The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-24 00:00:00

THE NEW MAIL STEAMERS.

One of the most interesting scientific problems of
the present day is, at what rate must the magnitude of •
paddlethoz steam-ship and its engine power increase m the
distance the ship traverses without coaling increases, the
speed of the said ship being a constant or an increasing
quantity? We have paddle steamers that will run 3,000
miles in 10 days. But all attempts to go further than that,
at the same ratio of speed, have been found most difficult,
the Wight of the wheels requisite to propel the increasing
=et the ship, and the weight of the additional 11110=1,11 by the increasing engine power, have
ewe dm counterbalanced the additional power
that has been given to the monster steamers that
have lees recently built. In fact, it was found
=l:almost to build ships that would carry coals suf-
a longer voyage than 3,000 miles, and the fee-
theft Bost wheels which accelerate the speed in moderate
skid steamers, are not avalable for larger ones, because the
legawork necessary for their construction is so weighty that
Imeanteracts all their advantages.
It has been a desideratum with the West India Mail
Oampany to have steamers that will run between South-
ontpton and St. Thomas at the same ratio of speed as Cu-
ssed's ships run between Liverpool and New York. To
do this the St. Thomas palmy should be done
in 12 days, for the diatoms is nearly 3,700 miles. The
Orinoco, Magdalena, and Parana, have beat built for this
wpm; Ina although this. ships are maggideent epeci-
ewe of anal soshilsoliss. sad Alai sod lazurious ac-
ammmedatkia le poningsis, tar, Med So sew up to the
appalred speed, and their consumption of coal—nearly 100
Ws • day—was enormous. At length the above-named
=steeled the La Plata, • neametsr ship differently
hes ths Mhos% sail Wound se her every-
thing whisk soiente soh wealth swell sewed. The com-
' pany staked everything as this ship. The whole commu-
nity interested in slum shipping matkipated her per-
formers atilt the greatest anxiety, sad if she had
failed bums ingenuity would have been baffled
Than. is sew not the .lightest doubt but what a steamer is
lOW that will rot 4,000 miles ia a fortnight, without
stepping, and that do slows Is the La Plata. This is •
shot Intosestiast fate, tithe so than the discovery which
cos Milt posse ops, Ant • steamer would cross the Adan-
a, bosom sees oho on now be obtained as to the means
hp which great ocean stages can be traversed at • high
geed, of 12 or 13 miles an hour, continuously.
At 3.30 p.m., on the 17th of August last, the La Plata
mat off from the busy opposite Netley Abbey, in Southamp-
ton' Water, with nearly 1,400 tons of coals on board, besides
cargo, passengers, and mails. She had an ebb tide, and in
twenty minutes afterwards she was abreast of Calshot
Castle. At 5.30 p.m. she pored the Needles rocks. As the
night set in a fog came on, which detained her two hours.
The first clear day's run after leaving Southampton she ac-
complished 245 miles, and continued to increase in speed as
she consumed her coals. On the 21st, at 3.35 p.m., while
she was going at full speed with all sail set, there was a cry
of • man overboard. The massive engines were stopped,
the sails backed, two boats lowered, and in less than seven
minutes the mu was taken off a life buoy, which had been
thrown to him, and in 20 minutes from the time of U', cry
the boats were up, the sails set, and the engines at full speed
again. On the 22nd, at sunset, the La Plata passed the Azores,
and at noon on the 24th half the voyage was accomplished.
Her speed was now increased to 300 miles a day, which speed
was kept up with very little variation to the end of the
voyage. The wind and weather were propitious, but there
were the usual drawbacks experienced on the first voyage
of a new ship—the engines became heated, the paeltiug of
the cylinders became loose, and steam escaped, and the
floats became unscrewed or detached. These drawbatke
and other accidents caused a detention of about 14 hours
during the voyage. The La Plata entered St. Thomas at
6.45, p.m., on the 30th ult., and considering the difference
'of time at Southampton and St. Thomas, and the accidental
delay of the voyage, the whole distance traversed was a
little more than 12 days. Captain Allan, the commander of
the La Plata, fully expects to reach Southampton on the
evening of the 28th or morning of the 29th of this month
with the West India and Mezican mails, and to perform
the distance from St. Thomas to Southampton in less than
12 days. The La Plata consumed 1,194 tons of coals on
her outward voyage, and had therefore about 200 tons left
when she reached St. Thomas. The prevailing winds she
experienced on that voyage were easterly, and of course
favourable, but the sails of the La Plata were scarcely ever
of any avail, es she outstripped the wind or steamed at en
equal rate with it.

DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES TO THE MAN-
CHESTER CONTRIBUTORS AT THE onEAT
EXHIBITION.

