ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

extent, will have the handiest, and consequently, the most efficient menof-war; next, by clearing their hold of one half or three-quarters of the water, it will give room for carrying troops, or more space and ventilation for the men. They can be partly ballasted with coal, as a reserve for steamers, or afford room for steam machinery themselves; the necessity for which last-named measure, I apprehend, not to be far distant, but although named last, certainly the greatest benefit of this important measure will be, the increased health of the crew. Every one who has experience of a sea life knows that ninety-nine cases out of one hundred of illness on board ship, on foreign service, are caused by bad water, that it is almost the invariable cause of dysentery, and perhaps cholera also.

To place in view a few of the effects of bad water at the present day ;The sickness at Chusan is said to be caused by bad water, and from all appearance goes far to threaten the most disastrous consequences to the expedition; and the deaths of our seamen and marines on the coast of Syria, were produced by bad water; in both cases causing dysentery; —and, in calling to remembrance my own career, I never was but once ill abroad, and that was caused by the bad water of Alexandria, causing dysentery.

Add to these effects of bad water, the occasional want of it altogether, and the difficulty and sickness attending the procuring of it in tropical climates, where more men have perished by the diseases consequent upon watering, than by fighting; add also, the enormous expense and difficulty of watering a blockading fleet.

The Mediterranean fleet, it is even now said, is detained in Marmorice, where they can get nothing but water, instead of going to Malta, because they are with difficulty watered at that island. In fine, water on board ship is well known to sailors to be the most important of all stores, to be the object of first consideration,—and this contrivance is evidently calculated to obviate all the inconveniences and anxieties it embraces.

It is also worthy of observation, that men-of-war may thus always be kept in their proper trim, and not found occasionally in the state of the Ganges when the gale came on, in which the Zebra was lost, and nearly so, the Pique and Bellerophon. This ship, the Ganges, is stated then to have wanted 300 tons of water! Upon which it may be observed, that if she was then in a condition to weather a gale, she must be in a very unenviable state when the 300 tons of water is filled up, the whole of which must clearly be an incumbrance to her sailing qualities.

London, 17th Feb., 1841.

I am, &c.,

R. D. MIDDLeton.

NEW STEAMER.-The new steamer about to be launched at Milford, and to be called the Geyser, is to have for her figure-head a bust of Sir Joseph Banks, the late President of the Royal Society, the first of our countrymen who visited, and gave an account of those extraordinary springs of Iceland. This is judicious, and it would be difficult to find one more appropriate. We understand it is copied from the admirablę original by Chantry,

(Continued from p. 196.-cL crew lost. cs crew saved,, D drowned.)

[blocks in formation]

280 Sunderland Cogle

Adelaide

268

Ann

Apollo

270 Hull

Sadler

Arctic

Australia

Belinda

Alloa
Troon

Huby
abandond drifted
Mc Nicol

Boreas

Bensley

275

Clifton

Workinton

Danube

Dolphin

Cork

Earl of Devon

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Jan. 23 cs

Jan. 5 CS

Dec. 18

C8

Dec. 7

CS

Dec. 18

CS

Jan. 23 CS

Jan. 9

[ocr errors]

Jan.

Mar. 2

[ocr errors]

Scrumble H Jan.

19 CS

Bayfield Yarmoth Genoa Ivaza
Burrows Quebec Jamaica Turks I.
McAlpin Pictou Glasgow Sable I.
Seaham
Gunfleet
Newcast Constnp) Hasbro S.
DeGarris Guernsy St. Ubes Figueira
Channon Newport
Mixon
Pirouet Jersey Liverpool Jersey
Newquay Davis

220 Sunderland Ripon Hull Stockton Tees Bar Jan. 93 D
Greenock
Montreal Gre'nock Sable I. Nov 27 2 D
lost previous to Feb. PuloCanton China
Hond'ras
China London C. Spartel

Sunderland Smithson London

Ambletse

Liverpoo! Formby B.
Sundrind run foul of

Harwich Portsmth Brake S.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

Portaferry Clarke Troon Dublin Drogheda Feb. 1

Philips
Michaels St Michaels Dec. 27
Ewens St John Belfast Gr. Manan Dec. 24
Sydney Liverpoo
St. Andrew Mervat St.Andre Jamaica Turks I.
Liverpool Walace Liverpool Valpariso Sal 1.

