The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-05-05
cz4r AND AMERICAN GENIUS


CAR AND AMERICAN GENIUS.
The autocrat of all the Russias is, recog-
n;zed as the very embodiment of despotism,
and consequently, the foe of everything
liberal which we Americans hold most
dear. Nevertheless. this exalted poten-
tate has always evinced a strange affection
for Yankee land, and in many ways en-
courage our men of genius and enterprise
TO regard St. Petersburg as a city of golden
reward. The railroads which the govern
,,ent has found essential to its schemes OF
internal improvement has been built and
aon;pped by men whose local habitation is
in Philadelphia and Baltimore. The most
valuable contracts fer the construction OF
machinery have been awarded to American
narties over the heads of skilful competi-
tors in the land of Birmingham and Shat
field. And now we find the government OF
the Car, which is working with indefatiga-
ble energy to retrieve the disastrous conse-
ouences of the war in the Crimea, securing
the services of our ingenious engineers TO
raise from the harbor Of Sebastopol that
extensive navy which it was found neces-
sary to sink, to save from the grasp of the
allies.
Concerning this Yankee expedition to
the Crimea, considerable misrepresentation
has gone abroad, in consequence of the
hasty statements of the Boston press. In
spite of the alleged sailing of company
destined to forestall those who had been
announced as the lucky contestants for the
contract, we are now positively assured
that the sole contract for the performance
of this mighty task was awarded by the
Court of St. Petersburg to Col. John f.
Gowen, of Boston, who is renowned in his
peculiar vocation of submarine engineer.
The company which has sent vessels to
Sebastopol, in advance of this distinguished
engineer, has merely permission to survey
the harbor and the wrecks, and in case of
the. failure of the contractors, to make an
attempt to accomplish the work. In the
meantime, Col. Gowen has made the most
extensive preparations for the expedition,
and from the power and efficiency of his
arrangements, he feels confident of his sue
cess. Besides the two vessels he has en-
gagged, there are two transport ships, of a
thousand tons each, several gun boats,
powder, and an immense variety of all kinds
of materials placed at his command by the
Russian Government. The engines, suits
of sub marine armor, pumps, floating docks
and other facilities for performing the con-
tract, are already complete. The organic
ed force to be employed will amount to be-
tween 1.5O0 and 1000 men. 1t is stated
that the old method of raising vessels by
means of chains and screws, which the
| ''Boston Submarine Company" profess to
treat with contempt, is sanctioned by Col.
Gowen as the only sure and efficient method
of proceeding under the circumstances
Philadelphia is interested in Col. Governs
success. The company formed here is
connected with that gentleman's operations,
and moreover, we have the credit of having
the first parry at Sebastopol engaged in
surveying the ground, and adjusting the
preliminares for more vigorous work.
Much of the outfit of our company is stated
TO be already on its way. We intend to
capture Sebastopol, not by the battering
down of another Malakoff, but by the dis
play to the Muscovites of indomitable Yam
kee enterprise and ingenuity PhiLadeL-
phia Ledger.