MARINE LAW. COLLISIONS—POnOK. OP TflB TIDIi AND OF ' llUMNWO IOK. Southern Dint, ot JVeto York,-Sept. SB,'I860. This was n libel fn rem, filed In thoDlstilet , Court, by tho owners of the schooner Siirnll E. Packer, against the steam ferryboat Brooklyn, to recover tlnmngos for a collision which occurred between tho two vessels on tho evening of the 10 of Jauuary, 1800, In the East river. Tho schooner was lying In a slip nt the south side of the dock, just nboye the Fulton ferry slip or dock, on the Biook- lyn sldo of tho river. The ferryboat loft her berth at Whitehall, between live and six o'clock in (he evening, for a trip on tho South Fcny to Atlantic street, In Brooklyn. The usual trip In occupied some eoven or eight minutes. Tho East river, at this' tlmeL was full of broken and running lee. It was flood title, which sot the ice overligniust the Biooklyn Bhorc. After the feiiyboat had passed acioss about two-thirds of the way, she found the lee so compact and solid, Hint she was obliged to desist fronUicj ellorts to enter lho Atlantic stieet dock. Slio then drilled, vvhh tlie tide, up the ilvcr, and at¬ tempted to'entet tho Montague stieet dock, but failed. She then passed luithei on, with the view of ontciing tlie Fulton stieet dock, but, on leaching it, and being about to enter It, Bhe encountered a large block of Ice, which checked her progress, luid while she was tints obstiucleil, tho title and tlie ice outside syvuug her stem up the rivci, and brought it against tho bbvv of the sclioonei, wliieh lay next tl)e liver, hi caking hei jib- boom and' bovvspilt, besides doing some other dainiige, by foicing her against a biig that was stationed in the slip between hei ai)d tlie dock. The fenybuat had on boaid florn 500 to 000 passengers, besides as many teams as could be taken on that Jjjn. The night was excessively cold, lain/sonvJ two or three hours wcie consume!! in tlio effoits to cross tlie liver and land the passengers lind teams. The Court bolovv illsiid*scd tlie libel, and the llbcllanta appenjeu to UiIb Couit. Nelson, J.—I have looked attentively Into the pi oofs in this case, and all the facta and circumstances attending the trip of tlie feiiy boat and, aftei tlicfiillcstconsideratlon, cannot flee ihnt any fault was committed in hei navigation. Eveiy cfloit seems'lo have been made, by tho hands on board ol her which skill and attention could suggest, togiln tlio dock at Atlantic street, and failing In this,', to eutei the neaiest dock pi aeth'ublo on the Ilrookly'n side The Ful¬ ton stieet dock, In tlie attempt to enter which tlie accident occiincd, belonged to - tlie propiletors of tlie boat. Besides, therefore, t,he foice of tlie tide and Ice which cmiled bet there, it was a place jvhorc she had a light to enter and laud hei passengeis, and It seems to me that, having reached this point, the accident was the result ol eliciun- stiiiiius cnlliely beyond the coutiol ot the bauds on the boat. * It has been argued, that tlie boat should not have lelrbei beith at Whitehall, tnkliiL' into consideration the night and tho con¬ dition of the l ivei. Hut she had been i tinning her trips regiilaily llnoiigh tlie day, and the last trip was made Just belore live o'clock The Ice had been running In the nvei some weeks, and gicatdlllkullles uc.ic ciicountci- ed In tiosdug,'yi'i no one thought ot closing tlie fellies between the two gient cities on account ol the obsti uctlons. Itjins also been in gucd, that (he ferryboat, after having laihd to entci her dotk at Atlantic Btrcet, should have leliirned to her berth at Whitehall. But the master and hands owedn duly to tlie passengers on boaid, which tney would havo gieitly tailed to tiiltll if luiliter cftoiUhad not been made to enable them lo reach their homes. These efloiIb, In my judgment, me entitled to commendation rather than ceiisuie, and manifest a spirit and energy corresponding -to the dangers nnd dlllloultles ol tlio occasion, and to the responsibilities arising out of It. Tlio locality of tlio schooner, as unskilful'! and Improper, has been rolled on on the part of tlie claimants, and tlie ■circumstance that it was tlie piicpbse of tho pilot ot the ferryboat to enter tbo slip ahead of the Bchooncr. But these points are in con¬ troversy upon tho ovldoneo, I have pre¬ ferred to place my opinion upon tho undis¬ puted TucU In the case. Tho decree of the Court |s affirmed. •v "' V.