The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-20 00:00:00

IRON STEAM-SHIP BUILDING AT
LIVERPOOL.

An order has been received in this country for the
construction of 30 iron steam-boats for the use of the
Danube Steam-Navigation Company. They are to
be of large dimensions and of substantial materials.
The order has been distributed so as to give employ-
ment in the districts, namely, Liverpool, the Clyde,
and Newcastle, where it is well known that the
largest number of steam-boats have been built, and
where the greatest amount of experienced men have
been acquired. Messrs. Thomas Vernon and Son,
whose building-yard is on the west side of the Bruns-
wick Dock, have received orders for the construction
of ten of these new iron steamers, which are to be
completed with the greatest possible dispatch.
They will be sent out in sections, for the purpose
eVilest:cgircu
circulation
; and
also
of being put together on reaching their destination
abroad. They will be large flat-bottomed boats, 176
feet long, 25 feet beam, and 9 feet depth of water, and
so constructed that they will be able, even with a
very large cargo, to navigate iu the shallow waters
of the Danube. They are being built for conveying
produce and general merchandise to the Black Sea
from the interior of the country, and, where neces-
sary will be towed by steam-tugs, of whichhthyee just
com-
pany have a large fleet. The same
for
asr_e
the
aercshyeehtefi,
h_
made
i srma
pureathe the have
Poo i s °ea na er
oer fry
o f a
o completedew
fleet
t t ironoh sec
constructedr screw-vessel, w-v essel,
.between
isnn d
Northumberland
t ohr
thus
hs
carrying coal from Hartlepool tofoLondeon It is a
succeed, matter
inasmuchimportance
a s
th teh a t
o railwaysf thesevesselscoa
fr oe mt
,shouldth e
pre-
sent convey a large supply
Northumber-
landshutoutant
he aaebni ne
-nglstisv conferredenl umberland and
laanckenoofrma enormous
in t intermediate ma endd
coal district
immense i
aarteethaeofme districtsoe atrl o
.po
lyingl i s ,
with a sufficiently rapid
areDurham,capital
comparatively
ain
invested.t which,iye 1p u ui tAp Irutsotdnpeqireene
unproductive,
to
on
ththoomseinceoras!
mend ; but if the newwilel
coal at reasonable prices, d
speed, a great boon
districts, in employment
PLondon, who would doubtless,
by
reduction per
taondthi
by a large increase in the supply of the • l ,
en cioatipaithailtenbetsinget.:
111113611 be
1
SPuhorcubldasethiis, at
anad the sister boat which
Vernon are building,succeed,
Messrs.
ton.able to
several hun-
dreds of the same class will be required. A range
of docks being constructed at Hartlepool for the
BCodisation of the proposed screw-steamers
and
otherco am
important arrangements are being mad e for car-
rying out the trade in a very
extensive
and spirited
manner. They are first-class steamers, of full power,
r and well finished, being rigged equal to an ordinary
merchant vessel. 6,
They are 160 feet long, 25feet
inches beam, 80-horse power, and 500 tons burden.
But, perhaps, the most important feature is, that,
having double iron-bottoms, they can take in water
when returning light from a voyage, thus avoiding
the cost and delay of putting ballast' on board, all
that is required being to open the tap to
the sea when ballast is wanted. Their having
good inside bottoms will also contribute ma-
terially to their strength and safety. The vessel
that is finished will carry about 600 tons of coal, has
12 feet 6 inches draught of water, and her mast and
funnel are made to lower down, so as to enable her to
go under the Thames bridges. She is driven by a
screw-propeller in the stern, of the best form and pro-
portions that engineering experience can suggest, the
propeller and engines being made by the eminent firm
of J. Watt and Co., Soho Works, Birmingham. The
twin vessel is being built in the adjoining berth. ller
keel is laid, and the rattle of the workmen's hammers
upon her iron ribs is heard almost unceasingly. These
boats are being constructed according tothe designs and
under the direction of Mr. John Grantham, consulting
mechanical engineer. The one that is finished, and
which it is expected will attain a speed of from seven
to eight knots an hour, when full of cargo, will be
launched to-day, at half-past ten A.m., and the other
in three weeks. Another iron steam-ship 6132-11e_t_hrie
same size, which is being built by Messrs. 11. ru
pi;.
`for the Liverpool and Newry station, to ° Y