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Inflexible, 1845
Type: 1st class sloop ; Armament 6
Launched : 24 May 1845 ;
Disposal date or year : 1864
BM: 1122 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Machinery notes: 378 ; Speed ; 12½ knots ;
Notes:
Mar 1841 it is reported that the Inflexible, second class steam-vessel, has been ordered to be built at Pembroke.
21 Nov 1846 News received in Aus. that H.M. steamer Inflexible was to sail for the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand, in August, to relieve the Driver.
12 Dec 1846 It is reported in Aus. that HM steamer Inflexible sailed for the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand, August 10th.
13 Dec 1846 Arrived Sydney from Plymouth (9 Aug), and Simon's Bay (8 Nov). See below for RoP of passage.
19 Dec 1846 Commander JC Hoseason, Farm Cove, Sydney, refitting
19 Dec 1846 To prevent disappointment we are requested to state that HMS Inflexible will not be open to receive general visitors to-morrow nor Monday next
2 Jan 1847 Fete on board the "Inflexible".- On the Monday evening, the Captain and Officers of Her Majesty's steamer Inflexible gave a ball, and a very gay and stylish affair it was. The steamer was most gracefully decorated with foliage and flowers, and the canvas of which the awning was formed was covered on the inside with the different national flags, which gave it a very interesting and brilliant appearance. About 8 o'clock, or shortly after, his Excellency the Governor and Lady Mary Fitz Roy, and suite, went on hoard in the government barge, and shortly after dancing commenced; it was con-tinued with great spirit till the short hours began to toll. A more splendidly and gracefully con-ducted affair has seldom taken place in Sydney, and the officers of the Inflexible must decidedly have ingratiated themselves with the fair votaries of Terpsichore in Sydney.
16 Jan 1847 Departs Sydney for NZ - [H.M.S. Inflexible left on Saturday for New Zealand; His Excellency Sir Charles Fitz Roy, and a large party of ladies and gentlemen were on board. as it was generally known that she would take a cruise round the harbour prior to her proceeding to sea. After running down near the heads she returned and ran up Darling Harbour. for the purpose of going round Goat Island; when she grounded on the sandspit which extends from Goat Island towards Balmain. She remained on it about an hour, when, as the tide was flowing, she got off. Not having received any damage she then proceeded to sea forthwith, after landing her visitors.]
23 Jan 1847 Mr. Dawson, the watchmaker, has made a very ingenious piece of mechanism, for registering the number of strokes made by the engines of H.M.S. Inflexible. A small tooth inserted in the main shaft, hits a lever every evolution that it makes, and the lever acting upon the same principle as the pendulum of a clock, puts in motion an index hand, which of course makes a movement for every evolution, and a dial shows the number of movements made by the hand. By connecting two other hands and dials to show hundreds and thousands, while the first one registers tens, an accurate register up to forty thousand strokes can be kept, and as that is more than the engines will make in twenty-four hours, it is sufficient for any purpose, as the number of strokes can be entered in the log, and the machine be reset every day at twelve o'clock.
26 Jan 1847 Arrives Auckland
30 April 1847 From Auckland to Wellington
4 May 1847 Arrived Port Nicholson from Auckland
12 May 1847 From Port Nicholson to Auckland
19 May 1847 HMS Racehorse.- This fine sloop-of-war has made rather a lengthened passage of nineteen days from Auckland, having encountered a succession of strong south-west winds and much bad weather since leaving that port. She is the bearer of despatches from Governor Grey, requesting that more troops may be immediately sent down. The Racehorse left Port Nicholson only on the 21st April, and made a fine run to Auckland of four days, from whence she was immediately despatched to this port. HMS Calliope was at Wellington when the Racehorse sailed and Governor Grey would proceed there from Auckland in H. M. steamer Inflexible on the 30th April.
c 26 Jun 1847 Arrived Port Nicholson from Auckland with Gov. Grey, and from thence to Wanganui.
Circa 21 Sep 1847 Sighted at Auckland by the "Maukin"
8 Oct 1847 "Maxquaries" advises that she was still lying at Auckland
7 Nov 1847 Depart Auckland
14 Nov 1847 Arrived Sydney, following a good passage, to collect specie for the Commissariat.
27 Nov 1847 Reported to be coaling ship, which is causing delays in sailing amongst the commercial vessels in the harbour also wishing to coal.
