-Several thousand persons went to Limehouse on Saturday to view
the immense steam-ship, the President, built by Messrs. Curling and Young, for the British and American Steam Navigation Company, and ititended to run between New York and London. The President is of greater power and tonnage than the British Queen ; and was built in the same dock, and not upon a slip; so that she had to be floated out of dock, and not launched. At high tide, however, which happened to be a. low tide, there was not enough of water to float her, and she remained fast aground aft. Mrs. Laird, wife of the African explorer and projector of the Atlantic navigation by great steam-ships, performed the ceremony of christening, amidst the cheers of the multitude on the banks and on the river. Many persons of distinction had been allowed to enter and in- spect the vessel ; and the christening over, free admission to the general multitude was announced.
Afterwards, a party of gentlemen, invited by the Directors of the Company, dined at Lovegrove's ; Mr. Bainbridge, M.P., in the chair. Several speeches were made by the Chairman, Mr. Laird the Croupier, Mr. Wolverley Attwood, M.P., Mr. G. F. Young, Mr. Smith an Ame- rican resident in London, and other gentlemen. Mr. Laird alluded in a tone of reproof to the private contract made by Government with a Company not then in actual existence, to the injury of the British and American Steam Navigation Company, and ultimately of the public as interested in feir competition. Mr. Smith elicited the hearty cheers of the party by a speech full of good feeling towards England, and which he finished by declaring that England and America were one country.
On Monday, the water being sufficient, the President was floated into Use river, and towed to Blackwell.
Dimensions of the British Queen and the President.
lkiii3h WPM.
Ditto on main-deck Length extreme from figurehead to taffrail Ditto on upper-deck Ditto of keel Breadth within paddle-boxes Ditto over bends Ditto over all Depth ..... Ditto from spar-deck — Ditto from main-deck — Tonnage 2,016 tons Power of engine 500 horse Diameter of cylinders 77b inch. Length of stroke 7 feet • Diameter of paddle-wheels 31 feet
Preadeut.
32 9 23 2,336 tons 600 horse 80 inch.
7 ft. 6 in. 30 feet.
Ft. Ili. Ft. In.
275 0 268 0 245 0 243 0 —
224 0 223 0 220 0 40 0 41 0 49 4 41 4 64 0 68 0 27 0
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