The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-10-24
From the Union.
THE NEW MAIL STEAMER

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We have seen a communication from the AGENT
Of the General Post Office, in New York. who
is experimenting the building of the first steam.
boat which is designed for the transportation OF
the mail to Europe. The letter states the - gen.
eral progress IN the construction of both ship and
engine. which are advancing as fast as can be ex
peeled with a work of such magnitude. The
builders give their whole attention to the subject.
feeling the importance of completing her by the
time specified In the contract, which they give
assurance shall be done. The ship is in frame
They are putting in her keIsoas, of which she
has SeUen. They will, in a few days, cummenc
p%lanking and putting in her beams and the en-.
gines are also progressing as rapidly as it is pos
slbie Tor them IN their present stage, it being the
Stage when all their proportions, location, &C.,
are To be considered and decided on. The boil
eTs, cranks, cylinders. engine frames. and bed
pIales-lhe heaviest OF the work-are all in hand
and are hurried forward as fast as possible."-
The agent promises to send on a drawing. as well
as a description of the sizes of all the limbers,
tastenings. copper aud iron. &c. He pledges
himself TO the department that his " whole time
is devoted to a close examination of all that is du
Ing, and urging them forward TO the completion
ot The whole work by the time specified and to
have 1t done in such a manner as to do credit 10
all concerned y and adds, SO" think it will he,
surprising any steamer hitherto put af1oat."-
he agent (Mr. Il. BrownelI, lieutenant United
states Navy then proceeds:
Thinking that anything, at this time. relating
TO sea steamers will be interesting To the head
OF the department, will aid that, since nv last.
the British steamer Great Western has arrived :
and from the published accounts which Won must
have noticed, you, like many here, wonld think
there could not be much of her left fur sea GER
vice. This was not so. She had had a hard
passage and experienced a severe gale, but the
damage done to the ship was trifing-nothing
like The amount Of fright experienced by those
IN board. The whole damage done was tn one
wheel and guard. ! felt that it was our duty to
examine her. We did so-the master builder
the engine builders, and Mr.. Mills and myself
On going on board, our object was made known
to the captain, who afforded us every facility for
The accomplishment of orr visit and now sub
init 10 The head Of the department some Of nv OBJ.
serYaiiOns. with some comparisons between her
and the ship we are building. To say the least
OF her, she is slightly built for a ship where so
much Is expected and required. say slightly,
compared with ours and still she has stucd So
veral gales among the severest that are nn record
one Is ~ ieet long, 80 feet beam, % feet hold.
and has but one Tier Of beams Although she
has TWO entire decks, and One half her lenoth
her lower deck is laid in fye-inck plank. She
is not sealed mp TO her bilge. She has three KEEL
sons. She has diagonal fasteninps Of iron and
WOOD. lhese constitute her greatest strength,
and have thus far enabled her TO perform what
she has. Now. our ship is 230 feet over all, 30
feet beam, III 8 or 81 6 feet hold. with donnie
The number Of cubic feet Of timber in her thai
the Great Western has she will have three
tier Of beams, seven nelson's fore and aft, from 3
feet to 4 8 thick, Of solid wood, boIied tbrouob
and through floors and keel. As to the engine.
BOILERS, &c there will be equally as great : diff.
ference in favor Of our ship. The Great Yves.