The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-18


Think is Required to Re
| vive Our Lost Commerce.
/ CHESTER, Pa, April II, 1871.
There was launched from the yard Of the Pennsyl-
vania IRON Works, In this town, on Saturday MORN
ing last at hafpast ten O'clock the hull Of the large
| iron screw steamship City OF Houston. This vessel
is being constructed for the enterprising shipping
frm OF Messrs. q. Il. Mallory h Co.. or New York.
and is designed for the trade from that port to
| Galveston.
| The construction OF this screw steamship. which
| In strength, workmanship, beauty Of model and
finish,
| WILL NOT BE ExCBLLED
by any vessel Of her class and tonnage a10at again
brings prominently before the public the position
that the HERALD has often assumed that this coun.
try can build iron steamships and build them well.
The obstacles IN the way to the development OF this
industry in the United States however, seem SO
serious ana SO difficult to remove that not even the
most sanguine citizen, hoping for the time when our
nag shall again be seen in every port and upon
every sea, can feel else than confident that such
ERA OF PROSPERITY
is far distant. There would be utter prostratien In
this branch Of shlpbuilding and naval architecture
to-day were 1t not for few leading and prominent
men, such as the firm for which the City Of Houston
is building, coming into the market and ordering
the construction Of such steamships. To show the
great revolution In the business Of marine arcni-
lecture and The adverse Influences resulting from
the system pursued by the government that doubles
the cost OF necessary materials and adds probably
third to the cost Of labor in producing and manu-
featuring them, 1t is only necessary TO visit this
town OF antiquity on the banks OF the Delaware,
and contrast the departments OF industry in this
wise with those OF few years since. Then the Penn.
AMONG THE LARGEST AND FINEST
IN the country, had score OF contracts on hand,
embracing the building o. IRON steamers, the manu-.
ried business incident thereto; but now there Is o
partial stiffness over the vast works, and there are
only those artisans employed necessary to finish the
present contract.
1t Is really sad that such an establishment as this
once the pride OF Industrial Chester, possessing
every advantage Of completeness Of arrangemenJ
OF buildings. quantity OF tools to construct screw
steamships, and at the command OF the owners
the best OF mechanical skill and architectural
genius, should be compelled to close Its doors for
and nj le
emanatinG from tile country's servants at Washing.
ton, who seem Just now to be only concerned about
the Presidential succession, that will raise the COM
mercial interests OF the land from
ITS SLOUGH OF DEGRADATION,
and adopt some remedial action to help steamship
builders, the present will be the last OF Ehls
establishment under tine existing management.
Houston and the assumed efficiency OF her machi-
merry, now nearly completed In the various shops
vessel,
credrtaDle nature that they deserve more than the
usual reference. The keel OF this propeller was laid
under the personal observation OF agents Of the
BOARD OF UNDERWRITERS OF NEW YORK
In every portion OF It's erection from that time. The
Dimensions OF this, the latest American iron steam
snip, are as follows:- -
Feet
Length on load line. 21e
Breadth OF beam Observation-Disclosures. 33
Height between decks ........................ 8
Estimated light load draught. IA
Tonnage, ], 800 tons, or thereabouts.
The Dimensions OF the materials which have been
used In its construction are sucn that 1t Is safe to
say they will make her the strongest propeller aroat
OF her size. The character OF the work In the hull is
nearly the same as governs the British Lloyds, with
the exception that the butt straps the Of the
double chain ryeted on the plating and buttstraps,
butts OF the end plating, all OF which produce great
strength, and can be termed an
UNUSUAL. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE
Side IS covered WITH the very best type Of Cement
well up to the turn or the bilge, which Is measure
CHARACTERISTIC OF the welldevised pans determined
upon in building the craft, inasnuch 1t Will pre-
vent the corroson wearing OF the angie iron and
rivet heads by particles floating upon them, In
so that when IL Is Clipped Off tho iron looks as
bright and presents as smooth surface as when
new.
The ceiling OF the vessel is composed OF deck
planking four and half inches deep, running high
up to the line Of The bge, that portion up to the
pillars
ARE UNDER EVERY BEAM,
and along the line oil the shaft alley there two
either sde In the hold these pillars are "a inches In
diameter and between decks ~ inches the frames
inches. These placed 81 inches apart and In the
wake OF the engine the frames and reversed bars
doubled. The keel OF this vessel is OF solid iron,
S inches deep by ~ inches wide, through which Is
riveted the stem and stern posts, both OF which are
There is one intercostaI Keelson 2sX inches wide,
and two centre plates running lore and aft on top OF
the cross la nS a deep By cn nsk
inches. There are also two sister keelsons, 261s
inches wide, firmly united to cross floors by angle
between sister keelson and turn OF the bilse, and
also on the latter. The beams, OF the
''BULB IR0Nn CHARACTER,
are and inches. On each tier OF these are
stringer plates those on upper deck being 40 inches
end fhe cross floors are % BY aris inches, having
timber holes In each, the floors extending well up
on the Dilge by far taper.
every respect according to Board OF New York In
derwriteis instructions and plans. The butt straps
with liners, and are put on TO conform with the run
OF the water being chain and treble rlveed. There
are five bulkheads In the City Of HOUSTON three Of
these being water-tight.
on the main deck, from bulkheads both fore aud
aft, extending for q long distance, isa
wATER.TIGHT IRON DECK,
and the coal bunkers Al and 80 leet In length.
The machinery OF this vessel promises TO be excel
have been engaged In constructing 1t ana neither
time nor labor spared to give 1t that completeness
necessary for such steamship. The engine Is Of
the overhead type, with single cylinder As inches
in diameter by feet stroke. 1t has surface con-
denser and separate air pump worked by q lever
like the Old JET condenser style, with separate cir
cuatlng pump. operated BY crank on the forward
end OF the crank shaft Tho air pump is 33 inches
diameter OF cylinder by Is inches stroke The cir
cuat1ng pumps Is by Is inches. The condenser
CONTAINS 2,130 TUBES,
1ve-eighths OF an inch in diameter, and are about
four feet IN length. Steam will be furnished by two
horizontal return tubular boilers, each having three
furnaces and separate smokepipes They will be
placed fore and ait In the vessel, and contain high
ratio Of steam room, with ample CRATE and heating
surfaces, the latter in two boilers being
EQUAL TO 4,532 SQUARE FEET.
The propeller shaft Ia ten and naf inches In da-
meter IN the body, beng IN three lengths OF about
25 feet each, with three spring and one sta.
tioncry bearings. The thrust bearing Is well aft