The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-19 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF arrlt ENGINEERS.

The discussion being renewed on Mr. Allen's paper
"On Steam and Sailing Colliers," details were given of
the construction, .sc., of the Arthur Gordon, the Iron
Age, the Anne, and the Augusta Louise, vessels
constructed for carrying iron ore,—a cargo of great spe-
cific gravity ; fore and aft-tanks were used in these
ships in conjunction with bag-ballest, and the re-
sults obtained induced the conviction, that the tank-
ballast would soon be superseded by either bet-
totn-hallast or hold-ballast, that it was dis-
advantageous to build vessels exclusively for one class
of cargo, as tempting offers of charter, in emergencies,
could not he accepted,—and that. bag-ballast possessed
certain advantages in being applicable to either wood, or
iron vessels, whether sailing, or steaming, and that when
the duration of the bags was increased, by improvements
in manufacturing the material, the system would doubt-
less be more generally applied.
It was contended that a system of construction applic-
able to the iron-ore trade would not be adapted for screw
colliers, and that tanks were more expensive than either
hold-ballast or the double bottom. The chief disad-
vantage of the hold-ballast was its causing " breaks" in
the cargo ; which were objectionable, inasmuch as
every time a shoot of coal was commenced there oc-
curred additional breakage in the coal from its falling a
greater depth in loading. It was better to shoot the
entire cargo by one hatchway, as the coal soon formed
an incline for itself, and less breakage occurred.
On behalf of sailing colliers it was urged that the ca-
pabilities of the steam colliers had been overstated, and
the number of voyages which sailing colliers were ca-
pable of making were understated. There were no
valid reasons why small engines should not be used
for unloading sailing colliers, and if the system of
long detention in the Thames was abolished they
might do fifty per cent. more work than at
present. Then, if one screw collier cost as much as
six sailing colliers, and, with all the advantages it pos-
sessed, the former only male three•times the number of
voyages of the latter, all improvements of system would
tend to reduce this difference of result, and it was still
uncertain what amount of wear and tear there really
was in screw colliers during a series of years. If
this proved to be very considerable the alleged advan-
tages of this newly introduced class of vessels would be
seriously diminished. It was shown that the liunwich,
screw vessel, which had been mentioned in the
paper, was found, after running four years as a collier,
to have worked with such small advantage as to induce
her being devoted to other purposes. The necessity for
the formation of the larger and more commodious collier
docks in the north and in the Thames, as well as
the harbours on the East coast, was forcibly
represented ; unless this was done there would,
at some period, occur a more frightful list of
casualties, among this new class of screw-steamers than
had ever been experienced by the old sailing ships.
It was argued that the by-tern of rotation in dis-
charging in the pool, and the frequent long deten-
tion there, unduly enhanced the expenses of the sail-
ing colliers, and, combined with the irregularity of
supply, caused by the prevalence of certain winds, in-
duced the fluctuations of price on the coal exchange.
The only effectual remedy for this was a powerful fleet
of screw colliers, constantly and punctually running,
with commodious havens at each end, like the Victoria
Docks, now in course of construction ; with every means
for facilitating the rapid discharge of the cargoes into
the trucks to be conveyed by the railways to the various
depots. This alone could insure a constant supply of
coal, at an uniform price, in the London market, and
this could only be accomplished by screw colliers. At
present there were frequently vast numbers of sailing
colliers, detained in the Tyne by the adverse winds, or
by want of water on the bar ; on a change of weather
they all got away, and a cloud of them arrived at the
mouth of the Thames, up which river they had to beat
for upwards of 100 miles against a contrary wind, and
on their arrival caused a glut in the market, instead of
merely supplying the regular demised ; whereas the
screw colliers made their passages regularly, and the only
disadvantages they had to coetend with were those in-
cidental to the navigation of long ships with deep keels
up a tortuous and crowded river. It was well known
that in the past year, during the prevalence of adverse
winds, the total extinction of the gas lights of the me-
tropolis had only been prevented by the punctuality and
rapidity of the screw colliers. That class of vessels hal,
in reality, scarcely yet been introduced into the regular
coal trade, inasmuch as the services of tile few screw
vessels yet built had been secured ler the gas compauies
and the railways.
The details were given of the working expellees of a
sailing collier brig, of 227 tons register, which had made
in the last year nine voyages from the North to London,
delivering on an average 335 tons per voyage, at 9.5. std.
per ton freight. The gross receipts were 1,416/. 3e. Id.,
and the expenditure 1,149/. 13s. Id., leaving a nett profit
of 266/. 10e. =- 182 per cent. upon the receipts, or
201, per cant, on the original capital. The brig was
twelve years old, and had cost 1,0001.
It was contended that the wear and tear of the
screw colliers should be estimated upon the duty per-
formed rather than upon the number of years' (itine-
ration ; and that sufficient time had not elapsed to
enable experience to be acquired of the actual amount
of depreciation of screw colliers in constant use during
all seasons. Their rate of profit must evidently depend
not only ou the fitness of their original construc-
tion, but on the system of working them. Screw
vessels had been put into the coal trade, for which
they hal not been originally intended, and to which
it was scarcely possible to adapt them advantage-
ously; although with a miscellaneous cargo, or with
passengers, they might have done well. It appeared that
peculiar lines, and certain capabilities, were indispensable
for good screw colliers, and the knowledge of what these
points of excellence were could only be attained by long
experience. Maximum capacity for cargo, at only a given
cost—light draught of water to suit the harbours, bars,
and rivers—stability, both loaded and light—given
limits of length, breadth, and depth must not be exceeded
—strength to permit grounding without injury to hull
or machinery—and requiring a minimum quantity of
ballast—were the chief considerations in the construc-
tion of screw colliers ; and experience had already de-
monstrated, by several notorious failures, how difficult
of attainment these qualities really were.
As to the various systems of ballasting the bag•bal-
last was generally approved for its convenience, and
the only
_serious objection to it was its comparative
want of durability. Bottom-ballast was objection-
able on account of the non-accessibility, in original
construction, fur painting and for repairs, unless
the floor space was very deep. Tank-ballast occupied
so much useful space as to reduce the bulk of the cargo,
and thus diminish the amount of the freight. There-
fore it was thatithe hold-ballast bad been introduced, and
hitherto it had proved very serviceable. The space was
available for cargo, the water was easily introduced
and discharged, and the weight was so high up as to
make the vessel very easy and Weatherly when in bal-
last. For these practical reasons, as well as on account
of the comparative smallness of the cost, hold-ballast was
contended to be the best system.

