Chapter 7

+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- | SPEED PER HOUR.--NAUTICAL MILES. A +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 -----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- TONS.|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS|TONS -----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- 500|3.95|6.28|9.37|13.4|18.3|24.3|31.6|40.1|50.2|61.7|75.0|89.9|106 |125 |147 600|4.46|7.10|10.6|15.1|20.6|27.5|35.7|45.3|56.6|69.8|84.6|101 |120 |141 |165 700|4.95|7.86|11.7|16.6|22.8|30.5|39.5|50.3|62.9|77.3|93.8|112 |134 |157 |183 800|5.41|8.59|12.8|18.2|25.1|33.3|43.3|55.0|68.7|84.5|102 |123 |145 |171 |200 900|5.85|9.29|13.9|19.7|27.0|36.0|46.8|59.5|74.3|91.5|111 |132 |158 |186 |217 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1000|6.28|9.97|14.8|21.2|29.1|38.7|50.1|63.8|79.7|98.1|119 |143 |169 |199 |232 1250|7.28|11.5|17.3|24.5|33.8|44.8|58.2|74.1|92.5|114 |137 |165 |196 |231 |270 1500|8.23|13.0|19.5|27.8|38.1|50.7|65.7|83.7|104 |128 |156 |187 |222 |261 |304 1750|9.11|14.4|21.5|30.8|42.2|56.1|72.9|92.7|115 |143 |173 |206 |245 |290 |338 2000|9.95|15.8|23.6|33.6|46.1|61.5|79.7|101 |126 |159 |188 |226 |269 |316 |369 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2500|11.5|18.3|27.4|39.0|53.5|71.2|92.5|117 |147 |180 |219 |262 |312 |368 |427 3000|13.0|20.8|30.9|44.0|60.4|80.4|104 |132 |166 |204 |248 |296 |352 |414 |483 3500|14.4|23.0|34.3|48.8|66.9|89.1|115 |147 |183 |226 |274 |329 |391 |460 |535 4000|15.8|25.1|37.4|53.4|73.2|97.5|126 |161 |201 |247 |300 |360 |427 |501 |586 5000|18.3|29.1|43.5|62.0|85.0|113 |147 |187 |232 |287 |348 |417 |495 |582 |679 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6000|20.6|32.9|49.1|69.9|95.9|127 |166 |210 |264 |323 |392 |472 |560 |657 |768 10000|29.1|46.2|69.0|98.2|135 |179 |232 |296 |370 |455 |552 |663 |786 |925 |1079 -----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----

FREIGHT TABLE: No. III.

_Showing the mutual relation of Displacement, Power, Speed, Consumption of Coal, and capacity for Cargo of vessels of progressively increasing magnitude up to nearly 30,000 tons of Deep-draught Displacement, employed on a passage of 3,250 nautical miles, without recoaling: showing also the prime cost Expenses per ton of Cargo conveyed._

KEY: A: Mean or Mid-passage Displacement. B: Speed. C: POWER. Nominal H. P. D: POWER. Indicated h. p. E: Assumed weight of Hull and Engines. F: PASSAGE 3,250 N. M. DIRECT. Time. G: PASSAGE 3,250 N. M. DIRECT. Coal. H: PASSAGE 3,250 N. M. DIRECT. Cargo. I: PASSAGE 3,250 N. M. DIRECT. Deep Displacement. J: PASSAGE 3,250 N. M. DIRECT. Expenses per Ton of Cargo.

