THE VOYAGE OF THE "INFLEXIBLE."

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 94, 20 March 1847, Page 3

THE VOYAGE OF THE "INFLEXIBLE."

[Tioni the N.\clne> ~Shu< 'r>j Ilun'rt, Vcb. iS ] Amid the di-,eiuMon-> on the iAvum co'iinnnkvlUm question, follow in,? ujmn the movement reoe-ullv made in Ltt!>hiiKl to obtain the establishment between Sydney and Singapore, the application oi steun n >\igauon to the diivct sea course by Uio Cape of (*'od.l I lope, has not been considered. In ilia present po-n'.onol the question, it 111 '/y be advuablu to limit our e-\pecUuu % n . and exenions to the attainment of the leaser scheme, as alVordinj 1 , the readiest means of clleuiiij, »ho object of rapid mail packet communication, tan .n^ the gtcaiman d more important estate shment lo f.il •reconi'iicrci." 1 ' enterprise, mid progressive advancement ol tlie seU'iuv. Such being the present Icature of the subjoct, any piolongcd delay in ciujlng out the Indian «?\tcnsion Will lie logarded w Itli dissatisfaction. New South Wales hit; comeTpre-eininently forward l.y offeiln.4 her 'lid towards thema'ulen mccol the projected underUk»ng/7rtToric« Straits to Singapore, ami has tjmporaiily laida/ulthc claims of tae Australian colonies to a separate in.'U packet establishment, in the e.\pectation of raoie ims mediately reaping the benefit ol quirk postal commue nical'.on by a junction with the. cxiblluy; line in Cluiu. The colonists naturally m-csume that t icy arc now on the eve of obtaining tliii desirable communication ; aiul may silll hone thai the establishment of the commercial route, by winch the conveyance of goods and passe u^eis from England can be effected as rapidly as the in .ils overland, w 11 also in due lane be cat ried into clFrct. Every practical advance, as well as actual ininrovomeut in stoain navigation, is a step towaid ithc.'fululment of the latter pinject; theielbie, the recent arrival of H.M. steam bloop " Inflexible' 1 in (lie harbour of Port Jackson from iJcvonport and the Caj)o of (100 I Hope., has been rcT'irded with pecrMar intciest — the iii-ot voyage approaching to the chaiw'ter of a i,t_>am juis.i^c to Australia having b.-cn ell'ecteu by this bte.imcr, and with highly satisfactoiy resells. This vcb-sfl, U c inspection ot which during her stay in our barboui afforded no small gratification to numbers of our fellowcitizens, as exhibiting 1 to them for the first time vaiions improvements iv the formal.on and appl. cation of the marine steam engine attained ot late je.us, will, by her arrivo 1 , form an epoch in colonial h<su>:y, and by titc performance of her voyage maik an era iv the progress of navigation by steam, liver since the success! u I voyage of the " Great Western' 1 on the Atlantic, the practicability of reducing by one-half the present term of the voyage to Sydney, by the employment of similar vessels, lias been advocated and urged : but until the present eia, all the submitted eulimalci. were comparative thcoiy. T/ie " inflexible" li.is surpassed theory m many respects, and therefore the following biief analysis and leading results of her voyage may prove interesting, and at the least highly instructive. Allow me to obsei ye in the first place, tli.it the c< In flexible measures 1122 tons, and was built at Milford Haven in 1846. Her engines are of oldei construction, and were originally intended for another ship, as the appearance of the cylinder shafts above dec!i tends to show. Her two direct actin:? marine engines are of the nominal horse power of 375 horses, and are fitted with the ctuiinsive gear. Her four boilers arc oblong shaped, witu three f-ues to each, 'i he engine-room is about one-half less than in the old entries ; this great saving is owing cbicily to the cranks boing placed, and ncti.ig fl.rectlj/f above the cylinders. The opeiationof the expansive principle ib that which effects the great saving in the expenditure of fuel. As the action of the wind on the sails assists in propelling the vessel, theie is, therefore, so much the less steam power required iv order to maintain the uccessavy speed. By the plan introduced of cutting oiF the steam in its pass 13c to the cylinder, and causing the p-ston to wo>U expansively, this saving is elFectcd, boln simply ami e.liciently and is regulated with accuracy, rccoidmg lo the state of the weather and the speed attained. On the passage lo Australia, sufficient steam was geneialed by the employment of nine, and frequently only Air flues out of