Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-16
RIVER AND WEATHER.

NO arrivals OF departures
The river at this point was still rising
yesterday, with 81 feet on Harpeth shoals
Weather progressively warm.
A general dizziness was exhibited in ma
rine circles There was no boat to go out
yesterday, the first failure on Friday since
the season opened. The Burksyille was to
go, but she didn't.
The Umpire is having her chimneys re-
Redeemed. Paint her any color SO she S
red, is the motto of her owners.
The war in Europe was the topic Of con-
Yersation on the wharf yesterday Some
of our boatmen are talking about getting
their ironclads and tin gunboats ready for
the public service
The subject of building iron bulls for
steamboats, has been literally discussed by
a number of leading papers recently. SO
ably does the North American treat this
important question, that we deem it worth
while to make liberal use of the article
in point: --.-
Iron vessels for canal and river naviga-
ton were built in England and Scotland as
long ago as 1887, 80 that for eighty-three
years the world has been acquainted with
the superiority of iron vessels for internal
navigation. 1t is only since 1880 that the
building of iron vessels for sea service be-
gan to prevail
Now it must be obvious that an iTon hull
is not as likely to be pierced by wooden
snag as a wooden hull. Iron, indeed, might
possibly be so pierced, but it is most un-
likely, and it would, therefore, be safe to
calculate that iron boats would be able to
defy all such obstruction. How great a
difference this would make in the cost of
insurance we need hardly point out As
regards dangers from collisions, which are
so frequent in the Western rivers, the case
of the Oneida and Bombay seems to prove
that in this respect, too, the losses must
be very greatly reduced if the whole river
marine be converted into iron. e..
We have spoken chiefly of the losses of
vessels; but the reader will see that the
same considerations affect the loss of car
goes and the safety of the lives of crews
and passengers. Most of the trade that has
left the Western rivers, and been trans
ferred to the railroads, has been so changed
because of the greater safety on the latter.
Iron vessels In good condition, thirty
years old In sea service, are still afoat, and
it is believed that with ordinary care they
viii last twenty years longer In river and
canal navigation there is no reason why
they should not last longer. Wooden YES
sells in any trade, internal or external, are
| comparatively short lived Wrecks and
debris of old boats of all kinds strew our
western rivers, and are found all along our
| canals. Wooden vessels suffer from the
severe strain caused by the weight of their
engines and boilers, and the racking of
their machinery when in action. To this
must also be added the strain of cargoes,
the unequal bearing Of different parts of the
hull and the contraction and expansion of
the timbers. On account of the greater
strength of iron its capability of being bent
In any way required, and, its uniform tena-
city In all directions iron vessels must of
necessity be stronger than wooden ones. 1t
must also be added that while the plates of
an iron vessel lap each other and are
firmly bolted together, the timbers of a
wooden vessel are driven apart 10y the GA
KUN put between them to make the vessel
water tight.
1t would be well for our steamboatmen
and engineers who have objections to iron
boats, says the st. Louis Republican,, to
embody those objections with their reasons
for entertaining them, in order that a
thorough examination and discussion of
the whole matter may be had.
There will be to-day, a boat race at
Pittsburg, in which the contestants will be
three young ladies. Lord Palmerston has
espoused the cause of Miss Maggie Lue,
and is betting on her muchly. This rover
is fine looking, authenticated girl, about
sixteen years old, and when stripped for
the race, will weigh one hundred and
thirty pounds. Her boat is cedar, thirty
two feet long, twelve and one inches wide;
weight thirty-seven pounds.
The Judge Baker, a disreputable Z 10
hind-wheeler, is running between Clarhs-
vile and Evansville, commanded by Capt
Harrey Thorn Pee, popular star gazer.