The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-20

American Entcrprase I'm EuroPo-A Yankee
Restoring her Fleet 70 Russia.
When the British government was carrying on
the Canfe war in the colony at the Cape Of Good
Hope, some American, in view of the great trouble
and difficulty encountered by the English in their
operations proposed to carry the by contract
with five or ten thousand of our Western rifemen
and frontier rangers. But the governments of
Europe had not yet quite reached the point of carry
ing on their beligerent operations by contract with
our citizens, though there be no doubt that we
could do it far more economic lily than they do
it themselves; and, indeed, they have made some
advance toward it in the late war in the East as is
shown by their contracts with Colt and other Ameri-
cans for arms, and with many of our shipowners
for large clippers and fine steamships.
Although they will not contract with us to
carry on their wars, yet they are quite ready
and willing to do it in the work of repairing
the ravages that have been committed. Russia has
the most progressive government of any country in
Europe, and accordingly find her first in the con-
tract system. 1t is well known that the entire fleet
of that power in the Black Sea sunk at Sebaso.
pol when the South town surrendered to the French,
and one hundred and seven steamers, shipsofthe-
III ,e frigates, corvettes, transports and merchant
Russ has therefore, virtually no feet in the Black
Sea.
But IN enterprising Yankee from Boston proposed
to restore his fleet to Russia, and contract has
been closed Cor that purpose. In less than two years
he will return to the Russian government larger
feet in the Bla. k Sea than the whole navy of the
United States at he present time. The men, means
and mechanical a, 'pliances to be employed in
this enterprise are exclusively American, and
are to be directed and controlled by Yam
kee ingenuity, transfe RED to Sebastopol for
that purpose. The ships 10 be raised comprise six
teen war steamers four 100 gun ships fifteen "a
gun ships, nine frigates, and numerous brigs,
schooners, transports and merchantmen.
The enterprising contractor is John E. Gcwen, of
Boston, the who raised the wreck of the steam
ship Missouri in the harbor of Gibraltar, under con-
tract with our government. This wreck had laid
eight years in that harbor, and the British govern
ment made continued attempts for three years to
remove it, until the English engineers gave up in
despair, and reported thst human ingenuity could
not free the harbOr from that danger. The British
Cabinet then requested that the government of the
United States would take the matter in hand and it
sent out live Yankee who effected the desired
purpose in sixty days, under contract for
ifty-nine thousand dollars. This achievement
was looked upon with great surprise in
England and probably led member OF Parliament
to declare that the Ashburton treaty, negotiated
about the same time. was piece of overreaching,
as it had been negotiated in Washington with live
Yankee.
When Mr.. Gowen reached Moscow last summer,
to lay his proposals before the Russian government
he found the ground already covered with French
and English engineers, some of whom had been
there for months. He called upon Duke Constan-
tine laid before him the report Of the English engi
neers stating the removal of the Missouri from the
harbor Of Gibraltar to be impossible, and Marcys
certificate that he had done it in sixty days, at
very low price. You are Just the man for me-
said Cons tantine and in twentyfour hours the con-
tract was signed and our Yankee was on his way to
Sebastopo TO survey his ground. The Russian gov
eminent placed small steamer al hs disposal, ana
showed him how the operation of sinking the ships
bad been done, and the Boston man said he guessed
be could return pretty nearly half of them in good
order, and clear away the remainder.
He is now making his arrangements in this city
and in Philadelphia, as he found on MS return to
this country that New York was a better place TO
prepare for great enterprise like this than neigh
boring village of Boston. All the machinery will be
prepared and shipped from here for Sebastopol early
in the spring. and will be accompanied with large
corps of American engineers, ship carpenters, and
20 forth. We commend a consideration OF these
facts to the attention of all the European govern
ments, and suggest that we can do anything for
them by contract, to the carrying on Of war;
and, moreover that New York is just the place for
all this kind OF enterprise. We ara ready here
to undertake anything. from the making OF pistol
or building of frigate to the conques, Of China.
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