1S40.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



37 



Ri-ssiAN AVAR Stkamkr, " Pvlades," axd "Thk .Sons of thk TuAMrs." 



Tins vessel is tlio last of throe which were ordered fnr tlie Russian govern- 

 ment, and of wliieh the two others have already proceeded lu their destina- 

 tion. .She went down the river on Wednesday the ISth nltimo. on an experi- 

 mental trip to (iravesend. aecumpanied by the Riis.sian Coiisnl and a lar^ie 

 party invited hy Messrs. Miller and Ravenhill, Die engineers Mio manufac- 

 tureil her machinery, In witness this first trial of her engines, we repaired 

 to Blackwall a little before 11 o'clock (ihc intended hour of deparluie). and 

 found that the Pylades had not yet left the docks, and that some time would 

 still elapse before she could be out into the river, in eoiisrtpience of a large 

 vessel Iwingthen on Ihe poiict of entering the docks. This delay aflorded us 

 an opportunity of observing the form of the steamer's hull, wh-eh was binlt 

 by Mr. Pitcher, from drawings hy Mr. Ditchburn, to whose talent as a naval 

 arehiteet, the model, if we may judge from the part which appears above 

 water, docs great credit. 



During this time our attention was directed to a sm.all iron steam-boat, 

 liuilt by Mr. Ditchburn, and fitted with a pair of engines of 28 horse power 

 each, by Messrs. Mil'er and llavenhin. She was also going down to Graves- 

 end on her first trial, and \\hile waiting for tlie Pylades she made several 

 trips in front of the dock entrance to the admiration of all present. She was 

 evidently going at a great speed, but seemed at the same time to cleave the 

 i^ater with sueh ease as to cause no disturbance whatever in the lliiid for 

 there was neither .spr.ay nor any perceptible wave against her bows, which 

 speaks strongly for the correctness of the principles tollowed by Mr. Ditch- 

 burn in laying oft' her lines. 



As .soon'as the Pylades could be got out of the docks, which was not until 

 about 1*2 o'clock, we proceeded down the ri\er. but owing to some little ad- 

 justments which it was discovered were still required to ije made in the en- 

 gines, in order to allow them to workup It) their power, the performance was 

 not so good as eould be wished, notwillistauding which the engines worked 

 vcrv smoothly, causing little or no vibration in the vessel. The time of run- 

 ning the measured mile at Long Reach was noted on our way down with the 

 tide, but against a rather strong head wind ; the distance was performed in 

 J min. '17 sec whicli gives a speed of nearly 10^ miles an hour over the 

 ground. To a.'certaiii the rate through the w ater it would le necessary either 

 to deduct or eliminate the velocity of tlie tide : but, as the engines were not 

 working up 10 their speed, it was not considered worth while to make the 

 experiment against the tide, so we went on to (iravesend. where we arrived a 

 little before 2 o'clock, and found the " Sons of the 'Vhanies" waiting for us. 

 As it had been arranged that the whole party should return to Blackwall on 

 board that boat, she was brought along side of the Pylades, and took the 

 company on hoard, ly which time it was 20 minutes past 2 o'clock; wo then 

 started, the Planet, belonging to the Star Company, having loft the pier a 

 quarter of an hour before. In the course of one hour we overtook her, and. 

 having gone a li tie farther, we jmt about and returned some distance to take 

 a gentleman on board, and passed the Planet again before we arrived at 

 Blackwall. having in the mean time gone completely round her. It is calcu- 

 lated tliat, in order to do this, we must have been going at the rate of 1.SJ to 

 Hmilesan hour through the water. This comparative speeil with the Planet 

 is the more astonishing as the ".Sons of the Thames'' lias two engines of 

 only 2S horse power each, whilst the PI net has two engines of JO horse 

 pow er each. 



It may not perhaps he generally known that the iron steam boat, the Or- 

 well, now running between Limdon and Ipswich, which we believe equals, or 

 even excels the '* Sons of the Thames " in speed, was also (itteil with I'ligines 

 by Messrs. Miller, Ravenhill and Co.. ami built by Messrs. Ditchburn and 

 Co., so that we may confidently look forward to the time (which we believe 

 not to be far distant), when the speed of our steamers on the Thames shall 

 not only come up to, hut even exceed that said to be attained in America. 

 and that with a comparati vely small expenditure of power; for if it is not 

 notorious, it is at least known in this country, that the power put into the 

 American steam boats is most gigantic. 



