The Knight of the Golden Melice A Historical Romance
CHAPTER I. Come on, Sir! now you set your foot on shore, _In novo orbe_. BEN JONSON'S _Alchemist_. Our tale begins within a few years after the end of the first quarter of the 17th century, at Boston, in Massachusetts, then in the infancy of its settlement. On an evening in the month of May, were assembled some seven or eight men around a table, in a long, low room, the sides only of which were plastered, the rough beams and joists overhead being exposed to view; the windows were small, and the floor without a carpet; and the furniture consisted of the table, over which was spread a black cloth, whereupon stood several lighted candles in brass candlesticks, of a dozen chairs, covered with russet-colored leather, and of some wooden benches, ranged against the walls, and which were occupied by various persons. At one end of the apartment the floor was raised a few
A horse-boat, in same time and circumstances, would have made the 4,000
miles and have delivered in New York (4 x 244 or) 976 tons, and at Buffalo
(4 x 120 or) 480 tons, total 1,456 tons. Excess of down freight 136 tons,
equivalent to 4,850 bushels of corn. To make this wantage of freight good,
requires nearly two-thirds of a full cargo, or of a full round trip. Hence,
she is obviously and largely deficient in economy, as compared to a
first-class horse-boat.
_Therefore steam in 1872 is less economical than horses_.
HORSE-BOAT TIMES.
Under another view of the case we have the following relations of horses
and steam to show that steam in 1872 is less economical than horses.
The captain of the _Vosburg_ states that he left West Troy in Oct.,
carrying over 100 tons of freight, after the _Baxter_ had left there for
Buffalo, _and with two mule teams_, alternating one with the other every
six hours, he arrived at Buffalo in advance of the _Baxter_; _through time
less than the Baxter's shortest time_. "Net time" not stated.
Publishing _net time_ of steamers instead of total or through time, is
deceptive, and creates a false impression with the community. Had not the
through time of steamers this season been suppressed, the governor of the
CHAPTER I. Come on, Sir! now you set your foot on shore, _In novo orbe_. BEN JONSON'S _Alchemist_. Our tale begins within a few years after the end of the first quarter of the 17th century, at Boston, in Massachusetts, then in the infancy of its settlement. On an evening in the month of May, were assembled some seven or eight men around a table, in a long, low room, the sides only of which were plastered, the rough beams and joists overhead being exposed to view; the windows were small, and the floor without a carpet; and the furniture consisted of the table, over which was spread a black cloth, whereupon stood several lighted candles in brass candlesticks, of a dozen chairs, covered with russet-colored leather, and of some wooden benches, ranged against the walls, and which were occupied by various persons. At one end of the apartment the floor was raised a few