NELSON.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 185, 8 March 1848, Page 2

NELSON.

STEAM NAVIGATION. The meeting which took place last week to discuss the Steam question, it too important to be allowed to past over unnoticed. It is true that little came of ie at the moment, but it does not necessarily follow that the time bestowed upon it was thrown away. The seed which germinates the quickest does not always produce the best fruit. The public generally wai not prepared for the details of the subject, and required some time to think them over before coming to any decision. Not that there would have been any difficulty in passing a series of resolutions in favor o f the principle which several gentlemen advocated, but it was not considered necessary. Tbe end sought was attained, which was, to direct public attention to the importance which the establishment of a steamer would be to this settlement, and stimulate discussion? as to the proper time for making the experiment, and the way in which it should be done. There are however one or two points, not noticed in the discussion, to which we wish particularly to direct attention. The estimates of expemes of a steamer were made on the most liberal scale, and for the* old costly paddle-wheel boats, such as have been in general use in Europe and America until a late period. But recently, a number of experiments have been made, and with the most perfect success, of applying auxiliary steam power to full rigged ships by means of the screw, by which a very considerable saving is effected. By referring to the correspondence between the British government and the promoters of steam, navigation to Australia by way of the Cape, printed in our last paper, it will be seen that the Lords of the Admiralty, speak favourably of the principle of auxiliary steam power, and by the following passage from a pamphlet written by Mr. Hays, the originator of the undertaking referred to, it would seem that it is now coming into general use :— " In order to prove to those whose attention may not have been directed to the subject, the practicability of successfully applying the screw propeller to n&vigatLn, it may be stated that a veisel fitted with the screw, was built, nearly three years since, to run between London and Cork, which was found to answer so well, that lines of screw-steamers hate since been established, and now ply weekly between London and Cork, London and Dublin, and London and Belfast,'— that steamers on this principle tail tw ee a week between London and Rotterdam, that several superior vessels of this description on an improved principle, are now building by Messn. Green of Blackwall, for the continental cattle trade, tut the average horse power of these vessels has been as 1 to 8» and 1 to 10 only, compared with their tonnage, whilst they have kept up tbe communication with tbe same regularity and expedition at paddle wheelsteamers, the power of which is as 1 to 2\ and 1 to 3|, thus proving their equality in all other respects, and their immense superiority as regards economy in the consumption of fuel. " The best proof, however of the applicability of the screw to ocean navigation, is to be found in the succesi which has attended, and that under the most adverse circumstance!, the voyages of the Antelope, a fhip of 600 tons, fully rigged as a sailing veisel, and fitted with a screw propellor of comparatively small power, which is trading between Liverpool and Rio de Janeiro ; and of the Sarah Sands, a ship of 1,300 tons, similarly fitted, and trading betweea Liverpool and New York." Now the adoption by us of a ressel of this class would lessen our expenses in every way, while our purpose would be answered almost equally well. The first cost of the veisel would be considerably less, for a saving of fifty tons might be effected in the t-nnage. Instead of engines of 100 horse power, an engine of 30 horse power would suffice, and the consumption of fuel would be reduced to one^lourth, or perhaps lsss, than the calculation published last week. Other saving* in proportion would also be effected, so that we do not see how the vessel could fail to succeed. But there are difficulties, we are told in carrying out the details of the scheme. So there will be next year, and the year after, and the yeor after that, and to the end of time ; and the only way to overcome them, is to examine what they really are, and then earnestly set about their removal. Difficulties of this nature vanish as readily as frost before the sun on a spring morning, if people resolutely try to overcome them. We know the want of steam communication is not greatly felt yet, and therefore people think there is no need to be in a hurry. But hurry as we may, when we do want it, we shall have to wait for it a couple of years. We are certain that before this time next year, the case will look far more urgent than now, and that unless tbe settlers bestir themselves at once, we shall then be no farther advanced towards tho attainment of our wishes. For the present we leave the matter in the hands of the public, and we hope it will not be lost sight of.— Nelson Examiner.

The Melbourne papers state that Lord Grey had retracted his consent to the £100,000 loan for r migration to Port Phillip. A company for the purchase of a small iron steamer is being formed at Perth, with a capital of £5000. Mr. N. Black, of Port Phillip, purchased 2000 head of cattle from Mr. Ryrie, at £l 10s. per bead. In Western Australia they have to pay the following sums for lictnses to keep dogs— dogs in town —male, 7s. 6d., female lOi. Dogs in country—male, 5s female 7s. 6d. Sheep dogs, in country, males, 2s. 6d' females ss. The two men, says the South Australian, who discovered the silver-lead ore at Paringa,^ and got it on tribute, have in four months raised sixty tons-it is calculated that they will make at least 1000Z by their speculation. A young man named Vau^han, residing near HobartTown, fired a gun as a joke at the rear of his father's houie, for the purpose of making him think that the house was attacked, when the father rushed out and without recogiwnmg his son, shot him dead-tbe Coroner's Jury returned a wdict of Justifiable Homicide. The BriUhh Colonies through, out the world occupy aa area of 2,119,708 square miles, witb a population of 107,708,323. Iheir exports and import! amount to 500 sterling, and they possess 7,514.585 tons of shipping. Ihe South. Australian Register says— For the information of thofe gentlemen who htvs recently petitioned the Council for a imelting patent, and the satisfaction of the coloniits generally, wcnwyitaio that foe process of

inielting by electricity has been patent, in England; that the patentee's name is Napier, of Hoxton, who may be shortly expected in the colony ; and that other parties in, England have obtained patents for reducing ores by the same means although under somewhat different circumstanres. We may say, in fine, that the discovery is a moit valid and important one, and esteemed of so much importance in England as to be deemed more than equivalent to a disc very of coal in this province— Eighty-three drays laden with copper ore arrived at Port Adelaide in ODe day-— Mr. Charles Smith, farmer, of Morpeth Vale, South Australia, clipped one of the fattest ewes, a few days ago, that was ever «horn in the colony. The clip weighed ten pounds «nd a -ha If.