The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-31 00:00:00

SHIPPING AND MERCANTILE

MISCELLANY.

THE ADMIRALTY have commissioned another screw-
ship of the line, the James Watt, of 91 guns and 600
horse-power, and it is said that there is some intention of
building an immense screw line-of-battle-ship, capable of
carrying 250 guns.
NEW STEAM-SICIP.—The new steamer William Norris,
which is to make the passage to Europe in five or six
days, is rapidly approaching completion. Her outside is
nearly finished. This vessel is simply flat and sharp, with
a good model for running fast in smooth water. She is
made unusually strong, by having her timbers strapped
diagonally with bars of iron, and by an iron kelson ex-
tending from the keel to the deck, excepting in the central
part of the vessel devoted to the engine. This kelson is
composed of two parallel sheets of iron near half an inch
in thickness, less than a foot apart, and so fashioned and
connected as to form a water-tank. On either side of this
kelson are big kelsons, formed in the same manner, also
connecting with the deck. It is expected that these
unusual supports will give such an amount of strength
and solidity to the steamer as to make her excel all
other vessels of similar dimensions. We are bound to
speak with diffidence in the presence of scientific naval
architects, but our conviction is, that no more strength is
gained by this construction than would be by expending
a fourth part of the money in a fabric of proper wooden
supports. The Arctic exploring vessels and the New-
foundland sealers have shown conclusively that wooden
structures are fully adequate to all demands upon their
powers of resistance, and these are as great as any to
which any sea-going craft can be subjected. Indeed, we
doubt if wood and iron in the combinations on board the
William Norris will prove to be so effectual for strength
as either used by itself. But the main thing to be .tested
hi this vessel, is not her ability to resist the wind and
waves of the Atlantic, which she is very likely to do suc-
cessfully, but her model. If she does not prove too flat
and to draw too little water to be a good or safe sea-boat,
it will be a new experience in naval architecture.—Nese
York Tribune.

THE HIMALATIt,..-Tht colossal screw steam-ship Hima-
laya sailed from Southampton, on Friday week, with the Tridia
and China mails. She took out about ninety passengers,
specie to the value of £155,000, and about 200 tons of
cargo. Her commaraer is Captain Kellock, an .able and
experienced officer. At half-past two the mans were put
on board and given in charge to Lieut. La Tonebe, R.N.,
the Admiralty agent. The Himalaya was then lying at
the north-western side of the dock, with her bowsprit and
jibboon towering fifty feet over the dock quay, in an oppo-
site direction from the mouth of the dock. Immediately
after the mails were on board a powerful Steam-tug took
her in tow, and, after immense and 'continuous efforts,
the huge ship was brought round, and towed carefully
and slowly oat of the dock, her immense screw assisting
in the .operation, and causing by its 'movements a gigantic
whirlpool 'around the ship's stern. The pilot, who had
the 'command of her from Southampton to the Needles,
was on 'the gangway gesticulating convulsively, or scream-
ing through a monster speaking4rnmpet, while officers
were stationed at all parts of the ship repeating or inter-
preting his orders. The great -ship appeared perfectly
manageable, and was turned 'sharply round from the
'docks 'to the Itchen River bynmans of warps and 'the
steam-tug, when her enormous !length winded gracefully
;along the serpent-like channel "which leads to the Sontlis
ampton Water. The Himalaya ,drew about eighteen Feet
.of-water forward, and about twenty feet aft, as she left
Southampton. Four men. were stationed at the avbeel.
The sideboard in the grand -saloon cost 600 guineas, and
'is 'the handsomest sideboard -float. The fitting -up of the
ladies' saloon cost £7OO. The panels in the dining saloon
',are covered with exquisite'paintings of fruits anailowers.
Every patent invention for'Pe improvement or adornment
of steam-packets has 'been introduced into the Himalaya.
The cabins are ventilated by invisible means'; 'beautiful
window curtains ascend ;and descend by the touch of a
spring, : the port-holes 1--. ave double sash winnows. At-
tached to the snrgeor2s cabin is an apothecaries' shop.
The officers and crew "g umber nearly 160 'persons, the
largest number ever tmployed in a merchant-ship. 'Sitch
is the enormous size 'Of the Himalaya, thafif the hull of
the ship in which 'Cklumbus discovered 'America were
slung at her stern, -she might almost pass for one, of
her boats.

TUE RED J>te:gt.:, NEW AMERICANiCE/EPEI2.—IIg,
Elridge (late captain of the steam-yacht North Star, snit
of the packet-ship Roscius), arrived it the Mersey en
Tuesday afternoon, after an unprecedented run of 13 days,
one hour, and '.f6 minutes, having left 'Sew York on'the
11th inst. She is one of the handsomest -vessels:ever
built, possessiug, with the greatest symmetry- of 'mad,
immense strcagth and carrying capscity. Her'dimen-
sions are as Mows :—Registered length, :250 'feet ((ex-
treme 260).; team, 45 feet; depth of hold aniidships, 24
feet ; rise forward, 3 feet ; registered measurement,:2,34o
tons ; burthen,' 3,500 tons. The following are her,ilaily
runs :—Weckesday, 11th, 103 miles ; ,12th, 150; 13th,
265 ; 14th, 311; 15th, 217 ; 16th, 106 ; 17th,1121,; 18th,
319 ; 19th, 413 ; 20th, 374 ; 21st, :842 ; 22nd, 301; and
23rd, 371 nines. The distance Turnoff-the 19th inst., 413
miles, is the greatest distance ever obtained in-2.1 sours
by anything,,alloat.