-- -- ■ CORRESPONDENCE, , _. TUB KDITOB8 TRIP. Not York April 10 '88. Headers of the Rkcoud : Wo believe our lnet letter was from New York In which wo told yon something re¬ garding the oplnloiiiol tUo lending shippers of that city. • , l( On Thursday evening at' flvo o'elqck we took passage on tlio lino steamer Bristol of Old polony Lino, If you havo novor takoli a trip on tlie Sound on one of these floating Palaces you can scarcely form an opinion of them by any description wo.ean give. Wo will try however and do the best wo can by 5 The engine is of tho vortical beam typo with one 110-Inch cylinder and 12 foctstroko of piston, developing n power equal to 2,800 horses. Steam Is furnished to tills giant engine by throo low-prossuro boilers, each of which Is 35 feet long, and 140 IiicIicbJ diameter of shell, They aro nfado by the very beat bollor-platc'lroii', % Inohos thick; onch has 10 main flues, nnd 1110 rot|rn flues 5 Inches In diameter; each one tested to allow the "boat to oarry 34 pounds stoam, the usual working pressure being 24 pounds to the square inch. She has two feed-pumps &<{ inches In diameter nnd 00 Inch stroke. Scattered through the saloons, are ftrc-ex- tliigulshers; threo large lire-pumps aro ready ^D fllDC WHITL SICAMCR BRISTOL glvKig you engravings of tlio steamers. You will J find a large Illustration on tho front page of tills week's "Rkcoiid" which wjll give yon a better Idea than tlio nccompaning engravings. Within the last few years, great Improve¬ ments have been made in the construction of steamboats adding Inigely to the^'omfort and conveiilento of travel. In the first rank of these Improvement? stands Hie Fall Rivei Line, whose inngiilllcent palaco steamships "Bristol" and "Pi evidence," ply lug between New York and Boston, via Nowpoi t niul Fall River, havo no stiporlois in the world. Theso supei b steamers cost a million and a quarter each.' The s'.atciooms aic Huge at all times, with lioso attached, and having 15 connections; )argo vv ntcr-tanks aTe always filled and ready for use; and axes are in their proper places. The "Bristol" has Id life boats, nil of metal, two large life-rafts, and cork mattresses; 700 cork- ltfc-belts are on board, nnd one Is placed In each beith. To man these floating palaces requires one hundred and thlity persons, divided as- follows; captain, olllceis, and crow, 40, eiigiiiecis' departments, 24; stevvaid'a de¬ partment, 01; watchmen and lookorrtsjB. The entire bo it is lighted by gas-whlch blazes from hundreds of jets In the massive chandalleis. It is elegantly carpeted with velvet buissels and furnished with plush found on any class of vcssols In the world Amid all this luxurlotiauees of outfit, clcnnll- noBB and order prevail ovorywhero. Tho massive machinery shows not a dot of rust; the Inoro elaborated parts ol the cnglno shine 1 ko a now silver dollar; while As \ miicl care, If not more, Is bestowed upon the cllleiciiey of this largo and powerful triumph of tfiojiiigluecr-'s skill. As in seasons past, celcbiatod brnBP, reed and string bauds will add their attractions to tho ploiisuros and enjoyements of tho trip on tffo steamers til thlsjiopular lino, bv tholr promenade concerts. It Is needless to ox- pntlato on tho merits of the cerebrated bands. Tlie boats leave Now York, from Pier 28., Noith River. Fiom Boston the connection is mado by trains leaving the Old Colony Railroad depot. South and Knccland streets. Ifrthe morning w o awoke to And ouraolvofl In Fall River. Leaving Fall River by the early train yvo were soon In Providence where wo called- the American Ship Windlass-Company who hnvethcli faetoiy lieie. We were tbeie about a year ago and vv ere surprised to seo how their works have glowu. From a yen small shop' it has been added too until It now occupies tvvovcry huge buildings, which arolltted up vv 1th every kind of iiinthllii'i v l«r turning out first class woik. A huge supply of capstans are kept constantly on hand so that orders are filled promptly and with dKpatch. They .are now cousti noting onoot their new ptylo windlasses which Is built entirely on one bed plate, fur tho huge steaiuei Jjulldhig by James Davidson of Bay Cily. Thev have a large iiiimlnrof oideis for windlasses on hand which tltcy me tinning out as fast a possible. t ■ Fiom this plate we went to Boston where wc tailed on the well known lit til of Bagnall & Loud. What we saw at these large works will occupy an niUcle by "Itself width \v will give next week. 