AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 65 



of New- York. He was confident of liis power and lie succeeded. 

 Before his time a vessel liad never been built where the centre of 

 displacement had not been " forward" of the beam. Tears were 

 entertained that this new form would prove a failure. Some pre- 

 dicted that the vessel would plunge imder water. Others thought 

 that in rough weather no one could remain on deck, all which 

 prophecies are contradicted by experience. For, encountering less 

 resistance from the narrow bows the vessel went faster, and expe- 

 rienced no corresponding strain, suffering no more in rough 

 weather than in a summer breeze. 



What a magnificent fact is an Ocean Steam-Ship. How com- 

 pletely such a floating palace transcends the wildest dream of 

 which the builder of the gigantic Pyramids or even Archimedes 

 himself might be supposed capable. The social results of steam 

 navigation are yet in their infancy. No man can predict their 

 ultimate character. The old continent and the new are engaged 

 in a glorious rivalry, demonstrating how infinitely the conquests 

 of Peace exceed the glittering and evanescent triumphs of War. 



Of the application of steam to railroads, you will permit me 

 briefly to characterize it as one of the most direct applications of 

 modern practical science to the general diffusion of human intel- 

 ligence and comfort. 



From the latest returns, we learn that there were at the com- 

 mencement of the year 1862, more than ten thousand miles of 

 railroads completed and in use in the United States alone, and 

 more than ten thousand miles in course of construction. It is not 

 extravagant to assume that before the year 1860 we shall have 

 more than 35,000 miles of railroad. At that period, the whole of 

 Europe had only 14,142 miles of rail in active operation of which 

 6,890 form a network over the little islands of the British crown. 

 Since that time, comprehensive railway systems have been formed 

 by nearly every European power. Hindostan, Algeria, Egypt, 

 and even Cuba have their railways, and it is expected that Canada 

 will soon have open for traflSc a line that for length will even 

 eclipse the 461 miles of the Erie Railroad, The great facts are, 

 that the United States possess an extent of road nearly equal to 



[Am. Inst.] 5 