5 Dec 1847 The Louisa is the Post Office Packet for August. and has brought a large mail, consist consisting of 23 bags of the usual size. She was detained fourteen days in the English channel from contrary winds, and was off the heads on Friday se'nnight, but owing to the strong northerly wind could not make the port up to Saturday afternoon, when HM. steamer Inflexible proceeded outside and took her in tow, Captain Hoseason wishing to obtain his despatches, as well as those for the Government of New Zealand, prior to his proceeding to Auckland. One of the crew named Thomas Sherman died of consumption, about a month since.
5 Dec 1847 Departs Sydney for Auckland
11 Dec 1847 Arrived Auckland
19 Dec 1847 Naval Intelligence.- Extract of a letter from Auckland, dated 19th December:- "The Inflexible starts shortly for the Bay of Islands, and, I believe, Wellington and other places, with the Governor, General Pitt, and Colonel Mundy; she has been surveyed and found defective, and recommended by the Surveying Officers to proceed to be docked at Madras or elsewhere, but not to run more than three months without being repaired.
28 Jan 1848 Sailed with Governor
18 Mar 1848 Sailed from Auckland to Bombay for repairs.
30 Mar 1848 Passed Raine's Island
11 Apr 1848 Arrived Sourabaya
16 Apr 1848 Sailed Sourabaya for Bombay. Her Majesty's steam sloop Inflexible sailed from Auckland at noon of the 18th March, passed Raine's Island at 11 A.M. Of the 30th March, and anchored off Sir Charles Hardy's Island at 3-30 p.m. of the same day (the sun being too much to the westward to run further that day.) At noon of the 1st of April she was clear of the Straits, Wallis Islands being ten miles astern. She arrived at Sourabaya, in the Island of Java, on the 11th April - thus making the entire voyage from Auckland, a distance of 4200 nautical miles in twenty-four days, out of which she was twenty-six hours at anchor in Torres Straits. Although her arrival was not anticipated at Sourabaya, she was coaled and watered in five days, and sailed at noon of Sunday, 16th April; and as she had 400 tons of fair coals on board, it was expected by her commander that she would be in Bombay in 13 or 14 days ; and if she saved the mail, which is supposed to sail on the 3rd May, letters from New Zealand would be in London in 70 days. She had 50 tons of coals remaining in her bunkers on her arrival at Sourabaya, which would have been sufficient to have taken her to Batavia or Singapore, if it had been requisite.
1 Jun 1849 Arrived at Singapore from China and left for England via Bombay the following day.
27 Jan 1851 At Jamaica.
3 Jun 1851 At Havanna.
30 Aug 1851 North America and West Indies
22 Oct 1852 Officers of the Inflexible, then based on the R. Tagus at Lisbon, with Portuguese shipwrights inspected the Australian Royal Mail Steam Navigation Co.'s vessel "Melbourne" to see if she was seaworthy ; it was agreed that she was seaworthy, despite the claims of the passengers.
Apr-May 1857 arrived Hongkong with the gunboat Starling in tow.
10 May 1857 Canton River.
10 Jul 1857 Hongkong.
28 Nov 1857 Canton River.
28 Dec 1857 Capture of Canton and of Commissioner Yeh and the Tartar general (see also www.gazettes-online.co.uk of 16 and 26 Feb 1858).
22 Feb 1858 sailed from Hongkong for Calcutta with Commissioner Yeh.
1 Oct 1856 - 26 Jun 1858 Parliamentary Grant of £33,000, for services (in lieu of Prize Money) on the China Station to be divided between 56 Vessels
1860 East Indies and China station.
19 Dec 1846 The Inflexible Steamer Sloop Inflexible arrived on Sunday last from England via the Cape of Good Hope. She left Plymouth on the 9th August, with 2000 stand of arms, 800 barrels of gunpowder, and £515,000 of specie ; also, seven field officers, which were landed at the Cape, to be placed at the disposal of the Commander of the Forces there. The Inflexible arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on the 28th of September, after a passage of 49 days, during which she steamed the whole distance, and landed there £20,000 in specie, and 106,000 rounds of ball cartridge. After leaving there she proceeded to Algoa Bay. and landed 293,500 rounds ball cartridge, 2000 stand of arms, and £35,000. Left on the 8th November for Sydney, and has thus completed the passage (not including the detention at the Cape), in seventy-three days, having steamed throughout. December 7th. in lat. 39 ° 56 ' S., 135 ° 21 ' E., spoke the Wanderer, schooner, from Batavia for Sydney.
