The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-10-23 00:00:00

CRUISE OF THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.
(Prom a Correspondent of the Timm.)

Sent. 20.—0 n the forenoon of the 20th of September
the Channel squadron, under oommand of Rear-Admiral
Yeleanest. c H., pat to ses from Portland, consisting of
the Caledonia (flagahip), the Bellerophon, the Hector,
the On, and the Research, in the weather line, and
the Lord Clyde (Illagabip of Rear• Admiral Warden), the
Achilles, the Wivern, and the Pallas, in the lee line.
The squadron bore away under easy steam for the west-
ward against a fresh westerly breeze and proportionate
era ; bet, moderate as was the speed to be kept up (only
five knots), the Research entirely failed to keep her
station, and from the moment of leaving Portland
gradually dropped astern, until at half past 5 p.m. she
was out of sight. A slight breakdown in the Hector's
engines which occurred was soon remedied, and she
speedily retook her station. During the night the wind
increased considerably, and all the ships teemed to knock
about most uneasily in the see; in fact, they did so, for
when nest day the Admiral signalled to the ships,* " in-
dicate" the rolling during the night, the Lord Clyde
showed 25 deg. either way, and the Wivern the earns, and
even the Achillee, the steadiest of all, showed 16 deg.
21st. Daylight of the 2lst showed the Pallas mines
her jib-boom, which had been smashed during the night.
All day the shi(, continued to steer W.N.W. for the
appointed cruising ground, about 350 miles west of
Land's• End and 2tX) south of Ireland.
221 t. —ships robing • great deal. Admiral ordered
them to exercii-e at ',nem' quarters, and all the guns
could be setkfactorilv worked. Wivern s;gnalled that
she had r slleil up to 28 deg. each way during the fore-
noon. This vessel, the Lord Clyde, and Caledonia rell
the worm of all the ships, but Bellerophon maintains •
worthy struggle on that points for on this day she rolled
op to 22 dig. each way. The Lord Clyde, althongb a
dreadful sailer and bed roller, has the tnorit of being an
economiaal steamer, and her daily expenditure of coal
contrast very favourably with that of some of the other
ships, snob as Hector, Oman, sad Pallas. In the after-
noon the squadron made sail. In the searing the
Wivern was sent to Bantry, as she was getting short of
coal. The feet of this vessel being able to work herpes
when rolling up to 20 deg. or 22 deg. speaks greatly in
favour of the tenet system, for none of the broadside
ships can, with any safety, keep their ports up when
rolling over 13 deg. or 14 deg. She is a very wet vessel
on amount of her being so low in the water, and it does
not require • very heavy sea to wash her topgallant
forecastle and quarterdeck complelety, so that her hatch.
ways have to be constantly battened down. She can
scarcely be said to be • sale eea boat.
Med.—At noon on the 23rd the squadron reached long.
10 35 west. A Dutch brig hove an eight, exchanging
colours and ran away to the eastward. 5 p.m—Squadron
banked Are., but Achilles was observed to signal to the
Admiral that she could not keep station without using
steam, so she had An be indulged. During the night •
disaster befel the Ocean. She sprang her topmast crow
trees, and had to send down her maintopmest. Examine-
tin. showed that both tressel-trees were rotten. On the
26th this vessel carried away her main yard, and was sent
away next day by the Admiral to Bantry to refit. It,
perhaps would not be unworthy of the attention of "my
Lords* at Witehall to inquire how it is that rotted spare
and croastrees are to be found in • ship span new from
the dockyard.

24th end 251h.—0n the 24th and 25th interesting
experiments in sailing took place. 'The fret was a char.°
to the N.N.W., the and being W.B. W., and moderately
feats. After • four bonne chaise the Pales showed&
marked superiority over the rest of the ships, being •
long way ahead of all, after which the order of merit
appeared about al follows :-2, Bellerophon ; 3, Herder
4, Achilles ; 5, Caledonia ; 6, Lord Clyde. The Ocean,
from being disabled, could not be tested. The suprior
speed of Pallas under bail is In agreat measure to be
attributed to the large amount Of 0•12•114 she spreads
for her aise end tonnage, as compared with other iron-
clad. At the greatest dirmelventege in this respell
stands the Hector; she spreads miserably little OlateitA,
and cannot set • Wadding sail. The Aehilles,
also, has wohlly little .0 power. Thia trial
took plea with the shim' propellers ;hill con-
nected, but on the morrow they were diationnected
end allowed to revolve prior to the shim chasing. To
disconnect the propeller in a moderate ma and breeze,
the 'hips rolling on an average from 7 deg. to 10 deg.,
took mod of them half•anhour from the signal being
given the least teem being 25 minutes, and the maximum
(Lord' Clyde and Hector) 40 minutes. Then the spnadem
started or close hauled, chasing to the westward, with
the wind at west, and again the Pella showed her heels
to the squadron; then came Achilles, 000•11, Caledonia,
Hector. and Belleropboo, while the poor Lord Clyde
was, in turf slang, " nowhere." It is remarkable that
whereas the Bellerophon did well in rennin free, In
besting to windward she made a sorry show. On this
occasion the Palm distinguished herself by eseidlne her
main topeallantemet over the side. Daring the night
both wind sod see rase considerably, and the ships got
very lively. Under these eiroutostanem, next morning,
the 24th, tagets were oreered to be got out, and 15
rounds Sad from each ship. Most of them managed to
Sr. this number, but only by watching their oppor.
Juni' lea oaretally, and then very large quantities of
water *um thieved. The Bellerophon only managed to
Sr. two 'shots, sad two other ships ale and sight
respectively. The proottoe=r correspondent saw was
eertainly very wild —ft.. tinging into the water
.I°.° •I'mlinad' 'um* Rether.hjeng above the object, and
(ailingntee- ten3n°tlu*Of 44theisrit Seed wOO% h7aeyt in
taristrabatunli
easewhere, either direct or by rimehet, struck
di f
RIO or 560 yard.. The Milne of athenshilt"ned distance of
lath Pa"" WIS shout IS 4lll. her jib-boons. During the night the
Lord Clyde lost
27th.—On the 27th the Admiral lent the Omen to
Bantry to relit. The only omemarmas worthy of not,
on this day sr•—itrat, thetas the signal barb male
"wear" the Heeler refused to psy eff under salt, sad h!dto o, , spply steam power; and amend, Comb', lashing
night signals were exercised, and asewered all the par-
peas required of them very sucornefully. 'Juana (he
night the Lord Clyde again came to the keel and wrong
her usaintopumstlieed.
28th. —The 28th restored to an soar again the
missing Research. Weather fine, and wind light.
2946.—0 n the 29th arrived the Helicon from Bantry,
bringing the squadron ends —• WOlOOlllO freight, and