The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-06-23 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Ens/maitre potirrO.

IMPERIAL FIRE OFFICE

THOSE Persons whose Annual Policies are Renew-
able on the 24th instant, are respectfully informed that,
for their own security, they should be renewed within fifteen
days from that date. _ _ .

WALTER CLARKE, No. 6, High-street, Agents.
J. W. S. MAY, No. 1, Exchange-alley, }
YORKSHIRE FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE

COM PANY

ESTABLISHED 1824.
PARTIES having Annual Policies falling due on the
24th of JUNE, are respectfully informed that they should
renew the same within Fifteen Days from that date.

TO MERCHANTS, DEALERS, AND FAMILIES

FURNISHING.
THOMAS URQUHART'S

G.REAT

CARPET SALOON
IS NOW OPENED AT

13, BOLD-STREET,

WITH OVE OF THE LARGEST STOCKS OF
CARPE TING
EVER EXHIBITED UNDER ONE ROOF ;
and, that his FURNITURE ROOMS may be OPENED With
NEW STOCK now in process of manufacture, he continues at
his

FURNITURE DEPOT,
DUKE-STREET .AND CORNWALLIS-STREET,

SELLING-OFF SALT

CABINET FURNITURE, &c.,

which includes the Stocks of Compton-house and of a Cabinet-
maker, bought at an "alarming sacrifice" off their cost; and,
to Make a speedy clearance, every article is marked a very low

THE NEW STEAM-SHIP " AJAX."

On Friday last, this fine iron steamer made a most suc-
cessful trial trip, the result of which is the mote inte-
resting from its establishing a " fact," winch some nau-
tical men have inclined to doubt, in regard to the beat-
adapted form of hull for a mercantile steam-vessel, com-
bining the desiderata of adequate steerage ruom and capa-
city for rapid locomotion.
The Ajax was built by our townsmen, Messrs. Thomas
Vernon and Son, for the Cork and London Steam-ship
named,Company,
wi t
handmerchandise
is
and
passengers,
ftohre two
which
portssh she
is in every point admirably adapted. The following are
her dimensions :
Length from figure-head to taffrail.... 235 feet.
Do. between perpendiculars
Do. of keel
Breadth, or beam 2B „
Depth of hold..
Burthen (old measurement)
Engines. united.....
The model of the vessel was provided by Mr. Hazelden,
assisted by Mr. Robson. the intelligent foreman at Messrs.
Vernon's establishment, and a more beautiful vessel in
" P pens noo on !be water can acagnels..be conceived. The
novelty introduced in respect to form—for it may be so
considered, being contrary to the generally received opi-
nions entertained by naval architects of the old school—
is, that she has a considerably greater length of flooring,
with little or no rise, than is usually adopted, but with
very fine extremities, particularly that at the bow, the
stern being rather fuller at the load-line—an inversion
to some extent of the principle usually urged as re-
quisite for fastness. It appears to us, however, and to
others more skilled than we assume to be in this most de-
licate art, that several decided advantages are achieved by
this description of formation, especially for steam vessels
to be propelled by the paddle-wheel. In the first place
the long flat floor not only gives greater room for Stowage
with a lighter draft of water, but from its longitudinal
bearing prevents that pitching ill a sea-way to which ves-
sels wi h a short fl.tor are liable ; and, with a fine entrance
it does not appear, as in this instance proved, that this
fullness of bilge retards the progress of the ship—the
greater portion of the water passing under her bottom in
place of clipping her sides. The comparative fullness shaft,
too, not only gives the vessel more to sit upon at the stein,
so that she is safer in a chasing sea, but if we mistake
not—a good clearance being still left—does away to
a great extent with that suction which frequently
evinces itself, from the approach to a vacuum produced by
superfluous fineness under the counter, in a succession of
waves curling after the ship to fill up the cavity she has
made, and which is in fact a retarding suction. The pad-
dle-wheels of the Ajax are placed further aft than is usual.
and this is found to counteract the tendency to draw more
water forward when going at speed.
There was on board on the day of trial a small and
pleasant party of gentlemen, and a few ladies. Amongst
the former were Mr. Hazelden, Mr. Grit,drod, (Commo-
dore of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club,) Mr. Vernon,
senior, Mr. yrankyary, partner in the house of Messrs.

Bury,' Curtis, and Kennedy, builders of the engines,
Capt. Holt, superintendent for the owners, Mr. Tipton,
draughtsman at Messrs., ;Vernon's, and other gentlemen.
Capt. Mowle, a gentlenian of long experience, and who is
in command of the ship, was also on board, together with
his lady and some female friends.
The Engines are on Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy's di-
rect action principle, w.th beaten iron frame-work, and
are superb pieces of workmanship. The cylinders are
each about 70 inches in diameter, and there are two effec-
tive air-pumps, which do away with ail objections at first
entertained to the principle of these engines, the great
advantage they are much lighter than or-
dinary
engines,
ahndis thatoccuny much less room, the space
required for the whole of the machinery being a compart-
ment of only eleven feet longitudinally with the vessel.
The CABINS are both comfortably and elegantly fitted
up, entirely by Messrs. Vernon themselves, who have
evinced much taste and judgment in the whole arrange-
ments. The plan of the saloon and state-rooms resem-
bles that generally adopted in the Glasgow coasting steam-
ships, and eau scarcely be improved. The walls are em-
panelled in painted satin-wood, with maple styles,clivided
by pilasters of the same apparent material, surmounted by
capitals and a cornice with sparing but chaste gilding.
The furniture and bed fittings of the state-rooms, which
are large, and replete with every requisite for ease and
comfort, are of the best description. The ventilation is

