The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-07
Ocean steam Navigation.


chanies' Magazine published by ID. ArrLE
ron & Co., of New York; series Of extracts
from the eighth edition ofone of Dr. LARDNER's
popular lreatises on the Steam Engi aud
Steam Navigation, some of which bear upon a
question OF present interest. In this volume
the doctor examines and relutes the charge that
has been made against him Of his having sought
! to demonstrate the imposslbllity Of navigating
the ocean by steam. "What did affirm and
maintain" says the DOCTOR in S36-37, was,
that the long voyages by steam, which
were contemplated, could not be mantaine1
with that regularity and certainty which are
Indispensable to commercial success by any
revenue which could be expected from traDic
alone; and that without 4 government subsidy
ct 4 considerable amount such lines of steam
ers, although they might be started, would
not be permanently maintained" The plan,
therefore, that he advocated, both in Dublin
before the British Association in 1886, and sub
seqnently in London and other principal towns Of
England, and again at the meeting Of the British
Association at Bristol, (where he is said to have
pronounced the project impracticable,) was to
establish a line of steam communication be-
tween one of the western ports and Boston.
touching at Halifax, and thereby securing the
contract for the conveyance Of British mails.
whatever might be the ports of departure
AID arrival the doctor adds, 81 insisted upon
the necessity of securing the conveyance of
the mails, and liberal subsidy from the Post
Office, an indispensable condition for the
| commercial success Of the enterprise" He
| then proceeds to state the result, which we
| give in his own language:
"Ins practical results of tbs various projects proue
| the truth Of has predictions.
"Now, let us see what has been the practical
result.
Eight steamships, including the Great IYesiern
were, after the epoch Of these debates placed
| upon the projected line between England and
| New York: the Sirius, the Royal JJiHian, the
| Great Liverpool, the United States, the British
Queen, the Pendent, the Great JPestern, and the
| Great Britain
"The Sirius was almost Immediately withdra wn;
| the Royal William, after couple of voyages,
shared the same fate; the Great Liverpool, in a
single season, involved her propretors in loss of
10000, and they were glad to remove her to the
Mediterranean station. The proprietorS the British
Queen, after sustaining loss which is estimated
at little less than El00 900, sold that ship to the
Belgian government. The United Stales was soon
| transferred, like the Great Liverpool, to the Med.
iterranean trade. The Presidenf was Lost. The
Great Weetern il ID well known, after continuing
for some time to make the voyage in the summer
months, being laid by during the winter, and
after involving her proprietors in loss of unknown
and unac acknowledged amount, sold. OF the
Great Britain the fate is well known.
"Thus it appears, in fine, that after the lapse OF
nearly fourteen years, notwithstanding the great
improvements which took place in steam naviga-
ton, the project advanced at Bristol and there
pronounced by Inc to be commercially impracti.
| cable. has signally failed.
"Ihe Cunard steamers, established on the conditions
suggested by Dr. Lardntr have alone been success
fH. Meanwhile another project, based upon the
conditions which had indicated 9 essential to the
pcrmancncc and success of the enterprise, was
started
"Mr. Samuel Cunard, Canadian, who had ex-
tcnsive experience in maritime affairs bsing ASSOC
| cated with some large capitalists who had conf.
dence in his sagacity and skill, laid before the
British government project for line of post office
steamers 90 ply between Liverpool and Boston,
touching at Halifax. But DIR. Cunard insisted
strongly on the necessity Of providing considera-
Die meet OF steamers, 10 insure that peTmanence
and regularity which Indispensable TO the
success Of the project lie demonstrated the mag
utude Of the capital it must involve, and the vast
expenditure attending lite maintenance were such
as could not be covered by any commercial returns
to be expected from it, and that, consequently il
could only be sustained by liberal subsidy, t. be
furnished by the government Aftcr much nego-
dston, il was agreed to grant him an annual sub
sidy OF fo0,D00, upon which condition the enter
prise commenced. Mr.. Cunard, however, had
hardly embarked in il before it became evident
that this grant was insufficient and it was soon
increased to El00,O00 per annum. Further ex-
pericnce proved that this was insufficient to
enable Cunard and his associates to maintain the
communication in satisfactory and efficient man
ncr, aud the annual subvonsion was, in fine raised
to its present amounttha is to say, l. las 900 ster.
ling per annum {"