New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-14
in common school instruction during the
past ten years than our own, in'spite OF
sea of opposition encountered by the in
dustrious division and State superinten-
dents of public education.
Is IT LAND, OR A FOG BANK7

The steamship Hudson has just steamed
up through the jetties without being de-
tanned. The feat is regarded as subject
for great rejoicing. 1t is held up as a
comp lete refutation of. ell the doubtful
suggestions on the subject prompted by
cauti on if not begotten of some ex-
perience. We are glad the Hudson came
up safely. The Atwood made her escape
by the same channel with some difficulty.
The HUI dson, the Grand Republic and the
John A. Dix skim along more success
fully. The Hudson is said to have drawn
fourteen feet. eight inches Of water when
she left New York. Captain eager thinks
| she may have been raised from eight to
twelve inches on the voyage by the con-
sumption Of coal. This would leave, say
thirteen feet eight inches, or perhaps,
four teen feet of water, in channel where
twenty is called for by the contract. The
/, success of Captain Gager's experiment is
| sa tisfactory enough, SO far as it goes But
that experienced navigator was only a
week out of port that has just spent
some m illions to blow the rocks out OF
He'll Gate because iwenty-six feet was con-
sidered inadequate for its commerce. We
do not feel called upon to become excited
and toss up our hats in frantic manner
for one inch less water than is nominated
in the congressional bond. Nature I'M
aided has at various times secured out the
channel at the Balize deep enough to ad-
NIT ships drawing twenty feet. Art must
first show a better condition, decided
and permanent improvement, before we
shall feel justified in calling upon the
world to send us bigger ships. Let us
first make it easy for our cookie shells be-
fore we permit our ambition to call Tor
severer tests We may be exacting, and
even unreasonable, but fortunately our
refusal to hurrah before we are out of the
woods will not have the slightest effect
on the great experiment. The contend
ing forces are at work in South Pass as
they have been in one or more OF the out
lets for hundreds of years. So far it has
been comparatively easy sailing, as the
maximum depth heretofore obtained by the
river itself has not been reached. It may
follow, and we sincerely hope it will,
but while there remains five or six
feet of obstinate deposit to be
removed, We must recognize it as
difficulty to be overcome. When
this shall have been entirely removed,
and twenty feet of water actually estab-
lished, it will be time TO exult. But as
the channel deepers the difficulty will
naturally increase, so that the accom-
plishment OF the twentieth foot viii be
greater achievement than the first five.
As the case now stands, it is claimed there
is depth Of seventeen and half feet of
water. Then why SO much gush at the
pa ssage of ship drawing scant four
teen feet? Surely, if there be the depth
claimed, Captain eager must have had
three feet and half to spare, and there
was no more necessity for his vessel to
scrape than there is reason for SO much
fuss. The one may have been the result
of unskillful pilotage, the other Of over
Jealous engineering. Let us be sure that
i. is not fog bank before We cry out,
Land, ho!'