the twelve, to acquire a speed o'l fiofn seven to eight knots, 'i he usual practice is to woik the engine expansively, excepting when the speed is reduced to six knots— 011 which occajyon the lull steam is then applied. When the wind is strong in favour, with a moderate sea, the steam power employed on the expansive system is little moie than what may be just necessary to turn the paddles. Great r acilitico are a'forded during the application of the expansive principle for cleaning out the boilers, which can be done in turn, without diminishing the ordinary speed, and by frequently performing it, the accumulation of scilmeut is pievented, thereby promoting the preservation and safely of the boilers. Coal boxes are ranged between the. machinery, and sides of the vessel, and are thus made aubseivieut lo preserve the vital parts against injuries more peculiar to warsteameis. The capacity of the I " lnfle\ib!e" for fuel is 500 tous. lierlaige paddleboxes, although fitted with a life-boat 011 each, and comprehending places for culinary and other useful purposes, aic an obstruction during head winds and heavy sea*. By the frequent alternate emersion ami immersion of the paddle wheels, much power is lo»t m ocean steaming, and the application ot thcsciew piliiciple on this voyage is slul a desideratum piomwlng greater results. The plan of ' disconnecting' has been in me by war steamers lor some time, but is elicited in the ''inllexiblc" on a different principle from that formerly in use, and which occupies one-tenth of the time ; it is that ol the friction strap, and merely requires the turning of Iwo s>cic\vs, and sinking aside the keys which connect the pai ts, in order lo set the paddles fice of the engine. On her departure horn Ocvonport on flic 9th August last, the " inflexible" had 392 tons of coal in her boves, considerably less than her quantum ; 80 tons of patent fuel intended for her use having ticcti left beiiind — probably in consequence ol the large amount of dead weight already on board— being not less than, 160 tons*, exclusive of fuel. 'Ihe total weight of cargo, fuel, engines, boilers, water, stores, ammunition, ike, was estimated at 1200 tons, she then drew 15 feel 6 inches forward, ami 15 feet 10 inches aft ; iuuneisiou of paddle wheels 5 feet 7 inches. From the 9th to the 28ta of Angnst, thti course of the " Inflexible" wa- as direct as could he taken for the Cape of Good Hope ; at tie latter date she had made more than half the distance between England and the Cape ; being near the equator, in hit. 3<M N., lon. 13"27 W« This point was attained in a period of eighteen days sixteen hours, at an average speed per diem of 179 nautical miles, or 7i knots per hour, being 33 15 miles by the log, and direct couivj 3200 miles. She attained this point in the above period at an expenditure of 2 18 tons Gcwt. coals, averaging ll tons 13 cwt. per diem. From the 9th to the 13t!i of August, the sea had set strong from the west, the wind moderate from the samo direction. The north-east trades wetc met on the 13th, and retained until the 23rd. During their continuance the average speed was 180 per diem, and consumption of fuel 10 tons 3 cwt. Ua the cveuing of the 23rd, the wind veered to south-south-east, and again to south -south-west, with a ro igh sea setting in from the south-weot, which continued tor some days. On the 28th August there remained nearly three thousand miles to perform before reaching Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and the quantity of fuel on board 173 tons 14 cwt. It had not been arranged for the "In* flexible" to coal at any btdtion between England aud the Cape, otherwise a direel course might nave been kept. This defective arrangement added twelve to fifteen days to the period oi her passage, as her commander was now necessitated to diverge from the course, with the view of reaching the south westerly winds to assist in cai tying the " inflexible" to the Cape. The equator was ciossed on the night of the 29th of August, and on the Ist September the " Inflcti'olii" bud disconnected, and was making all sail towards the coast ol Brazil, with a south-easterly breeze, which lasted one week, by which time she iva'c'ied 2 raj, hor extreme west longitude, in 13-15 sou'h 1 uitude. With steam up she met south-westerly hive/,e*j, and expciionced a rough cioas sea on the ot'i, wh.chon the loni is. clunked t> a long south-west s'.\mll— the weather calm ; speed 190, ami consumption thirteen tuns.

