The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-22 00:00:00

NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER AMAZON.

On Tuesday the Tapajoz, a new iron vessel just com-
pleted by Mr. Laird for the Amazon Steam Navigation
Company, sailed for Oporto to take on board three
hundred Portuguese emigrants who are to be located
on the banks of the Amazon. After taking them on
board She is to sail direct for Oporto to that river. The
Tapajoz has been built expressly for the Amazon navi-
gation, and is 210 fc.t lung, 27 feet beam, 12 feet deep,
and about 750 tons old measurement. She is fitted by
Fawcett and Co. with a pair of engines of 200-horse
power, feathering wheels, and all the latest improve-
meats. The river Amazon is like many of the American
rivers, troubled with snags, or stumps of large trees,
which cause great risk to vessels, unless they are parti-
cularly strongly built, great care therefore has been taken
in the construction of the Tapajoz to render her proof
against accidents from this cause ; and she is divided
before the engine by three athwart-ship bulkheads and
one longitudinal one, thus divining the fore-body into
four separate watertight compartments. To strengthen
her amidships the coal-boxes in the engine-room are
regularly framed and built in with strong plates as part
of the ship, aeil she has also two athwart watertight
bulkheads, abaft the engine-room. Her paddle-guards,
like the American river boats, extend to the outside of
the paddle-boxes, so that sheds nearly fifty feet wide on
deck. Her cabin and fore-cabins are also on the Ame-
rican plan, being well ventilated deck-houses ; as also
is the accommodation for officers, engineers, firemen,
&c. The Tapajoz has large carrying accommodation,
having room in the holds for 350 tons of cargo, and in
the engine-room for eight or ten days' coal. Har draught
of water, when loaded, will be about seven to seven-
and-a-half feet. On her trial trip, a few days before she
sailel, she attained a speed of thirteen knots, or about
fifteen statute miles per hour, the engines working re-
markably well, with abundance of steam and easy firing.
Owing to the :great strength of the vessel, and the
feathering wheels, there was not the least tremulous
motion in the vessel, even going at this great speed.
The company for which the Tapajoz has been built has,
it is stated, received a grant from the Brazilian Govern-
ment of 30,0001. a year for the regular and efficient
' navigation cf that river. That the work will be effici-
ently done is certain, from the fact that the Baron de
Maun is the principal promoter of the company, and
that ho has been lately elevated to his title by the Em-
peror of Brazil, for his great services rendered to that
country in the construction of railways, gas-works,
steam navigation, &c. —Liverpool Albion.

A DUEL CONTEMPLITED.—MESSRS. URQUHART, CON-
INGHAM, AND ROLLAND. —Mr. S. Clark, a solicitor, on
the part of Mr. Coningham, on Saturday made an appli-
cation to the magistrates of Brighton to prevent a breach
of the peace being committed. A lengthened inquiry,
having taken place, the Mayor, on receiving the depo•
sition of Mr. Coninghatn, issued his warrant for the
apprehension of Messrs. Urquhart and Rolland.
The Piemonte of Turin states that as soon as it be-
came know❑ in the Pietlsnoritese army that a portion of
it was to take a part in the wi r, every one, from the
superior officer t,) the common soldier, expressed the
strongest desire to join the expedition.
A letter
.from Cracow, of the 14th, in the Cologne
Gazette„ says :—" The Austrian Government bas re-
cently ordered that the Jews who reside on the Russian
frontier in the Government of Cracow, shall immedi-
ately change their residence, on account of a great num-
berof them having acted as spies for Russia."