\ciii Iron Steamer.— On Satur.lay the 7th ult., the iron steamer "Enter- 

 prise," built and fitted out by Mr. Borrie. of the Tay Foundry, started on a 

 trial trin to New burgli. The model of the hull is certainly beautiful, and at 

 first siglit any one must be of opinion that the elements of forai calculated 

 to promote rapid sailing are possessed by the " Knterprise " in a very eminent 

 degree. The entrance and runs are very sharp, which, united with the great 

 bearing in the floors render the vessel buoyant, and secure an easy passage 

 through the water. The anticipations forineil other speed were fully realized. 

 She seiiled a measured distance of four miles marked on the shore in Ihe 

 space of 12 miuules. The tide was in her favour, and admitting it to have 

 been running at the rate of four miles an hour (although it was under tliat 

 rate) would make Ihe actual distance performed hy her over the ground at 

 tlie rate of 16 miles an hour, a speed that has not hitherto been attained by 

 any steamer, ll may be remarked that this speed is not .so much attributable 

 to the great pow er of the engines as to the form of that pari of the hull im- 

 mersed in the water ; and indeed Mr. Borrie states, that in making his cal- 

 culation for procuring a given speed, he placed a greater reliance on lessening 

 the resistance that would be experienced by Ihe vessel in passing through 

 the water for obtaining a high velocity, than by dependence on great pro- 

 pelling power. In this he has decidedly succeeded, as the result amply proves. 

 The vessel measures 280 tons, and has two engines of .3.3 horse power each, 

 which is a now er much less in projiorlion to Ihe tonnage than thai of many 

 sleameis wliich would not sail 10 miles an hour, and at the same lime having 

 a seetion-il area of resistance not greater than that of the " Knterprise." A 

 striking feature in the " Enterprise'' is Ihe consumption of smoke. This is 

 elfectert by a plain and very simple contrivance in the interior of the furnace. 

 The furnace bars instead of being straight are curved on the upper surface, 

 and are so adjusted in the furnaces as to form a veiy acute angle with the 

 front of the boiler at the furnace doors, whilst towards the posterior extremi- 

 ties they arc horizontal, in other respects lliey are similar to those in general 

 use The fvirnace covers deflect ahout 18 inches into the furnaces, within 



two feet of the inner end. which forms a water chamber. The dislanee be- 

 tween the upper surface of Ihe coals when the furnaces are fully charged, and 

 the under surface of the dellector. is about six inches. The coals tor every 

 new feed h ing dejtisited in the anterior part of the furnace, which is fully 

 two-thirds longer than the posterior part or space behind the dellcclur. it 

 follows that the coals liefcu'c requiting to be pushed back into Ihe space be- 

 hind the deflector must h.ive become very highly ignited and the component 

 parts w'hich cause the emission of smoke entirely disappear. Then Ihc pos- 

 terior lire chamber being always charged with fuel w hich only emits a |)Ure 

 and intense flame, the smoke arising from the coals in the anterior chamber 

 having to pass umlerneath the dellector come immediately into conlaet with 

 the flame in the posterior chaiuber, and having to pass through in us way 

 to the flues is exposed to its most intense action, whereby it is immediately 

 consumed. The dimensions of the " Enterprise" are,— Length of keel, 116 

 feet ; breadth of beam, 21 feet ; depth of hold, 8 feet. — Dundee Courier. 



Steam Nnvif^ntiov aeYosa the Atlnntie. — Early next spring, and during the 

 year, there will be placed on the several lines three new steamers to ply be- 

 tween England and New York, and Mr. Cunard's steamers to Boston, by the 

 way of llilifax. will go into operation. Two of the three, Ihe Ncic York and 

 Presiiietit — the formenfor the Transatlantic Company, and the latter for the 

 British Queen Association — are nearly ready for launching ; and the Nem 

 York will jn'obably leave Englaiui in April or Ma\'. and the Presiiiet/t in Jun 

 or .luly. The third is now building for the Great M'estcrn Company, andwil 

 be construc'ed ol iron. .She will not be ready before next .September or Oc- 

 tober. These, together with Mr. Cunard's, which will commence running in 

 May next, will keep open a free communication with Europe without the aid 

 ol " w indy '' vesseki. Together, they w ill form a line so that there will be two 

 departures from England and two from the United States every monih. In 

 adilitiim to thes!% the keel of another steam ship, to he of 1,4-30 tons, and 130 

 horse-power, has already lieen laid fnr the Transatlanfie Steam Company, to 

 run in eonneelion with Liverpool and New York. .She will not be finished 

 before Ihe spring of 1841 : and also bv that lime there will be two large and 

 splendiil steamers ready to start from ihe Clyde, and run across to New York. 