WOOLLEN TRADE.

(Front the Leeds Mercury of Saturday)

LEEDS, March 14. —The improvement which we noted
in our last week's report has been maintained, without
any material alteration. There was a good market on
Saturday. In both the Cloth-halls there was consider-
able briskness and activity, a decidedly better feeling, and
a good business was done. There was also a fair average
quantity sold on Tuesday. Prices remain without any
material change.
There has been a fair trade done in the warehouses
during the current week. Several of the principal buyers
from London, Scotland, and elsewhere, as well as a few
from Ireland, have been in the town ; and although their
purchases have not been marked with much spirit, but
on the contrary have been of a cautious character, yet
together they have sufficed to maintain the improvement
we reported last week.
ROCHDALE, March 12.—We have very little change
in the flannel market to-day.
HUDDERSFIELD, March 13.- -Though not so good as
last week, the market to-day has been considerably bet-
ter than for a considerable prior period. Several buyers
from Loudon and large houses in the provinces have
been in attendance, and a fair amount of business has
been done in the Cloth-hall and the warehouses. Em-
ployment is also a little better than it wag, and the pro-
spects of an improved trade seem more hopeful.
BRADFORD, March 17.—Wool—A ♦ery limited busi-
ness continues to be done. The prices are too high to
tempt buyers. Yarns—There is little or no alteration
as regards either demand or pricey. Pieces—The feeling
of buoyancy to which we referred last week is still mani-
fest, and we look forward to the approaching spring with
brighter belie,.
llALwax, March 10.—Thera is little or no change in
tha piece market, and pretty nearly the same may be
sail of t!ie yarn trade. Tile quotations are 13d. fur good
average hogs, and 121 d. fur wethere of like character.

