1843.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



401 



THE GREAT NORTHERN STEAM SHIP. 



This fine vessel, which was built hy two or three spirited individuals at 

 Londonderry, in the north of Ireland, and completed last year, arrived in 

 the river Thames last January, she has since then, through some imperfection 

 in her machinery, been laid up in the East India Docks, for the purpose of 

 having her engines thoroughly examined and set to rights, to adapt them 

 more particularly to the working of Mr. Smith's patent Archimedean screw ; 

 for this purpose, the owners placed the machinery in the hands of Messrs. 

 Miller and Ravenhil], the well known engineers of Blackwall. We know of 

 no one better qualified for such a task than Mr. Joseph Miller, his superior 

 practical knowledge of all the details of the marine engine are well know n 

 to all persons throughout the world, who are in any way connected with 

 sleam navigation; (bis is farther proved by the very great satisfaction he 

 has given to the owners, for the very perfect manner he has completed his 

 task, which has been an Herculean one, when it is considered that he 

 has bad to alter engines ot a large magnitude which bad been made, not by 

 one engineer, but by several, and in various parts of the United Kingd; m, 

 part having been made in Ireland, and other parts by different manufacturers 

 in England. It now affords us much pleasure to say that at a trial of the 

 vessel down the river Thames on the 11th ult.. the engines performed all that 

 coidd be desired ; her performance against tide was fully equal to 7i knots 

 per hour, her speed through the water may be fairly taken at 10 knots per 

 hour; when we consider the disproportion of the power to the tonnage uf 

 the vessel, this is a most satisfactory performance, and shows that the screw- 

 is nearly equal to the paddle wheel in rivers, and superior in the open sea, 

 particularly during tempestuous weather. It must be a source of great satis- 

 faction to Mr. Smith, the patentee, to wdiom all the credit is due, for his perse- 

 vering industry in bringing forward this new mode of propelling, in opposition 

 to a whole phalanx of great men. 



As the engines have undergone some alterations, we will proceed to describe 

 them, together with their dimensions, and also those of the vessel. 



There are two engines, which are placed immediately abaft the vessel, with 

 the large spur wheel athwart, between the engines, and the boilers in advance 

 of the engines, leaving the wdiole of the midships and fore part of the vessel 

 clear ; and we must here suggest the necessity of placing the saloon or prin- 

 cipal cabin in the midships, so as to avoid the unpleasant noise of the cog- 

 wheel gearing, which is very objectionable. There cannot be the slightest 

 objection to it ; for, if stowage be required, it might be placed in the stern 

 and fore part of the vessel as well as in the midships. 



The engines are of the direct action steeple principle, with cylinders 68 in. 

 diameter, and 4 ft. 6 in. stroke placed in the centre of the breadth of the vessel: 

 attached to the top of the piston rod is the cross head, forming the base of a 

 triangle, to the apex of which is depended the connecting rod, working like a 

 pendulum ; the lower end of this rod is attached to a crank fixed on to the 

 shaft of the large spur-wheel, a corresponding engine working a similar 

 crank on the other side of the spur-wheel, which is, as before stated, placed 

 between the two engines. There are two air pumps to each engine 19 inches 

 diameter, anil of the same stroke as the cylinder, worked by rods fixed at 

 each end of the cross head forming the base of the triangle just mentioned : 

 these two air pumps communicate by passages with a single condenser placed 

 in front of the cylinder, with the steam and exhaust valves between. From 

 this description it will be seen that the power is applied direct to the large 

 spur wheel, 21) feet diameter, (depth of cogs on the face, 23 inches, and pitch, 

 6 inches,) which takes into a pinion, below 5 feet diameter, fixed on the iron 

 propeller shaft, 10 inches diameter, which is firmly attached to the screw pro- 

 peller with couplings ; the diameter of the screw is 11 ft., length fore and aft 

 5 ft. 10in., and pitch 14ft. From these dimensions it will be seen that, if the 

 engines make 20 strokes per minute, the speed of the screw will be equal to 80 

 revolutions per minute. 



The vessel is of the following dimensions, extreme length 247 ft. breadth of 

 beam 37 ft. length between perpendiculars 222 ft., depth in hold 26 ft. 5 in. 

 draught of water 18 ft., length of main mast 90 ft. foremast 83 ft., mizenmast 

 61 ft., length of mainyard 76 ft. and diameter 22i in., she can spread the 

 enormous quantity of 6700 sq. yds. of canvass ; burthen B.M. 1750 tons ; there 

 are three decks, the upper one is entirely clear, excepting the forecastle, all 

 the windlass and capstan gear being 'twixt decks ; she is built remarkably 

 strong, and is in every way a vessel that will stand severe service. 



THE IRON STEAM SHIP "NIMROD." 

