The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-13 00:00:00

SELKIRKSIIIRE—Wednesday, July 14.
SOMERSET (EAST)—Thoriday, Juy 15,
STIRLINGSIHRF.—TRUrSchy, 15.
SUFF.,LK (EAST)--WC.:Clat'Slay, 14.
SL* utEy (.VEST)—At Gui:dforcl, .73,:aurclay, July 17.
SUSSEX ( WEST) —E.ily,...Ttey
SUTFIERLANDSHIRE—FriciIy, July 16.
TrppEßAuir—Tuesday, July 2:)..
TYRONE. (COUNT 21. .
WESTMEATH (COUNTY)—ThHrSaiy, July 15.
WicKLow—Saturd.ty, July .17. •
WILTSHIRE (NORTH)—Saturday, July 17.
WILTSHIRE (SOUTH)—Friday, July 16.
YORKSHIRE (NORTH RlDlNG)—Weciiiesday, July 14.
YORKSHIRE (EAST RIDING)--Ttarsdf,y, July 15.
YORKSHIRE (WEST RlDlNG)—S.l;urday, July 17.

EASTERN STEAM NAVIGATION
COMPANY.

An extraordinartngenerah meeting of.. the proprietors
of this company was held yesterday at the London
Tavern, by adjournment from July 7, to receive a report
from the directors, and to
,cnnsidar a proposition to be
submitted to them for carryng out the objects of the
company. The chair was taken by Goo. T. Baines,
Esq., R. W. Crawford, Esq., the late chairman, having
retired from the direction.
Mr. YATES (the secratary) read the report, which,
after referring to the two previous plans .proposed—the
first, a communication by. the German railways to
Trieste, thence to Alexandria by the Austrian Lloyd's
steamers, and so by the ordinary overland route to Suez,
and by steamer to Calcutta; and the second, a commu-
nication by ordinary steam-vessels round the Cape—
stated that
d The objections discovered on examination of these
plans led the way to the consideration of a third plan,
which should comprise the elements of high speed
without the inconvenience , and . great expense iuevi-
tably attending the overland route. It was suggested
that steam vessels of. the great.power which modern
science renders attainable, might be dispatched by
way of the Cape, so as to accomplish the distance
between England and Calcutta in the same or less
time than the present transit by Sruthampton and the
Desert, and with great increase of comfort and economy to
the passengers. For this purpose it would only be ne-
cessary that vessels should,be employed possessing the
speed of fifteen or sixteen. knots ea hour. It appeared
that fifteen.knots an hoar would accomplish the•distance
to Calcutta in thirty-two days, sixteen knots in thirty
days, and seventeen knots in twenty-eight days. Vessels
of this class could therefore. be prudently calculated on
to perform the entire distance in thirty. to thirty-two
days, provided Only they were not obliged to stop and
coal by the. way. The next question was whether a
vessel could be constructed of power and capacity to
perform the voyage to Calcutta without stopping to coal
by the way. On this point the whole question hinged.
The power of parrying coal for the whole voyage in-
volves the difference of a cost of 12s. to 13s. per ton in
comparison with a cost of 40s. to 455; per ton, which
latter is the average of the cost of coal per ton through-
out the overland route. The consumption of coal is
known to be the great element of cost in steam naviga-
tion; and if this could' be reduced by two-thirds, it Was
obvious that great corresponding increase of speed and
power might be obtained not -only ut no increase, but at
an actual diminution of.expense. In accomplishing this
object, increased size in the vessel was a necessary
ingredientioand with it an' ability' to provide accom-
modation for passengers and goods of the description
alluded to. It is a principle in ship building now ascer-
tained, that in proportian as the vessel is increased in
size her dlsposahle capacity " for passengers and cargo
increases in a higher ratio. Thus a vessel which could
carry her coals for the Voyege to Calcutta would neces-
sarily posaeiss the capaCity to convey a largely increased
number of passengers and a large quantity of measure-
ment goodaa It is eatilly Matter or experience that the
speed attainable by large vessels is greater in proportion
to their power than with smaller vessels; it was clear,
therefore, that such a means of communication must
possess immense advantage over any hitherto existing in
its extent Of accommedation, comfort, and cheapness.
On these points your directors consulted the highest en-
gineering authority. 'Of all the eminent engineers in
this county, Mr. Brunel is known to have dedicated
the most base and attentiou W. the improvement of ocean
steam navigation, and the consent:Aim of vessels for
that surpass.
The Ggeat Weetern, the first vessel which
was built expressly to castry her own coal from England
to America,, owed her existence to bine;
and the present
scheme is
eis.y a development . of the same principle.
Mr. Brunel has satisfied your directors of the peace
ticability building and, runnieg such vessels
with advantage, and. his . views are borne out
by the opinions of other eminent engineers
and ahiP-liailders. The mechanical difficulties being
thus solved, the question remained whether paattengers
and freight existed in a sufficient number and quantity
to make the employment of such . vessels a matter of
profit. On this point (possessing among themselves
considerable knowledge and exteneige experience of the
trade with_ India your .directors lead less difficulty in
arriving at a conclusion. After deliberation.and inquiry,
they are satisfied that vessels, of the class 'referred to,
making one. voyage oat and home every two months,
would find a sufficient amount of passengers and manu-
factured goods to yield a very large return, and that that
return would be subject to fewer contingencies and less
drawbacks, than in the case of vessels running under
contract as. to their structure, and as to the time of de-
parture and arrival. In their calculations on these
points your. directors have estimated freight at that now
paid to sailing vessels, and passage money at about half
the cost now paid by the overland route, while they
have allowed for the passengers luxurious and roomy
cabins, with air and comfort, and accommodation
