Dublin and Bordeaux line it is exactly three tons, and this is a trying voyage, the coals being shipped in Dublin for the passages out and home. The Hugh Lindsay, a heavy yessel built of Teak, requires more than one horse to three tons. The average of all the steamers trading on the west coast of England and Scotland, as well as of those belonging to the Irish companies, at the beginning of 1835, was about ths, but of the 85 included in the calculation, sixty were under 365 tons. Of those trading between Scotland and London, the Perth and Dundee have less than three tons to the horse power, while 3 tons is the allowance given to H. M. ships Messenger, Phoenix, Rhadamanthus, Medea, and Dee, whose average dimensions are rather above 800 tons. Of the packets running regularly between Falmouth and the Mediterrancan, the Flamer, Firebrand and Firefly, average more than four tons. The Curacoa, of 400 tons, goes backwards and forwards to Surinam, with 100 horse power engines. H. M. St. ship Hermes is upwards of five tons to the one horse power; and the Monarch, one of the largest and finest vessels afloat, has four tons and one-third, and with that power makes excellent passages. The Soho, which has been running many years between London and Leith, and made trips to Portugal besides, is propelled by one horse power to the four tons of measurement.

From the above data it appears that increase of tonnage beyond a certain amount, say 500 tons, does not require increase of power at the same ratio that it does below that amount; my own observation, together with inferences drawn from the above, lead me to believe that a vessel of 1,200 tons, modelled on the present inproved principles, and propelled by engines of 300 horse power, would contend much better against the elements, and go as fast, as a vessel of 600 tons and 200 horse power of the same build.

There is much difficulty in arriving at the true estimate of the consumption of any steam ship. One sort of coal will go one-fourth further than others, and a good fireman will use one-sixth or even onefifth less to produce the same effect, than a careless or indifferent one. Some boilers generate steam better, and do not foul so readily as others, and some flues answer better than others. The best sorts of coal are stated to be the Llanelly and the Swansea; the former is called the Langennock, and the latter the Graiola; one authority states them to be as thirteen cwt. to seventeen cwt. of Newcastle coal; another as eleven to sixteen. The Hugh Lindsay, on her voyage from Suez found twelve cwt. go as far as fifteen cwt. of ordinary coal. I examined many engineers in their vessels at Glasgow, and never found their computed consumption to agree with the fact, which was only ascertainable by calculating the number and weight of the cart loads laid in, the length of time the fires were burning, and the quantity left at the end of the voyage, and even then no estimate could be correctly made of the loss by stoppages

getting up steam-raking out fires-waste of steam-or of any other of the contingencies before alluded to.

The following table was laid before a committee of the House of Commons, as the consumption of different powers, by M'Gregor Laird, Esq., who filled the office of engineer of the vessels, and accompanied the Landers in their last expedition.*

Under 120 h. p. 10 lb. pt. H.P. per hour.

In roughly calculating the consumption of engines, 9lb. per h. p. is usually taken, and that approaches probably to the nearest result of experiments. The question, however, suggests itself-Where have the majority of experiments been made? I should say in London. Certainly not in Bristol, or Llannelly, Swansea, Newport, or Lydney, as the same amount (9lbs.) has been handed down from the first establishment of steam packets. If the foregoing calculations, in respect to quality and quantity of coal and power, are correct, and the experiments whence conclusions have been adduced, were not made upon Langennock, Graiola, &c. &c., 7lbs. of either is equal to 9lbs. of the northern sorts; and engines of 300 horse power would not consume even 9lbs. of the northern sorts. In estimating the quantity which ought to be taken on board a steam ship, in the absence of positive information, I think it best to disregard this advantage, although the foregoing induces the belief that 600 tons of that which we shall be able to use, will turn out to be equal to 750 of the sorts in general use.

The quantity required for engines of 300 horse power, at 9lbs. per horse power per hour, would not quite amount to 29 tons per diem, or 580 tons (calculating upon full power and consumption the whole time) for twenty days. But there are circumstances which operate to lessen consumption-when the wind is fair, and both powers are in use, the same quantity of steam not being required, the consumption of coal is proportionally lessened; and when the breeze is steady and strong, the fires might either be kept very low, or suffered to go out. With a strong head wind (which alone can cause the voyage to be extended beyond fifteen days) the consumption of steam is diminished, the number of strokes of the piston being reduced in proportion to the resistance; the quantity at these times required, and the fuel would be proportionably diminished. It is therefore certain that, with proper management, even after a twenty days' passage, a considerable portion of the coal would remain unexpended.

But under ordinary circumstances, say in ten cases out of twelve,

* Messrs. Lairds, of Liverpool, are the builders of the iron steamers, now fast coming into fashion, and deservedly so. The Mermaid was built under their inspection, and according to their model.

the passage outward would be completed in much less time; and the return passage, in all probability, would seldom exceed twelve days; the quantity therefore unconsumed at the end of the voyage would average full a quarter of the quantity shipped, thus rendering it unnecessary to purchase for the homeward passage more than 250 tons. 3. WEIGHT OF ENGINE STORES, ETC.

1st. A fair average for the computation of the weight of marine steam engines, with their boilers, iron work, and water, is after the rate of rather more than one ton per horse power, say 320 tons for two engines of 150 horse power each; this, with 580 tons of coal, and 50 tons of anchors, cables, and spare stores of various kinds, will make 950 tons, leaving 250 tons outwards, and about 420 tons homewards, for goods, provisions, water, and passengers' luggage.

