thousand horses' power, or nearly eighteen thousand men's power, essential to sustain these extravagant, prodigal losses, due to their mechanical propelling systems. Besides the comparative proof of these losses, which are seldom realized because seldom critically and fully examined, we might show by the most positive proof, based upon the published data and log of the Collins' steamer Pacific, that the motive-power developed by her piston, which is entirely unavailable in the speed of the ship, equals not less than four-fifths of the quantity that is available in her speed. Science traces the development of the unavailable power just as strictly as it does that available in her speed; hence there is no more uncertainty attending it in the one case than in the other. It is further evident that a multiplicity of oars, simply used, as in the row-boat, are in nowise practical upon the steamer-even an oar to each horse-power, literally, if mechanically governed, would be absurd. Yet the oar system, reduced to a single propelling oar, so to speak, or the simple Archimedean lever, to each side, and each with a simultaneous returning oar or lever, so as to alternate at every piston-stroke, and each attached to a complement of oar-blades, (in size and number at the pleasure of the builder,) all as one, running or reciprocating lengthwise of and horizontally upon the side of the vessel, and returning above the water, giving to the differing velocities of piston-strokes any desirable velocity of floats, and we have a simple, efficient system, with the exception of a single difficult feature. This exception is, evidently, to produce the "dipping" and "lifting" of the complements of floats, or immersed areas, mechanically, just as in rowing we do it by the will, muscularly. That this exception can be overcome, is most probable from the fact that we imitate many far more difficult human actions than this, mechanically, and with most positive uniformity and precision. No mechanical device is more simple than the lever, if the applied force acts perpendicular to it; and nothing is better adapted to transmit the power, and to sustain its inflexible positions; and nothing is better adapted to produce from the ordinary piston velocity the desired speed of the vessel; and the reciprocation of the Cornish piston and the floats (each complement embodied as one) are governed by the regulations of the steam and the rock-shaft "bumper" in the same time, and just as easily and effectively as when the piston acts upon the crank. The important alliance between the simple, directly transmissive principles of the Cornish engine with the simple, directly transmissive principles of the oar, by which from the rectilineal primary (or piston force) a rectilineal resultant (or the speed of the vessel) is directly produced, rests upon the single difficulty of providing a mechanical device to exactly imitate the descent and ascent of the oar-blades, in which the oar-lever through which the power acts (just as simply as through the "walking-beam" of the river engine) shall be flexibly connected with the oar-blade gang, (as a locomotive to its train, or the piston to its working-beam,) so that the oar-blade gang only partakes of the dip and lift, leaving the lever movements as free and invariable as that of the working-beam of an engine. To say that genius, inventive talent, and mechanical skill cannot effect this alliance, extremely important, yet resting upon a single difficulty, would be a stigma upon the past, and false to the resources of the age. Why it has not been done, is because it has never been attempted. reader should bear in mind that the reciprocating devices now historical, The or piled away in the patent-office apartments, have never attempted this alliance, but a far different one-namely, that of a rectilineal primary, with an unnatural mechanical rotation, (just as unnatural as for a man to expand his muscular effort upon a crank in the same manner and as incorrigibly as the engine does, and not rather produce in the application of his force a muscular rotation by the guidance of his judgment and will, which, if he did not do, would stamp him as stupidly verdant-yet science knows no two laws for the man and the engine,) and such a rotatory force with a curvilineal reciprocation. Or the same question might be answered in the same manner and for the same reasons as we would, prior to every improvement, answer, why has not it been attained, even though its specific necessity or value had not been known until introduced. The subject thus presented is not simply speculative, but it is rationally prophetical, in that the deductions are based upon undisputed data, while those from science are indisputable, and the inductions follow as effect ever follows cause. OBVIOUS ADVANTAGES OF THEIR REFORMATION. The advantages of such a practical alliance would render steam applicable to sail Commerce generally, without its losing its identity at all as a sail marine in its economical relations, though it would lose its present characteristics of uncertain, tediously lengthy, and dangerous passages. In regard to the shipping of the great trans-Atlantic thoroughfare, our reliable statistics show that the average fair winds, when outward bound, equal about 81 per cent, and when homeward bound equal about 62 per cent of all the winds. Now, if we take the average tonnage as given last