sengers, merchandise, or the dread implements of

war.

As in the case of railroads, we are compensated for this loss-in part, at least-by the speed and safety of the voyage. We are brought to our journey's end in a few days instead of weeks,-no slight blessing to those who suffer by sickness or other privations and annoyances of a sea voyage, or to those who are

"bent

To see how money can be made, not spent;"

who bring sample cards in their pockets, or who hurry over to make the earliest selections in foreign markets. A few days and all is over. The wheels cease to revolve, a startling sense of quiet comes over us as the engine stops its thundering sound at last, and we find ourselves stepping out upon dry land, three thousand miles from home, surrounded by strange sights, new scenes, and new faces.

The steamer affects the social relations of the world as the railroad does those of a state or community. Nations are brought nearer to each other, understand each other better, and, in consequence, have fewer misunderstandings. Much is gained for the cause of peace and national brotherhood. Steam is your true pacificator. It makes of one family all the nations of the world, and its shrill whistle announces peace on earth, good will to man.

There is another view, however, in which steam

subserves the cause of peace. It reduces to a matter of calculation and of mathematics the uncertainties of war. All improvements in the art of war have the effect to avert and to lessen its horrors, by making it more an object to be dreaded, and by bringing it to a more speedy termination. The Minie rifle, the Paixhan gun and the steam all work to the same end. Steam has revolutionized the whole science of naval warfare. Naval battles are to be decided hereafter, not by tactics and seamanship, weather-gaging, backing, filling, or club-hauling of the olden times, but by superior weight of metal and skill in gunnery. The weather-gage has lost its consequence, and the sailor is turned into a gunner or marine. His glory is departed, and exists only in song. Nelsons are no longer possible. The whole art of naval warfare is changed, and reduced to a matter of dollars and cents. The heaviest battery must prevail, since steam puts both parties on an equality as regards seamanship. The wind, which has decided so many battles, has no longer anything to do with the matter, and skilful manœuvres are superseded by the skilful use of heavy guns.

In long voyages sailing vessels are still necessary, for want of capacity for coal; but we may anticipate the time when a remedy will be found for this difficulty, and steamers supersede entirely the old-fashioned ships of the line, frigates, and sloops of war.

Propellers, too, are constantly gaining on our mercantile marine. The certainty and shortness of the voyage makes up for the increased expense of steam. Propellers, while they have usually less speed than side-wheel steamers, have more capacity for freight, from the situation and diminished bulk of their engines. They have been introduced by an enterprising firm in Boston, whose example, it is hoped, will be followed, until we have lines to all our Southern cities. Boston needs all her energy, enterprise and wealth to keep from falling behind the great centre, New York. We need all our domestic business and all the foreign trade we can command. We ought not to be outdone in mechanical skill, and obliged to go South to purchase our steamboats. We should build our own boats and for our neighbors also. If we can build the best ships, we can also build the best steamboats.

The triumphs of steam are by no means confined to steamboats and railroads. Steam is doing the work of human hands as well as transporting us by sea and by land. Steam weaves our cloth, manufactures our machinery, prepares the materials for our houses, and makes the carpets and furniture we put into them; grinds our grain, helps make our shoes, hats and clothes, and prints our newspapers. Hardly a month passes in which it is not applied to some new and useful purpose. We can only be sure that we

shall never eat, drink, sleep, walk and think by steam. The animal functions seem secure-all the rest is uncertain. Nature asserts her rights, and we can neither be born nor die by steam, and yet both birth and death are relieved by another subtle and invisible gas, which we call ether. Steam is the wonder and glory of our age. It is destined to accomplish results of which we can as yet hardly dream. It is now but an infant in its mother's arms. What are we to expect when it grows to man's estate, and attains a vigorous old age?

THE JEW.

THE Jew has an old and perpetual claim upon the attention of all engaged in trade. He is the personification of trade, whether in old clothes, jewelry, merchandise, or stocks. His race, hated, despised, and persecuted for nearly two thousand years, robbed, plundered, and subjected to every species of ignominy and insult, still remains the same identical people that cried out in the olden time, "crucify him." Since that time the cry has been, "crucify them," "crucify them." Through all these centuries they have wandered over the earth, hanging upon the skirts of society, but denied all its privileges, while they have preserved in the most wonderful manner their national features, traits and character. Within the last century, this prejudice against the Jews has been mitigated, and they are no longer considered fair game for robbery as in the days of Shylock. Some of the most distinguished of modern artists, diplomatists and statesmen have been Jews, or of Jewish descent. Europe acknowledges in her literature, as well as her finance, that the Jew is part and