2nd. The number of passengers would be subject to variation, but in calculating the weight of provisions, baggage, &c., data being necessary, I would assume the number, with the crew, to be 200. Water for this number, together with the tanks for holding it, would weigh about 20 tons; provisions 5 tons; spare provisions 5 tons; baggage, 300lbs. for each person, about 30 tons; these added to the former will give 1,010 tons.

As the vessel would certainly carry her full measurement, this would leave 190 tons for general cargo; and as she would only take measurement goods, the absolute dead weight when full, although subject to variation, would generally be very much below the specified amount of tonnage.

4. LENGTH OF PASSAGE.

The average passages of sailing vessels are, from Liverpool to New York, thirty-six days, and from New York to Liverpool, twenty-four, upon a calculation of ten years. A steamer of 1,200 tons, well modelled, and fitted with engines of 300 horse power, would, in smooth water and calm weather, make at least nine knots per hour; in strong breezes, head to wind, six or seven. This computation would much diminish the period of twenty days before given, and the prevalence of westerly winds would ensure an average return passage of about thirteen days. In heavy gales when against her she would make short traverses under her tysails, assisted by the engine at seventy-two horse power; go generally five knots, and even then stay easily on every change (if only a point) of wind in her favour, and within four and a half points, without making lee way.

5. COAL STATIONS.

In the shortest track to New York, there is no place to touch at; nevertheless going to the Western Islands would be no great deviation to the southward; and St. John's, Newfoundland, is very little out of the direct track to the northward. At the former, in the Port of Fayal, I should recommend the establishment of a depôt of at least 500 tons

of coal. At the latter, coal in any quantity may always be obtained. Touching at either would depend upon the discretion of the captain, who would hardly pass their longitudes unless he felt assured that his supply was amply sufficient for the remainder of his voyage. And it may be observed that in the former case a finer steaming parallel would in a great measure make up for increase of distance, and in both the current of the Atlantic, from the tail of the banks of Newfoundland to our own coasts, would be proportionally avoided.

6. NUMBER OF PASSENGERS.

The number of steam ships, built and building, the daily extension of old lines, and the formation of new, the increase of factories for the production of marine engines, all show that steam is rapidly superseding sailing vessels, whether for long or short distances; no line having hitherto been established without having immediately had the preference, and ultimately taking away all the passengers from the sailing vessels. New York, the great emporium of the western world, is almost hourly increasing in importance; and although Liverpool is the general resort of her men of business, yet there are many grounds (too long to notice here) for believing that a regular line of vessels from Bristol would cause a vast influx of persons from America, and that a still greater number would take their departure from her quays; -not among the least of these the all but certain establishment of cotton spinning factories, the profitable returns of which solely depend upon the price of female labour.

Besides the New York line, for which so many of our citizens have subscribed, it behoves me to allude to others, which, either in respect to investment of capital, or improvement of trade, may be found to offer advantages worthy of consideration. The lines established, the number of vessels plying, and the numbers about to ply, to and from the ports of continental Europe, afford tolerable grounds for presuming that success has crowned the efforts of enterprising capitalists of other places. In the absence of sufficient information, as to the state or prospects of trade with those ports, I content myself with alluding to Bordeaux, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar.*

CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON, Managing Director.

CUSTOM HOUSE AND QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.

MR. EDITOR,-Although much has been done during the happy period of peace, which we have so long enjoyed, to simplify the business of the departments of the customs and quarantine, yet there exist remnants of the old evils, which constitute great annoyances, and cause a prodigious waste of time; and very considerable improvement might and would yet be made, were some of the inconsistencies

* Established since from London, Iberia, Don Juan, Braganza, Tagus.

and useless attendances at the custom house, as well as delays and expenses of quarantine, brought to the notice of those who have the power to rectify them.

Oaths have very properly been dispensed with: their notorious abuse was a gross insult to the understanding; but to substitute " a declaration," is a refinement of which it is very difficult to see the advantage. When the abolishment of the oath was resolved upon, would not a signature have been sufficiently binding and respectful, without adding the form of "a declaration?" Is there a man who would place his signature to any document, knowing it to be false, who would for a moment hesitate to declare it to be true? In practice it is well known, that "the custom house oath," was proverbially a farce; no man could get through the business of that department who ever considered it in any other light; its abuse had become reconciled even to the most conscientious: it was most properly abolished; and yet we are called upon to the present day to continue the impropriety by "a declaration" to the truth of many things of which we can possibly know nothing. For my part, I will candidly confess, that I never so much as looked over a manifest in my life; and I can neither clear out nor report without making a solemn declaration to the truth of one. I think it would puzzle the most able, specious pleader to show in what consists the difference between this and taking an oath.

However, as I will not pretend to be fastidious on this subject, which the practice of our business, I must confess, has long taught me to hold very cheap, the oath taking and making of declarations, I will freely admit that, leaving this absurdity to be reconciled by the higher powers, my present object has more to do with the unnecessary and very inconvenient loss of time which is caused by the attendance to make this declaration; and for all the purposes of which, I think I can easily show, our signature would do just as well.

Common sense points out, that neither a master of a ship's declaration, nor attendance, nor even hardly perhaps his signature, should be required on clearing out a ship at the custom house. For what possible good end is he now called upon, to spend hours of most valuable time, perhaps a day or even more, to put his signature to a manifest, and " declare solemnly to its truth?" This document usually occupies the broker and the clerks in the searcher's office, a considerable part of one day, and sometimes a great deal more, to check and compare with the notes, &c., &c., furnished from the ship by the public officers attending on board, the master being prevented knowing anything about what is doing there, by this very attendance at the custom house. Surely this checking and examination, gone through by custom house clerks and the brokers, if certified by them upon the manifest, would render it quite as efficient a document as the master's signature and his declaration, of the detail of which he is wholly ignorant.