The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-20

score years. Then there the immense
advantage in favor Of iron s nu' ALREADY n alluded
Of iron ship OF given size be 500 TONS similar
wooden ship Will weigh 20oo II she be intended for
freight and emigrant service, there VIII DC saving
300 tons on every voyage, equal to $4,000 or S6Q9
or 900 to 800 900 year. the ship De designed
for first class mail and passenger steamer, where
high speed Is essential, then the 500 TONS saved can
be used for additional steam power. But very I'M
pOrtant element in the attainment OF hlgn speed y
sIstance Of water to moving bodies at given We
l0city Increases In certain ratio as the deptn o. i
merslon increases. Whatever, therefore, tends 70
diminish the weight OF the structure OF snip enapies
the scientific designer to combine fine lines WIN ngns
draft.
with government mail subsidies A little reflection
viii show that these well established principles ana
facts have everything to do with the question. ~
the public aid be given to encourage the establishment
OF first class line OF steamers to be built and owned
BY Americans, the conditions OF the ships SHOULD De
specified in the contract. II we are going 70 peat
the fast English and French steamers We must avail
ourselves OF all the knowledge extant on the suDcct
ofnaval architecture They must be longer and wider,
engine power. These vessels are many OF them, $40
feet long, To beat them must go up to $50 or 500
and not increase, or rather we must diminish their
draft. There Is no trouble, with our present knOw-
edge, in designing and engineering such steamer
80 as to make eighteen nautical miles an hour. The
City OF Buffalo and others like her made twenty
English miles. This viii reduce the average voyage
from ten or eleven to seven or eight days.
Congress, In considering the postal subsidy ques,
principles which lie at the bottom OF the subject and
on the adoption OF which must depend any renewed
effort to get back our old renown on the ocean. TO
grant o mail contract and subsidy to those who
either do not understand the dincuit problems OF
naval architecture or TO those who are still worse bv
reason OF their preudices In favor OF exploded prn
cpes, will only be to lead to new failures and fresh
notifications to our national pride.
To secure such Q line OF steamers as those alluded
to Congress may safely authorize and require the
Postmaster General to enter into contract to pay
the company an annual sum sufficient to enable such
nfnV rpi n I'm avalfn
age on the mall matter carried by such steamers Will
fully indemnify the government against loss. But
with the moral effect it win have on our maritime
interests.
We are about to complete grand highway from
ocean to ocean for the transport OF the people and
the commerce Of three continents. The business OF
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and OF all the
tries whose shores are washed by their waters, or
are accessible by rivers ana railways from
their interiors and which seeks access to
foreign markets, win be concentrated ct
New York and San Francisco In order to obtain
rapid transit across our great Inter oceanic lines OF
railway, for we shall need several. The time is,
abIe~wSen we may regain, by bold and statesman
like policy, the footing we have lost on the At
lantic. The day is also not far distant when pas
sengers may be transported from San Francisco to
Liverpool III fsrtnight-a period nOv long since re-
qutred TO cross from New York to Liverpool. With
similar ships on the Pacific the journey between
China and Europe may be performed in less than q
month. 1t Is suggested that special joint commit
tee OF the two houses should be appointed to inquire
steam lines and to consider the propriety OF grant
Ing mail subsidy to proper and responsible parties.
1t may be that our public men have not yet been
educated up to the high estate that Providence has
prepared for us as civilized nation, and that mar
row aud sectional ealousies may postpone the grant
ing OF the necessary aid to accomplish all tat Is
CURED OF us Congress should consider the question
entirely from national point OF view, and failing to
recognize the necessity of aiding to retrieve our
status on the ocean by steamers built by our own
builders they should repeal the navigation laws
SO as to allow our merchants TO buy their
ships in the markets Of the world. This
Is the only consistent course that can be
taken. Either do this or remove the duties on iron
and other commodities imported specially for ship
building and place our capitalists the loot
ing those OF other transatlantic countries in regard
to postal subsidies.
There is much error existing In the public mind In
regard to mail subsidies. They are too commonly
treated as mere bounties paid TO shipowners for
doing an unimportant public service. The govern
ment Of Great Britain 1t Is said, receives pretty
full cash return on the mail matter carried by the
Cunard Company. II Is, therefore, only fair bar
pain the company giving full value for all IL receives
from che public exchequer. II. u. w.