Safety of Steam Boats. 143 



As the salt rock is found in beds, it is not to be supposed that it ex- 

 ists as a layer in this formation, extending under the whole surface, 

 and it may not be found exactly under the springs where they rise. 

 The salt water may pass from between the layers of the salt forma- 

 tion where it falls off towards the lake and its base, covered with the 

 layer of washed gravel, indurated clay, and marsh mud, and rise in 

 that to the surface ; while the beds of salt may lie under the plain 

 back of the village, as there are many places where the earth has 

 fallen away, forming sinks and indicating currents of running water be- 

 low, carrying away the substratum, the salt rock as has been sup- 

 posed, in its passage from the hills to where it rises in springs at the 

 edge of the marsh. And this is rendered more probable from the 

 fact, that on cutting a large vein, oak leaves, acorns, dried mandrakes 

 and pieces of wood have been found in digging salt many feet be- 

 low the surface of the marsh, in such preservation and freshness, as 

 to furnish strong grounds to believe they passed through some sub- 

 terranean passage, from the plain to the interior of the marsh where 

 they were found. 



New York, March 9th, 1830. 



Art. XVII. — Safety of Steam Boats. — Editor. 



The painful interest connected with this subject continues to 

 receive occasional augmentation from the recurrence of fatal acci- 

 dents. We refer our readers to some remarks in the beginning 

 of the first tirticle of the present number, and although they 

 were written several months since, they are (if correct and judi- 

 cious) more seasonable now than ever. The late fatal catastro- 

 phe on board the United States, Steam Boat of New Haven, is in 

 some respects, more interesting to the community than any one that 

 has preceded it. This increased importance grows out of the fact 

 that we are here deprived of the usual extenuations by which we 

 hope to persuade ourselves that the accidents are fortuitous, and that 

 they may not occur again. On board the United States there was 

 a full supply of water, and the flue was not unduly heated ; there was 

 no improper pressure, and less than had been usually employed j the 

 part of the boiler that failed was new ; the commander was a vete- 

 ran, distinguished for his experience, skill and vigilance, and his peo- 

 ple were sober .and faithful; still an explosion occurred which de- 



