The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-12-09
ENeLIsR MAIL SrEAMERs.--The London
News contains the following interesting statement OF
variety Of experimental results, showing the power
a. s,r,a Of tbe t,rus Steam yes sells LATELY built

ENCLISH MAIL STkAAEns.- NC Ao""""
News contains the following interesting statement Of
a variety Of experimental results showing the power
OF some of the large steam vessels lately built
One If the most interesting scientific problems oi
The present day l., at What rate mast the m'Sni'ide
oil paddle box steamship and its engine power IN
the distance the ship rayerscs without coal
in, Increases the speed oil said ship being constant
or an in reising quant.ty, We hiv, paddle steam
ers that will run three thousand miles IN ten days.
But ali attempts go further than that, at the same
ratio Of speed have been found most difficult, the
weight of the wheels required 10 prope the incieas-
ing Intude of the ship, and the weight OF the adj
dtiolal coal consumed by the increasing engine pow
er have more than counterbalanced the additional
power that has been given TO the monster steamers
that have been recently built In fact, II was found
impossible almost build ships that would carry
Goals saclent for a longer voyage than three thous
and miles; and the feathering float wheels which ac-
celerae tie speed moderate sized steamers, not
available for larger ones, because the ironwo'k ne
cessary for their construction Is weigh'y that IL
coun,eracts all their advantages.
II has been a dosidcratum with the West India
Mail Company 10 have steamers that VIII run be
tween SOUTHAMPTON ANA ~. Thomas at the same ra
TO Of speed as Cunari's ships hetwecn Liverpool
and New York. To ID this the -. Thomas pas
SAGE should b. done la twelve diNs for the distance
Is nearly three thousand seven hundred miles. The
O.inoco, Ndgalcua, PaIana, have been built iir
purpose; lat attn inCsc stiiS are 1lii-
cent specimens Of naval architecture, aud Afford
most luXuio us accommodation To passengers, they
IA led To up 10 the required speed, and then
consumption OF cnal--neary 100 tons day-wos
enornous. 4 iength the above named company
started the La Plata, a monster ship, differently
stuucted from thc others, and bestowed upon her
everything which science and wealth could command
The company stihed ever, thing On this ship. The
whole community interested IN shppin. anti
cpated her performance with the greatest anxiety
and if she had failed, human ingenuity would have
been bafflcd. There is not the slightest doubt
but what aioai that Will four hous-
and miles in fortnight, without stopping, and that
that steamer is the La Plata. This a most inter-
esting fact, not less tan the discovery which
made wears ago, that steamer would cross the At
lutc, bec..us, some clue lie obtained as Ia
the means by mhch g.oat occaa stages can lie ira
ycIscd 1T high speed al taciyc on thirteen miles
an hour cGntinu"usly '.
At ) so i. NJ. on ihc I1lh Of August last the IA
Plata cast oil i.on te hH,y opposite Noticy AhiNy
in Southampton Mater, with neaiiy 100 tns Of
co bJafd. b s:drs cargo, passengers. and mails
She ha an eib I'D" and IN twenty minutes after.
wards she abr .i>t of Cal,hot CAST. At 30
Z. NJ. she passed The Needles rock. st night sct
il a TO- came or, wil.h detained her two hours
The iitst clear DAYS after leaving Southampton,
So accomplished 2ij miles, and continued to in
cease IN speed a. she consumed her Coals. On the
2lSt, At 3, 35 Z. VI, While she gang AZ full
overheard. The massive en-. were stopped, the
sails backed, two boats lowered, and In less than
seven minutes the taken of a life buoy
which had been thrown to him, and in twenty MIN
n;es from the time of the CRY, the boats were up
the sails set, and the engines at full speed again.
Oa the 23, at sunset. the La Plata passed the Azor-
cs, and ut the 2i,h half the voyage was
accomplished, Her speed now increased To
300 miles pes day, which speed was KEPT up with
very Little variation 70 ;hc el Of the voyage. The
wind and weather were plnp ions, iylf there were
the usual drawbacks expc. eirod on the first yo,at,
of 4 new ship-the :rsia,s became heated the pack
ing of the cylinders l,caulc unse il steam escaped
ana the floats h-cai.ir uiisrrewcd or Ieatchct.-
These draw backs ani other accidents caused A de-
tention Of 4lo4t hours during the VOYAGE. The
Ia Plaza catered ST. Thomas al g. ij L. II -. on the
a)th at, and considering the difference OF time at
: SOUTHAMPTON ard 81. Thomas, and the accidental
slsy of the voyage, the whole distance was trav.
eed in a iiitle than u days. Captain Allen,
the comna:'dcr Of the La Plata, fully expects 20
reach Southampton on the evening OF the 2Sh, or
morning of the 10Th Of this month, with the West
India and Mexican mails, and to perform the dis
lance from St. Thomas To Southampton in less than
IL DAYS. The La Plata cons neh 1874 tons Of coal
on her outward voyage and had therefore, about 200
tons left when she reached st. Thomas. The pre-
vang winds she experienced on that voyage were
cssterly, and Of course favorable, but the sails of
the La Plata scarcely ever Of any avail as she
outstripped the wind, or steamed at an equal rate
v 18th it.