ON SHIP TIMBER.

(From the Southern Patriot.)

A PIECE from the National Intelligencer, signed "EXPERIENCE," has induced me to offer some further observations upon this subject. I had touched upon it but slightly before, and am always pleased to hear of Experience, if it be really founded upon just experiments. The subject may be useful, but is not interesting to many readers. As an amusement, I have attended to the growth, durability, and decay of vegetable substances; but of ship-building I have no practical knowledge, therefore I extend my observations no further than the two last qualities in timber which appear to render it fit, or unfit for that purpose. Fermentation, in vegetable substances, is equivalent to putrefaction, in animal ones. The three great agents in their decomposition or decay, are heat, air, and water; the same which support them when alive. In timbers, water is the primitive agent, as it brings the other two into operation. Acting upon the saccharine matter it produces spirituous fermentation, and upon acidity, the acid fermentation. In its progress, fermentation excites heat and air. A more minute and technical explanation would be foreign to my purpose; it may be found in essays expressly upon the subject.

I have seldom found the saccharine or acid principle to abound in any tree, which was durable as a timber. For instance, the black walnut and hickory belong to the same genus of plants, the walnut to the taste is destitute of saccharine matter, and the hickory abounds with it-the consequence is, that the walnut is as remarkable for its durability, as the hickory for premature decaywhen I speak of acidity in timber trees, I shall confine myself to the gallic acid, as the other acids are seldom found in large trees. The gallic acid is a second great cause of decay. The live-oak has very little, in proportion to the black-oak (quercus tinctoria) or the black jack (quercus nigra) yet the first will last for half a century, and the two last not a tenth of that time. The loblolly-bay (gordonia) abounds with the gallic acid, so much so, that the bark is thought better than that of oak for tanning-but the

Oxygen, which gives much life and spirit to animals and vegetables, is the greatest decomposer.

wood, when exposed to wet, will scarcely last a year. Upon this subject I could multiply instances. Both these secondary causes of decay are brought into operation by a partial wetting, and yet may be removed by total immersion. Instance, the furs dug out of the bogs in Ireland, and the oak piles found in the harbour of the ancient Brundusium, which were driven down there by Julius Cæsar; both of them in a sound state. The reason is, a partial wetting excites only a slight motion of the particles, and produces fermentation; whereas, immersion excludes the air, and on account of the affinity of water for the acid and saccharine, it will, in time, attract and diffuse them throughout the surrounding fluid. Thus, it is, that timber may be seasoned and preserved by total immersion.

It is much to be regretted that there is so little of the liveoak in the southern states; and to make way for cotton, the little we have are constantly falling under the axe. It inhabits only the sea islands, and a slip of about twenty miles along the coast. Ten miles from the sea it generally becomes scarce; but the turkeyoak, which "Experience" says is the second best timber, abounds in our uncultivable swamps. Many trees also attain a great size there, which are seldom used for any purpose. The water-oak (quercus palustris) and the cotton tree (populous nigra) are of this description, and in fence-rails appear to be durable. "Experience" says "the Chesapeake frigate had a number of her top timbers of black cypress, and when that ship was stripped down at this navy-yard, the cypress was found to be totally rotten, so that no further experiment is necessary on cypress."-How ominous is the name of the Chesapeake! Those timbers could not have been black cypress, but an inferior and sappy species found near the sea. The region of the best cypress commences where the flowing of the tides ceases; but one experiment contrary to the mass of experience upon this subject, is not sufficient. I know two houses built of cypress, which men of the last century informed me were built about seventy years ago; about five years since one of them had never had but one coat of shingles; it was tight, and both of them appear as though they would last seventy years more. An indigo planter having a set of indigo vats to build, chooses black cypress for this purpose: he calculates that his vats,

although alternately exposed to wet and heat, will last thirty years before they begin to decay at the grooves--after that, he or his sons, if he be dead, cut away the ends of the boards, and either reduce the size of the vats, or convert them into pannel-worked window-sashes. Rice planters universally prefer black cypress* for their rice field-trunks, which are exposed to the alternation of the tides. Yellow-pine is thought quite inferior for this purpose. Finally, cypress boards and shingles command the highest price in market, and cypress boats are preferred both in fresh and salt water. Yet upon the spot where these things occur every day of our lives, we are told from Washington, that cypress is worth one slight experiment. It is ceded, that it is "well calculated for boats." Now, I ask, if in point of durability it be calculated for boats, why is it not for ships, supposing both to be exposed to sea air and water? But lest it should be thought that I am interested in the matter, I can assure all who think it worth while to read my observations, that I own no cypress but the shingles of my house. I wish only to contribute my mite of experience where it might be of service to my country.

RUSTICUS.

MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES.

Comparative view of the dimensions and armament of the British frigate Juva, lately lanched at Plymouth, and the frigate President.

It was ascertained from the British officers taken prisoners at New Orleans, that a large portion of the provisions and boats used in the attack on that place,

*To the botanists, there is a curious lusus naturæ allied to the cypress, called cypress knees. It is an imperfect tree, wanting leaves and branches. They are said to be excressences from the roots of the tree, but all I have examined have perfect roots of their own.

by the enemy, was collected and built at Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay, so long in the possession of the British.