. _
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PRIORS 0 p ri A .1? s
IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM-
PANIES' STOCK.

Front the Official Liat.
PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING.

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1855.

GIS-LIGHT AND COKE COMPANIES.

Dividend i Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
------- -
ABritish •• •• •• •• •• •• •• - As. d. s. d.
- ,
Ditto Provincial.... 71. 20 0 0 20 0 0 20
Brighton •••••• •• • • • • 51. 20 0 0 20 0 0 -
City of London ...... 41. Os. 100 0 0 150 0 0 -
.:ontinental (3d Cap.)... 41. Os. 50 0 0 43 10 0 -
Equitable • .......... 2/. 16s. 50 0 0 all I 29%
Great Central ....... 71 per cent. 10 0 0 all
Imperial .. • • ........ 101. & bonus. 50 0 0 all 99
Independent ... •• .. • • 51. 40 0 0 PP •---
London ........ ...... - i3O 0 0 - .
Do., Pail. Preference 61, per cent. , 25 0 0 f f 25
Pce ix ............. 41. per cent. GO 0 0 50 0 0 28
Ratcliff ..... ....... 5/. 100 0 0 90 0 0 73
United General .• •• .. 11. ss. 50 0 0 all 1914
Westminster Chartered s'. per cent. 50 0 0 9 f 39%
Ditto, New ........ 51. per cent. 50 0 0 10 + 0 -
WATER-WORKS.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. , per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
A a. d. A a. d.
East London -
Grand Junction .... •• 4". per cnt. 50 0 0 all -
Kent - 78
L.tinbeth ...... ••• • • • - 100 0 0 - -
New River Company 21.105. - - 55
Southwark & Vauxhall 51. per cut. 100 0 0 - 89%
West Middlesex •• .• - 90
DOCKS.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
---
A a. d. X a. d.
Commercial .. • . .....• 41. pr cent. Stock. Stock. -
East and West India.. 61. pr cent. Stock. - 1183(
East Country.. 2os. per sh. - ...... -
London .... - - 10134
Ditto Bonds 4l. per cent. - - -
St. Katharine .... •• -
, onthampion -
Victoria -
BRIDGES.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share,
A a. d. A a. d.
Hungerford .......... - - - 12
Southwark .......... - 100 0 0 - -
Ditto New of 7% p.c. 70a. per cent. 50 0 0 •-•-
Water 100..,,.,, - 100 0 0 - 3ii
Ditto Old Ann. of 8/ II. 14s. Bd. 60 0 0 --30
Ditto Nw ditto of 71 l/. 108. 4d. 40 0 0 - 2734
Vauxhall l6s. 70 10 3 - 23
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.
Dividend 1 Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. i Share.
---- - *-
A a. d A a.
1u5tra1a5ia........... 61. per cent. 40 0 0. d.
all 83
British North American 61. per cent. 50 0 0 -
PP
Commercial of London. it. per cent. f 100 0 0 20 0 0 3054
Colonial .............. 31. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 -
lonian ............... 6/. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 -
Lond. Char. 11k. of Aus. - 20 0 0 all 0 21%
London and County .. 61. per cent. 50 0 0 20 0 0 -
Londe and Westmiustr 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 40%
London Jeint•Stock ... 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 3 0 -
Provincial of Ireland.. 81. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 -
Ditto, New......... 81. per cent. 10 0 0 all -
National of Ireland.... 4L per cent. 50 0 0 22 10 0 -
Nat. Provincial of En. 6L per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0 -
Ditto, New -
Oriental Bank Corpora. 121. p. ct.&bs. 25 0 0 all 39j,
South Australia •.. • .. 81. p. ct.& bs. 25 0 0 3954 99
Union of Australia-. 140/. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 65
Ditto .............. '4O/. per cent. - 210 0 -
Union of L0nd0n...... 181. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 2C %
Union of Madrid ... • • I - 40 0 0 all -