The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-10-16


FURTHER PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO THE ILLFATEp
STEAMER CoNNAUGHT-O Origin of the Fire Explained.
"A reporter OF the Boston Post furnishes to that
paper narrative, from which we quote: NV in
tention is to show how the ship would have sunk
even II tire had not broken out, from the fact
that the engine room, not being a water ght COM
partmen, and comprising the greater portion of the
ship, and being entirely exposed, would contain
larger body of water than could be got inio the
whole of the water tight compartments: il is also
my intention to show how the fire originated in the
engine room also the impossibility of getting to
the locality where the fire threatened to do the
most damage,
The engine room, at the least, think, was about
loO feet In length, from one water-tight compart-
ment to another; and being placed amidships was
very spacious, because it located where the ship
had the greatest breadth of beam on the either
side of the engine room were coal bunkers contain
ing at the time of the disaster but small quantity
OF coal; at either end of the engine room were two
boilers, heated by twenty furnaces; and attached to
those furnaces were two tunnels.
The leak, so far as can be ascertained, original.
ed in the forepart of the engine room, and the leak
having gained upon the pumps, and the water
having risen to such height as to extingush the
fire in the furnaces of the forward boilers it became
necessary to centre the whole of the steam power
on the aft boilers; this done in order to attain
the highest rate of speed for the purpose il possible
of saving the steamer.
In consequence of thus centering the force of the
steam power at one given point, the super-heaters
SOLID iron plates-became red hot, and thereby
impaired intense heat to the encasng of wood which
surrounded them, and which covering was lined
with felt in due course of time, became so i'm
pregnated with heat as to take fire, as also to
cause the frame work of wood to ignite
The framework was out of sight, being immedi
ately under the ladies' cabin, and directly over the
top of the starboard boiler; thus it was rendered
| impossible for any one to get water, or anything
| else, near enough to extinguish the smouderng
felt. In consequence of the smoking caused by the
hn II
| such condition that no could remain in it
Capt. Leitch, finding that the fire could not be got
out, ordered wet blankets to be covered over ever
place where the least portion of air could get down
by this means, as also keeping the pumps going
(Which was accomplished bv the saloon stewards =
the flames were kept under till all the passengers
| were out of the ship.
| Ten YEARs.-The changes which have taker
place between 1850 and 1860 in the economic condi
tion oil our country are very great. In thai
| period, the gold mines have been discovered il
California and Australia. In 1s40 we had 81 paper
circulation to 81 of specie; in 1850, only to /; il
| 1861, less than to /. In l849 the product of pre-
@ clous metals was S95 OO0,OOO in 1859 it S264,
| OOO,OOO. The whole amount in the world i:
estimated at $4,000, 600 0O0 of which six tenth,
Is silver. 1t was always supposed that sudden
increase in the quantity of money increases prices
This has not proved true, for in spite of the influx
OF gold, and in spite of the repeal of the English
corn laws, which has enabled US to export immense
quantities of -four and grain prices in general are
lower, and wages higher than they ever were be-
fore. Tables show that prices generally, during
40 years, were highest in 1887, and lowest about
lS43. Flour was so scarce in lS47, that we i'm
ported S5,000,000 worth; its average price for 40
years has been Sc 81 per bbl. The sale of tea has
increased in Is years from l3 900 to 900 900
| lbs.; the average price for that period has been
| forty-eight cents. The cotton crop has increased
in 40 years, from 100000 900 lbs to 800 600 0O0
lbs. A great demand for breadstuffs from lS5O Tn
1857, occasoned by railway labor, and the repeal
of the British corn laws, kept prices generally ON
the advance; but in 1857, on account Of the abun.
crops, the sackening ofthe shipping and railway
interests, and glutted cotton market, downward
tendency prevailed. Prices don't seem generally
to be affected by the fluctuations of paper curren-
cy: In ls49 the bank note circulation was Sll9,-
ooOoOo in 1852, Sl73, 200, 600; in March, 1858, il
was Sl2O, 600, 600; shortly after which it rose to
Slo6 oo0 OO0 The balance of trade in favor of the
United States in the last ten years is $62 058 1884
although our coffee, tea and sugar cost US 10000
oO0 annually. The consumption of coffee in 1884
was lbs. per head; it is now lbs per head. Our
exports of breadstuffs from 1850 to 1S60w $780,
0O0,00O.-Journal of Commerce.
Rev. VIM. 4. Eva, of Newark, Nj, has beer
unanimously elected pastor of the First Church
kensington, made vacant by the death of Rev. Geo.
| Chandler. ftl st