STEAM-SHIPS FOR THE CHANNEL PASSAGE. 
5 
automatically. A man sits at a lever, by which he commands 
hydraulic machinery which adjusts the position of the cabin 
relatively to the ship. He has a spirit-level in front of him, 
by which he keeps the level, just as the helmsman keeps his 
course by means of the compass. This retention of controlling 
power appears to me to be the chief point of the invention. 
It is by no means the only point in the actual design, about 
which there are many features, constituting in their entirety a 
very bold and original as well as an ingenious design. 
The steam-ships which are to carry this swinging cabin have 
been designed by Mr. E. J. Eeed, C.B. The following descrip- 
tion is taken from information furnished by the designers : — 
“ These steam-ships are double-ended, and are propelled by 
four large paddle-wheels, two at each side. The ends are kept 
low for the purpose of reducing the motions produced by the 
action of the wind and of the sea, and the middle portion is 
made sufficiently high to enable them to steam at a high speed 
against the worst seas they will have to meet. A rudder is 
fitted at each end, with means for locking, so that the ship will 
be able to steam in either direction, and will not require to be 
turned round in harbour. 
‘‘ Each steamer will be 350 ft. long, 45 ft. wide along the 
deck beam, and 65 feet wide across the paddle-boxes. She 
will draw 7 ft. 6 in. of water, the same as tlie present steamers, 
and will be propelled at a speed of twenty miles per hour, by 
two pairs of engines of the collective power of 4,600 horses. 
The centres of the two pairs of paddle-wheels will be 106 ft. 
apart. 
“ The great peculiarity, however, of these ships is that each 
will contain a large saloon, designed by Mr. Bessemer, sus- 
pended in the middle of the ship in such a way that it can be 
moved about a longitudinal axis parallel to the keel. The 
motion of this saloon, which would be set up when the vessel 
rolled if left free to move, will be governed by a hydraulic 
apparatus, and will be completely under the control of one 
man, whose duty it will be to keep the floor of the saloon, 
under all circumstances, in a line with a spirit-level. 
“ The passenger accommodation will consist of the Bessemer 
saloon, which is 70 ft. long, 35 ft. wide, and 20 ft. high; a 
fixed saloon at one end between decks, 52 ft. long ; and a line 
of fixed cabins on each side of the ship, between the paddle- 
boxes. This line of fixed cabins will occupy a total length of 
150 ft., and include a refreshment-cabin, smoking-cabin, lava- 
tories, and small deck-cabins. The luggage will be stowed in 
the hold at the opposite end of the ship to the passenger- 
saloons. The Bessemer saloon will form by far the finest cabin 
that has ever been fitted in a ship. Its great size and height 
