Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-09-03
BRITISH STEAMBOATS,.


The whole river Clyde is, at tins moment, scene re-
pete with interest to the no s interested IN the
progress Of steam navigation We shown large
chip called the Achilles Of abnu, 1000 tons. foati'
the basin Of Mr. Steele, at Gtecnock which con
tain engines Of about the size OF the British iren aud
which were also shown IN the establishment Of
Messrs I,aird s. Co. The Ach, IL a noble and
symmetrical vessel, rising IL great height ou, Of thu
water yet standing stiff castle; and her engines
are framed in colonnade Of eight GrecIan Dnrc CO.
lumns Of gigantic proportions, carrying an eniaba'ure
which connects the two engines with much elegance
should have imagined sha, This vessel desigutd TO
cross the Atlantic Indian Oceans at least but, to my
ustonishment, found her merely built one at The
magnificent line OF packets between Livrrp"" Gree.
mock and Glasgow, 10 p in concert with almost equal
" fine vessels called The Aceon, Eagle, Commodore.
&c-vesseis large that The dock.gales of Liverpon
10 their shame be il saId) cannot ADMIT the largest and
barely the others The Achilles will form most inter
es,ing experiment in regard 10 the power The proper
ton of 500 horse pnwer TO 1000 tons is proportion
unequaled in the world. and i'll decide some important
questions OF general interest.
There is another expprncn, OF equal interest at pre-
sent in progress in the Clyde. The Fire King is
sci Of very peculiar uciion, built for Mr. Ashton
Smith Of Wales, as steam yacht The midshp section
of the vessel is very peculiar being plan of Mr. Smiths
invention aud the watenes adopted those of which
you have repeatedly given Diagrams in your accounts
Of the British Association. as having been proposed by
Mr. Scott RUSSELL To admit of the vessrl's passing
through the with The least resistance. This expert
ment IS the fourth which has been mnde avowedly upon
this form OF waterBe, the two first having been nude
BY Mr.. Russell himself in lS34-35 This is the largest
yet tried, the vessel being GEO tons. and the engines 22D
horse power; and although the proportional p"wer
much less than what find 10 be in general the
Clyde yet this singular vessel IS the fastest vessel
aioat We told by gentleman who board
Of her trials. and whn had previously been pre-
diced against her shape tina, she performed, without hav
ing a stitch Of the measured distance
ther fresh weather. of 10 3ds mil in ia minutes, being
about 10 miles hour through ,hs water And the
vessel has since gone to L,vefpoo TO Grpenock a.,
from Greenock 10 liverpool each way in less lhsn h
teen hours each way without canvass, IN fresh blowing
weather, being about the rate 10 miles hour THIS
vessel we saw lying alongside the British Queen; and
although she seemed very dlmnu,ivr in comparisons vet
she appears elegantly shaped and part Of her above
wafer has the form Of an excellent boat We were
told that she has also great Capacity for rgo
and would have been repeatedly bnuph, az a merchant
sleaner had not the w!sh.d In retain lsr "a
yacht. We were also shown large Steam shin NJ
Greenock for the India Steam Navigation Comoanr bv
the Cape OF Good Hope and several large lrigaies
fitting up for Gpvernmsnt. besides preparations Inn
large steam ships for the Halifax and London mail |
communication; hu, nsst not extend further The no |
tice Of these preparations London .athen9um
THE SEA SERPENT The Sea Serpent was seen we |
understand on Saturday last the entrance Of Bra
Boat Harbor. between Rittery and York A respec abe
inhabant OF that town, MIR. Chapman, stood on the
shore and saw him pass lesuely along across thu en-
trance Of that harbor not than quarter of mile
dssat He appeared he has usually been d-scribpd
and three times lifted his head six or seven feel
out Of the W8fsr, as if survey the land while AIR
G. looked at him. Portsmouth, Journal.