The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-21 00:00:00

EXPERIMENTAL TRIP

OF THE
STEAM-SHIP "PRESIDENT"

LIVERPOOL T o CORK—LTD DUBLIN, AND BACK

(Written for the Liverpool Standard.)
The following sketch of the trial trip of the President,
written at various periods during the voyage, may, perhaps,
be interesting to your readers, more particularly as the vessel
is the largest steam-ship in the world, and, moreover, is des-
tined to sail between your port and New York.
In order to convey some idea ofthe size, steam-power, and
equipments of the ship, it will be necessary for the informa-
tion of those who have not seen her, to furnish some account,
which I shall not extend, as I perceive you have promised a
full description, to accompany the picture of the vessel, to be
presented with your paper of the 31st instant, before the
vessel takes her first departure for America.

THE SHIP.
The President, which belongs to the same company as the
British Queen, (the British and North American Steam-Ship
C 0.,) was built at Lirnehouse, on the Thames, by Messrs.
Curling, Young and Co., the builders of the former ship,
and it may be added that both vessels are constructed from
drafts by our talented and enterprising townsman Mr.
WGregor Laird. The President is of 273 feet in length over
all. Her beam is 41 feet, and her burthen or capacity is
about 2360 tons. The engines were built by our townsmen
Messrs. Fawcett, Preston and Co., and are of 540 horse-
power. The diameter of the two cylinders, is each, 80
inches, and the paddle-wheels 30 feet 6 inches. The length
of the stroke is 7 feet 6 inches.
The accommodations for.passengers are of the most magni-
ficent description. There is a handsome saloon, with four
tables running along it, finished in a rich style of Tudor
Gothic, in oak pannelling, with 'pointed arches and an em-
battled cornice. This apartment is cheerfully lighted from
the roof, as well as by four side windows of single plates of
of glass, two on each side, which form thorough lights and
thorough ventilators. There are sofas at each side, and
four fine entrances—two from the main deck, and two from
an ample corridor leading sternward, and on each side of
which are double rows of commodious bed-rooms and state-
rooms, fitted up with great elegance. Below these there are
other ranges of bed-rooms, separated by another well-lighted
corridor or wide passage. The ladies' retiring cabin is ou the
same level with the saloon, near the stern, from which it is
lighted. This room, as well as another cabin opposite to it,
is finished in Gothic style, with the walls decorated in imita-
tion of tapestry. There is ,a variety of other rooms for the
officers, the stewards, &c., and the whole are admirably ven-
tilated and full of convenience. No fewer than 120 to 130
passengers can be accommodated. The front cabins are
scarcely inferior to those under the quarter deck. They will
accommodate from 40 to 50 persons, and a spacious separate
dining-room -is constructed on the deck for their accommo-
dation. The main corridor is perhaps the most interesting
and tasteful part of the ship. It is beautifully groined in the
roof, in Gothic style, with pendant trusses and carved-
work in oak. The doors are formed as pointed arches, and
richly carved. In the panels are alternate large mirrors, and
paintings executed on canvas, in imitation of tapestry, the
whole having the appearance of a fine picture gallery. The
subjects chosen by the 'artist—ten in number—are illustrative
of the life, voyages, discoveries, and misfortunes of the cele-
brated Christopher Columbus. They are beautifully painted
in oil colours, and as attached to a transatlantic steam-ship
are highly appropriate and interesting. The stewards' pan-
ties—one at each corner of the saloon, forward—are exceed-
ingly well contrived, and are resplendent with plate, glass,
china, &c.
The engines constitute an object of great interest to nauti-
cal and scientific men, from their stupendous size and beauti-
ful construction.
In conclusion, it may be remarked, that the President is
frigate-built, and that the passengers enjoy a fine long and
uninterrupted walk from stem to stern on the spare deck,
and when the weather is wet and stormy they find almost
equal range and scope for exercise between decks. She is in
truth a very wooden world, or rather a floating palace: But
to notice the trial trip :

