The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-05-05
ONE DAY LATER FROM EUROPE
A ARRIVAL
OF THE
AMERICAN STEAMSHIP WASHINGTON
AT THIS PORT.
SPLENDID PASSAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.
INTERESTING FROM SPAIN.
Our European Correspondence,
&c., &c., Sc.

Captain G. w. Floyd arrived here early yester-
day morning, with the usual contract mails from
France, Germany and England.
She left Bremen on the 18th ult., and arrived at
Southampton in the night of tho l7th, having en-
! countered a tremendous Southwestern in the North
Sea, behaving, howeveI most admirably as sea
boat She finally sailed from Southampton on Sd
turday, the 10th Of April, at u r. M, and has con-
sequently made the passage in thirteen days and
twelve hours, bringing one day later advces from
London and the continent of Europe than the
advices of the Canada, which sailed from Liverpool
on the Goth ult This quick passage made,
Notwithstanding the icebergs she encountered en-
route
We are indebted TO the kindness Of Capt. Floyd,
and Mr.. Abraham Adams, the genemany clerk
of the W., for files of London and Southampton
papers of the Goth of April.
| The Canada's mails and the Washington reached
| this city at the same time.
The Washington brings sixty-fve second class
| and about seventy first class passengers; amongst
| the latter is Mr.. Charles w. Fenton, the new
| Consul Of the United States for the dAtrict of
| Cowes, the gentleman replacing Mr.. ]. r. Creskey,
who was so unceremonousy thrust out of his APP
pontmeni by the present administration.
The Washington likewise brings the captain and
crew of the brig Lincoln, Capt Averill, which left
Boston on 29ih January last for San Francisco,
California, with general cargo. She was struck
! by lightning on 2d March, in lat 20 n. and Ion.
"a so W., and Immediately took fire, the utmost
exertions of the being insufficient to extin-
| gush the flames. On the 9th March, the crew,
! eleven men and two passengers Were taken off by
the Danish ship Maria Christina, Capt. Voss, from
| Rio Janeiro for Altoona, which vessel put them
on board a pilot boat in the British Channel, and
sent them TO Cowes, Isle of Wight, where they
| safely arrived, and embarked by the Washington at
Southampton.
On freight, this steamer has $50 packages of
German merchandise, shipped at Bremen, about 800
packages Of valuable French merchandise (broad-
stufis silks, satns, ribbons, gloves dresses shawls,
and articles Of fashon) received at Southampton
from IIavre for transhipment besides small guam
tty of British goods. Altogether, the cargo is
comparatively small one, in consequence of the
winter SEASON having gone by. and the
shipments to the American markets not having
begun in either Germany or France.
| The screw steamer Helena Sloman, sailed from
Hamburg for New York, on the 9th of April. Her
competition for German passengers was rather in
furious to the Washington, at Bremen
The Washington arrived at Cowes, from New
York, on the 9th Of April. Fortwo days previously
she had been in heavy gale, and il was found
| that one Of her boilers, which was not properly
fastened down at New York, had shifted little.
A twenty-four hours stay in Cowes roads was
therefore necessary, TO wedge up and secure the
boiler.
The recent alterations in the boilers Of this
steamer, have been attended with complete
cess, so far as the consumption of fuel is
| 81 NJ In, tl, hiubl fisfa
| On the outward passage to England, the Washing
ton burnt little than half the quantity of Goals
which she has heretofore used and had five hun.
dred tons remaining in her bunkers when she cast
anchor of the Isle of Wight. IIomewards the re-
suit has been equally favorable; and whereas on
the voyage from New York to Southampton
and Bremen, and back again to NewYork,
it has been usual TO consume from 800 TO
1900 tons Of Goals, IN the present instance about
1IO0 TO 100 tons have sufliced to accomplish
the same distance and that, too, in unusually bad
weather. Such an immense saving of fuel is a
great consideration in the expense Of sailing the
ship, as likewise il is very important in affording
additional stowsge room for cargo, to the extent
of 80 to 200 tons Of measurement goods, and there
fore afIording the means Of largely increasing the
earnings Of the vessel. As this is matter Of vast
importance TO that numerous and increasing class
Of our readers who are interested in the Of
ocean steam navigation, il may not be out of place
to explain, in brief way, how these desirable al
terations in the Washington have been brought
about.
In the old boilers steam was raised by means of
six very large furnaces; and Notwithstanding every
Effort Of the engineers and frcmen, IL was found
that a sufficient pressure Of steam could not be
kept up to maintain high speed. II was therefore
indispensable TO increase materially the heating
srrface Of the fires; and therefore, in place of six
large fire-places or furnaces eighteen small ones
have been put into the boilers, and these eighteen
/ fires have been found TO consume not much more
than 60 PER cent Of the fuel which used TO be burnt
by the six large ones. We are happy TO lind, too,
from the experience ofthe present thomeward voyage,
that a. regards increase Of the speed Of the vcs
sci, the experiment has been attended with equally
successful results. We are assured, (and our
| opinion IL backed by the judgment Of high Bri-
tish engineering authority that with slightly
increased consumption Of fuel, an augmentation
Of nearly two knots an hour In speed would
be produced. In these days Of powerful competi-
tion when speed is the great dcsderata Il is essen
tial that such alteration he at once made, in or
der that the Washington should not be permitted
| 20 hang far behind any Of the new SHIPS which
have since been built, and which rival, II they do
not surpass, the far-famed British steamers.
| MIR. John II. Mare, who has long been the chief
engineer Of the Washington, is abou to resign his
duties, TO take charge Of the engineers department
in the new steamship Franklin, now rapidly APP
preaching completion, to run between New York
and Southampton and Havre.
On former occasion, we have advcrtsd to the
impolicy Of these shipe running at such inconveni
en dates, and rendering impossible (n four cases
out Of five) for them to be Of any utility az mail
sicsmers, to the commercial community Of either
America or Great Britain The Pos, Office auihori-
tee at Washington should wake up little, and
ooL into THE matter; and the days Of sailing should
he 30 arranged ss not 80 frequently to fall upon the
time Of the departure Of the Cunard steamers. The
Heimann left New York on the 10th Of February,
on the day the Europa let for Liverpool. The