'Ihey are however l-ciovvded with otileis ami aic inaiiiifactuilng a first class block They manufacture tlie sleeve roller hushing, and blocks with these bushings are supeiloi to any olhci, kind. 'I he large ship Ouoko has an entire fitoiit of these bio ks and they give the utmost s.itlo-, faction. Out vessel ovviu is on Hie lakes me veiy far behind those on the scabonid lu lilting out theli vessels with impiovtd con¬ nivences t)l this kind ami we think they -tnlss what Ihev aie aiming at, which is (,'cm-rally to buy that whlih Is the cheapest. But we have ahcatlJ made tills Ii tlei top long and tlicie is veiy little morutosiy as vve leave foi home oil the i|t \t Haiti. 1' 11 I Kill "i ILW Ol' GltANO s\|or>\ nud sumptuous, the' guild saloons ate unsurpassed. 'The fuiniluie and fltthfg-iip are not excelled by any hotel in the land. Order, system, and ■the most elegant ac- Ivioniuioilathns gieet the traveler. Tho ample tables, Bpiead in European style, enable triLveleis to consult their comfort when they dine,' All Uie luxuries ol the season aie secured. Bands ol music add to the cx- Itllanttious and altlactions of the passage. 1'hc offlcci a selected are among the ablest thai navigate the Sound. Thinrnslol was built by W. It Wctitj-of New Yoik nnd la J7J feet In length 8J feet beam and 10 fiet depth of hold and has a measurnicnt of 3,000 tons.' upholscry It contains 210 staterooms any one of which will compute favorably with the chatnbcis ol any ol oui most elegant liousciV on shore. You wilJLsco by one of tlie small illustrations that theie la a gallery around the giaiid Baloon. This Is some what illI- fereut from otu lake cralts and may appear Bliange to lliosu who have not lodeon ocean Btentncis. I'hu same giihiduic of proportions ns inaiks tlie M-tei boat aie to be louuuUni the "Piovlricrrce"—tmd theie aie many who tiavel on lids hue who scarce can tell onu fioui the other, yel there Is a peucpliblo dllltieute when y on come (o examine closely The masBivo machinery was designed by | "l0 Interior do Eraatus AV. Smith, consulting engineer, and | different colori built by John Roach & Sou of this city. | blended with a rlchneSi In upholstering, ion Introduced and of effect not to bo INSPECTION OF FOREIGN VESSELS A Washington Dispitth says Stcrctitiy Folger has issued a tlrtular promulgating lilies govtiulng the inspection ol toieigu pnssenger'steain vessels Colleitors aic le- qidit'dto turulsli tveiy suth strainer with two topics ol the Inspttliou^iict with the rults. Inspettois w ill lequlie steam vessels,, to he plated In duck- so that every part of the hull may be examined, i xeepL In t ises where vessels in ly have been dotked within the previousyear under the diict'tlon of for¬ eign olllclals. Vppaiatus tor extinguishing lire inii-t be thoroughly lesttd by the in¬ spectors. Store must be a cork llfc-juc- seivci foi ev\iy ptisouxiii the steamer Tlie ruli as lo tlnX numbei and (apathy ol the boats to be i lllietl Is the .-ante as the Hi illsh Hoard ol 11 ide inje Im vessels ol 1,000 tons icghitcr and upwind-. Lite rafts aie lo be substituted loi one qliarler of the aggugate capaiilv of thi bonis whcnevir nuvv, boat out¬ fits are iiiedtd. 1 he rules provide loi ath- tuiltil annual inspuiloii ol the steam boilers Lviry sunnier is nquired to cany stcain- plpes with blanches leidlug, to enth sepa¬ rate hold nud timipailini'iit foi cxllngultdi ing fires. I lie lanlage ol petroleum and gunpowdei Is regulated vv ith a view to so ture safelv lioui explosions and fires. 'Die collector Is aiillioilzi'd to make tlearnntes from vessels until dellclencles to equipment reported by tho inspectorialo supplied. 1'ho rules enjoin upon the Inspectors the necos: slty of carry ing out tlie laws In such a man¬ ner as not to be needlessly objectionable. A Minnesota papei says that tho Ico on tho lakes and rivers from Minneapolis northwnid remains as solid as in January while the enow has nearly disappeared. There aro 7,000 men at work on Do- Losscps' l'nuainn Canal.