+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-----+------+------+---------- A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J Tons. |N. M.|H. P.|h. p.| TONS.| D. H.|TONS.| TONS.| TONS.| L S. D. --------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-----+------+------+---------- {| 8| 109| 436| 1109| 16.22| 369| 1209| 2684| 2 1 10 {| 9| 155| 620| 1155| 15. 1| 466| 1112| 2733| 2 7 8 2,500 {| 10| 213| 852| 1213| 13.13| 577| 999| 2788| 2 16 11 {| 11| 284| 1136| 1284| 12. 7| 699| 867| 2849| 3 11 3 {| 12| 368| 1472| 1368| 11. 7| 830| 717| 2915| 4 14 5 | | | | | | | | | {| 8| 172| 688| 2172| 16.22| 582| 2537| 5291| 1 16 1 {| 9| 245| 980| 2245| 15. 1| 737| 2386| 5368| 1 19 7 5,000 {| 10| 336| 1344| 2336| 13.13| 882| 2223| 5441| 2 4 1 {| 11| 448| 1792| 2448| 12. 7| 1103| 2000| 5551| 2 13 1 {| 12| 581| 2324| 2581| 11. 7| 1311| 1763| 5655| 3 5 1 | | | | | | | | | {| 8| 276| 1104| 4276| 16.22| 934| 5257| 10467| 1 12 3 {| 9| 388| 1552| 4388| 15. 1| 1168| 5028| 10584| 1 13 10 {| 10| 536| 2144| 4536| 13.13| 1407| 4760| 10703| 1 16 9 10,000 {| 11| 712| 2848| 4712| 12. 7| 1753| 4411| 10876| 2 2 1 {| 12| 928| 3712| 4928| 11. 7| 2094| 4025| 11047| 2 9 4 {| 13| 1180| 4720| 5180| 10.10| 2458| 3591| 11229| 2 19 5 {| 14| 1472| 5888| 5472| 9.16| 2848| 3104| 11424| 3 14 3 | | | | | | | | | {| 8| 436| 1744| 8436| 16.22| 1476| 10826| 20738| 1 9 0 {| 9| 620| 2480| 8620| 15. 1| 1866| 10447| 20933| 1 9 11 {| 10| 852| 3408| 8852| 13.13| 2236| 10030| 21118| 1 11 4 20,000 {| 11| 1136| 4544| 9136| 12. 7| 2797| 9466| 21398| 1 14 9 {| 12| 1472| 5888| 9472| 11. 7| 3322| 8867| 21661| 1 19 1 {| 13| 1872| 7488| 9872| 10.10| 3900| 8178| 21950| 2 4 11 {| 14| 2340| 9360| 10340| 9.16| 4528| 7396| 22264| 2 13 1 --------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-----+------+------+----------

Mr. Atherton gives this table, which shows the following facts:

That, as the various sized vessels named, increase in speed from 8 to 12, or from 8 to 14 miles per hour, their horse power, as well consequently as their coal, increases:

That, as the speed increases, so does the weight of the hull and engines:

That, as the speed increases, with the consequent increased coal and engine weight, the cargo decreases: and

That, as the speed increases, with the other necessary conditions noticed, the expense per ton of cargo also increases in a rapid ratio. In the four cross columns ships of different sizes are considered; of 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 tons. There is also given the working or indicated horse power, and the nominal horse-power, or that of 33,000 lbs. raised a foot in a minute, which is the general basis of making contracts. It is a fact, however, that engines generally work up to three or four times their nominal horse power; so that the word horse power has no positive or useful meaning. Vessels called one hundred nominal horse-power have been known to work up to six hundred.

Let us take a ship of 5,000 tons. We find that at 8 miles per hour the horse power is 436; but at 12 miles it is 1,472, nearly four times as great. At 13 miles, it would be nearly 1800 horse, and at 14 it would be above 2100. So, also, with the weight of engines, boilers, etc. At 8 miles per hour they would weigh 1,109 tons; but at 12 they would have to weigh, to be large and strong enough, 1,368 tons. At 14 miles, they would weigh nearly 1,600 tons.

Now, see the columns "cargo" and "coal," and observe how rapidly that of coal increases, while that of cargo decreases in the inverse ratio of the coal, the engine, the boiler, and the hull weight combined. The cargo has come from 1,209 down to 717 tons; and if the speed were increased to 13 or 14 miles per hour, the cargo would be so reduced as to be unworthy of notice.

The next column shows how much greater the quantity of water displaced as the speed increases. This extra displacement requires extra power.

In the last column it is observable how rapidly the speed enhances the cost price of transporting cargo. At 13 miles per hour the cost would be about six pounds sterling per ton, and at 14 knots speed it would be higher than was ever paid a steamer in the most flush periods of even the best qualities of freights. Freights were about L8 per ton on the Cunard line before the establishment of the Collins; but they soon came down, and are not now L3, or $15, on an average. So with passage. The "Great Western" charged L45, the "British Queen" L50; the Cunarders, until the Collins competition, L40, 19_s._ The Collins steamers put the price down to L35, and have since reduced it to L30 homeward, and L24 outward. This is but little above half the fare of the Great Western, and something over two thirds of that formerly charged by the Cunard line. The Report to the House of Commons "on Steam Communications with India," No. 372 of 1851, second volume, page 395, says, that the average speed of the Cunard line was 10.443 knots, of the Collins line 11 knots, and of the Havre and Bremen lines 9.875 knots per hour. The Collins line had then just started, and has since made the average passages one and a half days quicker than those of the Cunard line. This being the case, it is easy to estimate the gains of a steamer at such rates, when this column shows us that at 12 miles speed per hour and an average trip of 11 days, the actual prime cost of moving the freight is much above that which is received for it. It is therefore taken in small quantities only to assist in paying the running expenses of the steamer.

