The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-24 00:00:00

STEAM ON CANALS.

An attempt to adapt steam navigation to canal traffi,C
was made on Saturday, on the Leeds and Liverpool Carith
under the direction of Mr. Wm. Laird, general manager,
and Mr. Darlington, mining-engineer, of the Ince-boll
Coal and Cannel Company, and it was attended with the
most favourable results.

The canal is unusually favourable for such a change, the
distance from Wigan to Liverpool being 36 miles, With
only one lock. From Wigan to that lock (Appley),
distance of 5 miles, it is proposed to continue the present
system of horse-haulage, and from that point to Liver'
pool, a distance of 30 miles of level water, to use steam.
The steamer used on the occasion of the trial was the
Conqueror, belonging to Mr. Inshaw, engineer, of Bit'
mingham, the first vessel of the kind that has ever ow
swered for canal passenger-traffic, and which has nod
made a most successful trial in connexion with canal coal'
traffic. She proceeded from Liverpool to Appley-lock on
Friday, with several empty barges, accomplishing a speed
of about 4 miles an hour ; and returned from Appley_locic
on Saturday, with four loaded coal barges, containing 41
tons each, or 160 tons in all, towing them at the rate of 4'
to miles per hour, with great ease : the engine in the
tug being only 6 horses power, and the tug a passenger
boat adapted for light work and high speed. TI
0
cylinders of the engine are 6 inches diameter, with 10
inches stroke ; the screws are two in number, one an
each side of the rudder, each 23 inches diameter:
These worked most satisfactorily, there being a total
absence of the swell which has hitherto proved so dett
mental to the banks, and which has been the chic
'
obstacle to the adaptation of steam-power to canal traffic:
There was not, in fact, more eddy than what is produced
by the usual mode of haulage, the peculiar construction
of the right-and-left-hand screws preventing a disturb-
ance of water at the sides of the vessel, and propelling her
gently through the water with a total absence of vibration'
The boiler is a tubular one, which is considered the
most improved principle for high pressure, and is so con'
structed as to consume its own smoke. The average
speed obtained, with 160 tons of coal in tow, was two"
and-a-half miles, which is as high a rate as the compso
are desirous of accomplishing, their chief object being to
prevent fraud, and to secure regularity in the conveyane,,, :
of the coal, in order that the large quantities which 11t:
now shipped from Liverpool may be brought into ln`
town with the necessary despatch.
The present trial was made chiefly with a vievv
satisfy the directors of the Leeds and Liverpool Cane,
that the adaptation of steam to canal traffic would not
damage their property, but rather increase its value, joss;
much as it would afford facilities which would tend t._
expand the trade, and, as a matter of course, add to their,
already tolerably good dividends. Mr. Birkbeck.
Settle, director of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Cool:
a
pany ; Mr. Tatham, secretary ; and Mr. Stanley, engla
neer of the same company, witnessed the trial, nve
appeared so well satisfied with the result that they have
arranged with Mr. Inshaw for further experimen, an
the purpose of giving other directors of the co,nrSenrYiyed
opportunity of fully testing the advantages to u'by their
from this novel mode of conveying mineral'
canal.
be thus
The practical result of the experiment f coals
stated :—The present cost of haulage of 40 '071.9
by horse power from Wigan to Liverpool is 355. ba.
per ton, 101,d. By steam power the towing boat Rowbe one of the ordinary canal-boats, carrying an englun;
and boiler of twelve horse-power;
at her after end
weight of wheel would not exceed fire tons, leaving 'Pa"'
for stowage of a
Cargo of coals weighing..
Four boats following, carrying 40 tons each, equal 160
may

Total
tAllowingx troll
ees
tdaysere foran goingand
trt
thirty,
to-sixand
cfkr mo r tsh.e. 9
ev
elcnots tonglyl.iettYo
miles altogether, in as many hours, the boats would make
two trips per week, instead of two trips in three weeks, a'
at present, and would deliver in Liverpool, weekly, 390 tong'
Total weekly expenses £7 45., incurred in delivery of 3,1
tons of coal, being equal to a rate of 4,1 d. per ton, and IL%
cost by horse haulage per ton being 104 d., the saving. I:1
6d. per ton ; but this is not the only saving, as Mr. Lai%
proposes the application of a drum to the engine to 13,9"
the boat engine discharge, by the assistance of crane"
i
each of the boats' cargoes into the yards, or into ships a
Liverpool, thus effecting a further saving in terminal er
penses. . -

The experiment was witnessed by Mr. Barton, of the
firm of Barton and Windus, coal proprietors of Liver•
pool ; Mr. Kegg, of the Kirklees-hall Coal Company'
Mr. Braithwaite Poole, general goods manager of
1111""
London and Northwestern Railway Company ; Mr.
shave and his son, the owners of the Conqueror ;
Smith, of the firm of Alexander Smith and Sons ; 3•l':f
Murray, and other gentlemen interested in the success v
the experiment.
suggestions,
owneei t P
e of
whichool e
was, madeor
that,st n valuableorder tpor aacet
or
facilities for largely increasing canal traffic, the comPsq
should construct double lines of railway on each side 0
the canal, and use locomotives upon them for the Puri
pose of superseding the present unsatisfactory mode 0
haulage, which is open to so much abuse.