 With steamers, as with sailing packets, the builders improve with every new 

 vessels. It it said by those who have seen the plans of the new steamers, 

 that the improvements adopted will ])laee them oil a par with our packet- 

 shins in point of eomlort. &<■. The Atlantic will soon lie as thickly doited 

 Willi steain-shi[is as with sailing vessels. — Xew York paper. 



Port of Fleetwood. — The commissioners from the Court of Exchequer, sent 

 down for Ihe purpose of surveying and setting out the boundaries of the Port 

 of Fleetwood, fini.^hecl iheir task ycslerday se'nnight. They commenced on 

 the previous ^hmday to survey the coasts and creeks between Lancaster and 

 Preston, and dotenniued the limits of the port as follow ; — To eominen<e at a 

 run of water called Ihe Hundred lOnd. aliout two miles to Ihe west of Ilesketh 

 Bank, continuing up to Preston, thence along the coast on the north side of 

 the river to Lytham. round the coast to Blackpool, and on to b'leetwood ; 

 thence to the river Broadfleet, four miles froai Sea Dyke, including both sides 

 of the Wj re, and the river Broadlleet. — Prestoii Pilot. 



The British Queen is not intended to le started for New York on the first 

 of .lanuary, as previously advertised, Ihe proprietors being of opinion that 

 one very serious impediment to th • speed ol Ihe vessel is in the inferior con- 

 struction of the paddle-boxes: anrl, acctirdingly, a new description oi padt.lle, 

 called "The Rceflng Paddle," is about to be substituled — this new padille 

 being the invention of the celebrated Mr. Samuel Hull. — Midland Counties 

 Herald. 



ENGINEERING 'WORKS. 



The null Dock cotnpamj are ahout applying to Parliament for m.iking an 

 extensive dock and entrance for the large class of steam ho.ats, &c. on the 

 east side of the river Hull. 



Jl'oolirirh Doct-i/nrd. — In the Noveinlier lunnber, we inserted a p.aragi'aph 

 from the " Times,"' stating that the new dry dock, making at \Voohvich, and 

 other works, were under the charge of Lt. Deiinison ; upon enquiry, we find 

 that the new dry dock now on hand at the east end of the yard, is being 

 constructed under the direction and superiuteudance of Mr. Walker, by 

 Jlessrs, Grissell and Peto. 



New Pier at Alarfsate. — This pier, which is intended to rival that of Rams- 

 gate, as a refuge harbour for her Majesty's steam-vessels. Sec. is, we hear, 

 to commence at flie ^\'ayland and Eulsam rocks, from the facility arising 

 from their receiving the piers on a foundation of solid chalk, exiending 1000 

 feet from the gateway to the sea at Wostbrook. The second point, opposite 

 tlie fort, next the East Cliff, is intended to be .300 feet, leaving an opening 

 for vessels to the extent of 400 feet. — Adeerliser. 



Cowes. — It is now expected that Sir .lohn Ronnie's plan for deepening the 

 Medina will be carried into execution. A spacious town-quay will also he 

 erected, and it is rumoured that !lio members of the Royal Yacht Squadron 

 are about removing Iheir rendezvous from this 'place to ihe anchorage off' 

 Norris. on which estate a splenihd club-house is to be built for the accommo- 

 dation of its members. — Hampshire Teleffraph. 



Proposed new road from Perth to Elfin. — A meeting was lately held at 

 Elgin on this important subjoel, when a number of piopriotors and gen- 

 tlemen of the town attended, including Ihe Duke of Richmond. Mr. A. 

 Mitchell, civil engineer, Pertli. attended with a report he had drawn up on 

 the subject, as to the probable expense. &c. of the new line. The estimalos, 

 framed on a minute survey he calculated would not exceed £23,000. The 

 probable revenue to he derived from tolls, Mr. Mitchell estimated in all at 

 £1530. After Mr. Mitchell's statement and report, the meefing pas.sed a 

 series of resolutions, appointing a committee to prepare a memorial to Go- 

 vernment soliciting pecuniary assistance, as also the aid of the members of 

 Parliament connccled with the northeru counties and hurghs. 