also superior.
The Ajax is rigged as a three-masted schooner, without
the incumbranee of topmasts. she floated so compara-
tively light that she would have made better work of it
had she been six to eight inches deeper in the water, as
the paddle-boards were scarcely sufficiently submerged.
She left the south end of the Prince's Pier shortly after 11
o'clock, and passed the Clarence Dock gates at 11h. 18m ,
but did not acquire full speed until opposite the Rock
Lighthouse, when it was 26 minutes past eleven o'clock.
She had, however, previously beaten the King Orry.
The Cambria, a still smarter steam-boat, running to the
Menai Bridge, had about a two miles' start of the Ajax.
The former took the South or Horse Channel, in which
she had sufficient water; the latter the Victoria Channel,
(round the Bell Buoy,) a considerable distance further to
the N. W. Light Ship, but with some hopes of overtaking
the Welsh boat outside. The engines of the Ajax made
on an average about twenty-one strokes per minute, with
a paddle-wheel of 271 feet over the floats, so tbat her pro-
pelling power, even with the engines new and stiff, may
be calculated. The tide was in favour of both vessels,
it being high water at Liverpool at Bh. sm. evening.
She passed the Croshie Light Ship 191 minutes before 12,
and the Bell Buoy 61 minutes past twelve. Her speed
by log, of fair stretch was eleven and twelve knots. At 23
minutes past one o'clock she passed the Cambria, cutting
her off, notwithstanding her shorter distance to this point
of about five miles. At ten minutes past two, the Ajax
got off the Great Orsmhead. She was now nearly two
miles ahead of the Cambria, and reached directly under
the signal station on Puffin Island, near Beaunoaris at 20
minutes before three, making the trip out, of about 51

_
nautical miles, in 3 hours and 22 minutes, with, in the
latter part, a rather adverse tide. She was now steered
round. The Cambria was at the time about 3 miles astern,
and in shore.

We remarked that the vessel made very little or almost
no breast of water at her bow, and left behind her an un-
disturbed wake—a decided proof of a fine entrance and

an equally fine clearance.
The trip home, with the up-coming tide. was equally
iaceessful, and was enlivened by a trial of speed with the
which, on our turning, was
the windward, anti several miles ahead, with
canvas set, the wind blowing then from the northward and
gMreeadtilnyato royal mail steals ship,
eastward. The Ajax never spread a yard of sail. but over-
hauled and passed the Medina off Voel Nant, south of the
Vale of Clwyd, at five na'nutes past four o'clock, after a
stiff stern chase, which is generally a long one. We
headed her rapidlv,:altbough she was blowing off steam,
and we were rathrr short of our complement; and we
passed the Rock Light House at precisely half-past five,
and St. Nicholas's Church at 16i minutrs to six, making
the whole distance out and home. of 162 miles, in about
6 hours and 2:4 minutes, or about 16 miles an hour.

A lunch was -partaken'of by,e bit -eoanp.---F;;.4;;;:17wa-• rd- in
the early part of the day, and in coming home a sump-
tuous cold collation and dessert, with champagne and
other wines. The captain presided at one table, and Mr.
Vernon at another, the part of vice-president falling to
Mr. tinelden.

The health of Messrs. Vernon and Messrs. Bury and
Co., the builders of the ship and engines, were heartily
given, and as heartily rssponded to.
When the Ajax had got opposite to Birkenhead pier, or
rather above it, the Medina had only rounded the Rock
Lighthouse, so that she was beaten by about four miles, in
a course, according to the pilot's account, of about twelve
miles from the time of passing her; although we should
think there is here a slight mistake, as the distance is, we
conjecture, somewhat greater.
At all events, the Ajax has proved herself to be a vessel
of superior power and speed, and we wish her every
success.

The Provisional Committee of the defunct Tale of Man
railway have offered to return 15s. per share, which the
shareholders, at a meeting on Saturday, declined.

THE HUTCHINSON FAMILY'S CONCERT.—These in-
teresting singers gave a concert on Monday evening, at the
Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street, which was attended by
a most respectable audience. Amongst the melodies most
admired were Hood's " Bridge of Sighs." by Russell, the
well-known song of " The Shirt," the fine American me-
lody, " Excelsior," and " The Old Granite State." We
understand they purpose shortly to afford us another op-
portunity of listening to their unique and most original
performances.

ZOOLOGICAL GARDFNS.—The refreshing rains yester-
day wi,l enliven this delif,htful resort, and the proprietor
is adopting every practicable step to render the insrtuc-
tive amusements there as attractive as possible. Next
week Mr. Henry Russell, the celebrated American voca-
list, will anpear for three nights ; and the week after
Professor Keller, with his extraordinary corps of " living
statuary," will exhibit his unequ &lied powers. While or,
this subject we may state that a correspondent has in-
quired " how it is that placards are posted on the walls
announcing that Prpfessor Keller's first appearance in
Liverpool will positmely take place at the Zoological Gar-
dens on Monday the 6th of July, while another bill an-
nounces his appearance this week at another place of
amusement." Though we are unable to answer this query,
we may state that we have seen a copy of an agreement
with Mr. Atkins, in which he undertakes " not to appear
personally at any place of amusement in Liverpool until
the termination of his engagement at the gardens."