1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



231 



under penalty of breakiug the regularity of the corresponjence, and disturb- 

 ing a service ivliich cannot now be done without. 



Thus besides a permanence of 9 steamers, 4 or 5 must be reckoned as a re- 

 serve; in all 13 or H steamers. 



Besides, 4 sleamers have been considered necessary for the stations of the 

 Brazils, West Indies. Bourbon and the Pacific, and the 160 horse powers are 

 still applied to for want of bettor. 



For want of the better, it has been resolved to proclaim in every sea our 

 inferiority, by putting to figure alongside rival steamers, such as the Cyclops, 

 VesutHns, Spiteful, and so many others, our shameful 160 horse powers, only 

 good now-a-days to serve as transports. 



Let us add to this account the //rrfc!!/ which is making experiments at 

 Indret, the Fullon at Brest, for unforeseen missions, one stationary at Tunis, 

 one at Constantinople, under the orders of our own ambassad()r, another dis- 

 armed and out of service, that is to say 5, and we reach with the three hos- 

 pital ships, a total of 25 or 26, reckoning the reserve necessary to keep up a 

 regular communication with Algiers. 



The services which we have just enumerated occupy, of the list of our steam 



fleet, all the vessels comprised between number 11 and number 34, in all 24 



ships, tthilst we have just seen that by including in those services a reserve of 



or 5 vessels acknowledged as necessaay, we should reach a total of 25 



or 26. 



There are then in ordinary occasions, one or two wanting to complete the 

 African service. 



Thence the state of discomfort and pressure which perpetually tortures that 

 service. 



Let us now suppose that the four 220 h. p. disposable in the Mediteranean 

 on duly in the Levant or on the coasts of Spain ; if a despatch arrives to be 

 forwarded a pressing mission to Ije accomplished, instead of employing the 

 yismodee which costs too much, and which moreover on account of its draft, 

 is not suitable for all missions, we must, whether we will or no, borrow from 

 the resources already over-worked of tlie African .service. A repair just 

 begun must therefore be tinkered up in a hurry, as well as it can ; as a vessel 

 must be dispatched instanter. What happens in consequence? that under 

 the rule of this system of hurry, steamers have times been known to leave the 

 factory to fulfil missions, returning each time with more serious injury, and 

 at last completely put out of service. This fact which has been pointed out 

 is a reflection at once on the insufficiency of the factories and the means of 

 repair, and the insufliciency of vessels. 



At Toulon, whore by the force of circumstances, the whole activity of the 

 steam navy is concentrated, this regime of hurry has passed its model con- 

 ditions. To satisfy the ever increasing demands ot policy and occupation, 

 all the steamers alloat have been called in, all the services have been cast in 

 a single agglomeration ; military service, dispatches and transports; all the 

 steamers are employed without distinction, without ever being able to arrive 

 at completely satisfying ony one of them. In this kind of anarchy, every- 

 thing suli'ers, everything is exhausted, and all the current expenses are 

 swelled beyond measure, and still heavier charges are bequeathed to the 

 future, arising from the premature wearing out and decay of a valuable 

 stock. 



That is one serious cause of expense which ought at once to be taken into 

 account. The economical views of the Chambers are not less interested in this 

 than the future and prosperity of the steam navy. Of two things we must 

 choose one ; we must put bounds to the ever increasing ever insatiable wants, 

 or make equal to its wants the power of this navy of which the elasticity is 

 paralyzed by the abuse made of it. 



Reckoning from No. SI* there are reckoned 9 vessels afloat, all under 160 

 h. p. These vessels, too small to carry nuicli fuel, too weak to carry guns, 

 have been constructed for special and local services, either in our colonies or 

 on our coasts. 



Lot us sum up this inquiry in a few words : first we have shown that the 

 total of 103 steamers is reducible to 43, constituting what may be called the 

 military portion of the steam fleet. 



Of these 43 vessels 16 or 18 are in permanent request for the African ser- 

 vice ; 9 others, too weak to be rated as ships of war, are attached to local 

 services. 



There remain then 16 or 17 vessels disposable for casual missions or 

 for foreign stations ; of this number are 3 of 450 h, p., 1 of 320, 6 of 220, and 

 the rest of 160 and under. 



Such is the stake that at the commencement of a war we should have to 

 deliver to the fortune of war. 



It may be thought right at the end of this estimate to show the state of 

 the Knglish navy ; from this comparison useful instruction may be drawn. 



An oflicial publication inlbrms us that the total number of steam vessels 

 was in March last 77. 



« See Table, No. 1. 



