But

"It is believed that there is not in the world, an equal amount of commercial and agricultural interest belonging to any one country, so much at the mercy of the most inconsiderable maritime force as is that of the Gulf of Mexico. Not only the States which lie immediately on that water, but all those whose streams enter into it, including the vast and fertile region of the Mississippi and its tributary waters, make this their chief channel of commerce. And we may properly add, also, no

from Texas by means of the Red river, and paying tribute to our commercial agencies in its transit through our territory. Cotton is the principal material of our trade, both foreign and domestic; it probably constitutes three-fourths of our exports in its raw and manufactured states. Taking the year ending on the 31st August, 1842, it is found that the whole cotton crop amounted to 1,683,574 bales; of which 1,160,399 were shipped from the ports of the Gulf of Mexico. Of this crop 1,465249 bales were exported to foreign countries; and of these exports, 937,830 bales were from the ports of that Gulf. Thus it may be assumed that twothirds of the most valuable article of our commerce, foreign and coastwise, is shipped in the ports of the Gulf of Mexico.

is known as the “ Coast Survey ; and Uncle Sam|ject, is so much more conclusive and forcibly urhas spent his money like water in building break-ged than our own,-his cases so well put, and the waters and sea-walls-and in ascertaining the depth Q. E. D. so clearly established by him, that we of water, the position of bars, shoals, and dangerous cannot resist the temptation of calling him in to places, along the coast of our Eastern states. our aid. as for the West, she has been put off, with the pulling up of a snag or two occasionally, while millions were spent upon the Pea-patch and Rip-raps. The commerce of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers is immense, attended annually as we all know, with vast losses of life and property; many of which might be avoided, were Western river navigators, before undertaking trips in doubtful stages of the river, furnished with proper registries of the water on the principal shoals. A tithe of what is annually expended on the "Coast Survey" would inconsiderable amount in the article of cotton sent suffice for the entire West. We do not speak of deepening the shoals, but of ascertaining the depth of water on them at every stage of the river-and of referring these, to common water marks placed at the towns on its banks;--thus, when the water at Cincinnati is so many feet deep--simultaneous observations along the river, would show the depth of water on the shoals and bars above and below. When there is a rise of one foot in the deep still water of Cincinnati, the corresponding rise on the Maysville, Portsmouth, or Guyandotte shoals, may be two, three, or four inches ; depending, of course, on the rapidity and capacity of the current ;--but a series of observations conducted for one season, would accurately establish the ratio between the water on the shoals and at the principal cities. Then, by planting a pillar graduated according to “ In other articles, the productions of the West, these observations, each town could have a water- the proportion, although perhaps not quite so large, mark, by which boat owners and masters might is yet large enough to give peculiar importance to read dayly, and to the fraction of an inch, the water on the shoals to be crossed on their trip; the boat's draft and destination could then be regulated accordingly. By this means, all those losses which annually result from vessels attempting trips extending beyond shoals that are too shallow, would be avoided ;at every town the boat could read the water on the shoals to be crossed. Nor would this be all, the papers, in time of low water, would publish, for the benefit of New-Orleans, and other places which would be beyond the influence of the "water-marks," the depth of the principal shoals, with a remark showing whether the river was rising or falling, or stationary. Thus, a boat at New-Orleans, would know with certainty before leaving, and to the nearest time, what water was on the shoals of the Ohio. We merely make this suggestion-leaving it to our Western friends for further discussion and for AGITATION.

While the proof slips of the foregoing were yet in our hands, we received a copy of the annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy. THE measure of this Report, is the Mississippi Boat-Yard. We are happy to find the views already taken by us, supported and strengthened by the official organ of the Navy. The Secretary's reasoning on the sub

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the Gulf of Mexico. The tobacco, the iron, the lead, the sugar, the hemp, and the provisions of that great and rich region, (and in a few years we may add also its coal,) find their way to market chiefly through that single channel. These already form no inconsiderable part of the entire exports of our country; and will, after no long process of time, enter still more largely into our trade, both foreign and domestic. Without pretending to perfect accuracy, we may safely assume that not less than two-thirds of the entire commerce of our country, exclusive of the whale fisheries, passes through the Gulf of Mexico; and we may, with even more safety, assume that this proportion will increase from year to year, with the increase of the population and wealth of our Western States.

