The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-11-04 00:00:00

STEAM BETWEEN LIVERPOOL 4- BOSTON.

We have from time to time noticed the efforts which
are being made by the American merchants for the esta-
blishment of fleets of screw steamers from the principal
Atlantic ports ; efforts that bid fair to secure the great
mass of the carrying trade between the two countries, and
facilitate our commercial communications. The opening
of a line of a railway from Boston to Canada gave rise to
the " laying down" four large screw steamers, and one of
which, the S. S. Lewis, is now in this port. She is not
the first American screw vessel that has arrived here,
but she is the first that has been built expressly
for transatlantic voyaging, and is consequently an object
of some attraction to those interested in maritime
matters. The S. S. Lewis is a very beautiful model, and
though she is particularly fine fore and aft, she has more
bearings then has of late been given to some of this class
of craft. This is by no means a detriment, as it will give
her increased steadiness, enable her to carry a greater
amount of canvas in case of any accident occurring to her
propellor. Her lines are neatly moulded, and her appear-
ance is most imposing. She has an almost upright stem,
and her bow well formed swells boldly outwards at the
upper works. She has a clean run, and her stern, which
is square, is light and beautiful. A gilded spread-eagle
ornaments her counter, whilethebowhas carved and gilded
billet-head, the ornaments of which are continued along
the trail-boards and around the hawse-holes. The lower
moulding of her plank-sheer is gilded throughout her en-
tire length, and with this exception the hull is painted
black down to her copper line, which comes up to eighteen
feet forward and nineteen feet aft. This fine ship is over
all 225 feet long ; she has a beam of 33 feet, and a depth
of hold of 28 feet, measured from the main deck; she is
1850 tons burthen, and has accommodation for upwards
of 100 first-class, and about an equal number of second-
class passengers. The Samuel S. Lewis is as strong as a
castle ; her frame is entirely of white and live oak ; her
floor timbers are packed so close from 'mid-ship aft] as to
form almost a solid bed. The hanging and lodging and
all other knees are very heavy, of great depth in the
throat, and side well. The frame is bound together with
diagonal iron braces, each 66 feet long, 5 inches wide, and
1 inch thick ; these braces, which cross one another, are
let into the timbers, bolted through them and rivited on
the outside, and at every intersection are bolted together.
In iron fastenings alone, exclusive of the frame braces,
she has 125,000 lbs., besides 10,009 lbs. of copper and
5,000 lbs. of composition. Below the main deck 12,000
bolts have been driven from the outside, through all, and
rivetted on the inside. The number of knees used in her
construction is 848. She has on deck a house 190 feet in
length, the top of which forms a spacious promenade for
her passengers, the sides being protected by a tasty brass
railing. The after division extends across the deck, and
contains the wheel house. On either side of the house
there is a gangway of 71 feet wide. The house contains a
smoking-room, panelled in satin wood, state rooms for the
officers and engineers of the ship, captain's cabin, hatch-
ways leading to the cabins and engine-room; and forward
of the cabin entrance, which is well protected, and may
be entered either from the larboard or starboard side, are
the officers' mess-room, the galley, which is large and
commodious, the bakery, ice-house, and other apartments.
The cabin saloon is of immense length, and is lighted
from cupolas, through the deck house, and by stern lights.
The state rooms run the full length on each side, and are
each separately lighted and ventilated.
The deck beams and carlings 'divide the " roof" into
pannels, which are heightened in effect by mouldings.
The partitioning forming the saloon is divided by pities-
ters, intervened with numerous " relieves" of plain orna-
ments, and contrasts of gold-tipped embossed composition
designs. The contrast between the white and gold, aided
by the splendid green upholstery, the handsome furniture,
and the general taste displayed, produce an effect not
easily described. The saloon is at once neat, and, without
gaudy pretensions, classically beautiful. Forward of the
cabin entrance is an aperture, admitting to the engine-
room. This apartment is ventilated by two large tubes,
with wind cowl heads, which, by a neat contrivance, suit
as tubes to convey up the refuse of the fuel from the fire-
room. We may here, by the bye, mention that the coals
are got on board by shoots, shutting by ports, so that
no fuel has to be carried on deck, and all dust and
annoyance is obviated:
The engines and accompanying machinery have been
constructed at the Franklin Iron Works. The cylinders
are placed at angles of about 45 deg., and are 60 inches
diameter, and 40 inches stroke. They act on a driving
wheel eight feet in diameter, geered to the shaft, and
increase the speed of the propeller from one to one-and-
three quarter turns at each stroke. The propeller is 14
feet in diameter, and has four, blades.
The S. S. Lewis is but rightly sparred, for her beam,
but her masts are so far apart that she will be able to
asprooeaudnt aloft is tooagoodamoutnria
lowtivofi to careen forenhde-r.aft canvas, but the
The 8..8. Lewis altogether is an excellent specimen of