Letters on Steam Navigation. 337 



sailless ship do when in mid-ocean her machinery gives way, 

 (perhaps the main axis of the wheels of motion,) or should her 

 boilers burst, how will she get on then,' and what will become of, 

 it may be, two hundred or three hundred people or more, rolling 

 about in the sea, when, their steam paddles being idle, they have 

 consumed their provisions and do not speak any vessel ?" 



Answer. I do not understand Mr. Smith as doing away with 

 the use of masts entirely, but only so arranging them upon a bolt 

 axis or otherwise, that they can be unshipped or rigged at pleasure. 

 The basis of his argument as I understand it is, that the great re- 

 sistance which they meet in adverse winds, counterbalances the 

 use of them, and therefore in doing away with the top hamper, 

 they could be easily rigged so as to lie upon deck, to be used in 

 case of need. If so rigged, the case you contemplate of " break- 

 ing the main axis of wheels of motion, or bursting of boiler," must 

 be provided for by resorting to the movable masts. Steamers 

 might have two or more engines detached from each other, as is 

 the case with the British Q,ueen, so that in the event of the burst- 

 ing of one boiler or injury to one engine, the other would remain 

 in full operation, and a case would hardly occur when both en- 

 gines would be disabled at the same time. 



The next question, " How are the great warlike steam navies 

 to be supplied with fuel ? Even if the countries have wood, that 

 will last but a little while, as coal cannot be obtained in every ma- 

 ritime country, and if it could, enough could not be carried for a 

 long cruise ?" 



Answer. Here again I understand that the plan of Mr. Smith 

 for steam ships of war, is more one o'l defense th?n of aggression, 

 and his argument seems based upon this position. I do not think 

 he contemplated that steam ships of war would be sent on long 

 cruises, but to be relied upon more as a means of defense. 



The British Q,ueen is one of our line of ships, and we have 

 some expectation that she will arrive in January, yet she may not 

 be here before February. It would aiford me great pleasure to 

 introduce you to the ship whenever she does arrive, and I shall 

 not fail to inform you of it. 



With much respect, dear sir, yours very truly, 



Henry Smith. 



New York, Dec. 12th, 1838. 



Vol. XXXV.— No. 2. 43 



