The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-01-27 00:00:00

THE PROGRESS OF IRON SHIPBUILDING IN
LIVERPOOL.

Amongst the numerous objects of interest which our
:own presents, perhaps few are more important than the
progress now making in the new and rising art of Iron
Shipbuilding. We have opportunities of noticing this
mbject, from the occasional launches of iron ships which
take place from the various budding yards. There is
now, however. more than usual activity in this branch of
lusiness ; and were it not for the difficulty of obtaining
men, and the unsettled state in which they are kept by
continual combinations, there would be even more vessels

The use of iron is not now confined solely to steamers.
In these vessels it has for some years nearly superseded
the use of timber. But we have now several iron sailing
ships in course of construction, in which small auxiliary
steam power is to be employed; and we have heard it
stated—and, we think, with much correctness—that the
use of iron in merchant ships, for long voyages, will be
introduced in conjunction with the application of the
screw propeller, to be worked in addition to sails. The
several unsuccessful attempts to employ iron sailing ships
and the screw propeller, have retarded their introduction ;
but those best informed in such matters state, that the
defects that have arisen are not necessarily attendant on
the principle, but, on the contrary, that in the various
trials which have been made, all the elements of success
have been in one or other of them developed, requiring
only a sound combination to establish the system perma-
nently. In our description of the works now in progress,
it will be seen that, in addition to the regular steamers,
several iron sailing ships, with auxiliary steam power, are
building.
The extensive new premises erected by Messrs. Vernon
and Co., being highest up the river, first require attention,
No expense has been spared by these builders to provide
the most efficient means for carrying on their work.
Three very fine ships are now on the stocks, two of which
will be launched to-morrow. The first is the Windsor,
of about 800 tons, building for the City of Dublin
Company, from the plans of Mr. Grantham. From the
fineness of the model great speed may be expected. She
has a figure-head of William the Conqueror, the founder
of Windsor Castle. The second vessel, of the same
dimensions as the Windsor, is for the Cork Company,
and is called the Ajax. The third is a very large steamer,
of about 1300 tons, building for the Peninsular and
Oriental Company ; this vessel is about half plated.
Messrs. Vernon and Co. have also orders for two more
steamers, one of about 700 tons, also for the Cork
Company, and one of 300 tons for Fleetwood, from Mr.
Grantham's plans.
At Messrs. Hodgson and Co.'s works, Brunswick
Dock, five iron vessels are now building. That nearest
completion is about 250 tons, and is to be worked by a
screw. She is intended for Buenos Ayres. The next is
the " Antelope" of nearly 600 tons, intended as a packet-
ship between this port and the Brazils. She is of great
length, and very fine lines, and is to be powerfully rigged.
The next to her is a large vessel for the New York trade,
to be about 1000 tons old measurement, or 1500 tons new.
She is to be heavily rigged, and with four masts. These
two last vessels are built from the plans of Mr. Grant-
ham, and are to be propelled by the screw, on his patent
direct principle. Their performance is looked forward to
with great interest, as likely to determine the success of
this system for long voyages.
Two other vessels are in this yard : one for Bombay, of
about 300 tons, and one for the Woodside Ferry.
Mr. Cato has orders for four vessel:. all from the plans
of Mr. Grantham : one of 650 tons, lately launched but
not yet completed, for the City of Dublin Company, to
be worked by paddle-wheels. Also two vessels of 300
tons, and are for the same company, to be fitted with the
screw-propeller, and rigged as three-masted schooners.
We noticed the launch of one these in our last journal.

Mr. Laird, the well-known builder at Birkenhead, has
also five steamers in the course of construction. We
lately noticed the launch of the large frigate, the " Bir-
kenhead," of 1400 tons, and then gave a full description
of her. She is now receiving her engines in the Trafalgar
dock, and looks remarkably well.
Three other vessels are intended for the Folkstone
station, to be similar to a beautiful steamer lately com-
pleted for the same line, named the " Prince Ernest,"
which has been highly approved of fur her speed and
good qualities.
The first iron steam vessel which appeared on the
Mersey was built in Staffordshire, and came here in 1824,
and the first that was built here, was constructed by
Messrs. Fawcett, Preston and Co., in 1829; both of
these were intended for the inland navigation of Ireland.
They have been constantly at work, and are said to be
still in good condition.
While on this subject we may relate an interesting fact
that lies come to our knowledge. In Mr. Grantham's
work on iron shipbuilding he describes an iron steamer,
the Aaron Manby, which was built in this country in 1821,
and sent to the Seine, where she worked between Havre
and Rouen. This steamer, with two others built about
the same time, have been most severely worked and much
neglected, but were, on examination lately, found to be in
such good condition that a firm in Rouen has undertaken
to lengthen them, preparatory to receiving new machinery,
and being again fitted for service.

