seen steam boats. This barge, in all respects, except breadth of beam and the machinery, resembles the finest you ever did see. It took me the first half hour after getting on board, to look through this floating palace. It certainly exceeds every thing I have ever yet seen in all that enters into the composition of safety and comfort. Indeed, there is a splendour too in the ornamented parts which is very striking; and as if the inventive genius of the owners was apprehensive that the ear might grow jealous of the eye, that organ has been provided for also, in a fine band of music. I have heared some question the security of this barge, by saying her buoyancy and great elevation above the surface of the water rendered her liable to turn over. But I doubt whether if she and her sister, the Lady Van Rensselaer, ("a twin," I am told, "at all points,") were to glide up and down the North river for a century, that such an occurrence would happen. Were they visitants of the sea, the swells of the ocean might rock them over, but never, in my opinion, will the North river roll so as to occasion such a disaster.

This beautiful barge is towed by the Commerce, an unusually fine steam boat, and of great power. The connection is by means of two pieces of timber some six feet long. These are fastened to either side of the bow of the barge, and uniting in the form of a pair of compasses, the upper, or joint part, receives a bolt of iron which rises out of the stern of the Commerce. The connecting parts work on swivels, hence none of the motion of the steam boat is communicated to the barge. Communication is had between the two, by means of a moveable platform some two and a half feet wide, with hand-rails on either side. Openings are made in the stern of the Commerce, and in the bow of the barge, in which this platform rests. I enclose you a drawing, and must refer you to it for a better conception of the exterior appearance of these boats than I can give you by an attempt at description. There is nothing in an affair of this sort like an appeal to the eye. Some of the advantages which the barge possesses over the steamboat, are, in the security from the effects of a burst

ed boiler-freedom from the heat and the steam, and from the smell of grease and the kitchen, and from the jar occasioned by the machinery, and in the enlarged accommodations the whole barge being set apart for eating, and sleeping, and walking. The cabin in which we dine, is below, and is the same in which the gentlemen sleep; and one hundred and eighty persons can sit down at once, and each one have elbow-room sufficient for all the purposes of figuring with the knife and fork in all the graces of which these two instruments are susceptible. At the termination of this immense dining apartment, and towards the bow, is a bar most sumptuously supplied with all that can be desired by the most fastidious or thirsty. The births occupy the entire sides of this vast room; these are curtained, and in such way as to afford retirement in dressing and undressing-there being brass rods on which the curtains are projected, and these are thrown out at night. In the day, the curtains hang close to the births, as is usual. Next above this, are the ladies' cabin and apartments-state rooms rather, furnished in the most splendid style, and in which a lady has all the retirement and comfort which the delicacy and tenderness of her sex requires. Over the bar, and upon this middle apartment, or tier, is an apartment where the gentlemen dress, and shave, and read. All around this second story, it being, I should judge, not over two-thirds the width of the boat, and resting on the middle of the deck, is a fine walk, with settees, where you can sit when you please, or lounge. Then comes, and over all, the grand promenade, with an awning, when the sun or rain requires it, over the whole.

It is not possible for New York to furnish, in her best hotels, a better dinner than we sat down to yesterday, nor in a better style of preparation. I suppose our company numbered one hundred. The captain is highly qualified, no less by his masterly knowledge of his duty, than by his gentlemanly courtesy, for so splendid a charge; and the attendance appeared to be of the best. Taken altogether, I question whether the world ever witnessed any thing so perfect

in all that relates to the accommodation, and comfort, and

pleasure of passengers.

This, then, was the beautiful vessel in which I made my first voyage up the Hudson; for every body, you know, at least since the days of Stuyvesant, who ever went up this famous river, made a first voyage. I have sometimes thought, according to Knickerbocker's glowing description of Peter's, that he, perhaps, although he went in the old style, had the most pleasant of all. It has certainly been the most distinguished, and is unrivalled in the incidents. with which the genius of the historian has invested it. Mine is but a shadow to it.

I would not have you think, because I am so much delighted with the barge, that I have fallen out with the steamboats-far from it. I look upon them as amongst the best gifts that the travelling community has ever had made to it; but for myself, I would prefer, of the two, the barge. It is proper to state, that the hundred and forty-four miles, the distance from New York to Albany, is gone over, six hours sooner by the steamboats, than by the barge.* We reached this place at six o'clock this morning. The steamboat, the Richmond, I think, that left New York at the same hour yesterday, arrived here at twelve o'clock last night.

Having made you acquainted, as well as I am able, with the Lady Clinton, both outside and in, I have only to add, that I was happy in meeting with very agreeable company. I would, if I had time, introduce you to it but this may form the subject of a conversation at a future day. You may imagine the interest which I felt, when I tell you I regretted parting with several who left us at West point, and with as much solicitude, as if the acquaintance of the day had been the intimacy of a year. I cannot refrain from naming to you Col. and Mrs. B. of Ph—a; and Mr. and Mrs. P-m-o-y, of C-r-s-town, New York.

The new Philadelphia steamboat, which has this was written, makes the trip in twelve hours! and fastest steamboat in the world.

commenced running since Perhaps this is the finest,