The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The ob:ervations which have recently ap-
peared in the newspapers relative to the proposed lines
of steam communication with the Brazils and with
Australia, and in which the comparative merits of the
screw and paddle-wheel have been more than once
alluded to, have induced me to rcqueA your attention
to the following statement of the results of the work-
ing of five screw-steamers belonging to the General
Screw Steam Shipping Company, for the year 1849.
They have made altogether 170 voyages outwards and
homewards, with cargoes, and have made good a dis-
tance, from port to port, of 110.849 knots, at an
average speed of' Bto 81 knots per hour. Only one
casualty has happened to any of the company's vessels
during the year; the incident here referred to oc-
curred in the Thames.

I beg also to band you a report of one voyage of
the new screw. steamers Bosphorus and Hellespont,
to and from Constantinople, showing a inPan of 7.91
knots. These ships have been laden with 360 tons
of merchandise, besides 120 tons of coals.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
JAMES LAMING, Managing Director.
General Screw Steam Shipping Company,
2, Royal Exchange-buildings, Jan. 1.

The following statement will show the actual
working of the screw as a propelling power in the
vessels of this company, from January Ist to Decem-
ber 31st, 1849:

City of Rotterdam. 272 tons. 30-horse power.
To Rotterdam ... ... ... 20 voyages
To Dunkirk ... . • ... 19 „
To Bayonne ... ... ... 1 „
To Middleburg ... ... . . 2 „

Total ... 42 voyages-15,450 miles.
Average speed, 8 knots.
City of London. 272 tons. 30-horse power.
Rotterdam ... 8 voyages
Dunkirk ... ... 34 „
Harlingen ... 1 „
Middleburg... 1 „

To
To
To
To

Total ... 44 voyages-13,327 miles.
Average speed, 8 knots.
Lord John Russell. 320 tons. 40 horse power.
To Harlingen ... ... 49 voyages
To Middleburg ... ... 1

Total ... 50 voyages-25,379 miles.
Average speed, 8i knots.
Sir Robert Peel. 320 tons. 40-horse power.
Liverpool to Constantinople 3 voyages
London to Liverpool ... 2 „
To Roche Bernard (Biscay) 1 9 I
To Rotterdam ... ... ... 18 „

Total ... 24 voyages-2SX6 miles.
Average speed, 8k knots.
Earl of Auckland. 4,41M0n5. 60-horse power.
To Oporto ... 1 voyages
London to Liverpool... ... 3 „
Liverpool to Constantinople 4 „
To Rotterdam ... 1 „
To Dunkirk (out) ... 1 „

Total ... 10 voyages-28,487 miles.

Total 110,849 miles.

Performance of the new screw-steamers Bosphorus
and Hellespont on their first voyages from Liverpool
to Constantinople, 1849 :
Bosphorus. 536 tens. 80• horse power.
Sailed from Liverpool Sept. 15th.
Time on passage, 16 days 151 hours.
Average speed ..• •••
Sailed from Constantinople Oct. 10h.
Time on passage, 15 days 111 hours.
Average speed
Hellespont. 536 tons. 80-horse power.
Sailed from Liverpool Oct. 15th.
Time on passage, 16 days 20 hours 25 min.
Average speed
Sailed from Smyrna Nov. 14th.
Time on passage, 18 days 6 hours 30 min.
Average speed ...

8.02 knots.

8.50 kcoti.

7.93 knots.

7.20 knots.

4 ) 31.65

Average speed of four passages 7.91 knots.
Speed at trial of Bosphorus.
The measured mile in Long Reach, 9.68 knots.
Speed at trial of Hellespont.
The measured mile in Long Reach, 9.65 knots.

COUNTRY QUARTEIM, A NOVEL, BY TUB COUN.
TESS OF BLESSINGTON. With a Memoir by her Ni( ce,
Miss Power.—" This is a tale of light hearted Irish
girls and light-heeled red-coats; which latter, in place
loving and riding away,' for the most part stop
and ' propose; greatly to the profit and delight of the
little town where the scene is laid. Rich gifts and com-
fortable entertainments make its pages glad; and, allow-
ing for the selfishness of one or two hardened women of
cpality, and for a little meszeroom frivolity, we do not
often encounter so shining a display of the beauties, the
virtues, and the luxuries which brighten and smooth this
it con-
cludes. vale e
Power's
gracefultears: ' Country
and
affectionate Q uarter
uhde
ss. tale itself is
biographical ce.adl by Miss
T
ALARMING OCCURRENCE AT THE ROTUNDA,
slffuisll'olf ulna/
of fire was raised in the Rotunda, Blackfriars-road,
BLACKFRIARS-ROAD.—Lute on Saturday night an alarm
itdoenat.hy"—cfAtthheenBceerluente. which
whilst the amusements were going on, which had well
nigh
boon
thedwas with
beingmos most
housete d e
disastrous results to many
of the persons present. Whilst the pantomime in oae
part
ersented, and Middle-
ton's wax-work exhibition was open in another, and each
place filled with people, an alarm of " Fire, fire," ran
ofe ea
tn
through the building. In an instant the dense mass of
persons present left their seats and rushed to the
doors in order to gain the street. The passages not
being sufficiently wide to allow so great a number to
pass, caused the greatest confusion to prevail, and
several persons were forced down, and a few trodden
upon. A boy was picked up who had been
knocked down by the crowd, at the entrance to the
premises, and conveyed to the surgery of Mr. Rose, at
the corner of Stamford-street. lie was then perfectly
insensible, and it was at first feared that he bad been
fatally injured. lie however soon recovered, and was
able to be removed to his own residence. Two other
boys were knocked down, and although much hurt,
were enabled to walk home. The engines of the West
of England and London Brigade, from the Waterloo-
road stations, quickly attended, but their services were
not required. Respecting the cause of the accident two
versions are given—one is, that some blue fire used for
lighting up one of the scenes set the gauze curtains in
flames; and the other that some wax, whilst being
melted, caught fire, and being seen burning in the pro-
perty-room behind the stage caused the confusion.
Happily, no life was sacrificed, although several persons
had narrsm escapes.
Count Sehitnmelpenninck, the Netherlands Minister
has lift town for the Continent.