"It is to be borne in mind that nearly all this valuable trade is carried on through the Gulf of Florida. I had the honor to present my views upon this subject, in a report which I made to the Senate, during the last session of Congress, but which was not acted on by that body. I respectfully refer to that document, as containing many suggestions connected with this inquiry, which I believe to be not wholly unworthy of public attention. I repeat

here, only the well known fact, that in consequence | minion of the seas. A commerce, such as ours, of the strength of the Gulf stream and trade winds demands the protection of an adequate naval force; there is virtually no passage for our trade eastward, our people, scattered all over the world, have a on the south side of the island of Cuba. It must, right to require the occasional presence of our flag, of necessity, pass through the Gulf of Florida, a to give assurance to all nations that their country narrow strait which can be effectually blockaded has both the will and the power to protect them. by two active steam frigates, and probably by one. Our position among the nations, is such as to leave Even if a trading vessel should pass such a block- us without excuse, if we voluntarily strip ourselves ading force in the night, it would have but one of a power which all other nations are anxious to path open to it for a great distance, and might of grasp. Our forms of government and municipal course be pursued with a certainty of being over-institutions, suggest that a naval force is our safest taken. It would not enjoy even the ordinary chances of a vessel escaping from a blockaded port into a wide and open sea.

and perhaps our only, defence; and as an additional recommendation, of no small weight, the expenditure which this defence requires, is to be made chiefly among our own people, encouraging their enterprise, invigorating their industry, and calling out the abundant and now almost hidden resources of our country.'

we are afraid to say how much more. We will give the data-and the reader may make the calculation for himself: one of them, consumed when at sea, 43 tons of coal a day-this coal was received at Pensacola at-say $15 the ton-then there were the wear and tear of Boat, Boilers and Engines-the cost of six or eight Engineers, of thirty or forty firemen, and a crew of one hundred or two hundred men, for each vessel. Be the sum

"The facts to which I have thus adverted, show a striking peculiarity in our condition. The greatest portion of our commerce, confined to a single channel of some hundreds of miles, is exposed in a peculiar manner to any enemy having posses- In another part of the report, the Secretary insion of the sea; and—what would render our condi- forms Congress, that he has laid up the Mississippi tion still worse-if we be without a naval force, steamer, and intends to lay up the Missouri also, bethat commerce may be annihilated at a cost which cause they are found to be too expensive. These would not be felt by any tenth-rate maritime power! splendid follies were conceived and built under the "If these views be correct, I am at a loss to per- old system. It cost upwards of a million of dolceive what portion of our country is not interested lars to build the two; and, to prove what was in them. To the States bordering on the Gulf of known before, i. e. that they were like the Indian's Mexico, and to all those which use the Mississippi gun and "cost more than they come to," it has cost river as a channel of trade, the subject is of a deep and daily increasing interest. So far as their prosperity depends on the outlet of the various productions of their country, they have but a single question to decide: Is, or is not, their commerce worth the cost of a naval power adequate to protect it? It has no other protection, and it cannot have any other until its present channels shall be changed. "To these considerations are to be added, others growing out of the peculiar character of our Govern- total what it may-but it is enormous—the cost of ment and institutions, and the exposed condition of these two steamers--which, unless we have war our lake and sea coast. On these points I can on- soon, will prove worse than useless, amounts to a ly repeat the suggestions offered in my last report. sum, that would be more than sufficient to found No country in the world has a greater interest than on the Mississippi, a boat-yard—a foundry—a rope ours to guard itself against invasion. If we are walk-a school for engineers-and to build and destined to see again the smoke of an enemy's equip a fleet of proper sized steamers sufficient to camp, we should at least be careful not to allow it answer all our present purposes in the Gulf of to ascend from our own soil. It is in all respects Mexico. Verily, what can our Western friends be better for us, to repel an enemy from our coast, made of, that they do not assert their claims upon than to subdue him after he has landed upon our the Navy? shores. See what the Report says further-"The subpower, not as the institution of a day or of a year, ject, next in importance, is the establishment of —not as a subject which we can lay aside, and a navy-yard on the largest scale, on the waters take up again whenever we please, as the policy of the lower Mississippi. I had the honor to give or the caprice of the moment may dictate;-but as my views upon this subject, in a report to the Sena great and permanent institution, worthy of a great ate, of the 31st of January last. Respectfully repeople, and demanding the grave attention of Go-ferring to that report, I forbear to repeat at large vernment; an institution resting upon a wise system, the suggestions which it offers. I will only say and worthy to be maintained in the spirit of a li- that the object which I have in view, is to afberal, comprehensive and stable policy. ford whatever facilities such an establishment can

To do this, we must cherish our naval

"These considerations forbid us to fall so far in afford, to the industry of the whole valley of the the rear of other nations, and of the age in which Mississippi, now cut off in a great degree, from its we live, as to surrender our due share of the do- 'due share in the supplies of the Navy. The iron

of that region would find there a ready and conve- of necessity must be, applied to 'uses far more nient market; an extensive rope-walk-a neces- valuable to the people who pay them, than the mosary appendage to such a navy-yard-would pre-ney itself;' and that, far from being an oppressive sent a constant demand for hemp; the provisions of burden, they will operate as a measure of positive the West, now worth little or nothing, from their relief." superabundance, would find a ready purchaser at fair prices. Every branch of Western industry would feel, directly or indirectly, the influence of such an establishment; while the Navy itself, would be secure of abundant and cheap supplies, sufficiently convenient to the ocean, and yet perfectly safe from the attacks of any enemy.

