ON STEAM VESSELS ADAPTED TO LONG VOYAGES. 73 



is fitted up with Hall's Patent Condenser, which is stated upon good authority to produce a 

 saving of at least one pound per horse power per hour. Allowing the consumption to be 

 reduced to 7 Ibs. from this cause, and from the greater economy of the larger engines, the 

 voyage will be made with a consumption of 565 tons, being 185 tons less than the 

 vessel is capable of carrying ; and she will perform a voyage of 4690 miles. 



There is no doubt, therefore, that this vessel will, in average weather, accomplish the 

 voyage with facility : and I should expect, with the power she possesses, under the most 

 unfavourable circumstances ; for although in a very severe gale ofw ind the most powerful 

 steamers will make little headway, yet such gales are never of sufficient duration to effect in 

 a great degree the time of a voyage, if we may judge from the voyages of the Mediterranean, 

 Liverpool and Kingstown Post-Office Packets, 8cc., which, although comparatively small ves- 

 sels, the time of their voyages rarely exceeds one-fifth of the average time. This in the Victoria 

 will still leave spare fuel for two days, supposing the engines to work at full power the 

 whole time ; which need not be the case in adverse weather, for as the engine does not make 

 its full number of strokes, it does not require its full allowance of steam. 



We have hitherto spoken of a vessel as a steamer only, but it is to be presumed she will 

 gain much by the power of her sails. Captain Austin states, that the sailing rate of the 

 Medea, when on a wind in a strong single-reefed topsail breeze, and smooth water, is 8 knots 

 per hour, and in a moderate quarterly gale, 11^ knots. Her tacking may be depended upon 

 in strong breezes in a sea way fully equal to a sailing vessel of war, and in light winds when 

 she has steerage way. He also states, that while cruising with the squadron, in treble-reefed 

 topsail breezes, he has found her to weather considerably upon them ; showing the advantage 

 of the great quantity of canvas spread in the fore and aft sails. 



Should it therefore happen that the fuel is exhausted in the outward American passage, 

 or any accident happen to the machinery, which, if ever, will be a rare occurrence, re- 

 course may be had to the sails, and she will still be upon a par or nearly so with the sailing 

 packets : in fact, a vessel properly constructed and rigged, may, under many circumstances, 

 derive great benefit in the use of sails, not only in the economy of fuel, but in saving the 

 wear and tear of the machinery. 



If the Victoria had been fitted with engines of power only in proportion to the increased 

 section, viz. 373 horse power, she would have the same speed and power to contend with 

 a gale of wind as the Medea ; and calculating the same consumption of 7 Ibs. per horse 

 power per hour, she would carry twenty-eight days' coal, and would perform a voyage of 

 5240 miles, without allowing for the weight saved of the engine, which would carry her 

 300 miles further, or 5540 miles, being a voyage of 850 miles longer than she is now able 

 to perform. There is no doubt, however, that she is able, with her present engines, to 

 accomplish the voyage ; and if the proportion of tonnage assigned for merchandise is as much 

 as is required, the additional power will certainly give greater security and manage- 

 ment to the vessel. It appears, moreover, that her engines (which are building by Mr. Na- 

 pier) are constructed so as to work with five pound steam more or less expansively ; 

 and as a great economy of fuel is obtained with a small diminution of speed, it is strongly 

 advisable not to urge her, when circumstances permit, to the utmost of her speed. In voyages 

 when the quantity of coals required does not form a large proportion of the tonnage of the 



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