FATAL FALL.—On Thursday, J. T. Schwaar, a Gee:
man, who was about to emigrate in the ship Steebe'
Clifford, lying in the Bramley-Moore Dock, fell fron3
between decks into the lower hold of that vessel, all
received such injuries that he died before he could bb
conveyed to the Northern Hospital.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PROPULSION.—The model'
of inventions patented by Mr. Joseph Burch, of Crag/lan;
near Macclesfield, which have been exhibited during t'''
last few days in the Exchange Newsroom, have been
regarded with great interest and attention by merchant;
and shipowners generally. The first invention consists ea
a new form of stern ; a kind of conical tail being forme
to the vessel, commencing about one-third of the ics,
:
from the stern, and gradually diminishing and termina':
ing pointedly, or wedge-shaped, upon or about the stern"
post. This alteration is below and up to the level of thel
load water-line, the upper or quarter-deck being continue
to the counter after the usual manner. The object oe'
adapting this fish-like termination to the mainhold of tl3,
ship, is to introduce a new form of propeller, which 7,7
placed in that portion of the converging " buttoel 0.
where a perfect circle is formed. The propeller acts 111)°
the water obliquely on the screw principle ; the inventor
object in adopting this form, in conjunction with the n:
stern, being to prevent the waste of power which screw,,
propellers, having their axes exposed to the backwaf%
current, produce. There are four kinds of propell.,
shown in the models. One has an arrangement fordr,o be
ing the " fin blades" into the propeller case, when ' to
vessel is at anchor or under sail, the fins being ma
they emerge; de s
reassume their proper obliquity as otbeje
expand at their working angle; while in another formt'tg
high speeds, and preventiln'gheshthi
fin adjusts itself to the passing current when the vessel 1,
at anchor or under sail.
eggshaped amidships, terminating invention consists in adopting a new form of bows. sterns,'
decks, and hulls of ships, with the view of attaining caerij
stern in a conoidal point, or narrown re
models, therefore, are so constructed that the transve
frame of the vessel's hull appears tubular, elliptical, d
gpi
mr dtowardsfo
ellipsis.ftt
hhAeelTrsb.
ehoßae.wu
sr Burch
bow'
lines are brought to an exceedingly fine point, diminishlp
in width both above and below the water-line; and t
t,
decks are covered over so as to continue the ellipticrbe
line. The appearance of the vessel when voyaging wl',l 0
similar to that of a fish with its back out of water; an't„ar
the greatest breadth will be about the water-line, diminl:o4
ing upwards to a curved roof, it is calculated that the ve- Ili
will pass through the crest of the wave, and eventuaer,
rise out of it without shipping a sea. Such a stesto 0
with the improved propeller, Mr. Burch calculates o°,:ot
make twenty-five miles an hour. A fourth and imPottrifo
part of these inventions, is the division of the vessel 1 of
two distinct parts, one of which, occupying the space of
the quarter and after-decks, may be released, in case:to
fire or shipwreck, from the parent vessel, and 91112.0'
equipped as it is with cabins, berths, and stores, will are
as a medium of escape. These detachable vessel? 89r
also adapted for exploratory expeditions in shallow 0 del
where vessels of large bulk could not act. The 1312.ect,
have not, we believe, been actually tried. The sn'i3tiorl
however, is one highly important ; and the invented
worthy of careful attention on the part of those cone',. the
in the promotion of steam enterprises. One set 0.
BLAIR'S GOUT AND RHEUMATIC BILLS.---Ell_i,,tor
models is, we understand, to be forwarded to Americti,
of
a letter, written by John Molard Wheeler, Esq., Co
aetl'o,
of Customs, Jamaica, having been handed by his kfloo
at Swindon, to Mr. Prout, for publication : Ihut let
smueff eermfProhmatigeoatlllty,
you have never had occasion to take Blair's Pills,buo 0Y
recommend theit using them.
tellriie uymoua,tiien
gout,merc mercy to
banagyof,risecrii:iti7oliryi:el;o-
- or any branch of that widely-allied '
fan'theY arof
of wonderful efficacy ; not only am I personallya
_we'e, re-
their powers, but I see my friends and acquaint,innot 1,0
ceiving unfailing benefit from their use. I %n-11_1-h, stag;
without them on any account. if taken in the early the?
if in later, n_,
of disease they disipate it al'ogether :
than a)1
alleviate pain, and effect a much speedier cure house
', Sold IV " lea
other means within my knowledge.
respects
Prout, 229, strand, London ; and by all
In this country a
_,,,re o
dicine vention throughout the kingdom'

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uncertainty
!k. By an
on Tues.
ilkner, was
ied on the
minaries of
instead of
committed
lernaturely
a respected
town, the
ct for his
) the grave.
their ens-
occasion,
symbols 0!
'emains of

cable Sur'
the gates
se of police
cing order,
ice, during
rial. ground
mately he
latices an
sad Ore'
solernnitY,
s admitted
rial-service
e preciutS
th a notice
v-hill, from
runerals on
lan be per•
no perSol,s'
and friends
ins to have
present 10'
Irnedated
witted.

.anal traffic
pool Carol,
I tranageril
In ce-bP
?d with the

_:,vr to
DovlicCanal
could riot
lue, inss-
I tend to
Ito their,
oi
:beck.
nal COol'
ley, eng`;
rial, sea
hey have
ciente, for
apany
an
e derived
by their

be thus
Q f coals

•
I. 6d., orl
)at wou, 1;
n
ne
end t
ing `Pace

35 tons
160 ~
195 tons
colliery,
enty-two
aid make
redo, as
390 tong•
ry of 31iv
and the
saving is
Ir. Laird
to 01614
f cranes)
) ships at
oinal

of tile
If Liver;
Din Pang
r of the
M r 1,11.
•or ; 2w."
ns ; 21/4ffi
uccess °

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tomell';
h side 0
the Puri
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a Ger'
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all frolo
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could bb