The Inflexible was built at Milford Haven, in the early part of the present year by Sir W. Symonds, the celebrated naval architect ; so expeditiously was she put together and fitted up, that from the time she was commenced till she was afloat and ready for sea hardly six months elapsed. Her dimensions are, length of keel, 190 feet, length over all 199 feet, breadth of beam, 42 feet, depth of hold, 27 feet 8 inches, register steam boat tonnage, 1123 tons, and draws at present about 13 feet water. Her crew, including officers, consist of 160 individuals. She is armed with one ten-inch pivot gun aft, upwards of eleven feet in length, which with a charge of 12 Ibs. of powder, is capable of throwing an 84 lb. shot a distance of 3170 yards, or upwards of 1 mile and 4-5ths ; the time occupied by the flight of the shot from this gun is 16 seconds. There is another pivot gun forward of eleven feet in length, with a bore of seven and seven-tenths inches, which with a charge of fourteen pounds of powder will throw a fifty-six pound shot 3614 yards, or two miles and ninety-four yards; the flight of the shot occupying fifteen and a half seconds. The two guns weigh respectively four tons eight cwt., and four tons four cwt. There are also four carronades, each eight feet long, weighing two tons each, with a bore of six three-tenths inches, which with a charge of six pounds of powder will throw a shot of thirty-two pounds to the distance of 2576 yards, or about one and a half miles ; the flight of the shot requiring ten and a half seconds. Besides these six-principal guns there is a brass six-pounder field-piece, and several twelve pounder carronades. intended principally for being used in the boats, of which. besides the usual number of common boats belonging to Queen's ships of the same class as the Inflexible, there are two diagonal built life- boats, secured in an inverted position, one on the top of each paddle-box, from which in a case of emergency they can be lowered in a few seconds by means of davits rising from the deck at the extremity of the paddle-boxes : either of these boats is capable of carrying all hands, and have already been worked with fifteen tons of dead weight in them respectively.
The machinery has been constructed on the most improved principle, by Fawcett and Preston, of Liverpool, and constitutes what engineers designate a direct acting marine engine, of 375 horse-power, being composed of four equal and similar parts, of which the diameter of the cylinders is seventy-two inches, and the length of the stroke five feet nine inches. There are four boilers, one for each cylinder, each of which has the fuel applied under it by means of three flues. The four primary parts of the engine are so constructed and connected together, that the steam of either one, two, three, or the whole four boilers may be used simultaneously. The daily consumption of coal may be gathered from the fact that when the Inflexible left the Cape, she had 460 tons of coal in her boxes, and after steaming all the way to this port, which was effected in thirty-five days, at the vessel's arrival in Port Jackson there remained about five tons in the boxes, so that the consumption in thirty-five days was about 455 tons. The paddle wheels are of gigantic contour, having a diameter of 29½ feet each, or 92.67 feet in circumference, round which there are placed in each wheel twenty-four float boards, each containing a surface of twenty and a quarter square feet. which perform from eighteen to twenty revolutions per minute. The maximum speed hitherto obtained by the Inflexible has been about twelve and a-half miles per hour. The interior arrangements appear to be made so as to secure ample accommodation with compactness. The galleys for cooking being placed in the same line with the paddle boxes, and under the same coverings, leave the deck clear fore and aft, with the exception of the cylinder shaft which turns the paddles, which is encased in sheet iron. There is one arrangement on board this vessel which appears to be well worth the attention of the owners of Australian steamers, especially as it could be adopted on board all of them without inconvenience or creating any large expense, and would be a decided improvement on the mode at present employed for conveying the commander's or pilot's orders to the engineer below, which has hitherto been done here by stationing a man at the engineer's hatch for the purpose of passing the orders down to the engine-room Instead of this mode, on boar the Inflexible there is a telegraph clock erected on the stage or bridge over and between the paddle boxes, which communicates with a similar telegraph dial placed in the engine room below, and the two are so connected that whenever the index of the dial on the stage is moved, the index below moves in the same manner, so as to point directly to words on the dial expressive of what is to be done-such as " half-speed," " stop her," " stroke astern, &c. ;" and in order to warn those below that an order has been given on deck, a small bell rings below
whenever the index on the stage has been moved. In like manner, whenever the engineer has obeyed the order, a small bell on the stage rings as a signal that the order has been complied with. Some idea may be formed of the magnitude of the machinery of this vessel from the space which is occupied by the engine room, which is fifty-five feet in (length. and extending through nearly the breadth and depth of the vessel.
