Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-09

are in, which indicate the election of Judge Brown
dem, as Governor. His majority will probably be TO-,
OGO to 10000 The democrats, it is likely, will also
carry the congressional districts.
From Havana.
New YORK Oct 5-The steamer Calawba from
Havana, with dates to the 3Oth has arrived. Business
was dull The crews of most of the American vessels in
port were down with the yellow fever, which also pre-
vailed slightly in the city proper The reduced duties
corn ceased the Both. The stock limited and
the prices weak.
The SLAYER captured east of Cardenas the Ameri
can ship Mazeppa, said to have 800 slaves board
The stock Of sugar at Havana was $4,000 boxes.
Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce
Ocean Screw-Steamers.
LONDON SEPTEMBER IL, 1857.
have noticed in several American papers statement
that over three hundred screw-steamers being
built in Great Britain for trans service and that
great activity prevails in all branches of steam navi
ton Glowing predictions are made to the effect that
this feet of iron steamers must produce upon our nav
cation interests and our merchants and shpbuders
loudly called upon to bestir themselves and build steam
ships to compete with their English rivals.
The following list of ships building upon the Clyde
may interest your readers and to aay their fears
You will notice that not single argesteamer is building
for English account except for subsidized mail compa
MES, and none for the English and American trade.
The ships building for Bremen and Hamburg account
are for the New York and Brazil lines from those ports
lines from Europe to America.
Steamships oboce 1900 tons building 0" the Clyde IN 1857
Austraasian, (ready for sea- for Australian Mail
Company 700 700
One ship for do. 400
service in East Indies. 500
Three for Brennan account 800
-Four Bremen account. 800
Two for Hamburg account Hamburg and New
On the Thames and Tyne the ship yards are idle, and
the States. There less disposition to build steam
than sailing ships, and the large fleet that has for
months lain idle in the Victoria Dock vanly seeking
purchasers at prices below the cost of the hu does not
look as if had much to fear from them The princi
pal steamship builder the Clyde told the other
day that he had done nothing for English account for
two years past and but for his foreign orders would be
quite idle With little experience we may look
for abatement of the desire of north of Europe
friends to build steamers.
The transportation Of troops during the Russian
saved more than one steam company from bankruptcy
and the like employment to India is just now doing them
the good service, thus fast clearing out the feet
that has lain idle since the close Of the Crmean cam
paign.
The Australian steamers so into the transport bust
fast they arrive at home and this week two
Belgian and one French ships were taken.
The Australian steamers have all been unfortunate
this year, and have been badly beaten by the clippers
The Cape and Calcutta lne started last year, with
mail subsidy of 100000 has also been abandoned the
ships good Ones with moderate power, and were
well managed but could not make passages equal to the
clipper lndiamen. In fact the use of small auxiliary
steam power for long voyages has certainly failed In
stead of combining the advantages of clipper ship with
those of steamer these vessels do no good either
and seem to illustrate the old adage between two
Stools, &c. The enormous cost OF Goals in South
America, India, Australia, &c. precludes the employ
ment OF fulpowered ships for ordinary traffic. and for
some time at least sailing ships will have nothing to
fear in the India and Australian and Pacific trades from
the present class of steamships.
The most interesting problem in navigation just
is the Of the Great Eastern She will be launch
ed in three weeks and ready for sea in three months and
if successful both national and commercial enter
prise she will revoutiOnize ocean steam traffic and the
trade between Europe and America completely as her
predecessor the Great Western A line of these man.
moth ships, crossing the Atlantic in days, will be
the nearest possible approach to floating bridge be-
tween the continents; and with good management
and feeders at each end of the route, drawing in traffic
from all parts OF the Eastern and Western worlds, they
must monopoze the passengers and much of the freight
| business between Europe and America.
What pity that the Great Eastern is not ready now
She could transport 10000 troops to India in thirtyve
days or less, having Goals and stores sufficient to bring
her home and in ninety days be ready to start from here
second time. This single ship is thus capable of trans
porting 100000 troops per annum from England to In
dia and in this business should receive eO000OO ster
ling per annum-some margin for dividend
! In the meantime ships quietly and gradually
absorbing the trade between Great Britain and her col
Onies. The fine carrying capacity and good sailing
qualities Of the ships and the intelligence activity and
economy OF the masters advantages that not even
English prejudice resist in these days of close COM
petition Australian charterers and merchants now rive
American ships the preference, and to give you an idea
Of what we are doing in this and the Pacific trades
over 10000 tons Of American shipping is now under
charter on British account, and all paying fair profits
to the owners. Rely upon it that every year will in
crease in favor the comparative British and Ameri
can tonnage employed in the trade of the United King
| dom.
We have no reason to despair of our navigation in
erests. Even if should lose portion of our pas
seneer trade between Europe and America there is
business enough in the general trade of the world to en-
ploy all the tonnage not needed our coast, and so
long we can sail our ships better and cheaper than
any other people we have nothing to fear If our ship
builders prudent they will soon have as much bust
ness they properly attend to- and both shipbud-
ers and ship-owners will wake up some fine morning
within the next twentyour months and find their inter
ess properng beyond all precedent in spite of real and
imaginary screw fleets.
BooK-KEEP1NG IN DOUBLE ENrRY-On the exami-
nation of Stephen Bronson, Jr charged with defraudng
bank in Chicago, of which he was cashier Judge VIII
son, one OF the victims, witness and gave the fol-
lowing important piece of evidence
Have never examined the books to ascertain in re-
gard to the accounts witness would not ATTEMPT anv
such thing He regarded the plan of keeping books by
double entry as scheme for swinding False entries
could be made and the best of keepers could not
detect Them Witness would as soon undertake to work
the difficult problem in uxions comic sections as to
unravel the mysteries of double entry bookkeeping IF
the books show balance for Bronson they are wrong
the double entry system should be abolished by statute