The winil again came f'om the oast, hut steam is Kept up till the Kith, when being under «>i\ ; l umety miles only is entered as the day's run. The " Inflexible 1 ' Kept mulcr sail, with winds vaiying from south-east to s-onth-west, until thc2(>th, when steam was got up, and she made St. Helena Bay, Cape Colony, on the 27th, and was at anchor in Saidanlia Bay and Table Bay, on the 28th September, having accomplished the total run fmm Dcvonport in forty nine days, of which thirty-two days was under steam, and seventeen under sail only Vr'om flic point of divergence on the 28th August to the 28th September, the distance inn per log was 430'3jjnautical mil's, nearly 1500 over the direct course. Her n\ crane speed duungthispei'.od was Mo nautical nrlcs 1 cr diem. The time under steam, 13} days. „ „ sail, I7rl „ . , .. Average sj)ccd under steam, 150 nautical miles. „' „ sail only, 12?|- „ „ consumption of tuel per diem, when under steam, 12 tons G cwt. The public service required the "Inflexible" to remain six weeks at the Cape Colony, and having discharged a ponion of her dead weight, and taKen on board 460 tons coal, she left Simon's lUiy at 2 p. m. of the Bth November, and arrived at Sydney at half-past eight p. 111. on the I3lh December. . The passage from the Cape was performed therefore Hi 35 days 6'J- horns, of which pci'iotl IGO hours, equal to six days S'Xtcen hours Mas under sail only, and the remaining 2S dins M{ liouis under steam. Dining; eight days of the passage the practice was to disconnect each 11101 ning, and get up steam towards nightfall, and on two days and nii>hts the steamer proceeded under canvas. The draught of water in Simon's Bay at stiii ting was foui teen feet six inches forward, and sixteen feet aft— the immersion of paddle wheels five feet six inches. On arrival in Por., Jackson she drew thirteen (eet, and had about live lons of coal remaining in the luncs. Her average consumption therefore on the passage was 15 tons 17 cwt. daily while under ssteam. This passnge of the " Inflexible" is memorable, inasmuch as it is the fust steam passage from the Cane to Sydney (from Kngland to the Cape, and thence to India has been frequently done) ; and it is the longest run at one stretch of any steamer under steam in the annals of steam navigation. I may, therefore, he allowed to deduce moie particulars from the copy of the log in my possession. After leaving the Cape of GOOJ Hope, the course was south-west for a couple of days; the wind at starting was at south-east; next day it vceied to south-fcouth-west, and a heavy south swell with it : nine flues employed, and plain sail ; consumption IS tons 8 cwt; speed, 7£ knots, or eight miles for each ton of coals. The morning of the 11th was vaiiahle, but it blew strong from the south south-west at noon, wilji a heavy south swell of the sea ; speed, 8 1-Sth knots. At night the wind came more from the west, and next day it blow a strong gale (the strongest experienced on the passage) from west-north-west ; average speed per log during the day, 8 5-12; but 210 miles were made by observation— the longest run in twenty-four hours, equal to ten knots per hour; consumption 16| tons, with double-reef top-sails ; ocean swell heavy from the Most. On the 13th, the wind wns "W.S.'W., and variable, and a long west swell experienced ; speed per log, about 9 knots, with all plain sail. On the Hth, a north easterly breeze sprung up, which increased considerably on the 15th, with a rough sea, consumption 14 tons, speed 8% per log, with reef topsails, and 235 K. M. made by observation. On the IGth, it came on again a westerly gale, with a heavy swell, 12 miles per ton consumed of coal, speed 8 l-3th. The 1 7th moderated, the wind veering from south-east to north- east till the evening of the IBlh. when a gentle breeze came on from north- north-west, sea smooth. The like on the 1 9th and 20tli, but speed diminishing, steam was got up in evening. Next day the woathui was nearly c<ilm, speed 7 1-9 knots, and I 3£ miles per lon of coal; lat. 3'3'J S., long. 68 W. On the 22nd there was a model ate breeze from N. -north-cast, speed 7£. It came again fiom north -west on 23rd, and steam let off Next day it was stronger from west south-west, with a rough sea, proceeded under sail ouly this and the following day, speed about eight knots. On the 213 th November, f>tcam was got up with a south-west wind, and towards evening there was a long west swell, and " ship rolling deeply ;" speed 6 3-5, and 1 2\ miles to ton of coal consumed. The next day ] 7 miles were averaged to the ton ; speed 7f, wind noith-north-west. On the 28th, under sail, a long west swell, which continues for some days, steam got up each night, and let off in the morning, until 2nd December. During this pciiod, the wind varied fiom north-west to south-west, speed about eight knots, with plain sail. There was a heavy swell on the 2nd, and steam was continued from that day continuously to the close of the voyage. On the 3rd, with a gentle south-west breeze, sixteen miles was averaged for each ton of coal, speed per log, nearly nine knots. On the evening of the sth, the wind varied, and came light from the north on the Cth, but calm at noon. Latitude 4023-30 south, longitude 131*34 east. Nearly sixteen tons of fuel consumed this day. The next three days the wind was easterly, the consumption increasing, and on the 9th I ccember there was a strong head swell, " heavy from the east," consumption 21 tons 14' cwt., speed 6 5-6 per log, 7 3-5 : miles only per ton of coal, being the largest quantity in one day, owing to the head wind and sea requiring the necessary employment of full si cam. On the 10th the weather moderated, the wind still from north-east, consumption reduced to 17 tons 14 cwt., and speed increased to 7 3-Bth knots. Entering Bass's Straits. On the 11 th and 12th, having strong north-north-cast winds, steering up this coast the speed is rather under 7 knots, consumption on that day 12 tons, 13^Tiiilej to ' a ton, which on 12th is reduced to 9 miles per ton; 'the consumption having increased to 1 8 tons. Next evening the " Inflexible" anchored in Port Jackson. The speed per log given in the above sketch of the voyage, is the average speed during twenty four hours. The aggicgate of the daily runs on the whole passage, irom the Cape to Sydney, is 6400 knots per log, whereas the actual distance is 6600, and allowing for extra latitude being made, the actual ground gone over could not be less than 6700 nautical miles.