Through the polite invitation of Captain Hoseason, the directors and officers of the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company paid a visit on Thursday to this fine steamer, and were much pleased by the modern improvements and arrangements introduced in her engines and machinery, and with much interesting information, afforded by Captain Hoseason. upon recent experiments conducted by the Admiralty, with a view to the economical employment of steam power in propelling vessels. The courtesy of Captain Hoseason, who is evidently intimately acquainted with the steam engine, practically as well as theoretically, in minutely explaining personally all the arrangements of the machinery and vessel, was highly gratifying to the party, and creditable to himself as a gentleman and a man of science, desirous to communicate the knowledge he possessed of recent improvements.
Voyage of the Inflexible.
Amid the discussions on the steam communication question, following upon the movement recently made in England to obtain the establishment between Sydney and Singapore, the application of steam navigation to the direct sea course by the Cape of Good Hope has not been considered. In the present position of the question, it maybe advisable to limit our expectations and exertions to the attainment of the lesser scheme, as affording the readiest means of effecting the object of rapid mail packet communication, leaving the greater and more important establishment to future commercial enterprise, and progressive advances of the science. Such being the present feature of the subject, any prolonged delay in carrying out the Indian extension will be regarded with dissatisfaction. New South Wales has come pre-eminently forward by offering her aid towards the maintenance of the projected undertaking via Torres Straits to Singapore, and has temporarily laid aside the claims of the Australian colonies to a separate mail packet establishment, is the expectation of - more immediately reaping the benefit of quick postal communication by a Junction with the existing line to China. The colonists naturally presume that they are now on the eve of obtaining this desirable communication; . and may still hope that the establishment of the commercial route, by which the conveyance of goods and .passengers from England can be effected as rapidly as the mails overland, will also in due time be carried into effect.
Every practical advance, as well as actual improvement is steam navigation, is a step towards the fulfilment of the latter project ; therefore, the recent arrival of H.M. steam sloop Inflexible in the harbour of Port Jackson from Devonport and the Cape of Good Hope, has been regarded with peculiar interest - the first voyage approaching the character of a steam passage to Australia having been effected by this steamer, and with highly satisfactory results. This vessel, the inspection of which during her stay in our harbour, afforded no small gratification to numbers of our fellow-citizens, as exhibiting to them. for the first time various improvements in the formation and application of the marine steam engine attained of late years, will by her arrival, form an epoch is colonial history, and by the performance of her voyage mark an era in the progress of navigation by steam. Ever since the successful voyage of the Great Western on the Atlantic, the practicability of reducing by one-half the present term of the voyage to Sydney, by the employment of similar vessels, has been advocated and urged : but, until the present era, all the submitted estimates were comparative theory. The Inflexible has surpassed theory in many respects, and therefore the following brief analysis and leading results of her voyage may prove interesting, and at the least highly instructive.