THE honourable Langdon Cheves, in a speech delivered 17th of January, 1812, to the house of representatives, on the subject of the navy, referred to the following statement, which was derived from official documents. It exhibits some curious points of comparison.

Comparison of American and British tonnage and seamen in sundry years.

In the late action with the Penguin, a private marine of the Hornet, named Michael Smith, who had served under the gallant Porter in the Essex, when she was captured by the British, received a shot through the upper part of the thigh, which fractured the bone, and nearly at the same moment had the same thigh broken immediately above the knee, by the spanker boom of the Hornet, which was carried away by the enemy's bowsprit while a-foul of her:-In this situation, while bleeding upon the deck, and unable to rise, he was seen to make frequent exertions to discharge his musket at the enemy on the topgallant forecastle of the Penguin. This, however, the poor fellow was unable to accomplish; and was compelled to submit to be carried below.

e

MONUMENT OF BURROWS.

Portland, September 27.—It is with peculiar pride and pleasure we record an instance of liberality and honourable munificence to the memory of the brave, which recently came under our inspection

A gentleman from New York, Matthew L. Davis, esquire, while passing through town a few days since, on a tour to the eastward, had accidentally taken a walk into our burying ground. His attention was attracted to the neglected grave of the late captain Burrows. The only guide to the spot where is deposited one who had so much heroic merit, and who deserved so much of his country, was the tombstone of his deceased competitor, the British captain Blythe. This was erected, two years since, by the surviving officers of the Boxer. The thought was instant. Mr. Davis immediately gave orders for an elegant marble monument to be erected over the grave of Burrows, to be finished by his return, and without the sparing of labour or expense. It is now completed and put up. Its style of execution does much credit to the ingenious artist, Mr. Bartlett Adams of this town, and the inscription is highly creditable to the tase, judgment, and modesty of the generous donor, and worthy the hero whom it is designed to commemorate.

*

* Given in our January No. Vol. 7, page 90.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVI TO THE SENATE RELATIVE TO THE GRADUAL AND PERMANENT INCREASE OF THE NAVY

THE importance of a permanent naval establishment appears to be sanctioned by the voice of the nation; and I have a satisfaction in stating, that the means of its gradual increase are completely within the reach of our national resources, independently of any foreign country. The materials for building and equipping ships of war are all at command. Steps have been taken to ascertain the best growth and quantities of timber for naval construction, preparatory to contracts and purchases. The want of a mould loft for the naval constructor to lay out the moulds by which the timber is to be cut and shaped previous to transportation, has delayed the completion of arrangements for an adequate supply. A building has been erected at the navy yard in this city, for that purpose, and will soon be finished, when the business will progress.

Cannon founderies, manufactories of sheet copper, cordage, canvass, and the mechanical branches, are in a state to furnish the several supplies which may be required.

The commerce of the United States, increasing with the resources and population of the country, will require a commensurate protection, which a navy alone can afford; and the experience derived from the active and vigorous employment of a limited navy, during the period of the late war, has demonstrated its efficient utility.

I do, therefore, with confidence, recommend an annual increase of our navy, of one ship of the rate of seventy-four guns, two frigates of the first class, rates at forty-four guns, and two sloops of war, which can be built with the surplusage of smaller timber, and with a great saving in that material.

The act to increase the navy, passed January 2d, 1813, authorized the building of "four ships to rate not less than seventy-four guns, and six frigates to rate forty-four guns each." This act has partly been carried into effect, by building three ships of the rate of seventy-four guns, and three frigates of forty-four guns, in the Atlantic ports. The residue of the appropriation under that act, was ap. plied to the building of large ships and frigates upon Lake Ontario.

The concentration of our navy in one or two of the principal ports of the United States, where the depth of water is sufficient for the convenient ingress and egress of the larger vessels, will necessarily lead to the enlargement of the navy yards at such places, with docks for repairs and the collection of all important materials for the armament and equipments of the different classes of vessels, in order to bring them into active service, upon any emergency, with the advantage of combined force.

A general system for the gradual and permanent increase of the navy combining all the various objects connected with an enlarged naval establishment, such as building docks, and extending the accommodations of navy yards and arsenals of general deposit, will form the subjects of a more extensive report to be laid before congress during the present session.

Washington, September 6-Opinion of the court of inquiry convened at New York on the 2d of September 1815, by order of the secretary of the navy, to examine into the causes and circumstances which produced the capture of the U. S. late brig Siren, under command of lieutenant commandant N. D. Nichol

son.

"The court being perfectly satisfied with the evidence adduced, was cleared, and, after mature deliberation on all the circumstances, is of opinion, that no censure can be attached to lieutenant commandant Nicholson for the loss of the Siren; but, on the contrary, that his conduct was that of a cool, vigilant, zealous, and active officer.-The court is also of opinion that the conduct of the of