Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-08-13
DEPARTURES.

DEE AM OIsfIJ.
General Anderson -.-...... ..-~-----.Friar's Point
Pat River
Juta---.--.... NieksDurg
susie Orleans
Orleans
IN PORT.
R. F. Walt. Mary Boyd.
RIVERS, WEATHER M BUSINESS
The rise at this port goes on very
slowly, and will soon cease, when the
low water era will reign once more, much
to the annoyance of our big packets.
Only one-fourteenth of the usual amount
of water has fallen this season along the
Upper Mississippi, up to this time. If,
therefore, the old saying, that the amount
which falls yearly varies very little, they
will have a wet fall. The Arkansas is de-
Ginning, and has about % inches to Little
Rock, little enough for ever the Iightest
boats now plying hat stream. White
river is low enough for any purpose, ex-
cept cultivation, but corn, or, even cotton,
would show itself to a respectable hight
above some Of the bars between the
mouth and Augusta. The weather is
cloudy and warm, and business not ac-
tive.
BY TELEGRAPH.
CINCINNATI, August I2.-The river fell
Eve inches in the past t~wenty-fOur hours,
with nine feet in the channel. Weather
clear. Thermometer, $50.
PTTTsBUR9, August 1.-THE river has
swelled slightly, owing to the rains up
the M~onongaheia and Allegheny. The
stage OF water at Glasshouse is about three
feet one inch. Business on tho wharf is
dull. No arrivals or departures. Local
packets are making regular trips.
OIL CITY, August II. The river is sta
tionary, with fifteen inches in the chan
mel. Weather clear and hot.
CAIRO, August 12.-Grand Lake, from
Memphis to Grand Tower. 10 pm; Mary
e. Forsyth, st. Louis to New Orleans, 7
an; Wauanita, Memphis to Louisville.
IL am; Mohawk, st. LOuis to New Or
leans, IL am; Colorado, st. Louis to
Vieksburg, 8 pm. River fell 2 inches.
Weather cloudy. Mercury 800.
NEW ORLEANS, August I2-Arrived
Collier and barges, from st. Louis.
V~ICKsBURG, August I2.-Down: Bis
marck and shannon, 10 am; Belle Yer
non, 2 pm; Importer, 2 pm. Minnie, 2
pm; City of Cairo, 3 pm. The river is
falling. 1t is now raining and the atmos-
phere is pleasant.
ST. LOUIS, August 12.-Arrived: MoIlie
Able, from New Orleans. After rising
fourteen inches, the river is again falling.
Weather clear and pleasant during the
day. Another rain fell tonight.
CINCINNATI, August l2.-The river is
-N----6 az ~ III SAh3e A09A NNA IL
in the channel.
LOUISVILLE, August 1.-THE river is
falling slowly-twO inches since last re-
port; there are 81 inches in the chute, and
Z feet on Portland bar. Weather hot and
clear during the day, with indications of
rain at night. No arrivals or departures.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Alaska wasdue last night.
The Commonwealth and City of Vicks-
burg will pass up Tomorrow.
The Julia passed down yesterday. She
looked as gay as a peacock.
The Cleburne, for the mouth of White
river, had a good trip.
The Mary Boyd brought up sixty-eight
bales of cotton.
Captain Cole, of the steamer BatesvilIe,
was in our city yesterday.
Captain Milt. Harry leaves to-day for
Cairo.
Captain Ellis has secured a packet for
the Black river trade.
Steamboat building is more active this
year than at any period since 1861.
The steamer Mist has been rescued
from her position in the marsh opposite
Mobile, and is in better condition than
was expected.
William Parrot, a pilot, died in Mobile
a day or two ago. He dropped dead in
the street.
St. Louis parties talk OF building an
iron steamer tor the St. Louis and New
Orleans trade. She will cost $500, 600, be
$50 feet long, IS feet beam, and 9 feet hold.
i The abolition of the tonnage tax re-
moves an annual burden of SIIS,OOO from
our river steamers.