Allow me, to observe is the first place, that the Inflexible measures 1122 tons, and was built at Milford Haven in 1846. Her engines are of older construction, and were originally intended for another ship,. as the appearance of the cylinder shafts above deck tends to show. Her two direct acting marine engines are of the nominal horse power of 375 horses, and are fitted with the expansive gear. Her four boilers are oblong shaped, with three flues to each. The engine-room is about one-half less than in the old engines ; this ,great saving is owing chiefly to the cranks being placed, and acting directly. above the cylinders. The operation of the expansive principle is that which effects the great saving is the expenditure of fuel. As the action of the wind on the sails assists in propelling the vessel, there is, therefore, so much the less steam power required in order to maintain the necessary speed. By the plan introduced of cutting off the steam in its passage to the cylinder, and causing the piston to work expansively, this saving is effected, both simply and efficiently, and is regulated with accuracy. according to the state of the weather and the speed attained. On the passage to Australia, sufficient steam was generated by the employment of nine, and frequently only six flues out of the twelve to acquire a speed of seven to eight knots. The usual practice is to work the engine expansively, excepting when the speed is reduced to six knots - on which occasion the full steam is then applied. When the wind is strong in favour, with a moderate sea, the steam power employed on the expansive system is little more than, what may be just necessary to turn the paddles. Great facilities are afforded during the application of the expansive principle for cleaning out the boilers, which can be done in turn. without diminishing the ordinary speed, and by frequently performing it, the accumulation of sediment is prevented, thereby promoting the. preservation and safety of the boilers. Coal boxes are ranged between the machinery, and sides of the vessel, and are thus made subservient to preserve the vital parts injuries more peculiar to war steamers.
The capacity of the Inflexible for fuel is 500 tons. Her large paddle-boxes, although fitted with a life-boat an each, and comprehending places for culinary and other useful purposes, are an obstruction during head winds and heavy seas. By the, frequent. alternate emersion and immersion of the paddle wheels, much power is lost in ocean steaming, and the application of the screw principle on this voyage is still a desideratum. promising greater results. The plan of 'disconnecting' has been in use by war steamers for some time, but is effected in the Inflexible on a different principle from that formerly in use, and which occupies one-tenth of the time; it is that of the friction strap, and merely requires the turning of two screws, and striking aside the keys which connect the parts; in order to set the paddles free of the engine.
On her departure from Devonport on the 9th of August last; the Inflexible had 392 tons of coal is her boxes, considerably less than her quantum ; 80 tons of patent fuel intended for her use having been behind - probably in consequence of the large amount of dead weight already onboard - being not less than 150 tons, exclusive of fuel. The total weight of cargo, fuel, engines, boilers, water, stores, ammunition. &c., was estimated at 1200 tons. She then drew 15 feet 6 inches for-ward, and 15 feet 10 inches aft : immersion of. paddle wheels 5 feet 7 inches. From the 9th to the 28th of August, the course of the Inflexible was as direct as could be taken for the Cape of Good Hope ; at the latter date she had made more. than half the distance between England and the Cape ; being near the equator, in let. 3° 44 N., lon. 13° 27 W.. This point was attained in a period of eighteen days sixteen hours, at an average speed per diem of 179 nautical miles, or 7 ½ knots per hour, being 3345 miles by the log, and direct course 3200 miles. She, attained this point in the above period at an expenditure of 218 tons 6 cwt. coals, averaging 11 tons 13 cwt. per diem. From the 9th to the 13th August, the sea had set strong from the west, the wind moderate from the same direction. The north-east trades were met on the 13th, and retained until the 23rd. During their continuance the average speed was 180 per diem, and consumption of fuel 10 tons 3 cwt. On the evening of the 23rd, the wind veered to south-south-east, and again to south-south-west, with a rough sea setting is from the south-west, which continued for some days.
On the 28th August there remained nearly three thousand miles to perform before reaching Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and the quantity of fuel on board 173 tons 14 cwt. It had not been arranged for the Inflexible to coal at any station between England and the Cape, otherwise a direct course might have been kept. This defective arrangement added twelve to fifteen days to the period of her passage, as her commander was now necessitated to diverge from the course, with the view of reaching the south-westerly winds to assist in carrying the Inflexible to the Cape. The equator was crossed on the night of the 29th August, and on the 1st September the Inflexible had disconnected, and was making all sail towards the Brazil coast, with a south easterly breeze, which lasted one week, by which time she reached 21° 33', her extreme west longitude, in 18° 15' south latitude. With steam up she met south-westerly breezes, and experienced a rough cross sea on the 9th, which on the 10th changed to a long south-west swell the weather calm ; speed 190, and consumption thirteen tons.
The wind again came from the east, but steam is kept up till the 16th, when being under sail ninety miles only is entered as the day's run. The Inflexible kept under sail, with winds varying from south-east to south-west, until the 26th, when steam was got up, and she made St. Helena Bay, Cape Colony, on the 27th, and was at anchor in Saldanha Bay and Table Bay, on the 28th September, having accomplished the total run from Devonport in forty-nine days, of which thirty-two days was under steam, and seventeen under sail only. From the point of divergence on the 28th of August to the 28th September, the distance run per log was 4363¾ nautical miles, nearly 1500 over the direct course. Her average spend during this period was 140 nautical miles per diem.
