The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-20
Ocean Steam Navisation-The Advantages
OF the Screw Propeller ms COntrasted with
the Paddle Wheel.


TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
NEW YORK. Jan. II 1857.
Your article time since the subject of screw
propulsion, followed no by valuable statistics covering
The gress Of ship building for the year 1885, and the
general interest you tske In commercial AFFAIRS induce
to offer through your columns few considerations In
relat ION 10 portion Of marine which seems to me
are Of public importance
phe Introduction OF a new system Of propulsion by
England in l84o, m,nifesting hsef 30 strongly 70
our dsad vantage that high time commercial men
lool Ing into the subject with view 10 Its remedy
II We would retain share Of the commerce Of the
world. That the Of cr's In regard 70
our steam marine think TAINTED with the sub
jeCt will deny.
The present expense or keeping up steam marine
perfectly friehtul The Adriatio nearly completed
flor the Collins ne) will oos, very little any less than
one million Of dollars before she leaves her dock; and
you 10 add the expense Of running
such vessel nothing short Of the strong Of the gov
eminent could maintain such an enterprise Mr. Wander
bits new steamer which cost $500 has yet to make
her maiden trip, and has been lying several months at
her deck for want of profitable employ.
If we take strictly . commercial view OF this matter,
we shall see that whe these gentlemen are in competition
with each other. there is little inducement for other
kindred enterprises, even upon the bass Of cheaper
system meantime, the English people are Wis orousv
Of II e.e cIcunsta ces ana already making sad
Drosds upon our commerce. through the fundamentally
Mr. Cunard. who /. the type OF English shrewduess,
introducing propellers, and by tins entering
INTO monopoly Of the canyiIg and passenger trade at
IL . singular fact true as am crediby intor med
H. that there but one paddle "beel steamer his for
Mr. Cunard, which he well afJrd, so long a. his 60
veInment supports him. now being constructed In all
Hglapd
arpv a remedy, the obstacle which presents
hpe Is the present cxoensve system upht hitherto by
the aid Of the ve'nment and no~ ptrsstently main
tanned by the fading acal men o. his metropolis
Inc government elbows symptoms OF disnon-
nation 10 continue Its patronage beyond legd
bara TO KIN but the inevitable laws Of mechanics ADD
commerce will IN cue Time assert their sway, and II they
10 Il wall The fart lie, there gentlemen
fr m pecessiiy paddIewnee men; they have grown up
In the systcm It has absorbed their ana energy,
and they now insst that shall maintain IT, We are
fact people, and do not hike TO be beat 1T whatsoever cost
ard 90 We adhere ana pin our fah 70 the opinions and
expc, fence Of thcse who tell that speed Of
the most In porian elements In commerce land this
tue up to the limit OF economy and that the paddle
wheel system 10 The only means Of obtaining l The
epestop, then Is narrowed down 10 = mechanical
and have Aiih to believe there u inventive genius
enough country oil these obstacles
The fpalsb screw sy,,em and own 20 far As We
havo accepted ~ las BEEN TO place single screw land
tia, OF email dlmei zion, when com nred with paddle
wbee, In tho ext me alter booy OF the vessel and this
simple ip tfumept bss been made elective In Fog
land at least, that Notwithstanding is great disparity
20 drive Il, that vessels OF equal capacity have
BEEN oriven by n within q fraction OF the iamo
,pstd, wl,h Srg moe'y Of the power, .' We,
twice smorDt Of power sppred 10 them VIII somo OF
engineers tell rs how screws eighteen feet da
meter and ttrty ico Lead or pitch, with four feet INNER
Of blades Of the ual wiath the motive power ap
piled TO the Adrac ~oulc drive at velocity OF one hun
them NAH. no, he screw b. ouse ruuIed the question
would put then, to shpouders and engineers, or
II We are relieved rom our recent eincues We must
In n I'm Y - n n n
dypsmics or Otherwise that sold prevent the effective
application Of The screw TO the sides Of vessels in the
saue manner ss paddlewbeesf put this question the
moro connds r,iy from the TACT ,ba, recently
ceived communication from distinguished Engsh en-
rpser In which be says In audirg to this subject ny
opinion Is decidedly ns screw the after end
the vtvc Tor az high velocoe increa ses that normal
INN, rsion Of The str end side propulsion would be
greatly superlor 10 itindocd has very often ongssed
| am aware ibs, eide screw propulsion has long ago
beer attempted both in Burcp ana IN this country, AND
without succesf; but the gcrsw has been great
iy improved, and very dinerent instrument
| from what II was WHEN iheee expert meuts were
mace, TO say noibiDg Of the Improvements In the
marine engine TO give velocity OF motion, which 10 -
ersptal 70 render Them effective for speed
obvious. the reforo, 10 the commonest mind that
there fair test o epeod between the two sysoms
until can place the rcrew Ia an equally favorable
20 op and apply corresponding Number Of least and
only remains or me 10 add, a. pertinent TO this sub
iect, that While On ny way through ibe lakes during
the psst SUMNER my attention drawn 10 vessel
propelled by ibis novel application. IL excited my es
pscal wonder both account OF the large size OF the
vc',e -hsn compared with the Of her screws ard
the motive power required TO propcl then. Wa told
thai the vessel was formally paddle wheel boat, and
Rad bor former IN debt al since her altera
tor, notsithstancpg her motive power had been re
decd than bali. her spced lad been consferA
bly, Increased and to this added the importance Of
greatly aus mtDed cargo sDace enab ng her 10 carry
from $50 10 eco tons more freight. This vesse has now
been runnr three seasons and said TO be very prod
Table 10 her Tboso facts iuue, (sni Il not 80,
,bey can he oasny conuover,ed) seems % me- ought
10 excite the attention o. cur shipbuidsrs and engl-
| nctrs. ID
| The Eject OF Gov. CIark's General Amnesty.