year for the Liverpool packets, or 1,175 tons, and give to each a small engine, with the supposed improvements, such as tugs them at present in our harbors at from 6 to 8 knots, and consumes about four tons of coal per 24 hours, we shall greatly increase its efficiency. By the National Observatory authority, as laid down by Lieut. Maury, we have to the outward routes for January, February, March, and April, to 10 degrees west of Cape Clear, 2,287 miles of fair winds, 469 miles of slant winds, (or such as drive a ship from her chart course,) and 76 miles dead-ahead winds; and we have 72 vessels for the same months and routes averaging 193 days, which gives a nominal run of 6 knots per hour. Hence her specific sailing may, perhaps, be thus expressed :— Through slant winds, by chart 469 miles, by sail 606 miles, at 5 knots.. Total..... 19 ཚ| 18 Their slant and head-winds being run "close hauled," and their distance by sail given without allowance for drift, and since one mile drift requires two and a half miles run on account of the transverse sailing to recover it, the difference between the rates will not be considered too large. It is evident that in making the run of 2,287 miles through the fair winds there will be, under a general average, light breezes and very low runs, so that, perhaps, we might assume to the strongest winds an average of about eight days' sail at 9.7 knots, so that we should give to the balance of the distance of fair but too light winds the aid of steam. From the most accessible facts and deductions, it is probable that, to the assumed tonnage, the addition of steam to the light winds and slant winds would give about 7 knots upon the chart course; and steam alone to the dead head-winds (ship close reefed) would average 4 knots or more. Hence we would have the following results : Strongest fair winds, 1,867 miles by chart route, at 9.7 knots..... Total..... Making to the credit of six days' steam 53 days' time. To the same months, and the return passages from 10 degrees west of Cape Clear, we have only 1,664 miles of fair winds, 1,009 miles slant, and 179 miles dead head-winds, and to which we have 110 passages averaging 32 days. The chart distance is 2,851 miles, and the nominal rate 3.7 knots, though the sail-courses, due to the winds, without drift, is 3,406 miles, or at the rate of 4.44 knots. These relations arise from the westerly winds prevailing over the easterly, and their specific runs may, perhaps, properly be given thus: Fair winds, by chart course 1,664 miles, at 64 knots.... Total... Days. Hours. 10 16 15 5 14 18 If we suppose that to 1,280 miles of the strongest fair winds they could have a run of 8 knots, then, with the rates before assumed to steam and sail, we have, to the Strongest fair winds, 1,280 miles by chart, by sail, at 8 knots Days. Hours. 6 16 2 7 6 Making, to the credit of 10 days' steam, 15 days' time. In uniting the passages for the same months, the actual average to both ways is 51 days, and the supposed passages by sail and steam jointly equal 31 days, so that we have due to 16 days' steam, at low rates and consumption of fuel, 20 days' time, or a saving of nearly two-fifths the present time. If we deduct from the average tonnage the freight of engine, machinery, coal, &c., by the saving in her running time she would increase her aggregate available freight by an addition equal to one-half of all her present freight, and also increase her passenger capacity by two-fifths of her present lists. This is, to be sure, an extraordinary economy; and in these considerations, while some things are reliably taken-such as the chart distances which would be followed by sail and steam, the relations of the winds, which are based upon thousands of recorded observations by a large num ber of mariners, the time of the average actual passages, and the consumption of coal to such an engine-other points are only supposed nearly correct, as the specific rates of sailing given to the relative winds and given to sails and steam, and the rate given to steam under the average head-winds, the appropriate machinery, &c., being supposed attainable; hence the given difference is, to a certain degree, problematical; yet it is not doubtful, from the nature of the case, but that with such an engine and appropriate and efficient machinery, nearly these runs may be produced, and with great certainty and regularity. It is an important consideration that, as we shorten the passages, we not only lessen the risks by dangers and disasters in the same proportion, but at the same time increase the ability to withstand and avoid dangers, and prevent delays. During the same months of 1852 we have the arrival of 135 vessels from Liverpool, London, and Havre, which averaged 352 days' passages. In the account of these passages, from the single port of Liverpool, we read thus of one vessel: "12 days west of Georges Banks ”—(a little over three hundred miles from New York;) one "28 days between long. 30 deg. west and 40 deg. west," (or 28 days between the meridians of 10 degrees of longitude in the broad Atlantic;) another, "16 days from Nantucket to the Hook;" another, "7 days making 3 degrees of longitude west;" another, "6 days with pilot aboard;" one "7 days within 60 miles of the Hook;" one "20 days without making any longitude west;" another, "20 days in reaching Cape Clear from her port;" another, "25 days making 600 miles from