The time under steam
The time under sail,
Average speed under steam
Average speed under sail only 13½
17½
158
127½ days
days
nautical mile:
nautical mile:
Average consumption of fuel per diem, when under steam, 12 tons 6 cwt.
The public service required the Inflexible to remain six weeks at the Cape Colony, and having discharged a portion of her dead weight, and taken on board 460 tons coal, she left Simon's Bay at 2 pm of the 8th November, and arrived at Sydney at half-past 8 pm on the 13th December.
The passage from the Cape was performed therefore in 36 days 6½ hours, of which period 160 hours, equal to six days sixteen hours, was under sail only, and the remaining 28 days 14½ hours under steam. During eight days of the passage the practice was to disconnect each morning, and get up steam towards nightfall and on two days and nights the steamer pro-ceeded under canvas. The draught of water in Simon's Bay at starting was fourteen feet six inches forward, and sixteen feet aft - the immersion of paddle wheels five feet six inches. On arrival is Port Jackson she drew thirteen feet; and had about five tons of coal remaining in the boxes. Her average consumption therefore on the passage was 15 tons 17 cwt. daily while under steam.
This passage of the Inflexible is memorable, inasmuch as it is the first steam passage from the Cape to Sydney (from England to the Cape, and thence to India, has been frequently done) ; and it is the longest run at one stretch of any steamer under steam is the annals of steam navigation. I may, therefore, be allowed to deduce more particulars from the copy of the log in my possession.
After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, the course was south-west for a couple of days; the wind at starting was from south-east ; next day it veered to south-south-west, and a heavy south swell with it: nine flues employed, and plain sail ; consumption, 18 tons 8 cwt.; speed, 7½ knots, or eight miles for each ton of coals. The morning of the 11th was variable, but it blew strong from the south-south-west at noon, with a heavy south swell of the sea; speed, 8 1/8th knots. At night the wind came more from the west, and next day it blew a strong gale (the strongest experienced on the passage) from west-north-west ; average speed per log during the day, 8 5/12ths ; but 240 miles were made by observation - the longest run is twenty-four hours, equal to ten knots per hour; consumption 16½ tons, with double-reef topsails ; ocean swell heavy from the west. On. the 13th, the wind was W.S.W., and variable, and a long west swell experienced; speed per log, about 9 knots, with all plain sail. On the 14th, a north-easterly breeze sprung up, which increased considerably on the 15th, with a rough sea, consumption 14 tons, speed 8¾ per log, - with reef topsails, and 235 N.M. made. by observation. On the 16th, it came on again a westerly gale, with a heavy swell, 12 miles per ton consumed of coal, speed 8 1/8th. The 17th moderated, the wind veering from south-east to north-east till the evening of the 18th, when a gentle breeze came on from north-north-west, sea smooth. Steam was let off and studding-sails set. The like on the 19th and 20th, but speed diminishing, steam was got up in the evening. Next day the weather was nearly calm, speed 7 1-9 knots, and 13 1/3 miles per ton of coal; lat. 3° 39' S., long. 68 ° W. On the 22nd there was a moderate breeze from north. north-east, speed 7½. It came again from north-west on 23rd, and steam let off. Next day it was stronger from west-south-west, with a rough sea, proceeded under sail only this and the following day, speed about eight knots. On the 26th November, steam was got up with a south-west wind, and towards evening there was a long west swell, and "ship rolling deeply;" speed 6 3-5, and 12¾ miles to ton of coal consumed. The next day 17 miles were averaged to the ton; speed 7¾, wind north-north-west. On the 28th, under sail, a long west swell, which continues for some days, steam got up each night. and let off in the morning, until .2nd December. During this period, the wind varied from north-west to south-west, speed about eight knots, with plain sail. There was a heavy swell on the 2nd, and steam was continued from that day continuously to the close of the voyage. On the 3rd, with a gentle south-west breeze, sixteen miles was averaged, for each ton of coal, speed per log, nearly nine knots. On the evening of the 5th, the wind varied, and came light from the north on the 6th, but calm at noon. Latitude 40° 23' 30" south. Longitude 131° 34' east. Nearly sixteen tons of fuel consumed this day.
