504 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
every reason to believe a number 
of lives will be saved, and much 
misery prevented. Where candles 
are employed in the open air in 
the mines, life is extinguished by 
the explosion ; with the safe-lan- 
tern, or safe-lamp, the lightis only 
put out, and no other inconveni- 
ence will occur.” 
ON STEAM-BOATS UPON 
THE CLYDE. 
By Robertson Buchanan, Esq. of 
Glasgow. : 
Tilloch’s 
Magazine.) 
(From Mr. Philosophical 
So early as the year 1801, a 
vessel propelled by steam wastried 
on the Forth and Clyde inland na- 
vigation, but was laid aside, among 
other reasons, on account of the 
injury it threatened the banks of 
the canal by the agitation of the 
water : and as far as I can learn, 
the same objection still subsists to 
the use of steam-boats on artifi- 
cial canals so narrow as those 
usual in Great Britain. That ob- 
jection, however, I should think, 
does not apply to some of those of 
Holland and other countries on 
the continent. 
The first attempt on any scale 
worthy of notice, to navigate by 
steam on the river Clyde, was in 
the year 1812. A passage boat of 
about 40 feet keel and 104 feet 
beam, having a steam-engine of 
only three horses’ power, began 
to ply on the river. Since that 
period the number of boats has 
gradually increased. 
Besides three vessels which have 
left the Clyde, there are six at pre- 
sent plying on the river, two of 
which carry goods as well as pas- 
sepgers. They have on the whoie 
been gradually increased in ton. . 
nage as well as in the power of 
their engines; and still larger 
boats and more powerful engines 
are now constructing: amon 
others, one of about 100 feet keal 
and 17 feet beam with an engine 
of 24 horses’ power; and one of 
equal burthen, having an engine 
of 30 horses’ power. ‘These boats 
are all neatly fitted up, and some 
of them even elegantly decorated. 
On board all the passage steam- 
boats are newspapers, pamphlets, 
books, &c. for the amusement of 
the passengers, and such refresh- 
ments as are desirable on so short 
a voyage, a distance of about 26 
miles by water, and 24 by land. 
The voyage betwixt Glasgow 
and Greenock, including stop- 
pages at intermediate places, is 
commonly accomplished in from 
three to four hours, the vessels 
taking advantage of the tide as 
far as circumstances will permit : 
but as they start at different hours 
from the same place, they are 
sometimes obliged to go part or 
nearly the whole of their voyage 
against the tide. _ 
The voyage has been accom- 
plished in 24 hours ; the tide being 
favourable, but against a mode- 
rate breeze of contrary wind. 
At first, owing to the novelty 
and apparent danger of the con- 
veyance, the number of passen- 
gers was 80 very small that the 
only steam-boat then on the river 
could hardly clear her expenses : 
but the degree of success which 
attended that attempt soon com- 
manded public confidence. The 
number of passengers which now 
go in those boats may seem incre- 
dible to those who have not wit- 
nessed it: Travelling by land has 