A boat-yard on the Mississippi is required for the general welfare; though it would operate, collaterally, more immediately for the protection of Western produce, and for the promotion of Western interests. If, therefore, it be a tax-let the West be saddled with its burthens. If it be a benefit, let her enjoy it.

The East is the place for ships and sailors, the West for steam-boats, and watermen—and the West should insist, as a matter of policy, right, and justice, on supplying the Navy with steamers, and with every thing relating thereto-from the truck down to the keelson, and from a packing thread up to an engine. When one of our men-of-war is in the Gulf of Mexico or at Pensacola, she does not consider herself at home. Her home is at Boston, or New-York, or some of the Atlantic ports; their crews all belong there. The home of our steamers, should be in the Gulf, and the Mississippi; and their crews should hail from those borders. It is

"It is by arrangements of this sort," continues The West-by which we include the Gulf-states, the Secretary--"that the Navy can be made to re- and those watered by the streams of the Missisturn to the country twice the wealth which is ex-sippi-should be charged with the steam portion of pended in support of it. The wealth of a nation the Navy, as the East is with canvass portion. does not consist in the quantity of gold which it may have in its Treasury; the economy of a nation is not shown only in the smallness of its expenditures. It is rich, only in proportion as its people are rich; and it is economical only so far as it applies the public money to uses more valuable to the people who pay it, than the money itself. This is but another name for national thrift; but it is the only sense in which national economy is of any value. Nine tenths of the appropriations to the Navy are paid back to our own people for materials, labor, and subsistence. It is thus put into circulation, paying debts, supplying wants, and sustaining credit. Every dollar thus employed increases the tax-pay-for the protection of their homes, that a Gulf squading ability of the people to twice that amount; and this tax-paying ability is the true wealth of the nation. The expenses of the Navy, therefore, are not to be considered a dead tax upon the Treasury. They not only go back and circulate among our own people, but, unlike most other expenditures of the Government, they give employment to industry, encouragement to enterprise, and patronage to genins. They perform, to a great extent, the office of a protective tariff, in developing and bringing into use various sources of our national wealth, particularly in copper, iron, hemp, provisions, and coal. The effect of even a small disbursement, so made, upon the public prosperity and comfort, is much more important and extensive than the first view of it would lead us to suppose. I am far from saying that taxes ought to be levied merely for the purpose of so expending them. No tax should be imposed, direct or indirect, which is not required for the legitimate and proper uses of Government. But if a necessity for the tax can be shown to exist; if the purposes to which it is proposed to apply it, clearly appear to be useful and profitable to the country far beyond the measure of the tax itself; it ceases to be a burden, and is relieved from all fair objection. Such in my opinion, is emphatically the case with almost the entire appropriation to naval service. It is confidently believed that such appropriations, as liberal as any convenient and proper revenue system will allow, may be, and

ron would be required in war;-and it is for the protection of their labor and their produce, that a Gulf Squadron is required in peace;-and who should be charged with the defence of Southern and Western fire-sides, in war-of Southern and Western merchandize, in peace, but Southern and Western people? In the last war, we had no Squadron in the Gulf: the Western boys had to march down to its shores, and drive back the enemy. Entrust to them now, the Gulf defences,-let them build and man their own war-steamers, and no foe would ever again have the hardihood to cross the seas for the "beauty and booty" of a Southern city.

As there is a school for Military Engineers at West-Point in the East, there should be a school too for Naval Engineers in the West. Connected with the workshops of the Western boat-yard, there should be a school of Engineers. If more were graduated there, than are required for our public steamers in times of peace, they would be ready for the excess in time of war-and in the mean time would, in their private capacity, find useful and valuable occupation on the river boats. They would raise the standard of qualifications for Western river navigation-and prevent that destruction of life and property there, which legislation has tried in vain to arrest.

This is a matter of deep interest to the West, and we call upon the press and the people there, to stand up for their rights.

BLINDNESS AND THE BLIND.