This table shows another thing very conclusively, that large ships running the same number of miles per hour, run cheaper and transport freight more cheaply than smaller vessels. It presupposes, however, that they go full both ways. The engine power and general outlay do not increase as rapidly as the tonnage of the vessel and her capacity for carrying. While a ship 2,500 tons at 12 miles per hour on a passage of 3,250 miles would make the cost per ton for the transportation of freight $22.75, one of 20,000 tons, under the same conditions would reduce it to $9 per ton. Yet it is hardly probable that we shall ever profitably employ steamers of over 10,000 tons tonnage in the passenger, mail, and freight business.

Again, a ship of 2,500 at 12 miles, running 6,500 miles could not transport cargo at less than $115; one of 5,000 tons would transport it at $52; one of 10,000 tons would transport it at $33 per ton; and one of 20,000 tons burthen, as for instance the "Leviathan," would transport it at $24 per ton. And while none of the three first named sizes of vessels would transport it 12,500 miles, the one of 20,000 tons, running 12 miles per hour, would transport it at $80 per ton; and running 14 miles per hours, at $430 per ton. Two things must, however, not be forgotten in this; that the ship to do this must always run entirely full and have no waste room; and that these prices are comparisons between different steamers, and not with sailing vessels, which, running much more slowly and with but little expense, transport the freight far more cheaply.

The following table will set forth very clearly in a summary view, the Time, Horse-power, Coal, and Cargo for a steamer of good average quality running on passages of 1,000 miles, 2,000 miles, and 3,000 miles, and at a speed varying from 6 to 18 miles per hour. It will be observed that a steamer of 3,000 tons can not take power and coal enough to run on a 2,000 miles passage above 17 knots per hour, and that one of 3,000 tons also can not run on a 3,000 miles passage at a speed above 16 knots per hour. Observe the small quantity of cargo and the large quantity of coal for a steamer of 3,000 tons on a 3,000 miles passage at 16 miles per hour.

COAL AND CARGO TABLE: No. IV.

_Calculated for the mean Displacement of 3,000 Tons._

KEY: A: SPEED--PER HOUR. B: HORSE-POWER. C: WEIGHT OF HULL AND ENGINES. D: PASSAGE 1,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Time. E: PASSAGE 1,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Coal. F: PASSAGE 1,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Cargo. G: PASSAGE 2,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Time. H: PASSAGE 2,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Coal. I: PASSAGE 2,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Cargo. J: PASSAGE 3,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Time. K: PASSAGE 3,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Coal. L: PASSAGE 3,000 NAUTICAL MILES. Cargo.

+-----+-----+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+----+---- A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L N. M.|H. P.|TONS.|D. H.|TONS|TONS|D. H.|TONS|TONS|D. H.|TONS|TONS -----+-----+-----+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+----+---- 6| 52| 1252| 6.23| 72|1711|13.21| 144|1675|20.20| 216|1639 7| 83| 1283| 5.23| 98|1667|11.22| 197|1617|17.21| 296|1568 8| 123| 1323| 5. 5| 128|1612|10.10| 256|1548|15.15| 384|1484 | | | | | | | | | | | 9| 175| 1375| 4.15| 162|1543| 9. 6| 324|1462|13.21| 486|1381 10| 241| 1441| 4. 4| 200|1458| 8. 8| 401|1358|12.12| 602|1257 11| 320| 1520| 3.19| 242|1358| 7.14| 484|1237|11. 9| 727|1116 | | | | | | | | | | | 12| 416| 1616| 3.11| 288|1239| 6.23| 577|1095|10.10| 866| 950 13| 529| 1729| 3. 5| 339|1100| 6.10| 678| 931| 9.15|1017| 761 14| 661| 1861| 2.23| 393| 942| 5.23| 786| 745| 8.22|1180| 548 | | | | | | | | | | | 15| 813| 2013| 2.19| 451| 761| 5.13| 903| 535| 8. 8|1355| 309 16| 987| 2187| 2.14| 514| 555| 5. 5|1028| 298| 7.19|1542| 41 17| 1183| 2383| 2.11| 580| 327| 4.22|1160| 37| | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18| 1405| 2605| 2. 8| 650| 69| | | | | | 19| 1652| 2852| | | | | | | | | 20| 1927| 3127| | | | | | | | | -----+-----+-----+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+----+----

