Whig Republican

BRITISH MANAGEMENT OF A STEAM VESSEL.

—Extract of a letter from a Philadelphian in England to Mr. Biddle, in reference to the Philadelphia steam navigation project.

These Englishmen systematise things well on board the steamer, and this branch of the business deserves our imitation, particularly so far as the engineering department is concerned. In seamanship or the internal arrangements of a packet, I do not remark that they have any thing to teach us. On board the Royal William the engineer has exclusive charge and all the responsibility of his department. He keeps a regular log of the working of the engines—detailing the quantity of fuel consumed, the number of revolutions per minute, the gage of the steam kept up, and adds such remarks as may arise. He resorts to the quarter deck every four hours—and makes a written extract from his log every 24 hours, which is transcribed into a journal kept exclusively for that purpose. The master never interferes except to direct the stopping of the engines, if necessary, and set them going again. If he wishes the quantity of the steam increased, he communicates with the engineer, who acts at his discretion in the matter.