none were destined to return, the rapidity of the current 

 being such as to require a longer period for the ascent than 

 was occupied by St. Paul in his Mediterranean voyage. 

 What a sudden and wondrous change has been wrought ! The 

 power of steam has covered these magnificent waters with 

 numberless vessels of all sizes — cleaving their upward course 

 for nearly 2000 miles with almost the same facility as their 

 downward descent — conveying every day thousands of active 

 adventurers from all nations, to exchange their European 

 fabrics for the products of the virgin soil of Tennessee and 

 Indiana. The number of steamers which trade upon these 

 rivers amounts already to about 500. They are built on 

 a peculiar construction so as to draw very little water — carry 

 all their machinery and passengers on deck — and perform 

 the upward voyage from New Orleans to the confluence of 

 the Ohio and the Mississippi — a distance of nearly 1100 

 miles — in five or six days. There has been much discussion 

 as to the speed of the American river steamers. Dr. 

 Scoresby, who is just returned from the United States, 

 has accurately tested it, and informs me that it frequently 

 reaches fifteen miles in the hour. Some of the ship-masters, 

 however, boast of a much greater velocity. 



" But the recent application of steam to Trans-Atlantic 

 communication is attended with still more important results. 

 It is now eight years since the engineers of Great Britain 

 were much occupied with the discussion of the practicability 

 of a continuous steam voyage across the Atlantic. Although 

 by some it was thought possible, the most eminent among 

 them pronounced that the distance between Great Britain 

 and the United States somewhat exceeded the limits Of 

 steam power ; but that it might be as well to try a voyage 

 from the westernmost shore of Ireland to the nearest point 

 of (lie American Continent. Fortunately, however, the 

 energies of our mechanics become concentrated upon tin 



