Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-05-06
iron for shlnhuIldInU.

The loss OF ths Atlantic has iorcibly directed
attention to the manner in which iron vessels are
% puIt ena the imperfect materials used in con-
strueton. Iron vessels are in such bad odor at
present that We Should not wonder If the prstie-
tlcn o. Donald McNky, the eminent shipbuildeT,
should be verified and that :he era Of wooden built
clippers should return again,
a. 10 the manner Of iron shipbuildiug we hava
nOWing 70 say, We eAFu not naval architects, nnd
GO not claim knowledge sufficient to discuss the
question involved. We cannot knowingly assert
II as iact that the constant eongatlon Of vessels
mas at length reached point where speed is sac
rheed to sale y. and winch makes destruction in-
evitable If the vesstl goes the rocks or ON Shore
PUT We believe from what competent Judges say
that it has.
Concerning the DUALITY OF iron used we are bet
ter posted and We do not hesitate to say that the
most scathlng words that can be used are power
less to correctly express the crimes Of many of our
shlPbulldeIs. Iron lit for no other purpose has
been applied t. shlpbuilding. Plates through
which loot, clad IN u stout boot, might be kicked
with ease, have been considered good enough to
stand between thousand men and eternity.
Mrtsl SO rotten thatwhen dropped it shIvered into
piec ks glass has been sent to sea ana to-ihe
Uo'tom. these tanciIul statements but &C
tuail facts. In q discussion at the Institute of
Naval Architects, Eng and, member stated that
no MAJ srSn plates which 'f yoW let them full,
tcoUtd break itke glass.
NUw where Is tue Iespcnslbility OF this state OF
ahairs. Not with the builders alone and not with
tie owners certainly, but with both. There 10 SO
much conEeiition now that a shipbullder can
scarcei! Ave IL he puts into ship the quality of
IRON that his conscience tells him he should. An
owner advertises for proposals, aud the lowest
oder gets the contract and the owner may be
assured II the contract price Is much below the
market pnee be will get either poor iron or work
manship, either OF which will answer his purpose,
perhaps, under or iinary circumstances, but which
VIII tan hum III the hours Of has need, that ID Of
the trlal of his ship. There Is his insurance. but
Will the insurance compensate the owners of the
White Star Line Tor the loss of the AHantlcs or
for the 600 souls lost through somebody's crimi-
nalIty We think not. Good iron can be had,
but II must he paid for and not until owners are
wiling to pay will we be safe from these frightful
accidents. They not necessary results of iron
shlpbuilding The Richard Golden was an iron
ship built in 1914, and was broken UP in 1870. |
During the whole of thus period, twenty-six years,
she was employed in the China trade. She had
not heed long at work whsn sue grounded in the |
hsrbor OF Shanghai, and falling over on her aide
was hattened considerably; when the tide returned
the ship foated off, and the entire damage soas fee
shWiRgs. There was two rivets started, that was
all. Had iron Of the first quality that was in the
Cobdeh been used in the Atlantic there would not
have been such irghtful story to be added to
the list Of ocean disasters I'm, Manufactures