on a scale hitherto wholly unattainable. For these
arrangements shout one-half of the total capital
will be required, and there •will be ample provision
for the future extension of the operations of the
company. Upon a mature consideration of the whole
subject, your directors have 'come to the conclusion of
recommending to you to proceed with the proposed
plan of building steamevesselsecapeble of, effecting the
views above expressed, on the principle of carrying their
own coal for the voyage •to Calcutta." The. report far-
ther announced the retirement of Messrs. 11: W. Craw-
ford, S. Edlmann, R. Brooks, T. llolroyd, and J. Seatt;
but adding that their secession was owing entirely to per-
sonal considerations. It also recommended an increase
in the number of the board from twelve to eighteen, and
suggested to fill up present. vacancies, Messrs. H. T.
Elope, M.P. C. R. M. Talbot, P. IW. Miles, M.P.,
S. Baker, and R. Potter: It was added that interest at
the rale of 4 per cent. 'per annum would be paid upon
calls until the vessels of the company commenced run-
ning, and that should any present proprietor be desirous
to be relieved of his shares, there were parties ready to
accept as assignment of them, and to return the full
amount of the deposit paid thereon.
The CrislaraArr, previous to 'the motion for adopting
the report, reminded the proprietors that •at the lest
meeting in April the directors had 'fully explained the
circumsZancest of the tender they had made for the Go-
vernment contract, and its resection in favour of the
offer of,the peninsular 'and Oriental Company- Since
then questieiii bad be.en
House of Commons , and animadversions had been made
both by the 'Present and the Chancellor of the Ex-
hequer, ea the statements made by the directors in their
report.
But is these enimadvereiores. were general in
their characEer,
there being no specific charge made, or
anything picked out
•juetifyahe nllegation that the
statement of the directors was not accurate, they thought
it most becoMing in them to leave their report to make
its way with the public. • The plen now submitted by the
board might b first. sight fiCera.very novel, but, in point
of fact, it was nothing more than the developement of
an admitted principle in ship- huildinga-that as you in-
creased size, eepecialio length, .yon diminished expense
nof,w.orking added to the accommodation and stowage,
and Increa'se' tithe s d principlo, which was now
pee •. • 4 • •
allowed by all.scientific men to be correct as regarded
"'fling vessels, applied with still greater force to steamers.
The adoption of the Cape routtnyvould enable them to
maintain a high and uniform rate of speed throughout the
"YNI; there being no impediment, as
.in the Red Sea,
front the head and density of the water, nor any neces-
sq—the vessels being built of sufficient capacity—for
B.art°l)Phig• or coaling placA between the point of deltas-
:e ie the IlteSt of England end Calcutta. The direc-
tors,, not feeling themselves competent to decide whe-
tun. tee
rate of speed stated iii' the report was attain-
o
uenle, had consulted Mr. Brunel, who entertainer] no
oonht on the point, and was present to answer any %net-
L1()II3 that might be put to him. -But, with regard tothe
'
nohtercial pert of the question, the board, s ene • seeee
na ,Ps?.iisaf which were well acquainted with the India
and China trade—some of them having spent the greater
part of their .
.lives, in tO
whtnvoo3 countries.—had doubt
"
• teer thaathere would. be found eaiple'trzd both
in
en,passengers and merchandise, to ensure prefitable
ent for the class of
.ve-ssels it was proposed to
Oreavo In fact. it was always found that.ae facilities in-
sei tram,.
spd
was combined
was developed, and wherever increasednote
as combined with great reduceton of expense,
rulerdevelop:d but a new
tea merely • Ply was the traffic ,
n ict created.—(Bear, hear.) And he had
bLe-otlut that, if you could convey passengers
betted
Calcutta and
abou h le :England by.. the Gape at
the 0"
t na,tt the expense, and in lets time tuan by
--'lfted route numbers of persoes employed in t
Indian nee v. tend others having us, es h s (Sr other cohe n-
i
neLone with tae two countries, would pass frequently to
and fro who nohear.) And in
the 3 never did so.—(Hear,.
sraelcay With merchatidise—:the advantage to the
merchant from the roods arriving es soon as the letter
of
advice instead of being delayed tor menthe after it,
-~ Was no h • 6 ,07,1:6123, thit it was imps-
to
" stole t e•case we; s
doubt there would be a very large tnerchaudien
traffic. A :
—gam, the present ealietne was bated on the
principle
of perfect freedom from Government interfe-
renne•—(Lstid cheers.) It might be said that the ab-
sence of a subsidy from Government was no great ad-
vantage, but when those who thought so recollected the
drawbacks in the shaPe of time, build, and other restric-
tions imposed on the contract vestele, they would pro-
bably be of a different opiniore—(Etear, hear.) Besides
the chances were that if they suet:ceded in currying out
their objects as. to speed and price they would not only
obtain the advantages in regard to freight. and pas.
vergers which freedom from Government control would
give them but that the Government would by and bye
find it to their.. advantage • to grant a subsidy for
conveyance of letters.--(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Benooore offer expressing great satisfaction /vit.!,
the proposal put.forward, and hie confidence of its 3 ulti-
mate success, moved a resolution adopting the report,
and authorising the board to carryout the eeheree,
Mr. R. MARTIN seconded the rosolationennl ecurnerated
amongst the advantages of the proposed plan that
free -
rrom competition with' exittin , it Wee
COClY6etlies maincd
five days in point of time, and at about half the expense
of the overland-route, and avoided the trenthipme:tliol
luggage, and the-journey across the Desert. The Eastern
Steam Navigation Company had already done the State
tome service by effecting wreductich of 70,000/, in the