The Republican journal., 1882-08-31
The Speed Of Modern Steamships

In q profusely illustrated article con
tributed by $. G. W. Benjamin to the
September Century, the author (who has
already written entertainingly on sail
ing and steam yachts in the June ana
July Century,) describes the improve
ments in ocean steamships, and SAYS in
part
Thirty years ago sixteen days was q
fair allowance for the passage between
England and New York by steam BY
gradual steps the point was reached
when eleven days was the minimum,
and this startled the whole world. Then
began a rivalry between the lnman and
White Star lines, attended by Il success
sion OF runs showing a gradual increase Of
speed, which proved a great ADVERTISE
ment for these lines. In lS7l the aver
age time Of twenty four crack voyages
by these lines was eight days, fifteen
hours and three minutes. The Adriatics
best westward time was forty three
minutes less 1t should be remembered
that the westward passage is generally
longer than in the other direction, owing
to westerly winds and the Gulf Stream.
In emulation Of this speed in 1877 the
City of Berlin, of the inman line, made
the trip to Queenstown from New York
in seven days, fourteen hours and twelve
minutes, and in the same year the Brit
annie, of the White Star line, crossed
from Queenstown in seven days, ten
hours and fifty three minutes. In 1879
q new rival appeared in this field, the
AriZona of the Guion line. This steam
ship made the eastward passage in 1850
in seven days, ten hours and forty
minutes, and in one trip in 1881 she
lessened this tine about three hours.
This seemed to be the best that could
be expected of these superb ships, when
the new Guion steamer, Alaska, after a
number OF astonishing runs, accomplish
ed the westward passage between the
two ports, on April Is, 1852, in seven
days, six hours, and twenty minutes,
actual time, against heavy seas. In a
subsequent trip eastward she ran the
distance i'll six days and twenty two
hours, actual time. In this, the quick
est passage ever made across the Attain
tic, the Alaska Travelled 1896 knots, be-
ing about an average Of 4lS1 knots per
day. for seven successive days 1t will
be observed that the increase Of speed
has been graduated in proportion to the
gradual mere Sc of size. The ships of
1850 We're rarely much over $500 tons,
and were barely 300 feet long. Now the
average length of ocean steamers is 400
feet while five hundred feet is not un-
common. The City Of Rome is $50 feet
long and registers 1896 tons; the Servia
is $50 feet, and $500 tons; the Alaska
is $40 feet, and 69}2 tons. The Austral,
intended for the Australian trade, is 474
feet long and As feet :, inches broad and
registers $500 tons. The measurement
OF this vessel, and Of the new Cunarder
Cephalonia, which is 44O feet long by 46
feet beam, indicate that the reaction
against extreme length has already com
menced in the great ship-yards of Great
Britain, being m each of these cases less
than ten beams to the length.
A waX-work figure of Franklin, on eX-
hibtion in France, is labelled: "Frank-
lin, inventor of electricity. i This
savant, after having made seven voyages
around the world, died Oh the Sandwich
Islands, and was devoured by savages,
of whom not single fragment was ever
recovered"
An exchange says that our navy is still
in it's infancy, which would justify the as
%l. tl u I T.