DETENTIONS. Hours. Min. Detained east of Pitt lock, by boats aground ... Detained at lock 64, waiting to lock ... Detained at locks 65 and 66, waiting to lock. 40 Passed through Lockport locks in 25 minutes. Arrived at Buffalo at 4 A. M., November 4th. Total detentions claimed.. Left Buffalo at 11.30 A. M., November 10th, 1872. Cargo, 6,550 bushels of corn and 15 tons of coal; weight, 1984 tons. DETENTIONS. Hours. Min. Detained at Tonawanda by crowd of boats. Detained at Tonawanda creek by wreck in middle of creek.... 12 Detained at Lock Berlin locks, waiting to lock. Arrived at Syracuse November 15th. Detained at Syracuse for coal... Detained at Lodi by crowd of boats Detained at Manlius, aground; 5 ft. 9 in. water Detained above Bolivar, aground; 5 ft. 8 in. water Arrived at Utica November 16th. Detained at Utica by crowd of boats.. Detained at Ferguson's by a tug with 4 boats in tow.. Detained at Spraker's to repair steam pipe. Detained at Auriesville for wood and water.. Detained at Schenectady. Detained at locks 18 and 19, waiting to lock... Detained at 16 locks, waiting to lock ... Arrived at West Troy at 9.45 A. M., November 19th. Total detentions claimed. Average speed... Running time... or 118 hours; distance, 345 miles. Average speed, including lockages. Average speed, including all detentions...... 2.69 miles per hour. 1.63 miles per hour. SUMMARY OF THE "PORT BYRON'S" TRIPS. SPECIAL PERFORMANCES. The following are extracted from Captain Emerson's statement. On the second trip east, the "Port Byron " ran from Buffalo to Lockport, 31 miles, in 7 hours and 30 minutes, and from Port Byron to Montezuma, 5 miles, in one hour. On the same trip the run between Troy and Albany, on the river, was made in 1 hour and 10 minutes. On the final trip east, the "Port Byron" passed through the 16 locks at Cohoes, in 2 hours and 40 minutes; ran from Troy to Albany, on the river, in 50 minutes; and made the run from the weigh-lock in West Troy, to pier 9 East river, New York, in 30 hours and 30 minutes. The indorsements upon the clearance for the third trip west (the only complete copy furnished) show that the average speeds for that trip, between the prominent points on the line of the canal, exclusive of all detentions claimed and of 8 minutes for each lock passed, The ability of the "Port Byron " to make an average speed of 3 miles per hour for the entire run from West Troy to Buffalo, carrying 117 tons of cargo, is thus demonstrated. It should be remarked, however, that her wheel, with the immersion due to a cargo of 117 tons, is much more efficient than it is with the excessive immersion due to a cargo of 200 tons, or with its axis only 8 inches above water. In the former case, the dip of the center of the bucket is only about 2 feet four inches; while in the latter it is 4 feet 4 inches. POWER AND SLIP. On the 18th of November I joined the "Port Byron " at lock 25, six and a half miles west of Schenectady, and accompanied her as far as the latter point. We left lock 25 at 2.45 P. M. and arrived at the collector's office in Schenectady at 5.15 P. M.; time 21 hours; distance 6 miles; lockages 2; running time 2 hours 14 minutes; average speed 2.9 miles per hour. The run from lock 23 to Schenectady, 2 miles, was made in 45 minutes, or at the rate of 3.67 miles per hour. Several boats were passed and considerable delay was experienced, of which no note was taken. Between locks 23 and 25 the water was at least a foot low, so that the boat was almost constantly rubbing the bottom. The average steam pressure and revolutions, during the time I was on board, were estimated at 80 pounds, and 25 per minute, respectively; indicating the expenditure of a power of 48 horses. At one time, when just below lock 23, 100 pounds and 30 revolutions were observed. Taking the whole run of 6 miles, the slip of the wheel averaged about 67 per cent. Taking the run from lock 23 to Schenectady, the slip was about 60 per cent. COAL CONSUMPTION. Captain Emerson's statement shows that, on the first trip east, the coal consumption was at the rate of 1 tons of anthracite coal in 24 hours; but whether this was the consumption for each day of running time, or whether it was for each 24 hours of the entire time consumed in making the trip, is not stated. On the second trip east, the coal consumption is put at 2 tons of bituminous coal in 24 hours. On the third trip west, 8 tons of bituminous coal and 2 tons of anthracite coal were burned, making 10 tons for the entire trip. On the final trip east, the quantity of coal burned was "the same as on preceding trips," or at the rate of 2 tons of bituminous or 14 tons of anthracite, in 24 hours, "while running." If we take the loss of the several trips, and deduct from the total time of each an amount of time which may fairly represent the extent to which the coal consumption was interrupted by the several detentions which are noted, and allow 13 tons per day for the remaining time-estimated as "running time"-the coal consumption, for the several trips, will stand thus: According to this estimate, which is believed to be very liberal, the coal consumption, per boat mile, on the canal, was 64.4 pounds of anthracite, or its equivalent of bituminous. GENERAL DEDUCTIONS. Distance steamed on the canal, miles. . . . . ... 2,070 1,422.4 941.8 66.62 45 281.35 131.52 2.68 352,555.5 324,921 64.4 0.378 0.410 Cost of coal per boat mile ($5.50 per ton), cents. 17.71 ... 0.104 0.113 Ton miles, cargo. .... Coal consumption per boat mile, pounds Coal consumption per ton mile, including boat... These deductions, so far as relates to coal and its cost, are made upor an assumed exclusive use of anthracite. In fact, however, large quantities of bituminous coal were used at a larger rate of consumption and at a higher rate per ton. The actual cost as well as consumption of coal was, therefore, undoubtedly greater than is indicated by the above figures. In so far as provision is made for the passage of a part of the displaced water through the trunk, already described, the "Port Byron " may be taken as representative of a large number of devices which have been brought to my attention during the last two years. The chief claim for this class of devices is, that the passage of a portion of the water astern, through the boat, will prevent the formation of the wave or swell which it is assumed is produced when the water is compelled to find its way astern along the sides and bottom of the boat. The actual effects of any such modification of the hull are: 1st. A diminished midship section and displacement, and an increased weight of boat; and hence, a diminished carrying capacity. 2d. An increase in the surface of the boat, and hence an increased "skin-friction;" and the necessity of an increased power per ton of carrying capacity. Now, so far as the water, in its movement to fill the void created |