sail
ing vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of
1,94573i tons. During the same period there
were built and registered 1885 steamers of al
aggregate Of 49, 20 tons. This gives total
of IL 394 vessels ard 1851 .654 tons. OF the
number Of vessels little less than one eighth are
steamers, and Of the tonnage not far from one
fifth But ii is in the vast Increase Of steamers
beyond the increase Of sailing vessels that we see
the preponderatiDg influence OF steam az mo-
tive power. During the nest active ten years
from 1916 to ls5J-the amount Of tonnage Of
sailing vessels launched in a year increased only
from IL 900 tons TO 2420 900 tons annually, OF
about llG per cent During the sane period the
annual steam tonnage launched decreased from
10 s94 tons 10 Sl,OlS tors being GA per cent, or
more than eight fold while the building Of sail
ing vessels was but little more than doubled OF
vessels employed exclusively in the home trade
and exclusively in the foreiga trade, the follow
ing figures show the actual increase and the per
ceptege Of increase during seven years. from
1919 to 1885,
TONNAGE TIE HOME YRApp
1912 $50, hasase.
S.!l',g Teuels...... te5726 Tlos
steamers. ...s...s.. o. Vs' oi'oio 10
IosNAGs FoRUGy
1859. 1883 Ircyeass
sSss rs'''a.. 1 Sos as:ss1 4s
These facts are of the greatest significance.
They show that the foreign commerce OF Great
Britain is fast leaving the old luggers-tubs
with such appropriate names as Tortoise and
Water Bruiser-for the sure and rapid transit
guaranteed by steamers like the Baltic, Persia,
the Himslaya aad the Vanderbilt OF the supe-
riority of steamers over sailing vessels in these
days Of railroads, lightning teleSraphs, quick
sales and quick profits, there can be 20 question.
Independent Of the rapid transit aud comparative
certainty OF arrival of goods and passengers, one
fact will show the comparative chcapness of
steamers AT the launching of The large screw col
lier, William Carey, in the Thames the otherday it
was stated confidently by the correspondent
men in the London Coal Exchsnge--that in the
rapid passages she would make, with 1900 tons
Of coal, besides fuel for round trip, she would
do the work Of twenty sailing GOLFERS Of 800
tons each. Nov, an accurate computation OF the