MERCANTILE STEAM TRANSPORT ECONOMY. 433 



the foregoing estimate of the actual cost expenses of freight may be consider- 

 ably modified by our altering the data of the calculations, still the per- 

 centages of difference above set forth, showing the degree or per-centage in 

 which freight charges for the passage of 3250 miles are enhanced in conse- 

 quence of the inferiority in locomotive properties of the ship B, as compared 

 with the ship A, will not be much altered from the per-centages above set 

 forth, showing an enhanced cost of freight to be paid by the public on bring- 

 ing cargo, grain forinstance,from the States, or from the Black Sea, to England, 

 amounting to 32 percent. at the 8 knots speed, b(^ percent. at the lOknots speed, 

 and 111 per cent, at the 12 knots speed, extra charges incurred on freight per 

 ton of goods conveyed, and to be paid by the public, in consequence of the 

 dynamic inferiority of ship B, as compared with ship A. It is surely in con- 

 sequence of the public not being generally aware of the high scale of prime 

 cost charges necessarily involved in a 12 miles speed (steaming speed at sea), 

 as compared with an 8 miles speed, that such high speed is so universally de- 

 manded by the public ; and it must surely be in consequence of an almost 

 similar want of insight into the real cost of high speed on the part of directors, 

 that obligations as to speed are so frequently incurred at a price inadequate 

 to such service. If the public will have a progressively increasing high rate of 

 speed, they must pay for it about in the ratio at which they purchase iron, 

 copper, silver, gold, and diamonds, either of which may be bought too dear for 

 common use. 



The foregoing results have been based on the supposition that the consump- 

 tion of fuel in both ships is at the rate of 4 lbs. per hour per ind. h.p. My 

 own experience, however, induces me to be of opinion that this rate of con- 

 sumption is but very seldom realized, and that 5 lbs. of coal per ind. h.p. 

 per hour is much nearer in accordance with our present actual steaming prac- 

 tice. It is therefore important that we show to what extent the rate of trans- 

 port freight expenses will be enhanced, if the service above referred to, 

 namely 3250 nautical miles direct, be performed with an inferior construc- 

 tion of boiler, causing a consumption of 5 lbs. of coal per indicated horse- 

 power per hour, instead of 4- lbs., as above calculated on. In this case, accord- 

 ing as the speed for which the vessel may be powered is *8, 10, or 12 knots 

 an hour (see ' Steam-ship Capability,' p. 78), the cost expenses incurred by 

 vessel A, instead of being £1 155. Id.., £2 ^s. 6d., and £3 4*. 6d, per ton-weight 

 of cargo, will now amount to £1 195. 5d., £2 lis. 4</., and £3 19*. Id. per 

 ton-vfeight of cargo, this increase of prime cost freight expenses per ton of 

 goods being 11 per cent., 15 per cent., and 22 per cent., according as the 

 service speed may be 8, 10, or 12 knots per hour, solely in consequence of the 

 inferiority of the boiler, or inferiority of boiler-management, causing this 

 extra consumption of fuel ; and further, if this greater consumption of coal 

 be combined with the inferior type of vessel B, the prime cost expenses of 

 freight per ton of goods, instead of being £115*. 7c?., £2 4s. 6c?., and £3 4s. 6c?., 

 will now be £2 13s. 7c?., £4 5s. 5d., and £9 15s. 2d., this increase of freight 

 cost being 18s. per ton, £2 Os. lie?, per ton, and £6 10s. 8d. per ton weight 

 of cargo conveyed, or 50 per cent., 100 per cent., and 202 per cent, extra 

 charge incurred according as the service speed may be 8, 10, or 12 knots per 

 hour. These results show the monstrous extent, in a pecuniary point of 

 view, to which the public are interested in the general quality of the type of 

 ships and machinery adaptation thereto, and working condition of ships by 

 which the mercantile transport service of the country may be prosecuted. 

 But let us look a little further into this matter, in the hope of obtaining 

 a more definite appreciation of the total extent in £ s. d. to which the 

 British public are interested in having their mercantile transport service per- 



1856. 2 F 