I will close this long chapter, in which I have endeavored to give a clear, comprehensible, and faithful idea of the cost of running ocean mail, freight, and passenger steamers, by an extract from that very able and faithful work, "Steamship Capability." As a summing up of the various laws and facts concerning the consumption of fuel, weight and power of engines, speed of ships, and their capacity to do business, Mr. Atherton says, page 55: "Now suppose, for example, that the passage be 1,000 miles, and that, for brevity, we confine our remarks to the engine department only; which, indeed, will be the department of expense, chiefly affected by variations in the rate of speed. It appears that the vessel of 5,000 tons' mean displacement, if fitted to run at the speed of EIGHT NAUTICAL MILES per hour, will require 172 H.P., and a cargo of 2,738 tons will be conveyed 1,000 miles in five days five hours; being equivalent to one day's employment of 33/100 H.P. _per ton_ of goods.

"If fitted to run at TEN NAUTICAL MILES an hour, the vessel will require 336 H.P., the cargo will be reduced to 2,524 tons, and the time to four days four hours; being equivalent to one day's employment of 55/100 H.P. _per ton_ of goods nearly.

"If fitted to run at TWELVE NAUTICAL MILES an hour, the vessel will require 581 H.P., the cargo will be reduced to 2,217 tons, and the time to three days eleven hours; being equivalent to one day's employment of 91/100 H.P. _per ton_ of goods.

"If fitted to run at FOURTEEN MILES an hour, the vessel will require 923 H.P., the cargo will be reduced to 1,802 tons, and the time to two days twenty-three hours; being equivalent to one day's employment of 1-52/100 H.P. _per ton_ of goods.

"If fitted to run at SIXTEEN MILES per hour, the vessel will require 1,377 H.P., the cargo will be reduced to 1,264 tons, and the time to two days fourteen hours; being equivalent to one day's employment of 2-86/100 H.P. _per ton_ of goods.

"If fitted to run at EIGHTEEN MILES per hour, the vessel will require 1,961 H.P., the cargo will be reduced to 585 tons, and the time to two days eight hours; being equivalent to one day's employment of 7-75/100 H.P., _per ton_ of goods.

"And if fitted to run at TWENTY MILES per hour, there will be no displacement available for mercantile cargo.

"Assuming, now, that the COST per ton of goods will be in proportion to the amount of power and tonnage employed to do the work, it appears that the cost _per ton of goods_ of performing this passage of 1,000 miles, at the respective speeds of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 miles, will be proportional to the numbers--33/100, 55/100, 91/100, 1-52/100, 2-86/100, and 7-75/100, which are proportional to the numbers 33, 55, 91, 152, 286, and 775, or nearly as 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, and 23.

"Hence it appears, that in the case of the ONE THOUSAND MILES passage above referred to, the cost of freight _per ton of goods_ at TEN MILES per hour, will require to be nearly the _double_ of the rate at EIGHT MILES per hour.

"The cost per ton at TWELVE MILES per hour will require to be _three times_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at FOURTEEN MILES per hour will require to be _five times_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at SIXTEEN MILES per hour will require to be _nine times_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at EIGHTEEN MILES per hour will require to be _twenty-three times_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"And at TWENTY MILES per hour there will be _no displacement_ available for mercantile cargo.

"By applying the same process of calculation to a ship of 5,000 tons' mean displacement, making a passage of THREE THOUSAND MILES, we shall find that, at TEN MILES an hour, the cost of freight per ton will require to be double the rate of freight at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at TWELVE MILES will require to be three times the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at FOURTEEN MILES will require to be six times the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at SIXTEEN MILES will require to be twenty times the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"And at EIGHTEEN MILES per hour there will be _no displacement_ available for mercantile cargo.

"Finally, by applying the same process of calculation to a ship of 5,000 tons' mean displacement on a passage of 6,000 miles, it will be found that the cost of freight per ton at TEN MILES per hour will require to be _double_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at TWELVE MILES per hour will require to be about _five times_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"The cost per ton at FOURTEEN MILES per hour will be about _sixteen times_ the rate at EIGHT MILES.

"And at SIXTEEN MILES per hour there will be _no displacement_ available for mercantile cargo.