Taking the actual distance gone over by the " Inflexible" at G7OO nautical miles ; the average speed on the passage was 1 90 miles per diem, or eight knots per hour, very neaily. During the passage, the wind came from A westerly direction during 20 days. An easterly „ >, JO „ Wind variable „ >> 5 „ The following is a brief summary of the whole voyage irora England,—

N. Allies.

The distance from Plymouth Sound to Table Bay, via Madeira and Cape de Verde . . . 6,150 The distance from Simon's Bay to Poit Jackson 6,600 Total distance from England to Sydney, via Cape of Good Hope : . . 12,750

There are circumstances attending the voyage of the " Inflexible," which detract in. some degree from the success, although not from the value of its performance. As a war-steamer, she is not j>o well adapted for the purposes of speedy conveyance as some conuncichl vessels of like capacity, nor does she, in respect to size and power, come up to the Atlantic or Indian packet ships. The nature of the sci vice she had to perform, requiring large stores of ammunition to be conveyed, must have detracted very considerably from her sailing qualities, particularly at the commencement of the voyage ; without question the most remarkable result gained by her voyage is the small quantity of fuel consumed. It must also be recollected that ihe nature of the passage in respect of winds and weather, under the application of the expansive principle, is of the first importance to this giving in fuel. These satisfictoiy results therefore may be taken as indicating the favourable nature of the passage to Australia, aud the practicability of reducing it to a comparatively limited period, at an expenditure of fuel much less than has ever been ima gined. Clearly to perceive the difference, it has to be borne in mind that during this whole passage the full bteam was not applied, excepting on leaving port, and on meeting with a heivy sea and head wind, which occurred very seldom.^ At all other times the steam acted rather as an auxiliary to the sails, and was lessenedj or mci eased accoi ding to the force of the wind and the state of the sea. The object was to obtain a tolerable degree of speed at a small consumption of fuel, and the whole voyage was effected at an average of 7 to 8 knots, with an expendilnrc little more than half what .might have been required for the attainment of 9 knots. It may therefore be perfectly practicable to reduce the period of the sea passage to Sydnay to 70 days from Plymouth, by the employment of the expansive principle, at a total consumption not exceeding 1000 tons of coal. Superior vessels would probably average 8 knots by which the sea passage wonld be 67 days only, reckoning the distance at 13,000 nautical miles. On the other hand, it would require 1800 tons of fuel, and additional coals at two depots, in order to attain a speed of 9 knots, nearly doubling this expense in order to gain five days. There is one part of the voyage which the " Inflexible" does not afford sufficient data, having necessarily made a detour of 1500 miles. It is a matter of some surprise that the Admiralty should have allowed the " Inflexible" to start on the voyage slioit of her quantum of fuel, and without the means of obtaining a supply before reaching the Cape of Good Hope. It goes far however to prove the degree of confidence with which steam-vessels are now despatched under all circumstances on the most distant voyages. Had the "Inflexible" made up her quantum at St. Jago, or even Madeira, she might have had 400 tons to steam direct from the Equator to the Cape. The line was reached n twenty days, at an expenditure of 230 tons coal, but there remained only lb'O tons to steam a distance of 2800 miles, which through a great portion of the pas • sage might require a daily average consumption of 20 tons. We will suppose that she had been provided, and that her average expenditure was 20 tons to acquire a speed of seven knots. This gives her sixteen days to reach the Cape, at an expenditure of 320 tons, being a saving of IS days : from which, however, would have to be deducted the time taken in coaling at the depot. — On two-thirds of this passage the south cast trades may be expected ; but at certain times