The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-31 00:00:00

Readers of the STANDARD.)

The President—the largest steam-vessel in the world—is
now about to proceed on her first voyage across the Atlantic ;
and as she will be the only steam-ship that will run between
this port and New York for probably a long time to come, and
has already made a most successful trial trip, a somewhat de,_
tailed description of her dimensions, capacity, propelling
power, and general equipments, derived from authentic sour-
ces and from personal inspection, will doubtless be acceptable,
as a record of the gratifying progress of steam navigation and
of naval architecture up to thi present time, and as an appro-
priate accompaniment to the portrait of the ship which will-
be presented to our readers. From the sailing of this ship
the future historian will date a new era in the nautical annals
of our country ; and we are the more induced to submit the
following particulars, from the fact that several unintentional.
errors have crept into the accounts which have hitherto been
published.
The PRESIDENT, (Lieutenant Fayrer,it.N.,_Commander,)
was built at Limehouse, on the Thames, by Messrs. Ciirling
and Young, for the British and American Steam Navigation
Company, who are also proprietors of her sister ship the
• British Queen. She was launched on the 9th of December
last; and as her engines were in progress of construction in
this town, (her destined port on this side the Atlantic,) she
was brought round, under canvas, by Captain Keane, now
her second, or " commanding officer,' a gentleman of great
experience. She anchored in the Mersey on the 22d of Fe-
bruary last, after a boisterous passage. during which, though
but " steam-rigged," she showed such excellent sailing qua-
lities, that, to employ a seafaring phrase, " she beat every
thing she came across. ' Her extraordinary bulk, fine pro-
portions and general appearance, have since rendered her
an object of curiosity and wonder.
The model of the President is universally admitted to
combine all that fineness of bottom which is requisite for
fast sailing, with those bearings and rotundity above which.
will enable her to carry a large cargo, independent of her
coals and stores, and render her a safe, dry, and comfortable
sea-boat, She is a medium, indeed, in construction, between
the fast sailing-vessel and the fast steamer, and has already
agreeably dissipated the doubts of some, by proving herself
A 1 of the latter class. She is painted in man-of-war style,
with gun-ports, and is handsomely rigged, •as what is termed
a three-masted schooner ; with a formast, fore-topmast, and
top-gallantmast, like that of a ship. Her bow is finely
thrown out, and terminates in a boldly-carved figure, of
-almost Colossal dimensions, of the immortal " Washington,"
the hero. of North American Independence. Her stern is
rite andc:rdo
s efogra glass, and towithstand
a ornamenteds 'ward carvedj tha
work, as are the quarter galleries. Over the windows are
the united arms of England and America, quartered in heral-
dic shields, supported by the Lion of the one country, and
the Eagle of the other, and also by emblematic female figures.
The paddle-boxes are comparatively slightly raised above the
bulwarks, and the small portion of the circle which is elevated
being painted white, the sheer is uninterruptedly embraced
by the eye ; and the general appearance of the vessel, when
her side is viewed, particularly now that she is set down in
the water, is that of a first-class frigate of extraordinary
length, under jury or temporary masts.

The following are the dimensions and capacity, power of
engines, &c. of the President :

FT. Il§7
Length over all, from taffrail to figure head 273 0
Beam within the paddle boxes
Breadth from outside of paddle-boxes 72 4
Depth of hold

Height between the main and spar deck
Height between lower and main deck (both flush) 7 8
Admeasurement 2366 tons.
Capacity for stowage of goods, after 1
800 to 900 tons.
receiving her coals, stores, &c.
_ _ _

Engines,-1

:two of 270 horse-power each.. 540 horse-power

Much pains have been taken, and no expense spared, to
render the President a crack ship. In the quality of the
materials, and in fidelity of workmanship, she is equal to
any of her Majesty's ships of war. In addition to a strong
frame, solid to the bilge, she is diagonally fastened fore and
aft, with iron, copper, and wood, in a manner, which, (as we
stated in a former account), would seem to put at defiance
the rudest assaults of the ocean wave. She is fitted up with
all the modern improvements,. in pumps, tanks, and other
appurtenances, and not a few of a novel compact and useful
description. She is also divided into water-tight sections,
(as are most of the iron vessels constructed by Mr. Laird),
so that the springing of a leak would be attended with
comparatively little danger, and would be readily overcome.
Her steering-geer is of a novel and much-improved descrip-
tion, combining security with facility to the two helmsmen
generally employed,—one of whom would, in most instances,
be sufficient to guide her immense bulk through the weltering
element.

Independently of her roomy cabins, We President presents
peculiar advantages for what may be called the " out-door"
airing and exercise of passengers. Being frigate built, she
has a spare deck, affording an uninterrupted and level pro-
menade along her whole length above board,—the pedestrian
having but to walk 19 times over the " ground" to accom•
plish a mile ! The main deck below this also presents, in
stormy or raiay weather, a considerable length of sheltered
walk on each side; shorter than the other, indeed, only by
the length of the quarter deck and forecastle. We now come
briefly to notice