Star.
London, England, 1824-10-21 00:00:00

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'SAILING OFTECUMBUS.

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The large timber ship, the Ccdnosbu,s, of 3,700 tons,
sailed yesterday (the sth .inst 4 about two o'clock, P. M.
She was towed by the Hercules steam. tow-boat, and
touched the ground in coming up from ler anchorage
at the falls, when nearly opposite the upper end of the
island of Orleans, and remakned,tbere nearly one hour.
The water about this place is very shallow and of un-
equal depth, and the circumstance of:lier grounding
naturally created great alarm; fortunately the tide ha,d
still to flow, she again floated, and rounding the pointof
the island, went out of sight about five o'clock. She
had been ready for sea since Monday,last, but the wea-
ther, the difficulties attending the raising of her anchors,
and the demand on the part of some of her crew. for
higher wages, and their leaving the ship, had hitherto
prevented her sailing. She draws only 25 feet of water,
and her crew consists of 80 men. The tow-boat goes.
down with her as far as the Bic, about 180 miles below.
Some precautions have been taken to caulk and other-
wise secure the Hercules against the heavy weather she
may have to encounter, and her powers is a steam.
vessel, adapted for towing ships below the port, as well'
as above, and even for navigating the Gulf, will be tried,
and once known, may, when circumstances admit of
her being thus employed, be taken advantage of. We
have no doubt that she will succeed well. It is intended
not to proceed with the Columbus at night, while in the
river; nor will it, wee understand, be attempted to tack
'while in the river. She will, however, move against a
strong head wind, with the tide in her favour, by the
use of the tow-boat, and with five or six days of ordi-
nary weather, it is probable she will reach the Gulf.
Although extremely clumsy in her shape, we under-
stand she obeys her rudder pretty well, and is not
what is termed a very crank ship. All on board appear
Confident that she will easily and safely reach her des-
tination : she will, however, we should imagine, be
frequently exposed in stormy weather to ship heavy
seas, must strain a great deal, and in a severe gale
might be iu great danger'of falling over on her beans
ends. Mr. Charles Wood, the builder, goes home in
her, and returns via the United States early in the,
winter, to superintedd the construction of another vessel
.of a similar description, but of larger dimensions. This
new vessel is already laid down, and some activity pre-
vails at the ship-yard. Her dimensions are about 320
'feet on deck, which is the same length as the Colurri-
bus, but sixty feet- in width, that is, ten feet broader,
and about five feet deeper, or about thirty-five feet
in depth. It is stated that she will be completely
loaded when on the stocks, and be ready for sea
very soon after being launched, which will be early
next spring. The Columbus was seen this morn-
ing at one o'clock, by the True Briton, off the upper
end of Crane Island. Exclusive of the Columbus, there
have this season been launched nine vessels at Quebec,
and two in Montreal, besides two steam-boats at the
latter place. There are on the stocks six mere in Que-i
bec, and four in Montreal, which i: is probable, will go
to sea this fall, making, including the Columbus,
twenty-two vessels, which will have been sent to sea
from this Province at the close of the navigation. The.
Columbus is nearly 4,000 tons; the others may perhaps
average about 250 tons; which would give a total of
9,250 tons, and at the price of 71. 10,. the value of ex--
ports in this way would be 69,3751. There is every ap-
pearance that ship-building will be more brisk in the
ensuing winter than it was during the last ; and six-
teen vessels, including those now building, will soon be
on the stocks at Quebec and its neighbourhood.

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