A letter to the Editors of the
Gentlemen
In 1815, I ventured to suggest the advantages which would result from the introduction of steam-boats, for the purpose of towing vessels out of our docks and harbour; and I have since witnessed with great satisfaction, the complete success of a scheme equally simple and efficacious In my fourth letter, addressed to the merchants and underwriters of Liverpool, pubslished in the Mercury vol V. page 71, I endeavoured to show that the objections raised against these boats on account of their incompetence to contend with a rough sea, were founded in error; for this purpose I transcribed a very interesting passage from the examination of Mr DODD, the celebrated engineer, who, in a recent voyage for the express purpose found, that in a complete gale of wind, during a passage of 1500 miles, the steam boat made upwards of three knots and a half over the sea, directly against the wind The burthen of the vessel, which was called the Thames, was 72 tons, and the engine employed was one of 14 horse power, requiring a ton of coals to work a hundred miles.
The encouragement afforded, by this very satisfactory experiment has been so fully corroborated upon a more recent occasion, that I shall transcribe the following pasragraph from the Belfast Chronicle, of a late date, not doubting you will deem it entitled to a place in the Mercury
I remain, gentlemen
Yours sincerely
Oct 20 1818
Extract of a letter from a young gentleman who left this on Monday, for
“Greenock Friday morning – I arrived here safe at seven o’clock – we had a very tempestuous night and high running sea, all the vessels in the channel were scuddling under reefed topsails. The whole of the passengers, myself and two others excepted, were sick, we kept the deck all passage; - and I am now quite convinced of the safety of the steam-packet, as a passenger vessel – we did not ship a single sea”
The above account of a steam-packet making her passage on Monday night last, must be gratifying to every one; and when it is recalled that it blew a hurricane with a tremendous swell in the channel, it places the steam-packet in a very interesting point of view to our mercantile town, and clearly shows the advantage such vessels have over all others, in making a certain passage without the necessity of waiting for a fair wind. Were such vessels adopted to convey the mails across the channel, the advantage to be derived from it must prove great indeed –