The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-02-21
Winans' Cigar Ship.

L
accounts were published long time ago, il
Is thus described by the London Morning
Herald:
The general form. Of the cigar ship has
been, IS her name shows compared with
that Of cigar, pointed off at both ends in
stead Of one. A more homely, but. per
haps, more effective illustration, Is that Of
the unpleasant but tavorite plaything OF our
street boys, the tipcat. More Of our lands,
men readers will be more or less familiar
with this simple but ingenious instrument
Of annoyance, andif they will fancy brob-
dignag cat of slender make, and tapcring
to an absolute needle, point at either end,
they will have before their eyes the exact
representation Of the hull Of the cigar ship.
This HULL which is, of course, hollow, and
formed Of iron, presenting q perfectly
smooth and even surface, supports upon the
| upper side small deck, occupying about
half, or something less, to the extreme
| length, the tapering extremities projecting
beyond it at either end. Unlike the hull
itself, the deck is not exactly the same at
each end, presenting a edgeshapen front
| toward the bow, while ut the stern it is
rounded of, American clipper fashion.
| Above the deck are to be seen the tunnels,
| companion-houses, &c., but neither mast
nor rigging Of any kind whatever, the only
means of locomotion possessed by the cigar
| ship being her engines, for which she can,
according to estimate, carry coal enough for
| five days consumption. Her extreme length
is about two hundred and fifty feet, aud
greatest diameter about sixteen feet, taper
ing gradually as we have said, TO point
almost as that Of Q needle. The amount Of
accommodation is therefore extremely Ii
mited; and we believe ii is not proposed
to make any attempt at carrying cargo OF
any description, but to confine the vessel
strictly to passenger trade. Even then it is
difficult to imagine, after due allowance for
saloon and sleeping apartments, stores,
berths for crew, &C., what space can be left
for engines estimated to work up two thou
sand horse power.
"The means of propulsion employed are
| two large screws, one at either end of the
vessel, and placed within very short dis
lance Of the extreme points, or at a distance
of about one hundred and twenty feet from
the machinery. These propcllers are to be
of great diameter and sharp pitch-the one
pushing, the other pulling the vessel, and
each half of its surface above the water.
The estimated extreme speed is about TIVE n
, ty-seven miles per hour. A short distan &C
from the propeller, and nearer to the centre
Of the vessel, is the rudder-at each end
broad iron plate like the ruddcr, or rather
steering paddle, Of the ancient galleys
These are also rather more than one hun
drcd feet from the steeing apparatus.
"Such is the general external appearance
Of this remarkable vessel, now almost ready
for launching. In the water her line of fioaf a
ton, according to the model Of which we
have before spoken, is exactly parallel with
her longitudinal axis, the sharp point al
either end being just level with the surface.
Allowing sixteen feet as her extreme diane.
ter, she will thus be raised in the centre eight
more of bulwarA, ten feet in all. We are
free to confess that, with every possible de-
sire to believe in the good qualities of a yes
sci which promises to bring us our American
news in some three or four days, and to lin
it that dreaif channel business to within
the hour, we are nj loss to understand how
under these conditions, the cigar ship pur
poses 10 keep afoat. In perfectly smooth
water we can imagine that she might, il
successfully ballasted against the chance o.
rolling over and over, as would be Of cours,
her natural tendency, make something very
like the estimated speed, though with wha
degree Of comfort to the passengers, deprived
by the construction Of the vessel Of all ligh
or ventilation except such as can be obtaine,
| from the deck by means Of skylights ant
| wlndsails, and with two enormous propeller
Of severe pitch flashing the water at either
end, is another question. The advantages
too, Of being cooped up in such extremely
close quarters, with an engine Of this enor
nous power. may also be open to question
| even under the most favorable circum-
stances.
But the real difficulties of the cigar ship
as of most others, must commence with thu
! first symptoms of breeze. Imagine YES
sci of this construction travelling at the rate
| Of fve-and-twenty miles an hour-the mini
| mum rate, be it remembered, for the New
York passage, on account of the consumption
| of coal-meeting in mid-oc one of the
westerly gales now careering across the At
lantic. In front of her is a wall of water
twenty feet high, travelling at the rate of
dozen miles an hour. Between them they
meet at speed Of forty miles. There is nc
bow to lift her over the obstacle. Right
into it che plunges, like harpoon into a
| whales back. the whole force Of the blow
being met BY the propeller, which, however
severe may be its pitch, cannot present any
| thing very much better than an almost fiat
surface to the shock. What chance the
blades would have Of surviving any very
long succession Of such shocks is matter Of
simple calculation, and one into which, the
engineers have no doubt fully entered"
INrRIcACIEs or THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The construction of the English languag.
must appear most formidable to foreigner
One of them, looking at picture of q mum
| Der of vessels, said. "See, what. flock O.
ships!' He was told that flock of ships
was called fleet, and that fleet of sheer
was calldd flock. And it was added, fol
his guidance in mastering the intricacies O
our language, that 50 flock Of girls is callet
a bevy, that a bevy of wolves is called ,
pack, and pack of thieves is called gang
and gang Of angels is called host, and .
host of porpoises is called a shoal, and !
shoal Of buffaloes is called herd, and here
of children is called troop, and troop 0
cartridges is called covcy, and a covey O
beauties is called galaxy, and a galaxy
| Of rutfians called horde, and q horde O.
rubbish is called heap, and heap Of oxer
is called drove, and q drove Of blackguardl
is called mob, and mob Of whales is callet
school, and school Of worshippers i.
called congregation, and q congregation o.
engineers is called corps, and corps o.
robbers is called band, and band Of locusts
is called swarm, and swarm Of people il
called crowd"
A STRANGE Story is told Of two sisters al
Berlin. About three years ago one of these
young ladies was engaged to be married. but
on the bridal morning became so i'll that she