on Steam-Boats. 85 
every other day alternately. There are other boats from Balti- 
more, which go to Norfolk; there they pass a still wider part 
of the Chesapeak, which may be sixty miles wide; they have 
been to New-London, which jis still more exposed ; and have 
been up to New-Hertford. 
Are those with high pressure engines?—-No; low pressure. 
On the Potowmac there are also steam-boats, and on the James 
River, which pass between Richmond and Norfolk. 
Have any accidents been known to arise on account of the 
heavy seas?—_No; no accident whatever. I have not mentioned 
the most important circumstance connected with this:—the 
Powhattan steam-boat was built at New-York, went into the 
Open ocean, encountered for three days a very severe gale of 
wind, arrived safe at Norfolk and up to Richmond. The gen- 
tleman is now in England who navigated her; and I have heard 
him say, that he felt himself as safe as he should in a frigate ; 
and he said there was this advantage, that the steam power en- 
abled him when they could not have borne sails, to put the head 
of the vessel to the sea, instead of lying in the trough of the sea, 
heing exposed to be over-run by the waves. 
What was her tonnage ?—Two hundred and fifty tons. 
What is the largest steam-boat in America ?—The largest I 
have seen are those on the Mississipi, the Etna and the Vesuvius, 
which ply between New-Orleans and the Naches ; they are 450 
tons, and they carry 280 tons merchandize and 100 passengers ; 
700 bales of cotton besides the passengers are transported to 
New-Orleans. 
Have you any regular allowance of power according to a ton? 
—I believe that after they have proved their boilers, which I pre- 
sume should be done in all cases, if they wish to ascertain the - 
pressure, they work with safety at half that which it has been 
proved at. 
Is there any rule according to tonnage established as an usage? 
—I am not an engineer, and am not conversant with that sub- 
Ject; I have passed through the country, and have been on 
board most of those boats, but Iam not acquainted with that 
fact. 
Have any accidents happened ?—Within my recollection only 
three accidents have happened to steam-boats in America: the 
first happened on the Ohio, and was occasioned, as stated by 
the public papers, by the negligence and inattention of the en- 
gineer, who loaded the safety-valve, and neglected to attend the 
fire; all hands were engaged in hoisting the anchor, the fire 
was in a very high state, and of course produced a vast deal of 
steam that did not escape by the ordivary operation of the en- 
gine, which would discharge it and carry it off, 
F3 What 