NO. III.

neglected his education until his eleventh year, when, at his urgent request, he was sent to the public school with his brothers and sisters. He From the most remote antiquity, there have ex-profited so much by what he heard there, that in isted, at all times, and nearly in all nations, blind the year 1623 he was able to enter the University persons, who distinguished themselves by uncom- of Leipzig. After graduating, he engaged for some mon acquirements in the sciences or in the arts. time as private teacher, with good success. He Their number is so considerable, that the limits then settled in Koenigsberg, where he taught the necessarily imposed upon a communication of this French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldarie nature, will not allow us to mention here, more and Arabic languages. When he took part in the than a small fraction of the whole. A few well theological disputations, at that time much in vogue; authenticated examples, however, may not be un- he would quote the verses he wanted in the Latin interesting to your readers. We shall select them and in the original languages, always giving the from the number of those who lived before, the chapter and verse; he used also to mention the time of the immortal Harvy, and leave a notice of Hebrew accents and points with the utmost accusome of the most celebrated pupils of the institu- racy, sometimes drawing critical conclusions from tions which he founded for a future communication. them. He was well acquainted with the Greek Cicero, (Tuscal disp. V, 39) tells us that Diodo- profane writers. He had the letters of the Eastern tus Sloicus, who was blind from infancy, not only languages which he taught, made of wire, and, by had acquired, himself, a thorough knowledge of feeling them repeatedly, he learned to write these philosophy, music and geometry, but that he taught languages. He solved very difficult arithmetical the latter science with the greatest success. He calculations by means of notched sticks. His acused to tell his pupils, with the greatest precision, quirements in philosophy and the mathematics were how to draw the diagrams necessary to the illus-respectable; he played well on several musical intration of the propositions which he wanted to de- struments, mostly on the organ. The acuteness of his senses, of feeling and hearing was remarkable; he was a good hand at ten-pins, and was a good shot a at mark which was so contrived, that a person could, without danger, strike it and thus inform him of its exact position. (Baczka pag. 60.)

monstrate.

Eusebius also, although blind from his fifth year, became distinguished both as a scholar and as a teacher: (Cassiodorus, de Inst. dio. litten. capt. V.) St. Hieronymus (de vivis illustr. cap. 109) speaks in the highest terms, of his teacher Didymus of Nicholas Saunderson, who has already been menAlexandria, who lost his sight in infancy, but ne- tioned, whilst speaking of the sense of touch, was vertheless became one of the best mathematicians the son of a poor exciseman. He was born in the of his age. He was appointed professor of the county of York, in England, in the year 1682, and celebrated school at Alexandria, where Ruffinus, lost his sight in the second year of his life. He Paladius, Isidor and many other celebrated men, devoted himself principally to the study of mathebecame his pupils. He wrote several good works matics, and with so much success, that he was able on mathematics and theology, the best of which-to impart instruction in this his favorite science. a treatise on the Holy Ghost-was translated into In his public lectures which were numerously atLatin by Hieronymus. tended, he spoke to his hearers as if they also were Nicasius Werdamus lost his eye-sight when blind. He explained successfully Newton's works three years old; undaunted by this loss, he applied on light and colors. In the year 1711, he was aphimself to study with such success, that he was pointed Lucassian professor of the mathematics in appointed professor of civil and ecclesiastic law the University of Cambridge. About this time, he at the University of Calogne. During his lectures, published his elements of Algebra, a remarkable he used to quote authorities, and even to recite work, full of the most extraordinary but lucid exwhole passages from other authors with as much planations. He invented an apparatus for arithease and accuracy as if he had their works before metic which has since been improved; and thus alhim and were able to read them. (Bib. Bat. auth. tered, is yet in pretty general use amongst the blind. p. 311.) Saunderson's apparatus consisted of a square board, in which, rows of small holes had been bored so as to form little squares-three holes on one side, and one in the middle. He had two kinds of pins which fitted these holes. A pin of the largest size in the central hole to represent O. A pin of the smallest size in the same place stood for 1. For 2, he used to place a large pin in the middle hole, Huldericus Shonbergen, lost his eyesight by the and a small one in the hole immediately above it. small pox, when about three years old. His pa- | For 3, a large pin in the middle and a small one in rents thinking that nothing could be done for him, the North-East corner of the square; and so on for

John Fernanda, the son of a poor Spaniard, and blind from infancy, struggled so successfully against the many obstacles which, poverty and blindness united, could not fail to put in his way, that he became celebrated as a poet, and gramarian and a composer of music. Several of his quartets are yet in existence. (Zahn ex. mir., p. 114.)