Of this number, the Mediterranean station employs 10 steamers, 1 of 

 450h.p, 4 of 320, 4 of 220, and 1 of less power . . .10 



The West Coast of A frica 9, I of 700 h. p. (the Penelope), i of 320, 1 of 

 220and3of 80 to lOOh. p. . . . . . . 9 



The Irish station 12, of which 8 of from 220 to 320 h. p., and 4 of less 

 power . . . . . . .12 



The North American, Canada, Bermuda and Jamaica stations, 3 of 

 220 h. p. . . . . . . . . 3 



'I he India and China station, 3 of 220 h. p. . . .3 



The South Sea station, 2 of 220 to 320 h. p. . . . . 2 



Nine oihors of diflii!rent powers, employed on marine stirveys . 9 



In all 48 sleamers *' employed on stations . , . . 48 



We devote 8 to the same service I The difi'erence of these two totals will 



he enough to show the part allowed to the steam navy in the two countries, 



and the degree of importance attributed to it in the employment of naval 



power. 



The other vessels completing the total tf 77, are either disposable in the 

 ports for casual missions and local service or employed as transports between 

 the diflerent points of the coast. 



In the number of 77 are not included either the steamers built on the lakes 

 of Canada, nor those employed in the colonies for local services, nor those of 

 the East India Company. •'■• 



Neither are there included in it the vessels to the number of 11, in a state 

 of disarmament in port ; a situation unknown, and which, until now, has not 

 in the steam navy, any equivalent among us, where the number is far from 

 meeting our wants , but it is as well to point out, because it has this signifi- 

 cation, that in England the stoam fleet exceeds the demands of the ordinary 

 service, and that this fleet reckons from henceforward a reserve afloat. 



Our reserve consists if we please in 24 post oftlce steamboats and in 18 

 transatlantic steamers, since it is on this ground that we have allowed them 

 to reckon as part of our naval power. But who does not know that the great 

 companies founded in England by private enterprise dispose of a considerable 

 number, and that many of these companies receive allowances from govern- 

 ment, and that the vessels tlicy employ, agreeably to the terms of the allow- 

 ance, must be capable in case of need of being converted into w ar steamers. 

 It will not then be objected thiit the Knglish packet boats are not like ours 

 adapted for carrying guns.* 



It may be considered very moderate to estimate the number of these steam- 

 boats at double that of ours ; but if this estimate is erroneous it will not be 

 the less certain that the English lines will form as a reserve a better contin- 

 gent than we can supply from our transatlantic lines and those of the Medi- 

 terranean. 



To complete our comparative estimate, it remains to speak of the vessels 

 which are now being built in England.'^ 



In July 1843, the number was 13, and in the beginning of 1844 we find it 

 27. Two steamers of 800 h. p. figure in this list ; 11 others are of 450 h. p., 

 and in the course of 1841-1845, there will be 6 vessels of 450 li.p. on the slips. 

 Thus whilst on the list of vessels afloat we only reckon two of 450 h. p., the 

 Devastation and Firebrand, that of vessels building shows us a considerable 

 developement of this class, and which deserves to be pointed out. The 450 

 h. p. is still in its infancy ; it has been preceded by the 320; which itself 

 came some years after the 220. 



These three classes mark three distinct periods in the military constructions 

 of England and each of these three periods presents perfect models and of 

 increasing power. 



In 18^2 ■'« it was the Medea of 220 h. p. which opened this career of pro- 

 gress, and during six years we see it useil as a model for the whole fleet. But 

 before its adoption had become definitive, what wise slowness, w hat prudent 

 reserve ! Four ports were at first called on, as in a competition, to comply 

 with the conditions of a plan laid down j then the four competing vessels 

 were united in a squadron, subjected to comparative trials, and only after 

 long examination was a new model that of the 220 h. p. introduced into the 

 fleet. 



Later in 1888 the same prudence prevailed in the introduction of the 320 

 h. p. The first models the Gorgon and Cijclops, were obliged to be modified, 

 and there was every reason for congratulation in not having copied them 

 until they had been well tried. 



Private enterprise however, taking the lead of the military navy, had 

 opened by bold experiments the way to more important constructions. The 

 military navy, carried on in this path of aggrandizement, did not limit itself 

 to the Cyclops, but the Devastaion appeared an admirable construction, and of 



43 Tlie autlior includes Ireland which is a home service, and not ao out station. This 

 mattes the number 3G to 8. 



44 Also those of the Ionian Government, Hndaon's Bay Company, &c. 



* The allowance to these cumpanies is in the budget of the English navy this year esti- 

 mated at.*'432,641. 



4 5 No account has been taken by the author of the English post office packets in Eng- 

 land, the West Indies and India. 



4« This should be 183V. 



