Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-15
WILMINGTON. DEL.s
Ne Appliances for Building Iron

ships.
On Thursday last, Mr.. Cragin, OF New
Hampshire, In the course Of what the
ne wspapers call an exhaustive" speech,
said In the Senate;
Mr.. President, we have not in the entire
United States a complete and perfect irol
shiIbuilding yard, in which are docks aus
all the appliances of heavy msehinefJ iof
the prompt creation of q naval iron-clAe
steamship Of the largest class now engaged
in the transatlantic carrying trade.
By q singulsrly happy coincidence the
President Of the United States was on
that very day, and probably at that very
Aour in this city, leisursly passing through
one Of the two shipyaTds here which give
the lie TO the oft repeated statement made
above. At the wharf of one Of them lay two
splendid ocean steamers receiving Their
machinery, on the stocks was another
nearly ready to launch, aud the keel Of
another was Just being laid. At the wharf
lay an iron clad, and large steamboat
lay high and dry in dry dock, large
enough to accommodate any naval iron
clad this or any other government owns
Amongst the appliances of heavy ma
"chinery " seen at this yard, was one for
riviung the ribs Of iron ships, Invented
here, which strikes blow Of $4,000 pounds
on every nvit, and this force ought to b
sufncisnt to drive an idea into the head oil
this New England Senator, vher'
the idea Of wooden ships probably hnds
congenial home.
We do not mean to say that tho ship
yards Of the ChrisliaHa have every possible
appliance that may be in use in thos
Of the Clyde, but we do say that they ar
prepared to build as big vessels as an.
body in America is ready to order, and d.
build constantly vessels entirely at 10
ocean service and ss large as half thos
engaged in such service, and If any on
orders Of them any bigger ship than the
are now ready to build they will buy an
appliances they may lack for completin
the contract, out of their own pockets, an
not ask "the best government the gu
"ever shone upon " to build them a fui
mace on a hill with a series Of worh
stretching therefrom to the waters edge 5
that the ore has but to be hauled to II
top Of the hill and the completed shil
rugged, painted and upholstered, will drc
out at the otner end of this naval sausaG
machine.
The customary Congressional talk abel
the necessity of ship-building establish
meut running furnaces, rolling-mlll
foundries, &C., is the shallowest nonsens
They might as well declare that a carrial
manufacturer must necessarily own Il
forest aud saw-mills which put the forel
product into the shape of mercbsntat
timber for his use. The ship-bullder
the Judge of bis own business In this ms
ter. Our yards can and do buy the ilne
plate iron In the world from mills in II
city and up the Brandywine. They cou
doubtless make 1t themselves, but th
probably ind 1t cheaper and more co
venient to buy 1t. The Secretary Of t
Navy accompanied the President on
visit to one Of these very mills, and SO
them rolling out plate iron tougher thar
Credit Mobilier Congressman's conscien'
This is the iron our builders use, and I
foundries which do heir work cheaI
aud well are numerous ami convenient
our city. But what is the use Of analyzi
the harangues ofCopgressmen on subje
concerning which they have taken no CT
TO inform themselves