The next three days the wind was easterly, the consumption increasing, and on the 9th :December there was a strong head swell, "heavy from the east," consumption 21 tons 14 cwt., speed 6 5-6 per log, 7 3-5, miles only per ton of coal, being the largest quantity in one day, owing to the head wind and sea, requiring the necessary employment of full steam. On the 10th the weather moderated, the wind still from north-east, consumption. reduced to 17 tons 14 cwt., and speed increased to 7¾ knots. Entering Bass's Straits: On the 11th .and 12th, having strong north-north-east winds, steering up this coast, speed is rather under 7 knots, consumption on that day 12 tons, 13¼ miles to a ton, which on 12th is reduced to 9 miles per ton ; the consumption having increased to 18 tons. Next evening the Inflexible anchored in Part Jackson.
The speed per log given in the above sketch of the voyage, is the average speed during, twenty four hours. The aggregate of the daily runs on the whole passage, from the Cape to Sydney; is 6400 knots per log, whereas the actual distance is 6600, and allowing for extra latitude being made, the actual ground gone over could not be less than 6700 nautical miles.
The average speed per log, per diem, was 181½ - 7½ per hour:
|
Days. |
N. M. |
Per diem |
Per hour |
| Of which under steam |
25 |
4635 |
185 2-5 |
7¾ |
| Of which under sail only |
2 |
344 |
172 |
7¼ |
| Of which under part steam and part sail |
8 |
1421 |
177 2-8 |
7 2-5 |
| Total miles per log |
|
6400 |
|
|
Taking the actual distance gone over by the Inflexible at 6700 nautical miles; the average speed on the passage was 190 miles per diem, or eight knots per hour, very nearly.
During the passage, the wind came from
A westerly direction during 20 days
An easterly direction during 10 days
Wind variable direction during 5 days
35
The following is a brief summary of the whole voyage from England:-
Nautical Miles.
The distance, from Plymouth Sound to Table Bay, via Maderia and Cape de Verde 6,150
The distance from Simon's Bay to Port Jackson 6,600
Total distance from England to Sydney, via Cape of Good Hope ..12,750
Nautical miles traversed
Days hours per log per day per hour
Number of complete days under steam 57 4 10,115 177 7½
Number of complete days under sail only 19 l2 2,572¾ 132 5½
Number of complete days under part sail 8 0 1,421 177¾ 7 1/3
Plymouth Sound to Port Jackson 84 16 14,108¾
Total coal consumed on the passage 847 tons
Average consumption per diem 14 tons
Average number of miles for each ton. of coal 13 miles
Average consumption of fuel per horse power, per hour 3½ lbs.
There are circumstances attending the voyage of the Inflexible which detract in some degree from the success, although not from the value of its performance. As a war-steamer, she is not so. well adapted for the pur-poses of speedy conveyance as some commercial vessels of like capacity, nor does she, in respect to size and power, come up to the Atlantic or Indian packet ships. The nature of the service she had to perform, requiring large stores of ammunition to be conveyed. must have detracted very considerably from her sailing qualities, particularly at the commencement of the voyage ; without question the most remarkable result gained by her voyage is the small quantity of fuel consumed. It must also be recollected that the nature of the passage in respect of winds and weather, under the application of the expansive princi-ple, is of the first. importance to this saving in fuel. These: satisfactory results therefore may be taken as in the favourable nature of the passage to Australia, and the practicability of reducing it to a comparatively limited period, at an expenditure of fuel much less than has ever been imagined. Clearly to perceive the difference, it. has to be borne in mind that during this whole passage the full steam was not applied, excepting on leaving port, and on meeting with a heavy sea and head wind; which occurred very seldom. At all other times the. steam acted rather as an auxiliary to the sails,. and was lessened or increased according to the force of the wind and the state of the sea. The object was to obtain a tolerable degree of speed at a small consumption of fuel, and the whole voyage was effected at an average of 7 to 8 knots, with as expenditure little more than half what might have been required for the attainment of 9 knots. It may therefore be perfectly practicable to reduce the period of the sea passage to. Sydney to 70 days from Plymouth, by the employment of the expansive principle, at a total consumption not exceeding 1000 tons of coal. Superior vessels would probably average 8 knots, by which the sea passage would be 67 days only, reckoning the distance at 13,000 nautical miles. On the other hand, it would require 1800 tons of fuel, and additional coals at two depots, in order to attain a speed of 9 knots, nearly doubling this expense in order to gain five days. There is one part of. the. voyage which the voyage which the Inflexible does not afford sufficient data, having necessarily made a detour of 1500 miles. It is a matter of some surprise that the Admiralty should have allowed the Inflexible to start on the voyage short of her quantum of fuel, and without the means of obtaining a supply before reaching the Cape of Good Hope. It goes far however to prove the degree of confidence with which steam vessels are now despatched under all circumstances on the most distant voyages
