The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-01-01
Progress of the Nineteenth
GnuN FUurU


EDITORS OF THE PRESS From the historians |
our country is exceptionally for
tunate. The origin of nearly all great nations
ancient and modern-is shrouded in fable or
legend. The story of the founding |
of Rome by the wolf .nursed brothers, Romulus
and Remus, has long been classed among the
myths of history; and the more modern story of
Hengist and Horsa leading the Saxons 10 Eng
land, is almost equally legendary. The origin
of Paris can never be known Its foundation
was laid long before Gaul had written records.
But the settlement. civilization and political
institutions Of our country, can be traced from
their frst hour by the clear light of history. 1t
is true that over this country hangs an impene-
trabie veil of tradition. mystery and silence
But it is the tradition of races fast passing away
the mystery of a still earlier race. which -four
ished and perished long before its discovery by
the Europeans. The story of the Mound Build
ers can never be told. The fate of the Indian
Tribes will soon be a half forgotten tale. But
the history of European civilization and insti
tutions of this continent can be traced with pre-
cision and fullness, unless the people become
for getful of the past, and neglect to save and
Derpetuate its precious memorials,
But how is the historian to keep pace with the
progressive strides of this nineteenth century,
celebrating the commercial splendor of the
great emporium. 2.500 years ago, Tyre with its
multitude of ships, and its traffic in gold, pre-
cious stones and other leading commodities ;but
what was Tyre compared with the metro polls Of
the western world? Hither comes the gold of
Europe. the opium coffee and precious stones of
the far off mines, the fruits of Sicily, France
and Spain. the silks of Lyons, the fine linens of
Belfast, the tin of Cornwall and Malacca. the
spices of Zanzibar and Ceylon, and ir a word.
all the rich products of the earth. And they
come, for the most part. in the great steamers,
compared to which, the ships of Syria aud
Phoenicis would seem little larger than the
ordinary lighter, seen in the harbors of all sea-
port towns. "Of the oaks OF Bashan have they
made thiGe oars.'' sings the Hebrew poet in
celebration of Tyre. 1.-THE comuany of the
Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory,
brought out of the isles of Chittm :" What shall
we think of such craft compared with the
modern steamer of 7.0J0 tons, at least one-hun
dred times as large. and propelled. not by the
bra why arms of long line of rowers, but by
that mysterious agent. stronger than an ancient
sorcerer's Imagination. steam9 Until the be-
ginning of the present century. vessels went to
Europe at no stated tImes there being no regu
lar lines, and they sailed only when they had
secured a cargo. Passep gers were then oblig ed
to wait many weeks for ship to sail. and the
usual size of sea-worthy ship was about that
of the Erie Canal boat of today, that is, from
l0O to $50 tons. vessel of 800 tons was consid :
cred marine monster. In the days of Adams I.
Jefferson and Madison. the pirate vessels that
infested the high seas were tbs terror of master
sailors and passengers This ominoas craft
would bear do wn upon the peaceful trade r. run
up the black flag. compel a surrender, and force
every soul on board to walk the plank. The
pirates maxim was, Dead men tell no tales -
DR.. Lardner. an eminent English scientist,
demonstrated. to the satisfaction of the multi
tude. the absolute impossibility of steamer
crossing the Atlantic. on the assumption that
no vessel could carry fuel enough for the trip
Geo. Washington thought the Erie Canal an
impossibility. and the government refused to
pay the small sum of $i01OO0 for the first line of
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Baltimore and Washing
ton-on the grounds it could not pay expenses.
Morse came to the White House with the elec.
trio current that was to help revolutionize the
world. and was turned away. Fulton knocked
at the door of the Tuilleries. with the same re-
suit.
Steamers began to come to New York about
1910. taking about three weeks to make the trip
between London and that city. In 1850 the time
was Is days; by 1850 it had bean reduced to thir-
teen days: now it is frequently made in less
than seven days. The early Collins and Cunard
steamers were from 2,0O0 to $500 tons in size;
now the steamers plying between here and
Liverpool are from 5000 to 1000 tons capacity,
and they are twice as long in proportion to their
width as formerly.
In 1895 nearly 8 600 vessels carrying foreign
flag came to New York. The mum Der has great
ly decreased since then. because steamers are
driving out sailing craft. and one voyage of a
good-sized steamer is equal to half a dozen or
more of the average sailing vessel. The stately
ships that once traded with Liverpool. Havre
Canton and a hundred other ports. have had to
give way to that wonderful creation of human
ingenuity-the modern steamer, and the day is
not far distant when the sailing vessel will be a
stranger to the high seas A little longer and
fewer can be found who cling to the idea tn at
great achievments and models of virtue and
morality were limited to the far distant past.
E.P. B.
RAvENNA, o., Dec 26th. 1899.