of Steam-Power in Navigation. 237 



most unsafe vessels, perhaps in the world, for the service required from them, 

 as witness the wholesale loss of them experienced every winter. And steam- 

 boats, as now built, are also eminently unsafe, not the slightest provision be- 

 ing made in them against the inevitable consequences of any considerable leak. 

 As here proposed, however, scarcely any accident could possibly carry them 

 down. With two engines, and a number of boilers, their machinery could 

 hardly ever be entirely 8topj>ed ; and if it were by rare accident, both Teasels 

 could make a little sail, or anchor, according to circumstances. If the wind, 

 during a voyage, came to blow on a neighbouring shore, a slight deviation 

 from the direct course would soon gain an offing. If a heavy sea got up, the 

 head could be laid, for a few hours, in any way that suited best The light 

 draught of both vessels would, as it were, blot out of the chart a variety of 

 dangers, which are only formidable where much water is drawn. This, toge- 

 ther with the complete command of manoeuvre, would make even the most 

 intricate passages easy. At the very worst, good ground tackle would bold 

 vessels of this description for ever; or they would come to their jury masts, 

 with their courage and resources entire, neither wreck to cut away, nor other 

 confusion to contend with. And to crown all, more care would probably be 

 taken in selecting masters for these valuable tugs, on whom the navigation 

 would entirely devolve, than is notoriously taken in trading vessels, or than 

 can be afforded by the profits yielded by the smaller classes of them. Were 

 the whole system indeed methodized, as I think it may and will yet be, and 

 tugs belonged to one set of proprietors, and the vessels which they towed to 

 another, and the former were hired as required, and gradually came to ply 

 chiefly to certain ports, and along certain coasts, this last consideration 

 would, I think, be even paramount in recommending the plan : For the mas- 

 ters of these tugs would just be first rate pilots, whose individual property, 

 character, and bread, would all be dependent on their intelligence and atten- 

 tion. 



5. There is another advantage attending the light draught of water here 

 contemplated for merchant vessels (and which coukl scarcely ever exceed four 

 or five feet), which is of extreme importance. It would open up to the pur- 

 poses rf commerce many harbours which are now shut ; and in others, be a 

 virtual carrying out of deep water piers, where the actually doing so, uader 

 existing circumstances, is impossible. It would also extend the benefit of 

 junction canals, which are all fully shallow, to a much greater number of ves- 

 sels than now derive any benefit from them ; and at the same time encou- 

 rage similar works where the requisite supply of water for deep cuts cannot 

 be procured, but where shallow trenches might thus be equally useful. And 

 there is one point of view in which this anticipation would seem peculiarly 

 interesting. Local improvements, whatever their extent, are necessarily 

 of a temporary nature, and must be upheld at a constant, and in time growing 

 expence, or be at some period again lost. But an improvement in the build 

 of vessels generally, as here contemplated, would be a permanent acquisition, 

 — of the more importance, that, in fact, the opening up a sea-port, where before 

 there was none, can scarcely be too highly appreciated as a benefit to those 

 concerned. It is a moral as well as a pecuniary gain ; and stimulates the 

 energies of the whole afyoining district, enlarging the scope of industry of its 



JAMUAaY— >APRIL 1829. R 