THE TRIP.
The directors had invited a number of gentlemen to accom-
pany the ship on the triVto Cork on Wednesday last, and many
of these went on board the night previons to starting, every
accommodation having been provided for them on a most stu-
pendous scale. She was moored in the Sloyne, and a steam-
boat was in waiting to take them on board, leaving it to their
own option 'to embark in the evening or on the following
morning. I preferred the latter, and on getting, on board
,found a goodly company seated at a sumptuous breakfast in
the saloon, of which all partook.
At ten minutes to eleven the anchor was weighed. The
beautiful iron steam-ship the Phlegethon, built by Mr. Laird,
accompanied us part of the way down the river. We passed
several vessels outward bound, and amongst them the ship
Argyle—her decks crowded with emigrants—men, women,
and children, about to sail for Sydney. Mr. Stubb's excellent
band was on. board, and played appropriate airs.
At starting the speed of the engine was 121 strokes per
minute. Precisely at two minutes before eleven o'clock we
we were abreast of St. Nicholas's Church, which might be
considered our starting point. Numbers of persons were on
the quays, watching our progress, but they were too far dis-
tant to cheer us. A large concourse on the deck of the
Floating Bath, however, gave us several hearty huzzas, which
were as cordially returned. The day was tine, but rather in-
clined to cloudy, with a breeze from the westward. We
passed the battery at 25 minutes past eleven o'clock. We
thence saw a brig on shore near Formby Point, and the life-
boat going alongside of her. When we reached the Formby
light-ship, two handsome brigs were standing down the chan-
nel, nearly parallel with us, and being under a press of can.
vas, they formed agreeable objects until we passed them. At
a quarter to twelve o'clock we got close to the Victoria Chan-
nel light-ship, a distance, in about one hour and five minutes,
of ten miles from the Clarence Dock. About half-past
twelve Liverpool began to sink rapidly in the southern hori-
zon, and little was visible but her towers, spires, and masts.
The sea was enlivened by vessels steering in various direc-
tions. At 20 minutes past twelve we had accomplished nearly
14 miles. The great height of our vessel's decks from the
water's edge, enabled the passengers to obtain extensive
views of sea and land.

Soon afterwards " all hands" were summoned below to
lunch, by sound of trumpet, from one of Mr. Stubbs's ex-
cellent band. The breeze freshened in the afternoon, and
there was a considerable roll of a sea. A large number of
vessels were running up the Horse Channel. We soon passed
the estuary of the Dee and the Vale of Clwyd, and about
three o'clock ravidly neared the Ormshcads. A considerable
additional sea-way was here experienced; but the ithiP rode
gallantly over it, without taking in a drop of water. At
twenty minutes to four we were off the Great Ormsheads,
the ship then running seven knots, with a strong head breeze
and a crested sea. The Snowdonian range of mountains
were now in view, witb Penman Mawr iu front. The engine
now made thirty-seven revolutions in three minutes.
At half-past live we were off Point Lyuas. Here there is
an iron bound shore, not unlike that of the Isle of Man—
the waves fretting and foaming amongst the grey rocks below.
A little in the interior, and on the heights, there are green
enclosures, houses, and cottages, with a considerable sprin-
kling of vegetation on the hill tops. The shore then becomes
so bold that we sailed within a quarter of a mile of it, passing
between the main shore and a small rocky island called the
Middle Mouse.
When off Holyhead the guests were summoned to dinner,
and partook of a most sumptuous entertainment, consisting
of all descriptions of substantials and delicacies, with abun-
dance of champagne, claret, Madeira, choice fruits, confec-
tionary, &c.
I had now leisure to survey the guests, and noticed
amongt them the following gentlemen :—Sir J. Tobin, Mr.
Mr. Ashton Case, Coilonel Aspinwall of the United States
Service ; H. Littledale, Esq. ;, —.Bainbridge, Esq., Chair-
man of the Directors of the Company owning the ship ;
Maddock, Esq., Enderby, Esq. ; Capt. Peake, R.N. ;
Isaacs, Esq. ; Capt. Read; Moyses, Esq. ; M'Gregor
Laird, Esq.i
Jessop, Esq., and others to the number of forty-eight to
Joseph C. Ewart, Esq. ; Horrocks, Esq. ;
fifty.
I may here also furnish the names of the officers, than
whom a finer, more polite, or more talented fraternity never
trod the deck' of a vessel. The ship is commanded by Cap-
tain Fayrer, R.N., a gentleman well known to the Liverpool
public, and of much experience in, ocean steam navigation.
The other chief officers—and I place them in the order of
their rank—are Mr. Kean, who brought the ship from Lon-
don, Mr. Duncan, (previously of the Liverpool,) and Mr.
Little. These all pull together, and consequently every ,
thing goes on smoothly and without the slightest bustle or
confusion.
On.the cloth being drawn, Captain Fayrer, who presided,
proposed "The Queen," a toast which was given with three
times three and followed up by the band playing the " National
Anthem." The dessert was splendid; and the toast and sen-
timent went round. One of the directors of the company
and M'Gregor Laird, Esq., (another,) also headed a table
each. The toasts were successively given, with the honours,
of " Success to the Oriental" and " the President of the
United States." Tune—Yankee Doodle." Colonel Aspin-
wall, a veteran, of the United States Service, who has lost
his left arm, returned thanks for the last in feeling and
appropriate terms.
Sir John Tobin, in a very complimentary address, proposed
the health of " Captain Fayrer, coupled with " Success to
the. President."
Capt. Fayrer returned thanks. He said he felt honoured by
the notice, and more particularly from the quarter from which
it proceeded. He concluded by proposing the health of their
good friend " Mr. Ewart." Three times three,—the baud
playing—" He's a jolly good fellow."
Amongst the other toasts were "The health of Colonel.
Aspinwall." In returning thanks he paid high compliments to
the English, amongst whom, he said, lie had passed some of

