250 On low Steam Power io Vessels, instead of Sails, [Oct! 



they would be in every respect so far preferable for conveying emigrants, 

 there is little doubt that the act required could be obtained. 



It may yet be worth while considering how far this principle might be 

 applicable to men-of-war. The steam frigates already built, have as 

 usual in commercial vessels, engines of great power, but they consequent- 

 ly are subject to the serious drawback of carrying fuel for 20 or 30 days 

 only, and must consequently be fully rigged, which both obstructs them 

 Vihen steaming to windward, and encumbers their decks. Steamers of 

 moderate power on the contrary, would have the disadvantage of being 

 less fast, but they would carry coal for several months, and would have 

 the whole battery on the upper deck, free from all encumbrance. It 

 seems probable that vessels of the three classes acting together, would 

 form the most effective squadron, that is, if it consisted of a small num- 

 ber of steamers of full power ; three or four times that number of steam- 

 ers of moderate power, and a few sailing vessels. As men-of-war probably 

 do not make their voyages on an average at a greater speed than 5 

 knots, measured on the nearest line from port to port, the proposed ves- 

 sels need not have engines of greater power than would be sufficient to 

 give them that average rate with the help of movable masts and light 

 sails— to be used in running in a trade or monsoon, and consequently they 

 might be perhaps one-fourth of the power of those in the present steam 

 frigates. 



A 52 gun ship, supposing her tonnage to be 2,200 tons, would 

 require an engine of about 100 horse power to propel her at 5^ knots in 

 smooth water, which would consume 9 tons of fuel per day, and conse- 

 quently with 900 tons, she could steam at her full speed on an average, 

 13,000 miles, and supposing that in the course of her voyages she sailed 

 without using her engines 4,000 miles, she would then be provided for a 

 distance of 17,000 miles, with that quantity of fuel, which is perhaps as 

 much as men-of-war on an average sail in 12 months, measuring the dis- 

 tances on the nearest line from port to port. But it would be seldom 

 if ever necessary for such a ship to be provided with fuel for 17000 miles, 

 as coal is now to be obtained in Calcutta and Sydney, as well as in Eng- 

 land and North America. These vessels in action would possess almost 

 all the advantages of steamers of full power, as they could choose their 

 position independent of the wind, and all hands would be at liberty for the 

 guns, while from their carrying lighter engines, they could bear heavier 

 batteries. 



Upon this review of this very important subject, there appears, to say 

 the least, abundant reason to believe that the use of steam of moderate 

 power in vessels of all classes is well worthy of the attention of the 