 This vessel was launched from the building-yard of Messrs. Thomas Ver- 

 non & Co, on 26th Sept. last. The following are the dimensions of the 

 vessel : 



Length from figure-head to taffrail. . 200 feet. 

 do. between perpendiculars .. 180 „ 

 do. of keel .. .. .. 175 „ 



Beam . . . . . . . . 26 „ 



Width over Paddle-boxes .. .. 46 „ 



Depth of Hold 16 „ 



and admeasures, old mode, 591 tons. This vessel is built for the City of 

 Cork Steam Packet Company, who intend to sail her between this port and 

 Cork. She being the 30th iron vessel which has been constructed at this 

 establishment, many improvements have been introduced which experience 

 alone can discover ; she is adapted to carry a large cargo at a very light 

 draft of water; and by her beautiful lines and model she is possessed of the 

 qualities of an excellent sea-boat and fast sailer. The hull, rudder, paddle- 

 beams, and deck-beams are made entirely of iron, and are of extraordinary 

 strength. She is clinker-built to light water line, and double riveted on the 

 longitudinal joints : above this line the plates are all flush. She has four 

 water-tight bulk-heads, and divided into five water-tight compartments, the 

 absence of which in other vessels has often to be deplored : the Pegasus, 

 Solway, and Queen, which have so lately gone down, would no doubt have 

 been saved had they possessed this improvement. The frames of this 

 vessel are of strong angle iron, with sleepers, 15 inches deep across the bot- 

 tom ; the length of the fore-hold is 50 ft. 10 in. exclusive of a portion at the 

 bow for chain lockers and use of the crew ; and length of after-hold, 63 ft. 6 in. 

 between which and the stern-post is placed a tank to contain water. The 

 quarter-deck is 55 ft. long, from which the cabins are entered by a spiral 

 staircase. The principal saloon is 41 ft. long and 8 ft. high ; it is ornamented 

 by Bielefeld's papier macho gilded mouldings, and, though not of the most 

 splendid order, presents an appearance exceedingly neat and elegant; it is 

 lighted from the deck by a skylight of considerable size and very chaste de- 

 sign : there is a separate cabin for the ladies, and one for the gentlemen, both 

 neatly fitted up with every convenience for the comfort of passengers. The 

 entrance-hall is pleasant and airy, and the steward's pantry compact and 

 conveniently situated. The number of berths which can be made up is 50. 

 She is intended to have three masts, rigged with Smith's patent wire rope, 

 and is expected to be ready for sea this month. The keel was laid on the 

 6th of May last, so that the vessel has been built in the short space of four 

 months and twenty days. 



The engines, manufactured by Messrs. Bury, Curtis, & Kennedy, are of 

 300 h. p.; they are on the direct-action plan, with a much longer connecting 

 rod than is generally obtained in direct engines, though they do not reach a 

 greater height above the deck than that of an ordinary crank scuttle ; they 

 also occupy a very small portion of the vessel, the length of the engines alone 

 being 9 ft., and width, 20 ft. 6 in., and the whole space occupied in the length 

 of the vessel, including engines, boilers, firing-room, &c, is only 35 ft. 10 in. ; 

 the engine-room is thus so much reduced, that the capacity of the holds is 

 increased at least 10,000 cubic feet for stowage above that which is generally 

 obtained when engines of the side lever construction are used. They are of 

 the following dimensions, viz. : 



Diameter of cylinders . . . . . . . . 66 inches. 



Length of stroke . . . . . . 5 feet 3 ,, 



Diameter of paddle-wheels over the floats 24 „ 6 „ 

 Breadth of paddle-floats . . . . 8 „ 6 ,, 



Depth of ditto 2 „ 7 „ 



The air-pump, which is double-acting and placed between the cylinders, is 

 37 in. diameter, and 2 ft. 7 in. stroke. 



MISCELLANEA. 



New Dock at Ellesmere Port. — A commodious new dock, for the recep- 

 tion of shipping, has just been completed by the Ellesmere and Chester Canal 

 Company at the terminus of their canal at Ellesmere Port. The opening of 

 the dock for public use was celebrated on the 13th Sept. The works occupy 

 three acres, and consist of a spacious dock, with wharfage, berths. &c, 

 capable of accommodating a large number of vessels of 300 tons burthen. In 

 connexion with the dock is an extended range of warehouses, four stories 

 high, being 260 feet in length, and 45 feet wide ; and which are connected 

 with the dock by threewings. two stories in height, each extending in length 

 20 feet, and being 40 feet wide, and under which canals extend from the dock 

 for the convenience of loading and unloading the vessels and boats using the 

 canal and dock. The whole of the works, with the exception of the river wall, 

 were designed by the late eminent engineer, Thomas Telford. Esq.. F. R.S., 

 whose plans have been carried out under the direction of Mr. Cubitt. The 

 works, which have been in progress for the last two or three years, were con- 

 ducted under the able direction of Mr. Provis, the contractor, at a cost of 

 £100,000, and are a masterpiece of architectural and engineering skill. 



The National states that the Government had commenced the construction 

 of buildings near Vincennes which would cover beyond 300 acres of ground, 

 and were intended to contain a mociel foundry and complete arsenals, with 

 barracks lor a considerable force of infantry and cavalry. " These works," 

 adds the National, " have been undertaken without the authority of the 

 Chambers, and the expense of the construction is estimated at 45.000,000f." 



Cornwall.— The Town Council of Truro have selected the designs of 

 Messrs. Cope and Eales of Hloomsbury Square, for the New Stannaries 

 Hall, Town Hall and Markets about to be erected there. There are two 

 facades in the Italian style of architecture, one facing ibe river and foiming 

 an approach to the Pish Market. The buildings are to be executed in G'-anitc 

 at a cost of about £7000. The second premium was awarded to Mr. K. \V. 

 Kbnslie of Carlton Chambers. The Town Hall and Markets at St. Austell, 

 also designed by Messrs. Cope and Eales. are rapidly pr gressing, and will 

 probably be completed by the ensuing spring. 



