238 Capt. M*^Konochie on the most effective Employment 



inhabitants, exercising their faculties, and opening up prospects to them which 

 at once give them earnestness and steadiness of industrious application. 



6*. The expence of building and fitting out a merchantman, to be thus 

 towed from port to port, would be greatly less than when she has to be fitted 

 with masts and sails, and strengthened to support their weight and conflict 

 with a heavy sea. And her capacity would be greater, because her hold 

 would be clear fore and aft, instead of being, as now, interrupted by cabins 

 and other accommodation, merely for the crew. She would thus at once cost 

 less, and carry more ; and even if the expence of actually moving her were 

 to be greater, she could better pay it. 



7. But the expence of moving her would be less also, at least on an average 

 of voyages, for there would be no loss of time arising from contrary winds, and 

 even a snail's pace would produce a quicker return. And this will be best 

 proved by exhibiting the expences incurred under existing circumstances, 

 as they may be gathered from the current freights charged by sailing vessels, 

 which at the same time are said to be at present unusually low. From 

 Leith to London, the average freight I find to be 83s. per ton ; to Newcastle, 

 it is 20s. ; to Liverpool, from 35s. to 50s. according to the admeasurement of 

 the article embarked ; to Dundee, 15s. ; to Banff, 24s. ; to Hamburgh, from 

 25s. to 30s.; to Peterhead, 18s.; to Perth, 16s.; to Aberdeen, 16s.— the 

 whole averaging (at least on these short voyages) above 9s. per ton, or E. 45 

 per 100 tons, for every 100 miles of distance made good ; — a run which, at 

 the easy rate of four miles an hour, a steam-tug would accomplish in a day, 

 at an expence not exceeding from L.5 to L.IO even now, and which will cer- 

 tainly be greatly less, when economy shall come to be minutely studied in 

 the production and application of steam to nautical purposes,— in other 

 words, when steam-boats shall become really useful in trade. As yet, they 

 may be said to have been rather the toys of the rich, than the bread-winners 

 of the poor man ; — or, when this has not been the case, the locality has been 

 some great coal district, where a saving of fuel has been no object. Velocity 

 of movement, and splendour of decoration, have been the chief objects stu- 

 died in them ; and there is little doubt that this want of useful direction in 

 the minds of their improvers, has contributed greatly to limit their employ- 

 ment. 



8. An important step, however, towards a change in these circumstances, 

 would be gained by the mere entering on this tug plan, keeping in view, at 

 the same time, the whole details here connected with it. Steam-boats would be 

 thus smaller,— a smaller scantling of timber, even in proportion, would be re- 

 quired for them, — all temptation to indulge in useless finery would be taken 

 away, — they would thus be more cheaply built ; and, even though their 

 wear and tear continued the same, it would be more easily supported, for, 

 when the investment is smaller, it is sooner made up, and can be more easily 

 renewed. But small boats lightly timbered and clincher planked, would 

 be found, I am persuaded, to have another advantage over those of the pre- 

 sent large and heavy carvel construction, — they would suffer less from use 

 and repair, and thus probably last longer also. The heat of the fire inside 

 of a steam-boat, dries up the natural juices of the wood, which even the long- 

 est seasoning will not altogether expel. The water penetrates, and supplies 



