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The Hong-Kong and Canton New Steam-Ship Nurgis

Illustrated London News, February 15, 1862

The iron paddle-steamer Nurgis, of which we give an Illustration, has been built by Messrs. C.J. Mare and Company, of Millwall, and of iron rolled on their own premises. She is intended for the Chinese trade, the rivers and inner waters of that empire offering now very large inducements to our enterprising merchants to send vessels there, and by the aid of steam power to develop that traffic which has been hitherto confined to the very narrow facilities of communication afforded by the wretched junks, the only craft, with the exception of a few European vessels, available for either passenger or goods traffic.

The Nurgis, which measures about 1000 tons, is specially constructed for navigation in shallow waters, her draught being only 6ft. 1in. aft, and 6ft. 3½in. forward, carrying 90 tons of cargo on board, whilst, with a full cargo of 500 to 600 tons, she will not draw more than 8ft. She is furnished with a hurricane-deck, over which will be constructed another and still lighter place of shelter from the sun and rain. On her forecastle she has the slides for two carronades of considerable bore. Her engines, which were also built by Messrs. Mare and Co., are 200-horse power (nominal), and are constructed upon the principle of "cutting off" the steam at any speed, in order to save in consumption of fuel. They are "oscillating-cylinder engines with expansion-tubes;" and though on, to us, a novel plan, appear to do their work satisfactorily. The stroke of the engines is 9ft., and the diameter of the cylinders 40ins.

The runs at the measured mile at Erith, on the 30th ult., were as follow:

  Min. Sec. Knots
First, down, no current 5 7 =11.726
Second, up, against tide 5 17 =11.356
Third, down, with tide 4 34 =13.138

At this point the bearings became heated, and the fourth run, in consequence of the lateness of the hour, could not be taken; but the above are sufficient to show that on the Chinese waters a continued speed of ten knots may be relied upon. During the trials the revolutions were 20 to 21, the vacuum 24 to 25, and the pressure 34 to 36; and, at the turus[turns], the manner in which the vessel answered her helm and came round excited the surprise of all on board.

TheShipsList | 1862

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