The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

IRON SHIP BUILDING IN CORK:

Among the branches of local enterprise which furnish
employment to the labouring community in this country one
of the most important and interesting, both from its present
extent and its rapid augmentation, is that of iron ship build-
ing. Tho visitor to any of tho numerous ship building
establishments in the neighbourhood of this city cinuot but
be struck with the rapidity with which a succession of
splendid steam ships are planned and constructed. Cork
built ships are now to be met with in every part of the world,
and class as high as those constructed by any of the longer
established firms in Scotland or England. A remarkably fine
specimen of this class of vessel is to be seen at the ship build-
ing yard of Mr. Robinson (the Water street dock yard)
and will be ready for launching in a few days. This vessel,
which is constructed entirely of iron, has been built for Mr.
Malcolmson, of Portlaw, and is intended for the Continental
trade. She is about 700 tons burden, and her screw
engines will be 150 horse power. Besides containing large
capacity for cargo, she is fitted with a cabin to contain about
twenty passengers. She is now nearly complete—her engines
of course have not yet been placed in her, but it is expected
that within a vet), short time she will be ready for sea. As
soon as this vessel (whose name is is seated is to be the Luna)
is off the stocks, the construction of another new vessel, named
the Napoleon 111., will bo proceeded with. This latter
vessel, bein; intended for the traffic up the Siene, will pre-
sent some peculiarities of construction not usually wet with.
The Seine, it is well known, is a shallow river, and not navi-
gable for vessels possessing beyond a very slight draught of
water In order to suit the requirements of the trade she is
intended for, the Napoleon 111. will be much greater in
length and less in depth than other vessels of similar ton-
nage. Her length over all will be 240 feet, her breadth 32,
while her depth will be but 12 feet. She is expected to
steam with but five feet draught of water. The ribs and
plates for this vessel are in course of formation, and it is
expected she will be ready for launching some time in June.
She is built for an English and Frenchl..company, and it is
believed she will be the pioneer of a great number of similar
vessels required for the same trade. This it is to be hoped
may be the case, as so large an expenditure of money in this
locality cannot but tend to anguisut its manufacturing and
commercial prosperity. Three hundred men are employed in
Mr. Robinson's concerns, and aro in the receipt of wages
amounting in some cases to £3 a-week--in fact, scarcely a
branch of trade or skilled labour could be named which does
not find employment in the construction of an iron vessel.
Probably few persons on seeing the launch of the Luna will be
able to estimate the amount of labour, pains, and skill which
has been employed in her construction. The sound of the
smiths's hammers or the sight of the row of furnaces which
are constantly turning out masses of white hot iron, gives an
inadequate impression of the skill which directs, or the labour
which carries out the operations of so extensive and complex
an establishment. Tho regularity and system which prevail
throughout have the effect of inducing a visitor to believe that
the difficulties to be overcome are less than is actually the case:
Perhaps there are few descriptions of work where more
scientific talent, or more constant watchfulness are required
than in that of iron ship building. Any one who even
cursorily examines a vessel of this class will perceive that
it consists of a great number of strong iron plates, each
of an oblong shape, about six feet by two, which are firmly
rivetted together, and kept in their places by stout
iron frames. Each of these frames, and indeed every
separate portion of the entire vessel, must in the first instance
be carefully mapped out and afterwards modelled. The
designer, having been informed" of what tonnage the intended
vessel is to be, and what trade she is destined for, has to draw
plans and afterwards models. From these models the dimen-
sions of each portion of the vessel are taken, and the plates,
ribs, and frames are carefully brought to the required shape.
The furnaces by the aid of which this operation is effected are
kept continually active by a patent "fan," which sends a
violent current of air through .a large iron tube running under
the forge, and a blast can at any moment be directe'd on the
particular furnace which requires it. Some idea of the extent
of the establishment may be formed when it is stated that
constant employment is furnished to one individual in
forming handles for the hammers used by the smiths.—Cork
Constitution.