Had the Inflexible made up her quantum at St. Jago, or even Madeira, she might have had 400 tons to steam direct from the Equator to the Cape. The line was reached in twenty days, at an expenditure of 230 tons coal, but there remained only 160 tons to steam a distance of 2800 miles, which through a great portion of the passage might require a daily average consumption of twenty tons. We will suppose that she had been provided, and that her average expenditure was twenty tons to acquire a speed of seven knots. This gives her sixteen days to reach the Cape, at an expenditure of 320 tons, being a saving of 13 days : from which, however, would have to b deducted the time taken in coaling at the depot. On two-thirds of this passage the south-east .trades may be expected; but at certain times of the year they are less strong than others. About the same time of the year the steam-ship Bentinck experienced them very strong ; she steamed from St. Jago in twenty two days. The difficulties of this part of the passage may be considered as adding 100 tons to the consumption for the voyage; for which reason I have estimated the total consumption for the voyage at 1000 tons. The Inflexible was 153 tons under that amount in steaming 11,000 miles.
The passage made by the Inflexible, from the Cape to Sydney, in all its results, is most satisfactory, and, in certain respects, exceeds the most sanguine expectations. The distance made under steam was not less than 5500 nautical miles, at an expenditure of only 455 tons coals, and a speed of eight knots. The average speed, when under sail only, exceeded seven knots per hour; and there was no occasion in. the whole passage, where the steam power could have been increased or applied, to have gained any material advantage.
We will suppose that full steam had been used on the voyage, at an expenditure of 21 tons coals per diem, and estimate the speed .at 9½ knots. She would barely have reached King George's Sound, the first harbour, a distance of 5000 N.M., with the 460 tons she had on board, as it would have occupied 22 days very nearly ; two days would have been required at least to take in 200 tons of coal, with which she might have reached Sydney in 8 or 9 days, making the time from the Cape 32 or 33 days instead of 35, at an additional expenditure of 200 tons of fuel, besides the depot expenses. Towards the close of her voyage the Inflexible experienced strong easterly winds and a head sea, which increased her. average consumption of fuel to 18 tons for 5 days; in other circumstances her total consumption might. have been less by 30 tons.
From the brief summary of the passage from the Cape .to Sydney already. given, it will be observed. that although westerly winds pre-vailed during twenty days, and were generally strong - sometimes increasing to a gale - steam .was not let off: The whole time of her pro-ceeding under sail was two days and part of eight days. Strong south-westerly winds, and a heavy sea from the same direction, axe characteristic of this passage above .40 ° south latitude, at which parallel of latitude the Inflexible ran 3000 miles. By keeping up steam during the prevalence of these strong favour-able winds, the paddle-wheel steamer saves wear and tear, and steers steadier. The pos-sibility of taking full advantage of these winds by the application of the screw principle, and saving fuel, affords good grounds for supposing that the expenditure of fuel, small as it is by the paddle wheel steamer, will be considerably reduced by the screw application, and without diminishing the speed. The screw principle might also beneficially be applied on the latter part of the passage from England to the Cape as large paddle-boxes catch head winds, and thereby impede the progress of the steam- vessel.
Not the least of the many satisfactory results attending the voyage of the Inflexible is the excellent order in which she arrived, and the entire absence of any symptoms of wear and tear. May we not hope that the broad highway of the ocean, which enables the Australian continent to be peopled from Europe, will ere long be lined with a steam marine as efficacious as that for which we are now awaiting the accomplishment by the by-ways of Egypt and the coral reefs of Torres Straits ?