AMERICJIV :MERCHANT SEINSN.—It is inteabled to
enact a code of laws for the better regulation awl disci-
pline of bite merchant navy of the United State. The
proposed-regulations, as sketched by the American paper,
are in some degree copied from, our merchant. seamen's
act, the,memantile marine act,, and other recent enact-
ments for:the discipline of the menhant navy of England;
but the provisions of the American law prothise to be
much mere stringent than those of this country. 'Many of
our seamen have thoughtlessly threatened to betake them-
selves to the United States, under an impresSion that thcy
I—...,,,unject iv less restraint-an tne American than in
the Ea3glisb. service. We have frequently told them that
they woad find their error should they try the experi-
ment. ;Let us also remind them that, in the United
States; there is a public prosecutor appointed to enforce the
law against seamen ; it is not there, as with us, leit to the
option -of shipowner or a commander to prosecute offences.
—Shippivy Gazette.

RAVS,ATOAILD.—A statement made by the mate ,of the
Dewdrop?of Whitby, which w.amvrecked at Arbroath on
WedneStlFy, se'nnight, would seem to confirm :the pro-
verb; that Rats do leave dangerous places." He says
the vessel had fors a long time' been infested with thou-
sands of :rats, but, on the night before they left Hartle-
pool ,on the present fatal voyage, 4the vermin disappeared,
not a rat being seen where a darlefore they migl4 have
been emented by the dozen.

REMO'RLL of Goons IN BONE.—It has lately been
proposed at the Customs that firms who have frequently
to give.semrity for the removal otgoods in bond froze one
port to another should give one general bond, instead of
specific bonds, as heretofore. They Customs' Reform Com-
mittee, Jaonever, have published:.a -statement .farnUhed
them by Mr. Morgan, their secretary, to the effeetthat
the plan will open the door to .fraudulent clearances by
any persons' ho may be disposed to,olear his goods omthe
security of smother person's bond, k besides being liable to
other grave objections. It is contended, therefore; tkat
the existing :sytem should not be Altered, except by rc-
ducing the !price of the bond stamp, And substituting:a
uniform ch*sge of a shilling "for,the •present ridiculous
graduated scale." The motive for •the attempted altera-
tion is not km-vvii, as it is believed there were no com-
plaints againstithe practice of giving bonds in each case.
THE COAL ,A,ICD IRON TRADE.--TIIC .coal trade continues
unabated in vigour, and unparalleled in its, emand, and
..everything that is drawn out of the pits :in the shape
,of coal is cleared off with great .avidity. The frost
is .so far gone that the boats find little difficulty in
travelling upon the canals. Good iironstonels in great
;request, and continues very scarce. The iron trade was
•never in a more healthy condition thnn. alp-resent. The
equilibrium seems now to be more than established be-
ttween the make of pigs and their conversion into mann-
•ffietured iron, which.eircumstance has given.a:firmer tone
to the pig trade. The extension of mills and forges is
,one of ,the causes of this healthy state of things. The
number of furnaces now at work in South Staffordshire is
123, and the weekly maize nearly 13,000 tom. The quan-
tity .of puddling furnaces in East Worcestershire •and
South Staffordshire is 1,600, and the total quantity of
pigs worked up is about 16,000 tons, giving 3,oootons
more used in manufacture than in the make of pigs. This
circumstance, if it continues, will necessarily keep ,up Abe
prime of ,pigs ;and of fuel.—Woverhanipton Herald.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S.-THURSDAY.

The movements with regard to the Chester Cup had atome-
what depressing ,effect on Newminater-20 to 1 was freely
offered ; 2000 to 50 was taken about Nabob, 800 to 20 Aldford,
1000 to 20 each .&ar of Surrey and tieratio, 750 to 15 Cobaut,
500 to 10 each Llanforda and Jack Freat, and 1000 to 15 each
Lurley and Umbriel —Far the Liverpool Steeple-chase. 10 to
1 would have been taken about Miss Mowbray. 20 to 1 was
taken to some money about Bedford, and the same odds were
repeatedly offered against Lord George.—For the Metropolitan
Stakes, 100 to 6 taken about Royalist, and afterwards offered.
In the city he had been backed for a good deal of money at 20
to I.—For the Derby, a strong commission was in the market
to take it to 2 about Autocrat, but no one was disposed to lay
More than sto 1. Bto 1 was offered against King Tom, and
If to 1 taken to a pony about Dervish.