the happiest days of his life.
We were now close by Holyhead bay—where the land is
bold and picturesque, forming a cape or head-land, near
which is the Stack, on which stands the light-house. ' The

light was already burning brilliantly.
At a quarter to ten o'clock we hailed the ship Catherine
Jackson, inward bound, and which would no doubt report us
at Liverpool ; she deemed to mistake our destination—taking
it for New York in place of Cork. Our next refreshment
was tea and coffee, admirably served by Mr. Hemans and as-
sistants.
After this
.we lost sight of land, and the guests enjoyed
themselves ad libitum—some walking the decks ; some'
smoking cigars; some chatting, and others betaking them-,
selves to their dormitories. For myself, I was so much
entertained by the stories told by Captain Fayrer, and a few,
others who remained on the watch, that I did not retire un-
til past. midnight, and then with my sides aching with laugh-
ter. We in fact amused each other by "spinning yarns.
The vessel meantime rolled gallantly onward though there
was a strong head wind and a rather heavy sea. In order to
give the Irish land a good wide berth, we steered rather more
to the southward than we should have done had it been day-
light ; and in the morning had in consequence to bear up so
as to make the, south-east part of the island... This was,
however, a proper precaution with so large a ship on a coast
which is beset with shoals and difficulties.
About eleven o'clock in the forenoon we saw land on the
starboard bow, which turned out to be one of the Sallee
Islands. The wind was fresh from S.S.W. We had then
been about 24 hours out of port. The ship made good way,
giving about an average of 9i knots. We now saw the high
land of Dungarvon, and the afternoon was employed in run-
ning down the coast. The sea had here a very black appear-
ance : it looked indeed like " the Black Sea;" probably ft om
the clouds or the colour of the bottom, or both combined.
We passed Drumore Bay, at the southwest entrance to which
there are three conspicuous towers. It was here remarked,
that " the Great Western" might be seen ahead—that was
the Great Western " Ocean." We passed a Liverpool ship,
outward bound, No. 425.
After dinner this day a joke was passed off by one of the
passengers, at the suggestion of another. Mr. Stubbs, mas-
ter of the band, when we were nearly off Ballycotton
was commissioned to make his appearance in the saloon as a
newsman, with his horn, bringing a second edition of a Cork

newspaper, written on asheet of paper. He announced that
he had Just arrived alongside, and having delivered his paper
to Captain Fayrer, it was read to the following effect, and
was productive of some amusement, though penned in a few
minutes :
" CORK SOUTHERN. REPORTER OFFICE,
" Six o'cloclft_p.p.i. Thursday, July 16, 1840.
",SECOND EDITION !

" We stop.the press toannounCeto4;rreaders, that the
steam-ship President, from Liverpool is now off this port.
She is the largest steam-ship in the world, and appears to be
a most noble vessel. Through our editorial telescope we can
perceive that though some of the passengers feign to be ill, it
is nothing but sham pain, Every one has been pleased with
the captain. No gentleman indeed could conduct himself in
a fairer manner. Mr. Keen, also looks sharp, and Mr. Little
is a great man amongst the company. Many of the gentle-
men on board disappeared below yesterday, and as was sup-

posed had gone, to Davy Jones's Locker ; (query—Mr. He-
man's ?—Printer's Devil ;) but a general resurrection took
place this afternoon and they seem to be all busy now taking
view: of our town, that is, drawing Cork, and they have all
become nautical, their cry ever and and anon being port !
port ! more (a) port
" We shall publish full particulars in. our Third Edition."
Ballycotton Island was now at hand. It is a very pic-
turesque rock, with caves and precipices at its base, and a
sprinkling of vegetation on its acclivities. It lies at the
entrance of Ballycotton Bay, and we could see, close to it,
several small row boats, though the sea was breaking in white
foam over the rocks. The coast beyond it, towards Cork,is
beautiful and bold, with corn fields and pastures. Further
onward the shore is still steeper at its margin, with clefts,
ravines, and caves amongst the rocks, and green fields above.
The roads winding in tortuous directions from the coast up
the hills, to farm-houses and hamlets, are also conspicuous.
On a beautiful and abrupt head land, were a number of the
" natives," who ran up the hill to the verge of a precipice to
watch the passing of the ship, which they doubtless regarded
as a Mtge leviathan. The sea birds, on circling wing, were
noisy among the rocks below We were now nearing Cork,
and the engine was making thirteen revolutions in a minute,
the ship running about nine and a quarter knots.