all the other figures, till 9 was represented by a speak but once, he could tell by the sound of his large pin in the central hole, and a small one in the own voice, whether the place of any of the furniNorth-Western hole of the little square. The same ture of his rooms had been changed during his abapparatus was also used by Saunderson for Geome-sence. He replied to Diderot, who asked him whetry; he could produce any straightlined figure upon ther he did not often wish he were able to see; it by putting the pins so as to represent the angles "Yes, but only because curiosity plagues me, of the figures which he wanted to delineate, and then wrapping them with a silk thread. The celerity with which Saunderson performed the longest calculations by means of this simple contrivance, is said to have been truly wonderful; he calculated with it, and then prepared permanently tangible tables of the natural sines, tangents, etc., which can yet be seen at Cambridge. His biography, written by his disciple and friend, Juchlif, was published in Dublin in 1747.

otherwise I would prefer very long arms; I could then become acquainted with objects at a distance, better than you can with your telescopes; besides, the eyes are much more easily lost than the fingers." John Kaeferle, son of a miller, was born in 1768, at Weiblingen in Germany. He lost the sight of one eye in early infancy, and that of the other when about four years old, by the accidental discharge of a crossbow. His talents for music and mechanics, for which he afterwards became celebrated, showed Dr. Henry Mayes, born in Manchester, lost his themselves at an early age. When only five years sight in early infancy. He was carefully instructed old, in a few weeks, and without assistance, he by his parents, in languages, music, mathematics learnt to play several tunes on a little toy violin and chemistry; he evinced during his youth, a de- which had been given to him as a new-year's gift. cided taste for mechanics, and succeeded in making At the early age of ten years, his fathers' turningwind-mills, looms, etc. As professor of Chemistry lathe having attracted his attention, he secretly exin Pitterweem, Scotland, he lectured with much amined into its mechanism, and without any body's applause on the various branches connected with assistance, turned a set of ten pins. Soon after, his chair. He not only repeated the experiments he made a neat and exact model of the machinery by which the identity of Galvanism and Electri- contained in a neighboring wool-factory. A year city, used to be demonstrated, but invented several striking new ones. He first found out that copper, zink and wet paper, were not the only materials out of which a galvanic pile can be constructed. He also first noticed the presence of gas in water through which a galvanic stream has passed. He founded upon his experiments, a very ingenious theory by which he accounted for the difference in the quantity of vapor sustained in the air at different times. He was a pleasant companion, and as a lecturer, remarkable for the clearness and conciseness of his language. (Bacyka p. 51.)

afterwards, he made for his father, a useful ciderpress. About this time, his father having bought a mile in the neighborhood of Lewisburg, John erected for a blacksmith of the town, a pair of bellows worked by water power. He invented different kinds of traps for mice, rats, minks, birds, etc. In his fifteenth year this blind youth undertook to furnish the farm of his father with water, and succeeded in this undertaking by building in the river Necker, a forcing pump, which adapted itself to the height of the water, and was worked by the force of its current. At the age of sixteen, one eye Joseph Kleinhars, born at Nauders, in Tyrol, be- was operated upon by a surgeon, who succeeded came blind in his fourth year. He made crucifixes in restoring its sight for a short time; but, four and holy figures of wood, in which all parts were months afterwards, a violent inflammation not only in due proportion, and which expressed affliction, destroyed the eye-ball, and thus blasted all hopes of delight, and other affections of the mind. He made his ever seeing again, but also affected his general statues from less than a foot high, to the common health materially, and confined him for a long time size of the human body, which would do honor to to his bed. At the age of twenty, being perfectly many seeing artists. He also carved, in great per- recovered, he began to make musical instruments, fection, heads or busts of living persons, which he an occupation which he followed ever after with took off by feeling, either from nature or from casts. great success and distinction. The instruments The blind man of Puisseaux, whose manifold ac- | which he made first-violins and guitars-were so quirements Diderot (letters sur les aveugles) de- well made that they met with ready sale at a good scribes, was the son of a professor of Philosophy price. But, having accidentally obtained a piano, in the high school of Paris where he attended the he soon showed a decided predilection for that instrudifferent schools and received his education. Hav-ment, and learned in a few months to play on it so ing become reduced in circumstances he repaired well, that he was appointed organist in a neighborto Puiseaux, where he erected a distillery. He was ing church. His father bought him a small organ, singular in many of his actions; it was his custom, the bellows of which were intended to be worked for example, to sleep during the day and to work by the feet of the player; but finding this irksome, all night, because, as he said, he was not apt to be he soon contrived to attach them to the machinery interrupted. His memory of sound was so good, of his fathers' mill, and to have them blown by its that he could recognise persons whom he had heard means. He constructed his first piano in 1790.