of the year they are less strong than others. About the same time of the year the steam- ship "Bcntinck" experienced them very strong ; she steamed from St. Jago in twenty-two days. The difficulties of this part of the passage may be considered as adding 1 00 tons to the consumption for the voyage ; for which reason I have estimated the total consumption for the voyage at 1000 tons. The " Inflexible" was 153 tons under that amount in steaming 11,000 miles. The passage made by the "Inflexible," from the Cape to Sydney, in all its results, is most satisfactory, and, in certain respects, exceeds the most sanguine expectations. The distance made under steam was not less than 5500 nautical miles, at an expenditure of only 455 tons coals, and a speed of 8 knots. The average speed, when under sail only, exceeded seven knots per hour j and there was no occasion in the whole passage, where the steam power could have been increased or applied, to have gained any material advantage. We will suppose that full steam had been used on the voyage, at an expenditure of 21 tons coals per diem and estimate the speed at 9£ knots. She would barely have reached King George's Sound, the first harbour, a distance of 5000 N. M., with the 463 tons she had on board, as it would have occupied 22 days very nearly ; two days would have been required at least to take in 200 tons coals, with which she might have reached Sydney in 8 or 9 days : making the time from the Capo 32 or 33 clays instead of 35, at an additional expenditure of 200 tons of fuel, besides the depot expenses.— Towards the close of her voyage the "Inflexible" experienced strong easterly winds and a head sea, which increased her average consumption of fuel to 18 tons for 5 days ; in other circumstances her total consumption might have been less by 30 tons. From the brief summary of the passage from the Cape to Sydney already given it will be observed, that although westerly winds prevailed during 20 days, and were generally strong— sometimes increasing to a gale —steam was not let off. The whole time of her proceeding under sail was two days and part of eight days. Strong south-westerly winds, and a heavy sea from the same direction, arc characteristic o f this passage above 40' south latitude, at which parallel of latitude the " Inflexible" ran 3000 miles. By keeping up steam during the prevalence of these strong favourable winds, the paddle-wheel steamer saves wear and tear, and steers steadier. The possibility of taking full advantage of these winds by the application of the screw principle, and saving fuel, affords good grounds for supposing that the expenditure of fuel, small as it is by the pad-dle-wheel steamer, will be considerably reduced by the screw application, and without diminishing the speed. The screw principle might also beneficially be applied

on the latter part of the passage from England to the Capo, as large paddle-boxes catch head winds, and thereby impede the progress of the steam vessel. Not the least of the many satisfactory results attending the voyage of the " Inflexible" is the excellent order in which she arrived, and the entire absence of any wear and tear. May we not hope that the broad highway of the ocean, which enables the Australian continent to be peopled fiom Europe, willeic long be lined with a steam marine as efficacious as that for which we are now awaiting the accomplishment by the bye ways of Egypt and the coral reefs of Torres Straits? A. ROSS.

.ways. 11. JILT log. iiui ii. Number of complete days under steam . 57 4 Number of complete days under sail only 19 12 Number of complete d lys under part sail 8 0 10,115 2,572$ 1,421 177 132 177| 71 7 1-Sth Plymouth Sound to Port Jackson . . 84 1G 14,1 08 J 'otal coal consumed on the passage . . • 847 tons, .vcragc consumption per diem .... 1 i „ .vcrage number of miles for each ton of coal 13 miles. .vcrage consumption of lucl per horse power, per h0ur ......... 81 lbs.

Nautical miles traversed—

►f which under steam )i" which under sail only )f which under part steam and part sail . Days. 25 2 8 N.M. 4G35 344 1421 Per diem. 185 2-5 172 177 2-8 Per hour. n n 7 2-5 35 'otal miles per log . 6400

The average speed per log, per diem, was 181 1-Sth— 71 per hour :