THE ADVANCING PROSPERITY OF LIVER-
POOL INDICATED BY THE OPERATION OF

ITS BUILDING SOCIETIES

It has always been customary to adduce the number of
depositors and the amount of deposits in the savings'
banks as tests of the prosperity, or otherwise, of the mid-
dle and lower classes; and we lately applied this test most
satisfactorily to the condition of our own community.
There have, however, sprung up within the last few years
a number of societies, ~ell secured and regulated by act
of Parliament, which offer great temptations for gradual
accumulation, superseding to a great extent the Savings'
Bank, and whose operation ought to be considered when
taking that institution as a test of prosperity, if their own
flourishing condition is not itself the best test of the grow-
ing improvement of the condition and habits of a people.
From a source, upon whose means of information and ca-
pacity of judging we can rely, we are enabled to lay the
following data before our readers, with respect to the
present condition of the most important, and in principle
the most valuable of these societies—viz. the building so-
cieties—in Liverpool.
There are of these societies, at present in active opera-
tion in this town, about 100, in which the receipts from
depositors, for the purchase of property or for accumula-
tion, vary from £7O or £BO per month to £5OO or £6OO.
The average of the whole, we are informed, is under-
estimated at £2OO a month. This will make, for each
society, £2400 per annum ; and, for the whole, the
amazing sum of £240,000 per annum ; deposited princi-
pally by the middle clas,es—by shopkeepers, artizans,
cl-rks—and a portion even by the labouring classes.
Upwards of two-thirds of this amount is estimated to be
applied to the purchase or erection of buildings in Liver-
pool and its vicinity, thus accounting for the rapid growth
of the town ; and the remainder is deposited simply for ac-
cumulation, and to reap the advantages which the societies
afford. The average period over which the payments extend
is 10 or 11 years ; at the end of which period the depositors,
if they have purchased or built property, have such pro-
perty free, or if not, receive the amount of their payments
in cash with the accumulated interest, fines, forfeitures,
&c. We have thus the savings of the middle and working
classes of the town, to the extent of two-thirds of their
contributions to these societies—say £l6o,ooo—annually
vested in the real property, and attached to the town and
its interests; and, as a result of the successful working of
the system, and its more general appreciation, a large
number of the working classes, who have hitherto made
no provision for old age or casualty, are aspiring and
making strenuous efforts to be able to call their own the
houses in which they live or some other tangible property.

We are requested to announte —that the London
Standard, containing Sir obert Peel's Speech, will
leave London on 'ruesd night, by special express, and
will arrive at the e of Messrs. WILLME it and
SMITH, 32, Churet-street, on Vt, ednesday morning, at
Five o'clock.

M9RE PERVERTS.—On Sunday, at Birmingham, the
Rev. Mr. Formby, rector of Ruardean, in Herefordshire,
formerly of Brasenose College, and the Rev. Mr. Burder,
who had been lately assisting at Ruardean, were received
into the Romish Church by Dr. Wiseman.

Last week, a passenger on the Sheffield railway, having
for some cause neglected to leave the carriaLze at the sta-
tion for which he was booked, took the very rash step of
jumping out of the carriage when at full speed, and
coming in contact with some masonry, his head was li-
terally smashed, and instant death ensued.

CHURCH EXTENSION.—Last night, a meeting was held
in St. James's Church School-room, to promote the
scheme of erecting new churches in Toxteth-park. Mr.
Councillor Harbord was in the chair, and in a pleasing
manner pressed the object on the ss mpathy of the meet-
ing. The other speakers were the Revs. D. D. Stewart
and H. Hampton, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Harbord, surgeon,
and Mr. Councillor Royden. Mr. Alderman Chilton
was also present.
RAILWAY COLLISION.—On Friday evening, the mail
train on the Great North of England Railway was pro-
ceeding near the Lessay Station, and was rather earlier
than usual, and was going at the rate of about ten miles an
hour past the station, when another train was discovered
in advance on the same line, and though the steam was
put off instantly and the break applied, a violent collision
took place, which broke the engines, damaged several of
the carriages, and injured a number of passengers. One
lady was cut much about the head and face, and one
gentleman received a severe blow on the leg. It appears
that the train run into was a coal train on the wrong line,
it being changing from one to the other when the mail
train was observed coming.
PRICES OF IRON.—From the early part of June, 1822,
to June, 1824. we find the extreme fluctuations to be 71.
qtr r ton and 9/. per ton ; in the January following the
iec wrls, however, advanced to 14/. per ton, although,
again, in the same lyear, we find it it to have declined to
101. per ton—showing so large a difference, in so limited
a period, as to afford conclusive evidence that the market
was not in a healthy state. In 1826 and 1827 the highest
quotation was 91. per ton, the lowest 81. per ton ; in 1828
it bad ag...in fallen to 71. per ton ; in 1829, to 6/. per ton ;
in 1830 t..) 5/. lOs , and, again, in 1831, to 5/. ' • while, in
1832, the price had dropped to 41. 15s. In the latter part
of 1833, prices again rallied; and 71. was the quotation ;
another drop, however, took place in the succeeding year,
and, in 1835, we again find the price had fallen to 5/. 155.,
but advanced full 21. per ton before its close. In the suc-
ceeding year 1836, we find again another start—bars hav-
ing been sold at 111. per ton ; in 1837, :within twelve
months, the price was again quoted at 61., and again an
advance to 9/. taking place within some two or three
months afterwards. The years 1838 and 1839 show the
only fluctuations of from 9/. to 10/. ; but, in 1840, another
reduction took place—the price in July of that year being
quoted at 7/ 10s. In 1841 it had again further dropped
to 51. 15s. ; in 1842 to 5/., and again, in 1843, to 41. ;
while, in 1844, the highest price, we believe quoted is 61.
In 1845 bars rose again to 101.. although a trifling decline
has since taken place.