118 Report of the House of Commons on Steam-Boats. 



these few were chiefly ov/ing to the novelty of the experiment: 

 so many precautions are now taken that there is no reason to 

 apprehend the recurrence of any serious accidents. The ge- 

 neral use of low pressure boilei's made of wrought iron or 

 copper has removed the jiossibilit}'^ of accidents from their 

 bursting. If one of these boilers gives way, the materials do 

 not fly, but are rent asiuider. This part of the subject was 

 very iiilly investigated by the Select Committee on Steam Na- 

 vigation in 1817; and the evidence given before that Com- 

 mittee contains every tiling that is necessary to remove all 

 apprehensions of danger from the bursting of low pressure 

 boilers. In respect to the furnaces, they are so constructed 

 that there is no danger from fire, because there is water all 

 round them. Mr. James Brown says, " I hardly think it pos- 

 sible that lire can take place, because the furnaces are com- 

 pleteh'^ surrounded with live uiches of water round every part." 

 The coals are kept in iron cases so as to prevent all commu- 

 nication with the fires ; and if, in addition to these precautions, 

 vessels are supplied with extinguishing fire-engines, there is 

 no danger of accidents from fire. It has been suggested, that 

 steam-vessels are not provided with a sufiicient number of 

 boats, and that an Act of Parliament should be passed to re- 

 quire every vessel to carry a certain number, according to her 

 tonnage : but jour Committee, after the fullest consideration, 

 are strongly of opinion that the policy of avoiding to do any 

 thing that could by possibility check the spirit of improvement 

 which now is so prevalent, and which promises such great ad- 

 vantages to the public, is that which ought to be followed. It 

 is to be remembered, that the expense of fitting out steam- 

 vessels is very heavy, and that proper experiments of new in- 

 ventions cannot be made but with the risk of incurring consi- 

 derable loss ; and as nothing woidd check the zeal of those 

 who are disposed to make such experiments so certainly as tlie 

 meddling of ofiicers exercising the powers of a regulatmg Act 

 of Pariiamenl, nothing could be more baneful than the inter- 

 ference of the Legislature with this new branch of science. 

 The BaHast Office of Dublin brought a bill before the House 

 of Commons last year, for the purpose of appointing inspectors 

 over the Liverpool and DubUn packets ; but the chief secretary 

 of Ireland, Mr. Grant, very judiciously put a stop to its pro- 

 gress. Individual security in steam-boats will ahvays be sul- 

 ficiently providexl for, by the intei'est of the pi'oprietors con- 

 stantly contributing to lead them to do all those things which 

 •will best obtain the custom of the public. Competition in this 

 case, as in al! others, will more effectually establish those pre- 

 cautions v.iiich are right to be taken, than '.lie best devised re- 



•rulatioiis 



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