2

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Enconter B
St. Peters Nov. 18
abandoned Jan. 17
Off Lizard Jan. 9
Stainton DJan. 16 1 D
C. Portugal Feb. 4 CS
Hook S. Jan. 31 ୯୫
Jan. 22 CS

of
By fire IN orth Sea Jan. 21
Pictou Glasgow Nova Scotia Dec. 20 1 D
Whaler
Pacific
Australia
Harbour I.
Tullan B.

Liverpool Havana
Brooke Ardrosan Donegal
Turnbull Liverpool

Nesbitt Richbeto Cork

Peterhead Gray Invkthng Oporto

324 Sunderland her stern washed on shore

To be continued.

Dec. 25 cs

Sept.

CS

Nov. 22 CS

Feb, 10 cs

C, Good H

Nov. 23 1 D

Pr. Edwd INov. 28

Cruden

Feb. 17

Staithes

Jan. 20

COLLISION OF STEAMERS WITH SAILING VESSELS.

Sir. When the Elder Brethren of the Trinity-House issued this" law of the road," in October last, they half did what they ought to have done, and the late accident in the case of the Governor Fenner proves it. In how many pages of your Nautical, Mr. Editor, for years has the necessity been shewn of the proper lighting of steamers? It has been said and proved that a single light may be taken for a floating or headland light, and it was clearly such a mistake that caused the Gil Blas to be run down,-mistaking a steamer's light for that of the South Sand Head.

But to come to the melancholy affair of the Governor Fenner, that ship had just sailed from Liverpool, was standing out in a rather dark night, with a stiff breeze at south,-consequently on the larboard tack. A sail is seen at a distance on the weather-bow: no suspicion seems to have been entertained that this was a steamer. A light was observed, and from all that can be gathered from the Newspapers, that light seems to have been shewn as it would be from a sailing vessel. On the approach of this vessel under canvas, it appears, that recollecting the law laid down by the Trinity-House, the steamer attempted to give way to the sailing vessel, by passing to leeward of her, and that the Governor Fenner taking the steamer for a sailing vessel, very properly, according to established usuages, bore up also to go to leeward, and in consequence the awful collision, whereby above 120 lives were lost!

Now, is it not clear, that if the steamer had been properly lighted, so as to put it beyond question that she was a steamer, that this dreadful accident would not have taken place. The Governor Fenner would have kept her luff, and the steamer would have passed to leeward of her.

It has required the collective wisdom of that useful body of gentlemen on Tower Hill, to witness about a quarter of a century of continual accidents amongst steamers, before they could bestir themselves to do what common sense has been calling so loudly for, viz. the establishment of the rule in question, and probably, after another lapse of years shall have doubled these dreadful losses, it may be found out, that in fact without going further, and insisting upon the proper lighting of these vessels, the rule now promulgated, has accomplished more harm than good!

I have occupied a good many of your pages in remarks on the subject of steam navigation, and I would now most seriously call the attention of those who have the power of remedying the evil, to the necessity of doing so without loss of time; and there seems to be no way so effectual as to insist upon the adoption of three lights-one under the crosstrees of the foremost, and one on each paddle-box,-forming an equilateral triangle. No one could mistake a vessel carrying such lights for any thing but what she is, and if the light at the masthead was a pale one, that in the larboard paddle-box the same, and the one on the starboard side a deep red; they would readily indicate every change of the steamer's motion, by altering the nature of the triangle.

A further strict prohibition should exist against a steamer carrying sail in the Channel, or on the coast of England, during night; it is the

very height of folly, in respect to the very questionable amount of speed gained by it, and madness when the great increase of danger is considered. In the case of the late accident referred to in this paper, I think it is pretty clear, that had it not been for her own sails, the steamer would have seen the Governor Fenner, and being, as stated, well to windward, would, most likely, have gone away so far more to windward as to have avoided all chance of collision; but with sail set, and going rather free, luffing up endangers the loss of topmasts; and bearing away sufficiently may even have been influenced by fear of bringing her by the lee, and all the sails aback! In fact, steamers are not under command when their sails are set, and had it not been for the sails of the steamer, putting lights even out of the question, the Governor Fenner would undoubtedly have kept her course, and thus the acc lent would not have occurred.

I am, &c.

MERCATOR.

