The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-04-29 00:00:00

'IIIE STATESMAN:.

Tax LONDON ENGINEER STEAMY:ear
OnMadday afternOon this MOM beautiful Vessel was launched
Into the boson of the Commercial Doeks, aasidat the plaudits of
an immense number of spectators. This Vessel is built by Mr.
BReNT, for a Company that is established under the denomina-
tion of •' The Londe* &Water Steam Teat Company."
Among the Proprietors of that body are several of the most
eminent practical Engineers of the Metropolis. The Eniereer
is a Vessel of a ►ery se perior elms to any of the Steam Packets
built in this country ; she is l'!.0 feet long, by 24 feet wide,
and measures upwards of 323-tows; her cabins are lofty, light.l
and capacious. and her general accommodation and con-
'celeste highly calculated for the employment to which'
she is intended, namely, to perform the passage between '1
London and Margate. She is fully capable of weans-
I modeling four hundred peewit% By those most inti-
mate with this undertakiug, it is contemplated to make the
voyage from London to Margate, iu the short period of seven or
eight hours. Impracticable and extraordinary as this per-
formance may appear to many, yet it is confidently expected by
the projectors to be successfully accomplished. The whole
plan of the mechanical iirrnagements to be employed on board
this Vessel are new and highly meritorious. Instead of apply-
ing the paddle wheels whiny are to propel the Vessel ou the
outside (as has universally been the case with all Steam Packets '
hitheito adopted), these wheels are to be introduced ions the
interior of the Vessel, one wheel placed on each side, and pa
rallel to the keel. and worked in a very ingenious manner.—
This arrangement removes at once all the inconvenience that has
resulted from the employment of exterior paddles. which, by the
rolling motion of a Vessel, are much weakened in their power,
as one wheel is lifted out of the water, whilst the other is wholly
immerged in it. Exterior paddles are convtautly liable
to injury by coming in contact with obstructing bodies,
besides which they spoil the form and violate the sym-
metry of one of the most beautiful performances which
the industry and skill of man has produced. The in-
terior paddles enable a Steam Vessel to as-nese all •• the skip
shapenese" (as sailors call it) of a fine vessel, sod thus o ill be
restored to this growing and important branch of navigation. all
the beauty and elegance of naval architecture. The London En-
gin•er is a fine specimen of the improvement in Ibis grand art ; she
will be put into motion by two Steam Engines, each of SO horses
power, made on the condensing or low pressure principle. with
copper boilers, and the best machinery that the skill and ex-
perience of a -Committee of able Eagiueers vie produce. Thi s
vessel, with its machinery. w ill cost from !O to 11.0001. ; no ex-
peace has been or will be spared to render it well worthy of
public encouragement. It is expected that the Engineer will
be completed and ready for sea in a month. The figure placed
at the head of the vesseLis the emblem of Sckare. and the *bide
of the ornaments attached to the vessel are highly via neat, appro.
priate. and elegant, and the workmanship of which is of a very
superior charaver and execution. In shun, the LiotdonEngineer
promises to be a perfect pattern for n Steam Yacht:

Du POOR LAIV.v AND PARISH VESTRY

BILLS.

A ear. of third edition of the Bill for the Amend-
ment of the poor Laws has Come forth, on the order
of the House of Commons. The fir..t publication, if
we may so call it, was " as amended by the, Com-
mittee ;" the second " as amended ;" and the third
" as amended on further re.commitment." Sti!l we
apprehend the business may he incomplete ; at least,
we find by the Petitions against it, that it is not sa.
tisfactory, which is not, indeed, to be wondered at,
considering the nature of the proposed enactments.
The first clauses of the Bill regulate the constitutions
of Select Vestries. The prinuiple of selection is, t
seems, still to be authorised, and this is perhaps the
most odious, because the must dangerous, pert of the
Bill ; but it is attempted to remove this objection ilia
degree, by the consideration thaethe appointment of
them is optional in parishes, and not imperative; that
they subsist only. for one year; and that their con-
duct is to be subjected to the scrutiny of a General
Vestry twice during that year.

At the two first times whet► the Bill for the Amend-
ment of the Poor Laws eras printed by nrd••r of the
Hesse, the Vestry Regulation Bill came forth in like
manner; first, '• as amended by the Committee ;"
and neat, `• as amended :" but, with this third and
last publication of the Poor Bill, " as amended on
further re•commitment," no Vestry Bill has made its
appearance. IVe hail the omen ; and sincerely hope
that this effort at legislation, which would unsettle,
and, in fact, revolutionize into an insolent aristo-
cracy, every parish in the kingdom, is abandoned
by its authors. We observe, that between the two
sketch-s of it, published by order of the If ouse, there is
this difference—Ow in the first, the persons rated are
entitled to a vote for every fifty pounds after the first
hundred at which they ere rated ; and in the second,
for every twenty-five; with a limitation, that their
votes shall not exceed six in number. The latter Is
even the more offensive and degrading arrangement ;
but ueithes, we trust, can take effect.

COTENT-G 11IDEN TIIE%TRE.—Lest night a new
Ballet Interlude was introduced after Rob Roy. It
is by NOBLE, and exhibits considerable taste. It is
a hunting adventure. A stag passes in the distance
pursued by dogs and hunters. The chief of the party
loses his way, and is seen and loved by a nymph or
a grace. Miss f.vriNo is its representative. Ile is
alarmed at the rencontre, and attempts to evade this
novel danger. But his steps are surrounded by groups
of nymphs, who repel him with rose wreaths. 'file
presiding beauty at length flashes on him from the
shade, he loses his fondness for flight, and forgets
every thing but dancing round her. Iles companions
return, the dance deepens, and in the midst of its en.
thusiesm the certain falls. The performance was in-
geniously conceived, end not less fortunately executed.
A veil dance by the Misses DENNET added in no slight
degree to the general favour. The wreathing§ of the
veils were picturesque, their management was dex-
terous, and the dance was, as it deserved to be,
encored.

44 What Italy has gained by the late transfer of.
nations," says Lord BYRON, its the dedication of his
last canto of Childe Harold to JOHN Iloettouse,
"'it were useless for Englishmen to enquire, till it
becomes ascertained that England has acquired some-
thing more than a permanent army, and a suspended
Habeas Corpus; it is enough for them to look at
home. For what they have done abroad, and espe-
cially in the South, verily they will have their re-
ward'—and at tin very distant period."
Con:4-Excn•Nns, APRIL 29 —The Wheat Trade
ns extremely heavy this morning, having had a con-
:Worship quantity of foreign since Monday, and the
,itile that was disposed of to.day was at a decline of
t 4. per qulrter.—Bsrley is also at-As. per quarter
1 ,we., having but few buyers.—Ostt +were doll sale at
Monday's pricsa.—la Peas and .0•1101 no alteration.