Arkansas intelligencer., 1858-05-07
The Great Steamer Levia than.

The Great Steamer Leviathan.
From an article id the London Times we
learn the progress that is making in citing
the Leyiathan for sea. The cost of complet-
ing her fittings is estimated at 100000, and
the time four months, or TO the end of July.
No less than ten anchors are now required to
hold the monster vessel at her present moor
ings-fye at the stem and tive at the stern,
aad each with lengths Of cable attached vary
ing from 40 TO 100 fathoms. There are 10
be six masts in all, three square rugged and
three rugged with fore and att sails. All these
unasts will be composed OF plates of wrought
iron one inch in thickness, and rveted :oge-
ther in the same manner a. the sides Of the
ship, or a steam boiler of the strongest de-
scuption. They will vary IN height from
1870 10 l70 feet from the keel 70 the truck
each will be three feet four inches diameter
at the deck, and each viii weigh from 80 10
40 tons, exclusive Of yards or rigging. Each
mast rests IN square column Of plate iron,
which reaches direct from the keel 10 the up
per deck, and is rivetcd and built into all of
thc Successive decks through which il passes.
In case Of lis ever becoming uccessary to cut
away the rnasts at the base Of them all, at
about three feet above the deck, viii be fixed
u peculiar apparatus, which working, by
means of 4 powerful screw, IS made 10 com
press two sides OF the mast together in such
manner As to completely crush them in. and
let the masSts fall over the sides Immediately.
All the main and topmasi yards Of :he sqmars
rugged masts will be also Of iron Plates
The main ard will be 100 feet long. or about
30 feet longer than tho main yard Of the lar
gcst Hne-oibatls shils about four times the
strength Of any main yard Yet constructed,
and several tons lighter than if X WAS, made
OF wood, As Is usually tho case.
TIE Usury Lars.-The New York Inie-
pendent sums up its objections to the usury
laws, in the following brief article:
1t i said that VIC are "law abiding rco-
pie" but We venture the opinion ;hat the en-
actmeuts Of the Chinese, Of New Zealand, or
of Japan, as a whole, are more respected, and
are more faithfully obeyed, than ure the laws
Of this country. We have bad laws which
the people do-pise, aud therefore they break
them with impunIty; and We have good iaws,
which reckless aud uupr.ncipled politicians
are afraid to execute, and thew therefore bo-
come dead letter. In regard to the bug
bear HSury, we will here affirm that any rate
o. interest IS usury, when that rate. If il 10
only i'e, iour, or three per cent. per aanunI,
is cXor bitapt, or il above the market rate; and
that no rate Is usuiy, not even two or four
per cent. p;r month, provided it is the mar
kst rate, and also that il Is q matter of fair
bargain between tie contracting parties
Three pcr cent. per month WAS not higl.
rate o! '"teres. 1T one time in the month e
OctDber last, for the simple reason that tho
borrower could 4, better with the money,
even 1T that high Il cure. than he ran now AT
SIX Per cent. per aui,um. At one time. only
!rw vcggs s,rvr, wc remember distinctly
'hat private bankers In England discounted
immense amoun, Of paper at the low rate Of
."r c.Ht lrr auuJ:u. Bills ACCEPTED hy
tae iarng- We kroH, were j. counted ., low
ia ] Per 10. yer a1uum. Now. three per
cent. charged 90 tAlt tIEla ius'est! uf the rate
mentioned. wouil have bee" dgNnri-h; u,u-
-. Ia :Hr agserce of any specific contract.
"t"h ~'nt- 'nay very properly tx ;he rate vf
iH.trls. :-g m-ugy-b,youd that no;liiu:.
should De- &.ue. We Leseech our law ma
srr, - consider ,h., suhi-cr. aid no longer
'rd 20 p.rpetaaHaE these restrictions Of inter-
80, which arr neither respected nor ohcvcd
at home, uvr tolerated 10y any civilized nation
a..gYl