Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-29 00:00:00

BY TBL,.GRANI

NEW Youg. Dee. 15, P.in:J-1;s, sales 40 brls, pot
6 dols, pearl 5 dols 75c. Cotton lc lower; small sales
101 e for Upland. Flour lower with a moderate business
for export ; 8%433 10,000 brls ; cam to straight Sate
4 dole 45c to 4 dole 50c, corn to good Ohio 5 dols 15c to
5 dols 50e ; extra Genesee 5 dolts 60c to 7 dole ; Southern
heavy and lower, sales 1,200 Ms, mixed to good 4 dole
95e to 5 dols 25c, fancy and extra 5 dols 30c to 7 dole ;
Canadian inact7ve; sales 500, extra 4 dais 90c to 6 dole.
Oate, ~Western 40c to 45c. Corn in fair demand. part for
export; sales 30 009 bushels, white Sauthern and new
60c to 66c. Pork lower, mess 15 dole to 16 dols, prime
13 do!s 50c to 14 dols. Beef heavy, country mess 9 d )1s
to 10 °ob., prime 5 dole 75c to 6 dols 75; repacked
Chicago 11 dole to 13 dole, prime mess 22 dole to 21 dole.
Lard weak and Laver. 2,0 hrls 91c to 10; Hams 73c to
10c, shoulders 7c to 7c. Butter, Ohio 11c to 16c State
14c to 21c. Sugar firm. Linseed oil firm at 533 to 55c.
Spirits tu, pentine 403. Hides, sales 1,000 B A. on private
terms, 2 900 Rio Oran'e 19c. Rice 3c to 31c Tallow,
25 000 los I c. Freights to Liverpool firmer, flour is 101,
grin 51d to 61d.

PASSENGERS per S. America from Boston, Capt. Lott.—
Hon. G. Pemberton. Mr James Pierce, Mr. James Ouch-
bertson, 4r. H. F. a3lh hap, Rev. H. Lamphier, Mr. Geo.
Beattie, Mr. J. Sheigs, Mr. E. H. Amindour, Mr. Bsxtgr,
Mr Hy. Parker, Mr. Fred. Parker, Mr Chas. Parker, Mr.
Thos Chsrlton, Rev J. H. Bateman. Mr. W. H. Tillsoo,
Mr. W. G. Russell, Mr. Cnas. Dusenberg,-Mr..o Langan-
t;ere, Mr. Geo Wintz Mr. E. Evans, Mr. John Elliott,
Lieut W. F. Marson, Mr C. Fdlan, wife, and servant.
Mr W. A. Rsymond, Mr. Jas. Orkeley and wife, Mr G.
King, Mr. J Belie, Air A. Reynolds and son, Mr G-,0.
Taylor, Mr. Conrad Leipal, Mr W. Chadbourne, Mrs.
Patten, Mr. Edwin Wild. Mr. W. Wilkie, Mr. J. Mtgil-
nistki, Mr John Brownlee. Mr. W. H. Brown, Mr Edward
Turner. Mr. J. F. Golfe, Mr J. Seatten and wife Mr. P.
W. Campbell, Mr. Builase. Mr. P. J. Folan, Mr. A Knox,
wife and three children, Mr. E. Culmansi, Mr. J. Jerolle,
Mr Miller, Mr John M.Laclan, Mrs. Snook, Mr. Peter
Richard. Mr Flaws, Mr C. M. Gibbon, Mr W. M'Lean,
Mr E. Henan, Mr A. Illsenhall, Mr J. M. Dickson, Mr
E. Gerald, Mr H. Pace, Mr Davenport, Lieut Daley and
servant, Lieut Bateson, Mr Green.

THE LAUNCITPTG.WAYS AND CHECK-TACKLE
OF THE LEVIATHAN.

The difference between the manner in which these ways
were con,tructed and that described is very great, as the
following account of them will show. The first step in
preparing for the launch was to clear away the mud and
dirt to a regular inclination of I in 12 from the ship down
to low water mark; after which, the five rows of piles
forminz each way, and varying from 25 feet long near
the ship, to about 6 feet near low-water mark.
were driven ; the two outer rows on each side
of each way were pitched three feet apart, and
at a distance of 20 feet inside them another row ;
but these inside rows, three in number, were pitched 6
feet apart. so that the breadth of each way, viz , 80 feet,
was divided into five stripes, of 20 feet wide, extending
from the bottom of the ship down to low water mark. To
the sides of these piles, just below their tops, balks of
timber, called waling pieces, each about 12 inches
sqlare, were bolted, on the outside of each row only, by
inch iron bolts, and the surface of the mud over the
area of 80 feet wide, was then covered with a layer of
concrete, barely 1 foot thick, upon which other balks were
laid, about 2 feet aoart, and in lines parallel to the rows
of piles : these balks were also about 1 foot square, and
concrete was then put into the empty space between
them, and levelled to an even surface with their tops; so
that instead of the ways being constructed on " 2 feet of
concrete, the whole superstructure is carried upon only
" 1 foot of this material, and the support derived from
the bolts in the waling pieces against the heads of the
piles. As an instance of the amount of calculation and
foresight exhibited throughout this famous launching
exploit, it may be mentiened that when the ways were
completed it was "found" that they were not wide
enough ; that is to say, they were not sufficiently strong
to carry the great weight about to be "lowered" down
them, and the consequence was, that each way was
increased in width by an addition of forty feet ! which
was done by drivine a row of piles on each side of each
way, at a distance of 20 feet from each outer one, thus
making the rows of piles each way seven in number,
and concrete, balks, waling pieces, &c., were added, as
was done in constructing the part already completed.
What addition'this made to the first estimate for the
launch would be an interesting item ; but there can be
no doubt that the total cost wilt form a valuable record
for the archives of the Institution of Civil Engineers,
where they might be enrolled as a sort of thing to be
avoided, with a salutary effect. As to the "check-
tackle" and machinery, so far from their efficiency having
heel proved, or their having in any way been shown
to he of the slightest utility in chocking the ship, the
contrary is satisfactorily proved by the fact, that when
the ship stopped after her first movement, and at the
moment it was reported ;hat she was held by this check-
tackle, there was at least one foot of slack between each
cradle and check-drum. Another circumstance has
proved the complete uselessness of these costly appen-
dages, viz.—that at every renewed attempt to launch,
and with everything slack, and nothing to stop her but
" friction," it has been found nearly impossible to start
her, or keep her in motion with the overwhelming power
applied to get her along. Instead of carrying on a set of
vaearies (dignified by the title of experiments) with a
couple of pieces of balk, some rails, and a few tons of iron,
in order to discover (?) the amount of friction of metal
upon metal, which, by-the-bye. I remember was done some
30 years since by Morin and ethers, it would have been far
better to have profited,- in this instance at least, by the
experience of others. I should think Mr. Scott Russell
must feel happy in having no share of the responsibility of
this disastrous experiment in launching resting upon his
shoulders.— adrrespondent of the Builder.