The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-14

The SCKEW AND THE PADDLE NHEEL-A hE-
voLrToN IN SCREW STEAM NAvIoArIoN.-The
almost Simultaneous arrival Of the paddle wheel
steamship Africa and the screw; - Lebanon, at
this port, on Saturday is an q Drtant fact in
the history Of ocean steam navigation.
The Africa sailed from Liverpool on the twenty
eighth Of June. The Lebanon left Havre on the
evening Of the same day. The Africa arrived
here about twelve hours before the Lebanon; the
difference in distance is about ninety miles In
favor OF Liverpool. A careful comparison of
time, therefore, shows that the passages were of
equal duration. Each ship is a model Of its class
Cunard side wheel steamships-the Lebanon is
one Of their best screw propellers II H. then,
fair test Of the merits Of the paddle wheel and
the screw as applied to the navigation OF the
great Atlantic ferry.
The result is most cheering to those who have
longadvocated the superiority Of the screw. The
great war steamer Himalaya left Halifax some
time since, and made the passage to Portsmouth
In eight days and three hours-the shortest trip
ever made from the irgt named port to any place
In England. The English journals and our files
contain other convincing testimony to show that
the screw i quite as efficient as the paddle wheel
80 far az speed isconcerned when the same power
il applied.
The line OF ships from Liverpool to Phiadcl-
phia are worked with the screw, and one Of them
recently brought us four days later news The
ships now running from Liverpool to Quebec are
upon the same principle, and they have always
brought us news The Scotch line from Glas-
quick passages-one in less than twelve days.
Nor is this recent matter. The Great Britain,
the first large screw ship ever built, in 1874
made a quick trip-ten days and twenty-thrce
ho7rs. All these facts 60 to prove the position
now taken by some OF the best engineers, that
the screw Is not only safer than the paddle, but
that ships worked on the screw principle may be
made equally swift.
But the screw propellers are to have still
further and more searching test The mammoth
steamship Great Eastern, Of which towering
achievement in naval architecture we have given
a detailed description, Is to be worked with pad
die wheels and the screw. Her projectors hope
TO get twenty miles an hour from her by the
joint power.
Mr.. stevens's mammoth steam battery, now be-
M built at Hoboken, IL TO have two sorrows
These are worked independently, 80 that the
vessel may be turned upon her own axis Several
other leviathans are now being built, and to most
Of them the screw principle will be applied
The arguments in favor Of the screw over the
paddle wheel are numerous, and have been fire.
qucntly stated. The speed Of ships worked by the
paddle varies very much in proportion to the in
creased or decreased immersion Of the floats Of
their wheels, while with screw ships the variation
in their draugllt Of water has little or no effect
Paddle wheel ships are consequently more liable
TO detention and accident, while the passages Of
propellcrs are more equable and will be quite az
brief For war vessels che screw is undeniably the
safest and the best: and the British government
having proved this by numerous experiments,
have dropped the paddle Wheel system altogether.
Their splendid feet at spithead was composed al
mot altogether Of screw ships. Our screw ship.
the Merrimsc, has not yet had fair chance, on
account Of The stupidity Of some Of the mechanics
in her construction, Ia. NC have hopes