The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-12

cniated with certainty to day, if not to hour
The effects of this, not only on commerce but Oh
every department Of trade and manufactures no
only on the merchant and broker, but on the ma
uiacturer ans artsan-.t was difficult to over-est
mate. glance at the extent of our commercial
reiauons with America will present this in cieare
hight. In 1886 the value of the exports from thi
country was E53, 36S ,572, or little more than
million OF pounds sterling every week; of which
while about third sent to Europe, and
seventh to Asia and Africa, nearly fourth tcGs
TO the United States and another fourth to other part
| OF America Again, our imports from America con
sst of articles that have become essential both TO tho
| industry and subsistence of the people. The Rgan
| tic cotton manufacture Is an example. The mum
Der of cotton factories in England is .753 in vtic.
2s2 s62 persons are employed II to this number
| We add that large class engaged in dealing In the
| raw material, that other large class employed IL
making the machinery; others in bleaching, dyeing
and printing; and the host Of tradesmen and shop
| keepers engaged in supplying their wants, we
shall find that Gncluding their anilies) about an
eighth OF the population arc directly or indirectly
| dependent for support and subsistence on this
| great branch Of industry. In 1896 the quantity Of
raw cotton imported to supply the factories with
| material, and the factory WORKERS with employ
ment, was In weight about four hundred millions
| OF pounds; and OF that quantity more than four
| hiths came from the United States of America
alonej while the value of the cotton manufactures
exported from the United Kingdom during the
ia rtber, very large proportion OF the dyes used
in calico printing such cochineal, logwood, &c,
are brought from America; and from the same
continent procured the greater part Of the sup
plies OF those articles now become necessares of
lifc--sugar and colfee-which are pethapsconsumed
to greater exteut among the factory workers tina n
among any other part OF the population 1t is OBJ.
vions that whatever tends to give regularity and
speed to the intercourse by means Of which this
immense trade ia carried on, must ut the same
time introduce greater certainty and steadiness
into all its departments, and prevent many Of those
fluctuations aud changes detrimental TO the in :
terests OF all concerned, but especially OF tho4e
whose labor is their only capital
However, amid all this thinking and prophecy
ing, amid the calculations of philosophers and the
speculations of merchants, hundreds OF workmen
we're engaged at Bristol in constructing a large
steamer to be called the Great Western, which
should at and for set the question at rest
The men Of practice did not share the doubts of the
men OF theory; capital was supplied to sufficient
extent, and the public looked in anxious cx-
pectation Of the result The Great Western was
finished in 1888, and announced to sail on her first
voyage on the Sth of April The appearance Of
this magnificent steamer inspired all spectators
with confidence in her fitness for the work. Seen
from distance, she had an appearance of strength
| rather than of beauty; above the long black hull
rose short thick funnel and four masts; the deck
two hundred and thirty-sx feet long, was not
curved like those Of many other vessels, but almost
straight from stem to stern; her huge paddle
boxes, distant from each other nearly sixty feet,
which were attached paddles ten feet long. The
horse power of the engines was four hundred and
fiity5 the weight of the boilers and machinery
three hundred tons, and the burden one thousand
three hundred aud forty, or less than three
tons for each horse power, and thus considerably
within the limit prescribed by the philosophers.
She seemed strong and compact ship, and not
likely to be easily turned aside from her course by
either the winds or the waves OF the Atlantic ocean
But when the visitor went on beard, he filled
with as much admiration OF her beauty "a Of her
streDg b; the ca bin accommodation OF the most
splendid kind, not excelled by any hotel on shore
Sofas, couches handsome mahogany tables and
other elegant furniture, adorned the saloons; the
decorations were most profuse and elaborate;
while large mirrors multiplied all this splendor.
The sleeping apartments were neat, clean,
and SO comfortable, that their improvement seemed
to be almost impossible. The visitor, indeed, was
more likely TO imagine hiinself in a fairy palace
described in some old tale, than on board a steam
ship about to proceed on a long and dangerous voy
age; but when the elegant aud luxurious cabins
were lett, and he stood before the colossal machin
cry wonder seemed 10 be exhausted, and all doubts
OF the success of the enterprise fled away.
The Great Western sailed from Bristol on the 9Th
April 1898, having on board 600 tons of coal and
seven adventurous passengers. Three days pre-
Viously the SIRIUS, smaller vessel than the for
mer, built to ply between London and Cork, had
steamed from the latter port right in the teeth
Of a strong westerly wind, and with New York
also for her destination. Never there such
a race as this struggle OF two steamers, which
snculd Nr5t traverse the cnure breadth OF Inc
wild Atlantic. The very wind seemed to be
angry with the ships First it blew strong
gale from the west, that raised a heavy sea; but
THE, that would have retarded calling vessels,
never caused the two brave steam pioneers to alter
their course This point of the compass would not
answer, so the wind chopped round until IT had
completely boxed the compass, and tried all its
powers IN strong breezes, fresh gales, and the like
but with other effect than indicated in the
brief record-"vesseI lurching deeply, bot easy"
The wind then for some days kept veoring round
the west as II to make last effort 10 impede what
1t could not stop; but 1t was Of no avail the steam
ers went steadily The Sirivs, that had the
start by three days, made little wa comparatively
during the first week. She carried more weight
in proportion than the Great Vestern; but "a her
Goals were consumed, she became more lively,
and, in sporting phrase, "madc more running"
Thus, during the frat week che was out, her daily
run was never more than one hundred and thirty
Elk milesJ on the second day II was only eighty-
Dtne. The Great Wesfern, on the contrary, made
ten miles hour during the second day, and her
average daily speed during the entire voyage was
two hundred and eleven miles Al such speed
I she would soon overtake the Sirius, that had the
start by about four hundred miles only But as
the itle vessel got lighter che went ahead; the
lith she ran two hundred and eighteen miles,
/ much as the Graf UssteTn on the same
dny on the 22d she ran only three miles less than
the large ship; but the latter then in the snmc
parallel of latitude, and only about three degrees
Oflongitude behind Still it wes a close chase; but
AZ last the Sirius, by OF her long start. wac
lbe winner. sne feaehtn rev DIX on the morn
ing of the 23d, and the Crtat Jpssisrn came in the
same afternoon.
The SIRIUS was too small for continued Atlantic
navigation, and she was coon Withdrawn TO pursuc
her original route between Cork and London, and
vas lost some years ago on the colst of Ireland.
I Tho Great Husten, however, continued to ply
regularly and successfully From 1898 TO 1874
che made thirty five outward and thirty five home.
ward voyages-steaming altogether quarter Of a
million Of miles in all kinds OF weather. The on y
accident that befell her during such service wes
"the loss Of a bowsprit in coming up like a whale
70 blow after n rather deeper plunge than usual
with fair Roadway on her right course, and
againBt a head wind and sea-" The average dis
lance steamed each voyage nearly SOC
/ milcs, Gone of the voyages was 1893 miles in
| length, but that was TO New York RIA Madeira y
1 the time occupied in gOing 10 New York was ID
days IL hOtEs, and in returning l3 days 9 hours
| The shortest outward run was m May, ls43 wher
the voyage was performed in II days ls hours, OF
| not much more Than third Of the average tim'