Daily national Democrat., 1858-10-30


ping and Commercial List remarks that ocean
steamships are not suitable for the general
transportation business, but only for the rap
id conveyance of mails, passengers, specie
and costly freights. To obtain high rate OF
speed makes necessary a greatly increased
strength in all parts of the vessel, more fre
quent and costly repairs, and an enormous
consumption of fuel.
The Collins steamers have been running
but six years, and yet their repairs have
amounted, in all, to more than the prime
cost of the ships, or to about Is per cent per
annum. They will, however, probably de
preciate ten per cent during the next six
years, and at the age of twelve or fourteen
years will be unfit for service. The steamer:
Hermann and Washington, which had strong
hulls, have been run eight years, and are
now nearly worthless. Their depreciation
has been, at least, ten per cent per annum
The steamers Ohio and Georgia, which Com.
modore Perry and other enterprising navy
agent, pronounced to be well built and pow
erful steamers, ran only five years and were
laid aside, and are said to be worthless.
1t is said that American steamers do not
upon an average, last above ten years The
great cost of coal is apparent from the single
fact that the 270 steamers in the British ma
wy with about $4,000 aggregate horse pow
er, consumed in 1856, $50, 900 tons 1t is
laid down as rule of general application
that the power of coal necessary to produce
speed, increases as the cube of the velocity
Taking Collins steamer of 5000 tons, We
find that in running fourteen miles per hour
as they have frequently done the consump
ton would be l2S tons per day, or 1852 ton:
for the passage. And yet one of those steam.
ers could make twelve miles per hour or
S0.4 tons per day, or eleven miles per hour
on 6l.9 tons, or less than half that used al
fourteen; all going to prove that fast mai
steamers cannot live upon their receipts OF
! the ocean.
The greater the speed of steamer, tn,
less is it able to carry freight; and the time
will doubtless soon come when the fast mai
packets will take nothing except few ex
press packages. The Persia now takes scarce
ly any freight, and the Vanderbilt canno
think of doing it when she makes fast trips
The trip of the Arago or Fulton to Havr,
and back, costs about $4,000.
To put new set of boilers in one of tn,
Collins steamers costs about $4,000, an(
thls. must be done every six years
Inc lacts III TINS matter are obtained from
a treatise on Ocean Steam Navigation, by
Thomas Rainey, Esq. Mr. Rainey, having
been long stationed on the coast of Brazil a
United States Commercial Agent, wher,
English steamers monopolize all the mos
valuable carrying and passenger trade. he i
enabled to speak intelligently on the subject
Prizes Current.
CT5- The S. F. Mercantile Gazette remark
that the facility with which money can nov
be obtained in San Francisco, and the readi-
ness evinced by capitalists to meet applica
tions for loans, of a character suited to thei
views of security, present a striking constras
to the experience of the past. This condition
of affairs has not been brought about by
supplies from foreign sources, as the amour
of money owned abroad and employed il
San Francisco is well known to have beer
considerably diminished within the last tw'
years. 1t follows, consequently, that ther
has been an accumulation of wealth by thi
community, The Gazette adds that tn
Frazer river excitement has contributed il
no small degree to this result.