130 Report of the House ofCummons on Steam-Boats. 



t'rely difFei-ent from the duty of common packets. From 

 the description which has been given to your Committee of the 

 new Liverpool steam-boats^ the St. Patrick and St. George^ 

 the Committee are led to expect that these vessels will prove 

 superior to die Holyhead packets, if they have been built of 

 equal strength, in consequence of the great power of their en- 

 gines, each being provided with two fifty-five-horse engines. 



The merit of first applying steam-engines to sea navigation 

 is certainly due to the skill and enterprise of the engineers and 

 shipbuilders of the Clyde ; for it was unquestionably the suc- 

 cess of their steam-boats on the Holyhead station, which led 

 tlie Post-office to establish their boats for keephig up the com- 

 munication between the two coimtries. At the same time it is 

 but justice to say, that the public are greatly indebted to the 

 Post-office for having exercised such a sound judgement in 

 directing their vessels to be built of that great strength which 

 has been so often mentioned in this Report ; and which, at the 

 same time that it has been the cause of their complete success, 

 has also established a new principle of certainty and security 

 in the system of steam navigation. 



IV. Sails. 



It does not appear to your Committee that there is any pro- 

 bability, at present, of applying sails to steam-boats in any 

 more effectual vvay than they are now used. Captain Rogers 

 says, " they assist a vessel very much ; that they can be used 

 at all times, except within four points of the wind, and that 

 they serve to keep the vessel steady." He recommends a large 

 lug-sail forward, a jib and fore and aft mainsail ; to have a 

 square topsail ozi board, and a gait topsail aft ; with means of 

 setting a topmast, but not to use it unless the engine was out 

 of order. Several plans have been tried for getting the wheels 

 out of geev, and for moving the paddle-boards from the ex- 

 tremity of the wheels towards the centre ; and some of them 

 successfully. By these means, a vessel, in case the engine 

 cannot be used, n.ay be sufficiently well managed with the 

 sails, as to carry her safely into ])ort. The evidence of all the 

 other witnesses goes to show, that any attempt to carry can- 

 vass beyond a certain moderate quantity, will be attended with 

 a great impediment to the steaming power. 



The great imporUince of a thorough acquaintance with every 

 thing belonging to steam navigation, for securing a certain and 

 rapid conveyance of the jmblic correspondence, where seas are 

 to be crossed, has induced your Committee to take this general 

 view of the v/hole subject, as a preparatory step to coming to 



diat 



i 



