John Clarke, Irvine, [Ayrshire], to [Joseph Angus, Baptist Mission House, London], 24 January 1843.

Irvine
Jany 24th 1843

My dear Bro,

   The letter from Mr Cowper is important as far as the sort of Boat most suitable for Africa is in consideration; but I think two very powerful objections arise against the size—The first is the difficulty of carrying such a Boat safely over the shallow bars,* & up the narrow rivers—the second is the expense such would annually entail on the society—all I could advise would be a Boat of 50 Tons; with a well constructed "Low Pressure" Engine—There is too much put upon the Boiler in the high pressure ones; and the danger of bursting is certainly greater—If I am not mistaken the construction of the "low pressure" Engine is more simple—more easily understood, and less liable to disarrangement—I however submit this opinion to those who are better acquainted with the matter than I am—The horse power should be suited to the size; and kept rather beyond than below, on account of our going against the stream when ascending the River—The London was sometimes useless on account of the weakness of her horse power which propelled her only about 5 miles, when she had sometimes a current of 7 miles per hour against her—I think, if there are strong doubts about the untried "screw," the paddle wheels should be preferred—Let us go on surely in a matter of such great importance—The advantage I have seen to the screw is simply for the sailing—paddle wheels must of necessity impede the progress a little—The screw is apt in Rivers where weeds abound to become entangled—this is perhaps the only real objection to its use—

         In haste I remain yours very respectfully & affectionately

John Clarke

P.S. It is just post time & I hasten to close—alter the lines on the third page & improve them if you please  I hope to be in London on Tuesday if well, but I am suffering again from a cold—

*The idea of a large boat impelled by oars is out of the question altogether. The Boat in which we went to Cameroons & Bimbia was of 15 Tons, & had oars, but they were comparatively useless. And indeed the hands could scarcely be prevailed upon to use them. The amount of labour of this kind is too great for a hot climate; and the difficulty of obtaining labourers to pull at such oars is always impossible very great. The shelter in such a boat would be of no value, & it would be useless, as a place to sleep in by night at the Towns we might visit—all these considerations combine to shew that a large boat impelled by oars is quite unsuitable for the work we contemplate in Africa

                                                                     J. C.

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 294-95 (annotated version); also MAW, Box 39 (BMS 2504), John Rylands University Library of Manchester. Apparently this is Clarke’s second letter to the BMS concerning Cowper’s comments about the steam vessel. See BMS Committee Minutes, Vol. I (Jan. 1843-May 1844), f. 14.