New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-05

scIs ship-bulaug on the ocean coasts. "cam 'cS-
.,,s iron vessels canal-boats. United states
navy wards building TIMBER statistics OF snip
building Tho history of ship-buildihg Ill 'n'S
country is one of difficulties met ana overcome
of intelligence applied to tho perfection oil every
kind of vessel. of wonderful power OF adaptation,
of ccasclcss energy courage and enthusiae' III" W
splendid successes The most indinereh' rcau''
must be interested in the growth and develophcn'
of the fishing industry, which shows Ill now man,
WAYS American ingenuity and inventive '"'on.
have helped to modify and improve the forms anu
rigs of boats So as to adapt them better to their
special work and how closely invention has hcp'
pace with all other modifying influences hut II Is
In the history of merchant sailing vessels that after
all the deepest intcrcsccntcs for this Is the reooru
of the energetic and splendid creation OF the ilhcS'
fleet OF sailing vessels that ever noatcd The Cal-
fornia and Australia gold discoveries gave grca,
impetus to the building of American clipper SHIPS VI
large tonnage for the tmel. English rivalry Pun
our builders aud owners upon their mctte' ph" ''o
combined Influence of national pride ana comm',
cia kccuncss produced long Hat oi nnhlo NoSSo's
whose achievements thirty years ago hlled inc pun
lie cnr'nnd vhoec nautical grace beauty. nnd.rowcr
have never aincc boon surpassed Those wn"f'hch-
her AZ far back the period named and ioca'l 'ho
magnificent clippers turned ont from the yards OF
| "
rn, Boston nhd Hath M,iuc who think OF the pride
and cxultlton which were then nrouSol 10y the
achievements of the Sovereign of the Seas, the
lightning. the Flying Scud. the James lancs' ANA
their contemporaries know well that the time oi
the merchant clippors was one of uncNnmplod sue
cess in naval architecture The ships We nave
named had no peers In foreign mercantile naNlc"
England never built u clppcr to equal the Sovereign
of the Seas or the Lightning for beauty or Tor speed
| The latter made twenty knots IN hour on several
occasions. and those who ever saw her tremendous
spars. her spread of canvas. and her "Npuihtcy
fine lines can well believe her capable of II. But
steam first. aud then The rebellion. destroyed the
empire of the American clipper. AMI practically also
brought 10 ruin what was the finest nursery Tor
scamcn anoat From that time on the Cccadcncc
of our merchant marine dates, and yet despite
the loss of that source of pride and proht the ship
| building industry of the country has continued 10
furnish steadily increasing numbers OF vessels 10
the coast and interior trade The time Will no
doubt come whom American expectations viii again
he carried in American bottoms. Meantime. the
industry is 10y no means stagnant, rs Mr.. Hall mas
shown. and perusal of his careful and elaborate
descriptions will well repay the labor. lie makes
il plain that since the era of steam moro attention
than ever has been paid TO tho main question OF
carrying capacity in vessels and indeed some of
those employed in internal navigation scarcely
resemble water-craft externally SO completely has
everything in their combination been subordinated
10 their commercial utility. Mr. Hall has
illustrated his essay abundantly with draw
ings and: sectional views of the lines of
various vessels and sketches of them afoat.
An important chapter is the one on the
shp-buidng timber OF the United States. Tables
of statistics appended and full index. The
whole work is of character to do honor alike TO
the author and to the series of valuable and well
prepared special monographs among which 1t ap-
pears.