[We understand that Capt. Taylor of H.M.S. San Josef has lately directed his attention to this subject, and published his views relating to it. A correspondent of the Hants Telegraph suggests that "Steamers, when running down on a sailing vessel, should, by a general understanding among all nations, always steer, so as to make it clear to the vessel to leeward, that she was going astern of her, and, that there might be no mistake, should bring her broad on the bow; and to insure this arrangement being complied with, let her insurance be affected should an accident occur. This of course is supposing a case where one vessel must necessarily give way." All this may be very well, but while a bad look out is kept, no rules will keep vessels clear of each other.-ED.]

TRIAL OF THE MERMAID IRON STEAMER, with Mr. Galloway's new Engine, and Mr. Smith's Screw-propeller. On Saturday the 14th, a trial of the above steamer took place on the river between Battersea and Southwark bridges. Her dimensions are, length 130 feet, breadth 19 feet, depth 9 feet, tonnage 164, and she was built by Mr. Ditchburn. The engine, a rotary one, made by Messrs. Rennie and Co., under the direction of Mr. Galloway, is constructed on an entirely new principle. The boiler is on the locomotive principle with brass tube, and is equivalent to fifty or sixty horse-power. The weight of the engine and boiler is only eighteen tons, and the shaft with a brass screw at the end is the only machinery about it. There are no wheels, nor geer of any kind. The result of these experiments was a velocity of ten to eleven miles per hour, through still water; and it seems likely that when the whole is completed, a greater velocity will be attained. Should this engine entirely answer the expectations of the ingenious inventor, a great revolution seems more than likely in steam navigation. We understand that Mr. Galloway's engine will occupy but a sixth part of the space filled by the present marine steam engine.

THE BRIG ELTON.-Reward.-We understand that the master and crew of the Mermaid, a fishing smack of Ostend have been rewarded ENLARGED SERIES.-NO. 4.-VOL. FOR 1841.

2 N

by Government with Twenty Pounds for their exertions in saving the crew of the brig Elton, of Stockton, wrecked off the coast of Norfolk.

It appears that they were found drifting towards the Flemish coast in an open boat, with nothing but one oar and a bucket,—the vessel having struck on Hasbro' sands, and immediately gone to pieces. The boat was without a rudder, and was kept head to sea with their only oar, and the bucket was continually employed in baling her out. They were without food or water, and were perfectly helpless from cold and hunger. The cabin boy had already died, and one man was drowned as he attempted to get into the boat. The Elton was wrecked on the evening of the 22d of January, and the crew were in that awful situation till the morning of the 25th. The vessel appears in our Table of Wrecks, page 271.

FRENCH TRIBUTE OF RESPECT FOR THE HUMANE CONDUCT OF AN ENGLISHMAN.-Thomas Rock Jones, master of the brig Sovereign, of North Shields, in April last, fell in with the French schooner La Providence, in the Gulf of Lyons, at a moment when the latter vessel was on the point of sinking from the effects of damages suffered in recent tempestuous weather. Capt. Jones exerted himself to remove the crew, in which he succeeded; he afterwards treated them with great humanity, and in the end landed them at Barcelona in safety. Grateful for the kindness he had experienced, the master of the lost schooner, Mons. J. F. Reynaud, made declaration of the facts before the French consulate at that place. Thus the story of Capt. Jones's conduct reached Paris, and he has since been honoured by the presentation of a splendid gold medal, having on the obverse the head of the King of the French, and on the reverse the following inscription-" From the Minister of Marine of France to Thomas Rock Jones, of an English vessel, for his generous aid in rescuing the crew of a French vessel from destruction."

SURVEY OF THE NORTH SEA.-We perceive that the officer selected for carrying on the important survey of the North Sea, begun by the late Captain Hewett in the Fairy, is Commander Washington, who has commissioned the Shearwater for that purpose at Woolwich, to which vessel a tender will be attached. The energy of character and scientific attainments of Commander Washington are such as to lead us to expect the best results from this appoint

ment.

SURVEY OF PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR.-A most minute survey of the harbour of this our chief naval Arsenal has been made during the latter part of last summer by Lieutenant Sheringham and the officers attached to his party, which for the fullness of its detail, the elegance of its execution, and the general masterly style in which it has been turned out of hand, is unrivalled by any work of the kind that we have seen. Among other pleasing reflections which an examination of it affords is the fact that, during the last fifty years since the only former survey was made on which dependance can be placed, the depth of the harbour in its important parts, has not undergone the smallest change whatever, shewing that no deposit has taken place from the vast mass of sea water which covers it daily. We understand that Lieutenant Sheringham is to continue his survey over Spithead and Langston harbours.

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »