On the intentled Exeter Steam- Boat. 287. 
stages of our existence,—and like actual robbers, these philoso- 
phers give as nothing in exchange for our natural inheritance. 
If they say that we are poor mistaken ignorants, and that 
they wish to convince us of our error,—this is worse than nothing. 
If we err, in charity let us live and die in this error. It.is more 
happy to live in a full persuasion,—in a feeling sense of the love 
of God and man, while here, and in the confident hope of eter- 
nal felicity hereafter, than to suppose that there is no such thing, 
—that these divine faculties and propensities of our souls which 
make us capable of loving God and man,—of admiring God in 
his works, and of ranging through his creation with sublime de- 
light,—shall perish for ever, and sink into the horrible gulph of 
non-entity.—Let us turn our eyes from the horrid abyss, and 
stretch out our hands, and cry, Save, Lord, or we perisli! 
XLVII. Answer to the Letter of C. of Exeter on Steam- Boats 
fo be used in conveying Merchandise by Sea. By Mr. James 
Dawson. 
To Mr. Tilloch. 
rt 
Sir, — own Correspondent C. (of Exeter) has solicited in- 
formation relative to his proposed plan of constructing steam- 
vessels to convey merchandise between Lendon and Exeter, with 
so much candour and good sense, that | cannot refrain from of- 
fering a few remarks on the subject to his consideration. —The 
utility and advantage of employing steam-packets, on rivers, to 
convey. passengers is now pyetty generally admitted; and not- 
withstanding that some accidents have oceurred, their number is 
increasing on all rivers suitable for them. ‘lhe speed and ex- 
cellence of our coach continue however formidable rivals to them. 
The conveyance of merchandise on rivers has latterly become an 
object of interest. In Scotland one or two vessels are used for 
that purpose. In America, where the rivers are deep, broad, and 
navigable for several hundred miles, aud wood for fuel cheaply 
procured, several steam-vessels of great dimensions, with powerful 
engines aboard, are advantageously employed in conveying mer- 
chandise as well as passengers. 
Stimulated by the success attendant on these first eforts—the 
Americans have even gone much further. Possessing a country 
abounding in timber, they have constructed frigates and floating 
batteries impelled by wheels worked by steam, These attempts 
however have nut, nor cannot, succeed to any valuable extent, as 
long as wheels are the medium of action on the water—because, 
-as their action is necessarily limited aud superficial, they must 
; move 