During last year se'Jenty-four steamers
we're built for Weste IN river navigation.
The aggregate tomas % was 1888 tons.
The Colorado, Captain Ike Mckee, will
be in port to leave for Vicksburg this
evening at 5 o'clock. She makes all way
landings. Henry Dietrich is her clerk.
The State of Ohio owns II3 steamers,
with $685. tons; Pennsylvania owns III
steamers, with As, 1896 tons; West Virginia
owns 81 steamers, with 1I,S3l tons; Illi-
nOis owns IS steamers, with 13,44l tons;
Minnesota owns So steamers, with a ton
nag of 957S tons; Iowa g steamers, with
2905 tons; and Indiana owns 81 steamers,
with 5l4S tons.
The splendid steamer Grand Tower,
Captain Lennox, backs out this evening
for Cairo and st. Louis. She makes all
way landings, and connects with the
trains North and East. ThOs. II. White
is her clerk.
The r. 2. Walt, Captain Ashford, is the
regular United States mail packet for
White river to-day. She goes to Jackson
port, and with the Batesville for
POcahontas, and also connects with the
Little Rock train. Messrs. Butler and
Smithers are her clerks.
THE FLYING PROA.
In a late st. Louis paper there is a COM
munication from Capt. Silas Brent, adj
dressed to w. r. Carter, Esq, suggesting
that builders of fast boats might learn
a valuable lesson in modelling for speed,
by studying the model Of the Flying Proas
of the natives Of the Maldivs and Laca-
dive Islands, in the Indian Ocean. This
to-, IA ,,oN 0Hs~;oaN, u;%E E,-e D.
Nearly or quite a year ago, an article
written by n of the editors of this paper,
appeared in this column, describing the
prOa, and suggesting the very same ideas
that are now advanced by Capt. Brent,
There are certain things in Capt. Brent's
letter, however, to which we wish to call
attention. He says:
"In 1850 1 saw the yacht America on the
stocks at New York, as she was being fin
ished by Steers. Her record we all know.
In 1852 l went again to the East Indies,
and when at Singapore, a boatman brought
on board of the frigate Mississippi, to
which l was attached. a number of models
of the piratical proas for sale, from whom
l bought the one l now send you. These
vessels for centuries have been the marvel
of civilized nations for their h~setness.
They are the product of semi-barbarians
who invest those waters, and whose dep
relations are the terror of vessels navi-
eating those seas; yet it is q remarkable
fact, and one that struck me at the mo-
ment l saw this model, that IL s0Gs pre-
ciSeLy hat of the Sea Witch and yacht
AmeTieG, the highest result Of science and
art IN ship building Of the ciyiLizGttOn Of the
nineteenth century,"
If the italicised portion of Captain
Brent's letter is true, either we are great
ly mistaken in the shape of the models
of the yachts America and Sea Witch, or
the model of which he speaks (the one ac-
companying his letter. is not that of a
Flying Proa.
The construction of the shying prOa''
is in every part in contradistinction to
our ideas of naval architecture. We
build the hea and stern as dissimilar as
possible; in the proa they are precisely of
the same form and proportions. The sides
of our vessels, on the other hand, are the
same; in the proa, they are altogether diff
ferent. The proa never tacks, sailing
equally well with either end foremost as
occasion serves, but the same side is al
aOaqS the heather one, the left or lee side,
is as fiat as a plumb JiRe can make ii; con-
sequently, the weather side being round
Sd she would capsize, on account of her
great length and narrow beam. To remedy
this, on the lee side, an Outrigger, made
of bamboos, projects into the sea and sup
ports a log of cocoa Tor other heavy wood)
shaped like q solid INC or q double
ended cigar. This gives the craft an i'm
mense artificial beam, without opposing
much opposition to the water, for between
the o~utrigger and the fiat side of the proa,
the water passes without obstruction. The
proa itself, or body of the boat,
consists of a few planks sewed
together, and wadded between seams
with COR oGkltnt. There is not a nail or a
bit of metal about her. Her sail is mat
ting, and her mast and yards bamboo.