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.