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EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
fabric; since which she has been on shore on the coast of Spain, while employed 
on that service in January 1837, rubbed off the copper from her keel, and in Fe 
bruary 1838, at Holyhead, she had the misfortune to run on the rocks, and struck off 
her gripe and foremost piece of keel, immediately after which she encountered a very 
severe gale of wind for three days, and did not strain or leak in the smallest degree. 
This vessel has also performed many difficult voyages in various parts of the world, 
viz., Mediterranean, Spain, Portugal, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, 
Scotland, Ireland, &c., and experienced very bad weather. She was at the battle 
of Algiers, and was very useful in towing and placing the ships in order of battle, 
and towing from under the batteries such vessels as drifted within the reach of the 
enemy’s guns. 
The Flamer went on shore on the rocks at Zante in the Mediterranean, going 
nine knots, and ran up two feet less than her draught of water; she remained on 
shore twenty-two hours, carried away her fore piece of keel and gripe, tore off the 
copper from her bilge, and injured the plank of her bottom; she was lightened and 
got off, came to England safely; previously she was run into by a Spanish ship just 
abaft the paddle box, which stove in the sponcing at that place without affecting 
the Flamer in any other part; the Spaniard received much damage in running 
foul, and on getting clear left the knee of her head behind, which was broken off in 
the Flamer and brought home. When taken into dock about six weeks after, the 
calking was found hard and sound, even close to those parts of the keel that were 
carried away, and the ship shewed no appearance of straining, or having suffered 
in her fabric by the violence of the blows she sustained in running on shore, or by 
being struck by the Spaniard. On this principle of strength Mr. Lang commenced 
the construction of sea-going steamers, having designed and built the first for sea 
service, an experiment at that time considered impracticable. 
The steam vessels he has constructed for her Majesty’s service are the Comet, 
237 tons, engines 80 horse power, for towing men-of-war from one port to another; 
Advice (late Vixen), 185 tons, engines 80 horse power, for the Post Office service 
between Holyhead and Dublin; Lightning and Meteor, 296 tons each, engines 100 
horse power, for towing ships and any sea service required; Pluto, 365 tons, 100 
horse power, for the suppression of the pirates on the Bahama Banks, armed with 
two long eighteen pounder guns, one afore and one abaft, on a carriage and slide to 
traverse on a sweep; Flamer, 492 tons, 120 horse power; Firebrand, 492 tons, 
engines 120 horse power, Mediterranean packets ; the Firebrand has since become 
the Admiralty yacht; Medea, 843 tons, engines 220 horse power, war steamer; 
Firefly, 549 tons, engines 140 horse power, and Spitfire, 553 tons, engines 140 
horsepower, Mediterranean packets; and Ionia, 263 tons, engines 90 horse power,