STEAM TO AUSTRALIA.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 437, 22 June 1850, Page 3

STEAM TO AUSTRALIA.

This question is daily occupying; more attention. The following on the screw-propelling system is from the Globe, of January 4 : — The application of the screw propellor to sailing veisels has quite oltered the position of navigation to Australia. Ships fitted with screw machinery at auxiliary power belong in no wav to the ordinary steam vessel flam. Th* rn"»Hfiona 01 u- ' ;i ' and equip.

ment are totally distinct. A paddle-wheel ship is constructed for a specific purpose, and her speed is due to the power of die engines alone, sails being only made use of to steady the movement, oi, in case of seiious accident, as a last and generally hopeless resource. A screw steam vessel, on the other hand, is in every respect a perfect sailing ship — is unencumbered with top weight of machinery or paddle wheels — has but few Hands amongst the crew that are not seamen, and rigged according to her size and capacity, as any other ordinal y vessel would be. The sails, which in a paddle-wheel ship would be an impediment, and useless except with favourable gales, are bere under all circumstances of set vice, the propeller enabling a cour>e to be held, without any leeway what, ever, within four points of the wind. The advantage are not less striking in the interior arrangements. Paddle-wheel machinery, with its boilers, cause a serious gap in the centieof a ship, and effectually prevents a communication Irom one end to the other, except upon deck. No such impediment exists in the other case. Both engines and boilers aie placed in the hold of the vesscll, and clear decks fore and aft are thereby obtained, It is this increased space, due to a diminution of weight nnd coal etowoge, as well as the position of the machinery, which constitutes the advantage of the screw, and makts its general adoption only a queition of lime. The practic.il result on the Australian route will be to reduce a four months' voyage to one of sixty days' duration, without any mci ease in the existing passage rates. These facts have not been unnoticed in the colonies : and we find that the Legislative Council of South Australia, after a strong recommen. dation of Mr. Hay's project to the Government at home, have voted £3000 per annum for three years to the undertaking ; and further, directed tueasuie to be token to secure the passage of emigrants during that period to the extent of the means of transport. Any plan by which the distance between the English aud Australian shores may be lesiened is deserving of notice, and doubly so if available for the purpose of emigration ; for while a more rapid improvement would follow the introduction of a superior class of men into the colony, our own surplus labour would find both a greater demand, and more easy removal to a less encumbered market. We have not space to consider at this moment the advantages which the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritus would obtain from the regular service of the proposed line ;but as the apparent novelty of the scheme may alarm those whose attention has not been called to the subject, we shall show the data on which the calculations have been based. For tfiii purpose we have obtained the report of the General Screw Steam Shipping Company's ships' voyages during the year 1849, which has been submitted to the Admirality for luspection. 'Ibe result is aveiage speed of S and 8£ knots per hour by the first vessels, and 7 91 knots in direct line from port to port by the two ships recently placed on the Constantinople line ; the four last passages it will be obseived, having been made at the most stormy leason of the year. The speed and regularity if the screw have in these cases not only equalled but surpassed the paddle-wheel performance ; the average rate of the West India Mail packets being, as we have learned, 7 65 knots on the ocean part or their voyage. The question ot salety may be answered by the fact that, during the period referred to, only one casualty has been met with, and that, of a veiy trifling natuic, was caused by a flaw in some part or the machinery, and occurred in the river Thames. We believe the Admirality are fully alive to the importance of thii invention ; and the late accounts regarding the Arrogant and Reynaid will add materially to its credit and reputation.