CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL
CONTENTS
WHO SHALL RULE THE WAVES?
NUMBER NINETEEN IN OUR STREET.
VISIT TO A SPOT CONNECTED WITH THE BIOGRAPHY OF BURNS.
ONE-SIDEDNESS.
MR KIRBY THE NATURALIST.
THE MODERN TARTAR.
A DAINTY DISH.
GRATITUDE OF THE COUNTRY FOR STEAM COMMUNICATION.
A DREAM OF RESURRECTION.
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, EDITORS OF 'CHAMBERS'SINFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE,' 'CHAMBERS'S EDUCATIONAL COURSE,' &c.
| No. 451. New Series. | SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1852. | Price 1½d. |
WHO SHALL RULE THE WAVES?
A contest of a very remarkable kind is now going on, one which ispregnant with important results in respect to commerce, to navalarchitecture, to geographical discovery, to colonisation, to thespread of intelligence, to the improvement of industrial art, and tothe balance of political power among nations. The nature of thiscontest cannot be better made intelligible than by giving the words ofa challenge recently put forth: 'The American Navigation Companychallenge the ship-builders of Great Britain to a ship-race, withcargo on board, from a port in England to a port in China and back.One ship to be entered by each party, and to be named within a week ofthe start. The ships to be modelled, commanded, and officered entirelyby citizens of the United States and Great Britain respectively; to beentitled to rank "A 1" either at the American offices or at Lloyd's.The stakes to be L.10,000, and satisfactorily secured by both parties;to be paid without regard to accidents, or to any exceptions; thewhole amount forfeited by either party not appearing. Judges to bemutually chosen. Reasonable time to be given after notice ofacceptance, to build the ships, if required, and also for dischargingand loading cargo in China. The challenged party may name the size ofthe ships—not under 800 nor over 1200 American register tons; theweight and measurement which may be carried each way; and theallowance for short weight or oversize.'
There is a boldness, a straightforwardness, an honesty in thischallenge, which cannot be mistaken. It is difficult to be interpretedin any other sense than that the challengers mean what they say.Brother Jonathan has fairly thrown down the gauntlet to theBritishers, and it behoves the latter to take it up in a becomingspi