"Hence, it appears, that for voyages of 1,000 miles and upwards, without re-coaling, the speed of ten nautical miles per hour would involve about _double_ the cost _per ton_ of eight miles, and may, therefore, be regarded as the extreme limit that can be generally entertained for the mercantile purpose of goods' conveyance; and that the attainment on long passages of a higher rate of speed than ten miles (though admissibly practicable) would involve obligations altogether of an exceptional character, such as the special service of dispatches, mails, passengers, specie, and the most valuable description of goods can only meet."

SECTION V.

OCEAN MAIL STEAMERS CAN NOT LIVE ON THEIR OWN RECEIPTS.

INCREASE OF BRITISH MAIL SERVICE: LAST NEW LINE AT $925,000 PER YEAR: THE SYSTEM NOT BECOMING SELF-SUPPORTING: CONTRACT RENEWALS AT SAME OR HIGHER PRICES: PRICE OF FUEL AND WAGES INCREASED FASTER THAN ENGINE IMPROVEMENTS: LARGE SHIPS RUN PROPORTIONALLY CHEAPER THAN SMALL: AN EXAMPLE, WITH THE FIGURES: THE STEAMER "LEVIATHAN," 27,000 TONS: STEAMERS OF THIS CLASS WILL NOT PAY: SHE CAN NOT TRANSPORT FREIGHT TO AUSTRALIA: REASONS FOR THE SAME: MOTION HER NORMAL CONDITION: MUST NOT BE MADE A DOCK: DELIVERY OF FREIGHTS: MAMMOTH STEAMERS TO BRAZIL: LARGE CLIPPERS LIE IDLE: NOT EVEN THIS LARGE CLASS OF STEAMERS CAN LIVE ON THEIR OWN RECEIPTS: EFFICIENT MAIL STEAMERS CARRY BUT LITTLE EXCEPT PASSENGERS: SOME HEAVY EXTRA EXPENSES IN REGULAR MAIL LINES: PACIFIC MAIL COMPANY'S LARGE EXTRA FLEET, AND ITS EFFECTS: THE IMMENSE ACCOUNT OF ITEMS AND EXTRAS: A PARTIAL LIST: THE HAVRE AND COLLINS DOCKS: GREAT EXPENSE OF FEEDING PASSENGERS: VIEWS OF MURRAY AND ATHERTON ON THE COST OF RUNNING STEAMERS, AND THE NECESSITY OF THE PRESENT MAIL SERVICE.

From the foregoing Section it is evident that the cost of running ocean steamers is enormous, and that in the chief element of expenditure it increases as the cube of the velocity. This, although true, is certainly a startling ratio of increase, and calculated to arouse attention to the difficulties of postal marine navigation. Seeing that ocean speed is attainable at so high a cost, we naturally conclude that fast mail steamers can not live on their own receipts upon the ocean.

Since Great Britain established her first ocean steam mail in 1833, she has gone on rapidly increasing the same facilities, until her noble lines of communication now extend to every land and compass every sea. The last great contract which she conceded was last year, to the "European and Australian Company," for carrying the mails on a second line from Southampton _via_ Suez to Sydney, in Australia, at L185,000, or $925,000 per year. And although her expenditures for this service have gradually gone up to above five millions of dollars per annum, she continues the service as a necessity to her commerce, and a branch of facilities and accommodations with which the people of the Kingdom will not dispense. The British Government set out with the determination to have the advantages of the system, whether it would pay or not. They believed that the system would eventually become self-supporting, by reason of the many important improvements then proposed in the steam-engine, and they have ever since professed to believe the same thing. But their experience points quite the other way; and while the service is daily becoming more important to them in every sense, it is also becoming year by year more expensive.

Contracts which the Admiralty made with several large and prominent companies in 1838 they renewed at the same or increased subsidies, after twelve years' operations, in 1850, for another term of twelve years. And so far from those companies with their many ships on hand being able to undertake the service for less, they demanded more in almost every case, and received it from the government. The improvements which they anticipated in the marine engine were more than counterbalanced by the rise in the price of fuel and wages all over the kingdom and the world. In fact, those improvements have been very few and very small. It still takes nearly as much coal to evaporate a pound of water as it then did; and the improvements which have been made were generally patents, and costly in the prime cost of construction to a degree almost preclusive of increased benefits to the general service. At any rate, the latest steam adaptations and improvements have proven unequal to the end proposed, and the cost of the ocean service is now far heavier than it ever has been before, simply because of the greater speed required by the public for the mails and passage.