The medals, certificates, and jurors' reports
awarded to the exhibitors of Blanchester, were publicly dis-
tributed yesterday, in the Town Hall. Sir Josue Punkt
took the chair in the absence of the Mayor of Manchester,
whom indisposition prevented from attending. The Lord
Bishop of Manchester, the Esrl of Wilton, the Mayor of
Salford, and Mr. Thomas Barley, President of the Man-
chester Chamber of Commerce, were also present, and took
part iu the proceedings.
The Cuairestme said it had been the wish of the exhibi-
tors g Ma: heater that the Medals au ei;tl be distributedl
In this hall, ante in consequence of that wish
!?ad !Av.: summoned. lie believed he had nothing more
to dd than call over the names of the recipients of prix Y,
and such of them as were present might have the medals
which had been awarded to them. He had no doubt every
one would be pleased at the satisfactory termination of the
labours of the committee in Blanchester, and every gentle-
man woull be gratified to have a sul.,tantial remembrance
of the great event which made the year ISt memorable in
the annals of English history.
The Meyer of &strum) moved the first resolution, which
win as follows :

"That, in accordance with the wishes esprt ued by the
executive committee of the ltoyal Commis ion, this meeting
requests the clisirtuan of the local committee of the Great
Exhibition to proceed to distribute the medals which had
been ree, ived iu acknowledgment of the contributions of
this district."

He said the previous proceedings in relation to this com-
mission had occupied more than two years, and he b•lieved
all that could have been sa.d about it had teen said already;
the present, although the isst and sleepiest port of its duties,
was as gratifying, at least, as any that had gone before.
(lieu, hear.) It was un acknowledgment to this town
that it had not been behind any other part of the world in
doing what it could to promote the objects of the Great
Exhibition and the advanceme: tof science in general. lie
congratulated his fellow-townsmen that in the Exhibition
their town had a very prominent part, end, he believed, a
very satilactory one. (Loud cheen.)
The Bishop of MANCH KIITEIL, in seconding the resolution
with appropriate remarks, observed that there was ono
subject on which they would probably expect sonic word
dropped that day—one word, however imperfect,
dropped to the memory of him whose talent and
high senle of duty could never be forgotten, of held
in too high appreciation by his countrymen. (Hear, hear.)
That great, high minded, and good luau who had passed
away was the proudest ornament of the Crystal Palace as
he paced along its corridors, viewing with calm and satisfied,
yet intereott el eye, the ere atnen and happier/3 of a nation
of which he had, under Providence, been one of the chief
authors. Ilia mind had been in many respects unappre-
ciated and misunderstood. It hail been said that he re-
garded duty rather than glory, and that he was the Iron
Duke ; but it was the inadequacy and imperfection of these
terms that failed to convey the real impress of his character.
Duty was with him the appreciation of the circumstauces in
which he was placed. At one grasp his mind would take
into consideration equally the greatest and least result/.
He might have been iron in one respect, as the metal was
enabled to adapt itself to the form required by the skilful
artist, but iron in another respect he was not; for while at
all times ready with unflinching eye to see, with unflinching
breast to bear, and with unflinching head to carry out what
was hest fur his country and these around him, a man of
more kindly feeling and greater indulgence he believed
never heed. If we looked to those despatches which con-
stituted, like the writings of the great Roman commander,
a wondrous specimen of his skill to conceive and
express his great designs, as those designs, when car-
ried out, showed ins skill to execute them, we
found his consideration for the comfort of the
commonest soldier displayed equally with his keen
appreciation of every circumstance and minute point of de-
tad subservient to the great objects he had in hand. Iron
he might have been, but he (the right rev. prelate) appealed
to one who knew him well, and who now sat near him, if
he had not gazed with interest many a time at the kindling
of his eye when Wellington Lie Anglesey and the other
old companions of his glory. Iron he might have been,
but it was iron moulded to the finest and noblest uses; and
long might the recollection go down, that the glories of
Waterloo, united in the hero, were loot in the man ; and
he who rode, eareleu of his own life, being entreated
to spare himself, had said, " Let them fire away—the battle
is won," was loot in the consoler of the fathers and brothers
of those slain around him. He (the right rev. prelate) was
unwilling that it should go forth that this meeting had
b-en held without any faint expression of gratitude to him
who gave us the peace which produced the Crystal Palace.
Aud let them earnestly yield a tribute of sympathy to those
under whose rule we lived, who had matured and brought
about this happy conception with such wouderlul and un-
mixed success. (Cheep.) To the Prince Consort their
thanks were due for this, as for every object of his public
life. To the Sovereign their thanks were due for the wagon
interest she had taken in whatever might conduce to the
happiness and prosperity of even the meanest of her sub-
jects. To *be Royal Commission also they owed their
acknowledgrnews tor their exertions, and he was sure they
would be most cheerfully accorded. He had great pleasure
in seconding the resolution. (Loud cheers.)
The resolution was carried unanimously.
The pekes were then distributed to these of the success-
-Ihl exhibitors who were present. The number of names
on the list to whom the various distinctions had been awarded
was 156.

Un the motion of the Earl of WILTON, Seconded by Mr.
T. HAZLET, a vote of thanks was given to the chairman,
and this terminated the proceedings.