Liverpool, and 14 days making the last 600 miles into New York;" another, "20 days from the Grand Banks;" and many other lesser, yet very embarrassing delays from the same port. If we take simply the arrivals for the month of March of the same year, we have a peculiar illustration of the uncertainties attending sail voyages, and, too, under the well known abilities of the Liverpool masters. Thus, the shortest passage was 17 days, and the longest passage nearly four times the shortest, or 66 days; the next shortest was 18 days, and the next longest three and one-fourth times the longer, or 59 days. We have also two ships that were a longer time without making any longitude west (that is without crossing a meridian which they had reached at an earlier day,) than either of these shortest runs. And another instance of a packet ship which was longer reaching Cape Clear from Liverpool (not far from 300 miles,) than either of these shortest passages; and another ship that was a longer time making 1,200 miles (a little over one-third of her chart route, and it being the first 600 and last 600 miles of her route,) than twice that of either of the two shortest passages. To fourteen passages of ships arriving within three months from one port, there is an aggregate of extreme delays equal to 7 months or 217 days, (and delays not included in the list of disasters,) and the distance covered by this sum of delays with a six-knot steam-power, would have been run in thirty-seven days, showing a net saving of six months time, or 180 days. Nearly two-thirds of this sum of delays is west of the Grand Banks, (off Newfoundland,) hence a greater coastwise exposure, greater risks of life, of shipping, of merchandise, and of disasters. But from the other English and European ports we have a similar tale of embarrassments, and to all an addition of a large portion of the too lengthy daily lists of disasters, many of which would be directly avoided by such an available steam-power. A commentary upon these facts, to speak their pressing demands upon commercial men, to speak the economy of a remedial alliance with steam, (which cannot be effected under the present system,) and to speak the humanity of such an alliance, to preserve the lives of those now swept by hundreds to a watery grave during a single prevailing storm; where the ship is without a single hope from its inherent resources, and what is worse, without the least preparation for relief by posessing a contending power to the winds, or steam fixtures for the emergencies, is useless; they speak more forcibly than words of eloquence, than rhetorical appeals, and they speak financially as well as to the understanding and the heart. ADVANTAGES IN THE SOUTHERLY, EASTERN, AND WESTERN COMMERCE. In the ship's great highway to the Pacific's eastern and western Commerce, southerly by the capes, we find still more extraordinary circumstances showing the necessities for an alliance of canvas and the winds with steam. The common and almost universal dread of the calms of the "Horse Latitudes" and the "Doldrums," of both the Atlantic and the Pacific, have led, by their embarrassments, to the most careful and philosophical investigations, and nautical instructions therefrom; and their profitable development by most perfect ships and able commanders-all of which we cannot too highly appreciate as one of the great modern improvements. But when the winds and currents cease their motion, the ship's locomotion ceases; and when they are adverse she is greatly restrained from her destined course. Whatever the destination south of the equator, all take the same thoroughfares, according to the season of the year, best to clear the South American Cape; (St. Rouque, a little south of the line,) hence, the routes to the equator are highly important. The facts and data of these routes are in contrast with the European routes, in that the common and extreme delays in the former, proceed from the absence of winds chiefly; while in the European trade they proceed, chiefly, from adverse winds, except in the milder months; but they are similar in their uncertainties-in their irregularities-good ships having lain longer in the "doldrums" than others have taken from the New England ports to California-in their long average of passages, compared to the shortest when the ships pass the "dreaded" latitudes and equinoctial "horrors," as the exceptions to nature's common laws-and in that the relations of winds to the equator, agree very nearly with those to Europe; while yet the passages to the equator agree more nearly with the passages from Europe, distances considered; hence they both agree in their pressing necessities for relief, through their only possible resource, that is, by a suitable alliance with steam. Nothing more forcibly than the simple, careful examination of the ship's "logs" to these passages can be deduced to show their embarrassments, and the great relief they would sustain from a small steam power appropriate to canvas ships. By such an examination of the log of the FlyingFish, in her celebrated run of nineteen days to the line, it shows plainly that three days' steam, partly in the "horse latitudes" and partly near the equator, would have saved her two days' time; and in the Flying-Cloud's celebrated run to California, three-and-a-half days' steam would have saved her four-and-a-half days' time to the equator; while several days' |