Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-13
THE RUTLAND HERALD
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1873.
wooden walls and Hearts of Oak.

A bill has been introduced into the
United States Senate by Mr.. Cragin, of
New Hampshire, which was advocated
by him at length, Thursday, providing
for the extension of government aid to
the international Steamship Company,
for the erection of ship building yard
on the Atlantic coast and another at
some point in the Mississippi valley, for
the construction of iron steamships from
the ore. While we have nothing to say
in reference to the claim of this COM
pany, that they are able to manufacture
ore into iron for steamships, and their
machinery, cheaper than it can be done
in Great Britain, or with the cry of
Job, which assails this as it does all
similar projects and, in fact, all projects
looking to governmental aid, yet we are
decidedly opposed to this particular
measure and trust it will not prevail.
We have no special sympathy with the
new born opposition to government sub
sides to all and every project. We be-
lieve, and the history of the country sus-
tains us in the belief, that with all that
we have suffered and lost by jobs and
iobbery, the country is further advanced
to-day in wealth, prosperity, population,
business and commerce by reason of the
aid extended by the United States, than
it would have reached in twenty-five
wears without such assistance. AS I'M
popular as the Credit Mobilier now
seems to be, enormous as their profits
are said to have been, would the Pacific
railroad, otherwise, have been built, and
if not, is the country the gamer or the
looser? But we are wandering from the
point. We cordially agree with the
President of the United States, when he
says lit is evident, that unless steps are
taken to preserve our navy, that, in a
few wears, the United States will be the
weakest nation, upon the ocean, of all
the great powers. With an energetic,
progressive, business people like ours,
penetrating and forming business rela-
tiOns with every part OF the known
world, a navy strong enough TO com
mand the respect of our flag abroad, is
necessary for the full protection of our
rights While this is all true in refer
ence to our national navy, it is equally
true thar there is similar deficiency in,
what may bc termed, the private navy
Of the country 1t is also true that our
American vessels have never been able
10 compete with English bottoms with
out government subsidy. Whether they
nee it now or not we are unprcpared to
SLY. If it is true, as we have seen it
somewhere stated, that a wooden vessel,
well aud thoroughly constructed, will
nearly if not quite pay for itself in the
round voyage from San Francisco to
Europe or Asia, they probably do not
need further aid than is extended by tx
i,tiug protective legislation. The de-
refer to the material with with which
they are constructed-is now so great for
the Atlantic coast trade, that the revival
1T the ship building interest in Maine is
HarlgeQ aud encouraging. We believe
that the proper vessels, both for national
use and for the purposes of trade and
commerce, are wooden vessels. We do
not believe that iron ever will or should
come into general use for ships. During
the rebellion, the wonderful and unlocked
for success of the Monitor, brought iron
clad ships into prominence, and it was
thought by many, that they would en-
#tirely superSede the ordinary wooden
vessel We laughed and talked derisiyely
BIT wooden walls" and thought we
could bid defiance to England and the
navics of the world. 1t soon became
evident, however. that iron was too
heavy, that iron or iron clad ships were
bore liable to founder and go down,
that they would cOrrode rapidly, were
bot easily manageable, and were not fast
Sailors Indeed England followed our
Example, and, to maintain her suprem-
acy of the seas commenced the construc-
Bon of iron clads. AS fast or faster than
She or America could increase the thick
ness Of casemate and turret, SO fast and
even faster would the gun and projectile
be invented and forged that would, with
ease, pierce and sink the improved iron
clad vessel. No vessel, as it has been
demonstrated, can carry an iron plate 50
thick that it cannot be crushed by pro-
iectiles, even now in use There is a
point beyond which safety cannot lie
passed in building iron vessels, and that
point seems to have been reached now.
Either the vessel must sink from her own
weight, or the weapon for her destruC-
ton is forged and at hand. What has
there been accomplished by this class of
ship, that has not been exceeded by the
wooden vessels? The old Hartford,
with her wooden walls, " her heart of
oak, her brave old commander and
crew, is our beau ideal of what we need
Tor q navy. This country is yet rich in
excellent ship building timber, and with
proper vessels constructed therefrom,
manned with American sailors, we may
vet be the mistress of the seas and COM
mand our full share of the commerce of
the world II legitimate aid is to be ex-
tended TO building up our public and
private navy, let it be for the old
fashioned live oak, and not wasted in
useless experiments on iron.
Now AND THEN.-The Montpelier
argus, speaking of the meeting of the
State Teachers Association recently held