114 ON THE STEAM BOATS OF 



extraordinary. The following facts, in relation to two of them, have been derived from a com- 

 munication of Mr. Haswell, an engineer in the service of the United States, to whom the 

 construction of the machinery of the steam frigate ' Fulton ' was confided. 



Steam Boat ' Cleopatra' 



Diameter of wheel . . 23 feet. 



Length of bucket . . 11^ feet. 



Breadth of do. 2 feet, 8 inches. 



Revolutions per minute . . 24 



Velocity of wheel per second . 28'8 feet. 



of vessel . . 22-6 feet. 



Relative velocity of wheel . 6'2 



Steam Boat 'Lexington.' 



Diameter of wheel . . 24 feet. 



Length of bucket . . 11 feet. 



Breadth of do. . . 2 feet, 8 inches. 



Revolutions per minute . 23 



Velocity of wheel per second . 28'8 



of vessel . . 22'5 



Relative velocity of wheel . 6 - 3 



These velocities would carry up the speed of the vessels to 15 English miles per hour, and 

 it appears that in many instances such a rate has been attained for a short time. But we 

 have no evidence to adduce that the ordinary average performances of the most recently con- 

 structed boats have amounted to more than fourteen English miles per hour. The average 

 passages between New York and Albany do not yet fall much short of eleven hours ; and if 

 we allow no more than half an hour for stoppages, the rate is less than fourteen miles. 



A speed almost equal is attained in the passage between New York and Providence, Rhode 

 Island. This passage, as we have partly stated, is performed upon the arm of the sea, called 

 at New York the East River, and for its greater extent, Long Island Sound. On leaving 

 this, the open sea is entered, and the voyage, after passing through an open and wide bay, 

 terminates in a narrow river. In its circumstances of alternate shelter and exposure, it may 

 be likened to the passage from London to Calais. The distance, as measured on a good chart, 

 is 160 nautical or 184*3 English miles. We have obtained the records of a voyage performed 

 between the two places, by the steam boat ' Massachusetts,' the circumstances derived from 

 which, with the dimensions of the vessel, are given beneath : 



Length of vessel . . 200 feet. 



Breadth of beam . . 29^ feet. 



Draught of water . . 8 feet, 5 inches. 



Diameter of wheel . . 22 feet. 



Length of bucket . . 10 feet. 



Depth of do. . . 2 feet, 4 inches. 



Diameter of cylinder . . 3 feet, 8 inches. 



Length of stroke . . 8 feet. 



