1840.] 



On low Steam. Power to Vessels, instead of Sails. 



251 



merchant, the naval officer, the statesman, and the philanthropist, as 

 well as of the iron master, the engine-maker and the coal proprietor. 



Some of its advantages may be thus generally stated ; 



Igt. — Such a vessel would be far preferable for passengers ; the time 

 of her voyages would be only f of that of sailing vessels, and it would 

 be almost certain to a day ; her upper deck would be quite clear, leav- 

 ing much more room for accommodations ; she would be much cooler, 

 for there would always be a current of air through her ; instead of 

 seeking those parts of the ocean where there is most wind and conse- 

 quently most sea, she would always rather choose those where there 

 were calms and smooth water ; she would be so little affected by the 

 \veather that it would very rarely happen that there would be any 

 cause of alarm from it. She would be liable to accidents from steam, 

 but many years of experience have now proved beyond a doubt that 

 the danger in steamers is extremely small, the number of accidents 

 compared with the number of voyages made, being much fewer than ia 

 similar voyages in sailing vessels. On these accounts she would be 

 sure of a much larger proportion of passengers, and at the same time 

 be capable of carrying a greater number than a sailing vessel, so that 

 while she would carry as much freight, she would carry more passengers 

 and consequently be more profitable. 



2d. — On account of the greater speed and certainty she would also 

 be preferable for freight and would be sure of the mOvSt valuable freight 

 in the market, and also she would be more generally filled than a sailing 

 vessel. 



3d.— When leaving one port for another so situated that owing to 

 the monsoon or trade, a sailing vessel would have to make a vast cir- 

 cuit, she would run direct or nearly so, excepting in one or two pecu- 

 liar cases, such as leaving Bombay for the westward in the strength 

 of the south-west monsoon, but as sailing vessels could not then at- 

 tempt such a voyage, she w^ould still be on a par with them even in such 

 a case. 



4th. — There would not be half the objection to her touching at in- 

 termediate ports as to sailing vessels which are always liable to be 

 delayed by calms and variable winds when they are going in or out of 

 port, whereas a steamer would lose no more time by it, than was neces- 

 sary to steam such a distance out of her course. 



5th.— The charge of such a vessel to both her commander and her 

 ojfficers would be incomparably easier and more pleasant than that of 

 a sailing vessel ; nothing less than a gale of wind would make it neces- 

 sary for them to undergo exposure or fatigue ; the commander especi- 



