As steamers have run under a prospective bounty of one hundred thousand dollars for a success, they have been first-class in all their appointments, and have been, as in the language of one of their engineers, "rushed through," it is strictly proper to compare them with a well-known duty of first-class horse-boats, under the ordinary business enterprise of their captains.
Thus, the first-class modern horse-boat can carry a cargo of 8,800 bushels, or 244 tons of corn, and make seven round trips between New York and Buffalo per season, averaging a round trip per month for the season of navigation.
The most systematic and business-like trials that have made speed an element of competitive economy, are the Port Byron, Baxter and Newman.
The short lives of the Viele and the Fall Brook in canal service, render it unnecessary to give details of the Byron.
The Baxter left New York late in August or early in September, in new and perfect equipment, in a supposed race for a hundred thousand dollars, and through September, October and to the 19th of November was in the trade, and was in a contest for superiority or supremacy. During this time she delivered at New York two freights, and at Waterford one freight, being the equivalent of three freights of 7,200 bushels each, or a total of 21,600 bushels of corn; with runs equivalent to two and two-thirds round trips.
But she had priority at locks and right of way at all times, so that the horse-boat, at the sound of her steam whistle, when fifty feet behind, must stop and lay over to the tow-path and let her pass. Under these privileges and benefits she was enabled to make her first time between Buffalo and West Troy, as advertised, in a few hours over (7) seven days; her second, required still longer time; her third, being when the horse-disease had nearly "tied up" all other boats, so that she had a river-like freedom, she required about (6) six days, thus averaging about (7) seven days from the Lakes to the Hudson.
Give any first-class horse-boat captain a supposed or possible bounty of a hundred thousand dollars, with priority at locks and right of way, and he would in the same time have delivered three times 8,800, or a total of 26,400 bushels of corn from the Lakes to the Baxter's destinations; or 4,800 bushels of corn in excess of the Baxter's capabilities; and have delivered at Buffalo the same up-freights, with ease.
But the profits of this excess pays a profit over the entire cost of horse-movement, leaving the Baxter in debt for her entire cost of movement, for her entire time, and an excess in addition.
Again, suppose Baxter's were multiplied and reduced to horse-boat regulations, then she would have to make eleven trips to deliver at tidewater the freight of nine horse-trips—as 11 × 7,200 = 9 × 8,800. This she cannot do in the same time, nor can she do it at the same expense. Her necessity for the two extra trips would destroy her economy and practicability, or her competitive abilities as against horses.
Hence she is obviously and largely deficient in economy as compared to first-class horse-boat.