APPENDIX (D).

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE,

Before a Select Committee of the House of Commons on Steam Packets.

SIR HENRY PARNELL, BART.

In the Chair.

GEORGE HENRY FREELING, Esq. called in and examined. Had the principal management of the Holyhead steam packets. The Postmasters General having been obliged to purchase all the sailing packets, and to clear the station for the introduction of those vessels, the object was, at first, to make the steam auxiliary to the sailing packets, but it was found that the steam packets could do even more than the sailing packets, consequently two sailing vessels were kept as auxiliary to the steam.-Had three steam packets employed; the Royal Sovereign of 210 tons, and the Meteor of 190; the Sovereign is fitted with two engines of forty-horse power each, and the Meteor with two engines of thirty-horse power; they were both constructed by Boulton and Watt, and the vessels built in the river Thames, by a person of the name of Evans, at Rotherhithe, on purpose for the service, under the inspection of the officers of the Navy Board; they were built upon Sir Robert Sepping's principle of the diagonal fastening, and made particularly strong. The

third is the Ivanhoe, of 165 tons: it was formerly on the Holyhead station as a private vessel, and has an engine of fifty-six horse power. The general effect of the experiment, in regard to maintaining a communication between the two countries, has been, that the intercourse has been very much facilitated; it is now almost reduced to a certainty. In the year preceding the introduction of the steam vessels, a hundred mails exactly arrived in London after they were due, and in the nine months that the steam vessels have been running since May last, there have been twenty-two only. The weather at the beginning of the winter, was worse than has been known for more than sixty years. Had proof that the steam packets would go to sea in weather when sailing packets could not have gone to sea; the captains had always considered that it would not be prudent to go to sea, if they were obliged to be under a three-reefed mainsail, and the steam packets had gone out in weather in which the sailing packets would have been obliged to be so. The average of the passages of the Sovereign from Howth to Holyhead, was six hours and fifty-seven minutes, and the Meteor seven hours and four minutes and a fraction. To Howth, the Sovereign seven hours, thirty-six minutes and a quarter; the Meteor eight hours and thirteen minutes: the shortest passage was from Howth, five hours and thirty minutes. The best point for a steam vessel, in very bad weather, was directly head to wind; both wheels could then act at the same time. The captains sometimes kept the vessel away, when it was blowing very strong, two or three points; then, when they got on the opposite coast, they would take in their sails, and steam to the harbour in smoother water. Conceived that the success of these two vessels, the Sovereign and the Meteor, might be attributed to the superior manner in which they were

constructed. Had attempted to gain some information about every steam vessel which had been built, and was convinced those vessels would do what no other vessel could do; they would go to sea in weather when nothing else could. Attributed it not only to the machinery, but to the weight of the hull; a lighter vessel in a heavy sea would be checked, but those vessels had from their weight a momentum so great, that it carried them on when a lighter vessel would have been checked; the weight acting as a fly-wheel.-Was of opinion that three packets were a sufficient number for maintaining the communication between Holyhead and Dublin, so that two should sail every day. With the view that there might be a sufficient time allowed for looking over the machinery and the vessels, it was arranged that they should each be six days at sea and three days in harbour, which afforded ample time for inspecting the machinery; and that had been fixed in a great measure with reference to the engineers themselves, who stated that that time was more than sufficient for it.-There had been some accidents to the engines, but these had been attributed to the use of cast iron; the cross bars and the beams were of cast iron, and if any water was in the cylinder at starting, the check caused the cast iron to break; had now got them made of wrought iron, but the lower beams of the engines were still made of cast iron; there must be some part of the engine left to give way in case of any emergency, which was better than destroying the cylinder.-Believed the Postmasters General had some idea of trying whether what are called Scotch engines, might not be better for a third vessel, in case of one being built; they were more simple, though perhaps not quite so efficient, not so liable to derangement, and were consequently better for a heavy sea; and if the vessel was properly built, witness did not

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think there could be any great difference in the rate of speed. The boilers in the Holyhead packets were low pressure. Believed Mr. Watt was the inventor of the original high-pressure engine, but afterwards abandoned it on account of the danger.-No cases of late had happened of accident from the bursting of boilers.

GEORGE HENRY FREELING, Esq. again called in, and further examined. Wished to explain some parts of his evidence given in a former day. Did not put any fuel or coals over the boiler, which was the cause of the Robert Bruce catching fire and being burnt. The coals are stowed in iron cases made for the purpose, in the engine room. The other point was as to the Ivanhoe. Witness was asked whether she was so strong as the other vessels, the answer was simply "No." But she was not three years old; she was inspected at Liverpool a short time ago, and appeared as strong as any of the steam vessels, except those on the Holyhead station.-On board the Royal Sovereign there are twenty births, and two rooms, one for ladies and one for gentlemen.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM ROGERS, called in, and examined. Commanded one of the Holyhead packets. Had crossed in the Meteor on the 5th of February, in the heaviest sea witness had seen during the eight years he had been on the station. Went in the Meteor on the 5th of February, when no sailing packet could carry canvass; they must have laid to; left at nine at night, and arrived at six the next morning. Was satisfied his steam vessel was capable of performing what no sailing vessel could do. Had found that a steam vessel was capable of making her passage much sooner, under all circumstances, than a sailing vessel; in one-half of the time upon the average. With the wind at W.N.W. blowing hard, and leaving Holyhead in a gale of wind, witness had found a steam vessel had been

row,

much easier than a sailing vessel; their extreme length overcame the short sea.-In building a steam boat she ought to have a fine entrance and her bow to flear off, not to shove any water before her; any water she shoves before her must be an impediment to the sailing; she should have a fine entrance, a good line of bearing, and her transome pretty square, and not too high; the more a vessel was stopped from pitching and rolling, the quicker she would go. Had found with regard to the Scotch boats that all their transomes were too high and too narthe consequence of which was, that with a head sea they would go with their stern under. Had seen them go boat and every thing under; the transome being square and low and fine under, so as to give them a right line of bearing, would stop their pitching and rolling, and make them easy on the sea, and add to their speed. The Meteor and the Sovereign were filled up solid to the floor-head, caulked inside and out, having no tree nails, but bolted and copper nailed. The bolts were driven upon a ring, and clenched at both ends. The diagonal fastening is a plank three inches thick, fore and aft, three and a half thick midships, and nine wide, leading from the floorhead to the shelf, taking in five or six timbers; and filled by truss pieces into triangles, so that it was almost impossible that the form of the vessel would alter. Would prefer Boulton and Watt's engine to any other; their boilers were very superior, and never short of steam. Boulton and Watt had been accustomed to vessels for rivers, and the engines were made rather too slight for the channel; the shaft was hollow, and of cast iron, but they had been replaced by solid shafts. Sails assisted the vessel very much; had used them every way, except going head to wind, within four points of the wind. Had found the Sovereign go as fast in a calm as at any other