The New York herald., 1869-04-06
THE PROPOSED YACHT LAW.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD


The patriarch OF the Post in his comments on Mr..
Wood and the bill before Congress for placing
American yachts on par with those OF England,
has undoubtedly 'lost his reckoning" and is pretty
generally "adrift he does not seem to be aware that
yachts, like the vessels OF armed marine, have
always been exempt from tonnage dues while cruis-
ing In American waters and that the object OF the
present bill is TO encourage them in extending their
cruising to foreign countries and super dttun mare
generally, thus developing higher type OF vessel,
ana OF size and power available and able 10 unite
with our armed marine in naval warfare as the Vice
Commodores yacht, the Henrietta, did in our late
civil war.
The yachts, he remarks 'earn no money, while
the merchant ships are earning 1t all the time" IL
the former do not "earn any money! they GER
tainly expend considerable amount OF it
upon naval structures &C., and at least
have taught the latter how to earn it faster We
have only to look at the fleets OF clipper and me-
dunn clipper ships OF our commercial marine to see
the effect OF yacht building and the practical results
following in the wake OF our pleasure navy, not con-
fined to the merchant and revenue marine, but ex-
tending to the naval service itself. And hence 1t is
that our State, as well as the national legislature,
have from time TO time eglslated encouraglngly for
them.
For the mere purpose of assailing political oppo-
nent and his party the amiable C) editor stulties
and belittles his reasoning faculties by anaOgies of
the Lucus d non Luceado ORDER and as Illogical as
they are inappOsite.
Naval architecture and naval science are the Fright
and left Dowers'' Of the ship OF State, and our ma
tional legislature have ever appreciated the fact,
and on all appropriate occasions fosered those ma
tiona maritime prOclvities essential to the full
development OF the agricultural and manufacturing
interests OF our country.
WOuQ Tn AFT NJ M
passed August l. lS4S, that legislative action had al
ready been instituted in this connection. Section
and employed exclusively as pleasure vessels, to
proceed from port to port OF the United States with
in section three it IS further enacted that all such
licensed yachts shall use signal tag Of the form,
size and colors prescribed by the Secretary of the
Navy, ana the owners thereof shall at all times per-
NIT the naval architects in the employ OF the United
States to examine and copy the models OF said
yachts" The Post does not seem to be fully 'posted
up' as to the nautical and national bearings Of the
armed marine" and the pleasure navy, p" and that
G ise s mShsr no, oys 1S
Of the Secretary Of the Treasury, but OF the Secretary
o the Navy also; and Is, no doubt, equally ignorant
81 e of aiS na! sae e as Ws nay
al, and when in need OF parental aid their petition
is not directly 'Our Father who art in heaven" but
trict Of Colunbia~to the state Senate Assembly
and Executive, in whom they ''live and move and
have their chartered being" and to the national
legislature ana Chief Executive, who have Thought
proper, sab n1OdO, to adopt them; and now, that
they asking from the latter "a Fish, that they
may SWIM yachts wherever ocean rolls, the Post
would have them given "hissing yiper' or q
"Stone," TO 'Moore' them upon soundings or limit
their cruisings 10 the 'glad waters OF the light
green seaS'' OF our coast.
The act now before Congress and introduced, not
by Mr.. Wood. or any so-called democrat, who, new
erheless has in many respects deserved well OF his
country. but by Senator and late. Governor Fenton
Is In TACT virtually doing that for the "pleasure
nayy'' which Congress, III view or national comfy
and ponty, deemed eminently proper to be done
when the rank OF the officers OF navy was
changed and assimiated to those grades which OBJ
tain among foreign Powers.
we have often heard of the Odunl Meo,0gicuno--
that bitter maiignlty of the "priest" which
and the stake; but what shall we say OF that
twin relic OF barbarism." the ''Odu politician"
that Will permit party rancor to ntrude itself not
only IN our social relations, but In those
which connect US with the well-being ana
material progress OF our country in one of
the most material, characteristic and vitally
important features OF political economS?
Through the instrumentalfy mainly OF our pleasure
navy" our merchant marine has won the respect
and admiration OF foreign nations ana even the
once Mistress Of the Sea- candidly acknowledges
having learned lesson from IL in naval architecture
In OF such consideration we can hardly be eX-
peced to admit that the article alluded TO In
spired by either the love OF country or the love of
youth" thai Is no reason why political "hatred
malice and all uncharltabeness'' should linger 10
the last, ''ainld the snowfals OF time." We, how
ever wish TO bring no railing accusaton,n but
conending with the common adversary below
over the dead body OF the "Prophet Chlef,r we
leave the matter to the rebuKes Of consclence aud
the reprobaton of the good and the sincerely Chris
Let ) have peace" "yEMo"