The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-13 00:00:00

THE QUEEN'S STEAM YACHT.

It would seem that her Majesty is at last disgusted
with the sorry cut and pace of her sea-going steam yacht,
and has been so observant of the difference in character and
performances of the screw two and three-decker fieg ships
of her Channel fleet, Duke of Wellington and Agamemnon,
that she is resolved on having the Victoria and Albert
lengthened 65 feet, with the view of increasing her speed
by new engines of 600 horse power, those she now has in
being only 450. If this information is correct (and
it is conveyed to us in semi-official shape), we
cannot but regret it, as we are well assured, from
what we know of the construction and performances of the
Victoria and Albert, from her first launching, that she will
never achieve tl.e work expected of her if so altered. This
" conversion " system we had hoped had been exploded.
The Penelope was such an awfully bungling and expensive
affair of the same eon that we fully expected to have
seen such *nether act of folly perpetrated by any Board of
AdmG►lty. But that was done in the days of Symondian
sway over the constructive department of the navy—we
expect better things under Sir Baldwin Walker's surveyor-
ship. The conversion of the Blenheim will ever remain
a standing item of wanton and disgraceful expenditure in
the blue books of parliamentary returns-250,0001. and up-
wards having been expended on that ship up to the time of
her first commission as a sea-going screw deuble-banked
frigate, for that is the true character of ships of her clam
Therefore let us indulge the hope for the sake of the credit
of that navy whose welfare has ever been dear to us, and
must be to all who have served in it, that such fallacies as
those recorded will never be enacted again. Let our
Queen, of all humankind else, have a yacht befitting the
rank and character of the Sovereign of the Seas, and this
she only can have in a vessel newly constructed upon the
most improved scientific principles—up to the age of ad.
vancement made in naval architecture since the Victoria
and Albert paddler was floated off the stocks; and we
would suggest, as the best method of reelising this desidera-
tum "so devoutly to be wished," that a committee of all
the best naval architects in the kingdom—and mercantile
shipbuilders as well as naval architects—be formed, under
the directions of the Board of Admiralty, with a competent
committee of judges, to design and construct models for a
sew screw yacht fur the Queen, worthy of her illustrious
rank in the world, and of that service which is the right
arm of her strength (next to her people's love), and the
admiration of every maritime nation.—lfampshire Adver-
tise►.

DEMONSTRATION OF COLLIERS AT

IVAREFIELD.

An important demonstration of colliers took place
yesterday (Monday) at Wakefield. The object of the
gathering was the organisation of the colliers of the West
Riding, so as to enable them to support the demand they
have made for an advance of wages proportionate to the
advance in the price of coal. Coal having risen 10d. a ton,
they ask that 3d. of that 10d. should go into the pocket
of the miner. The proprietors of collieries generally seem
to withstand the demand on the ground that it is unrea.
unable. About 200 men in the employ of Messrs. Leather,
at their colliery near Leeds, struck some time ago, and have
ever since been in receipt of 106. a week. The men em-
ployed at the collieries of Mr. Pope, at Criggleatone, near
Wakefield, have also struck. The demonstration of Mon-
day was intended for the miners of the whole Riding.
handbills announcing it having been circulated throughout
the Riding, with a request from the delegate meeting
for the miners of Yorkshire, that the day should
be made a general holida►. There were not, however,
so many miners present as there doubtless would have been
but for one circumstance, and that was that Messrs. Charles-
worth, whose collieries are very extensive, and who employ
between 2.000 and 3,000 hands, gave all their men a dinner,
with the object, it was said, of keeping them from the de-
monstration. Notwithstanding this there were present at
the New Market, where the demonstration took place,
nearly 3,000 working colliers from all parts of the West
Riding, including the neighbourhoods of Leeds, Barnsley,
Huddersfield, Bradford, &c. The proceedings lasted about
two hours, the chair being occupied by Mr. John Seymour.
A memorial to Lord Palmerston was approved of, soli-
citing the attention of government to the adoption of legis-
lative measures calculated to prevent the calamities to
which miners are exposed at present in pursuing their
trade, and suggesting several improvements in the system
at present in existence.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE AT WINDSOR CASTLE.
—The competitively harmless character of the fire which
broke out in Windsor Castle, immediately after the arrival
of her Majesty and the royal family for their Easter
sojourn, in March last, was entirely owing to the abundant
supply of water from the mains. Those mains had not been
laid down more than a few months, and the way in which
they are fed with water is novel and ingenious. High
perched upon the Cranbourne-hill, the top of which is
higher than the flag-staff of Windsor Castle, Mr. Simpson,
the hydraulic engineer, bad caused to be con,tructed an im-
mense tank capable of holding one million gallons of water.
This tank, by means of a steam engine adjoining the Home
Park, is kept constantly filled from the Thames, the water
being conveyed by iron pipes the whole of the distance,
about three miles. From the main pipes subsidiary branches
spring, and are carried round the terraces, into the gardens,
and moat parts of the Castle. The tank being always full
the water rises by its own pressure the moment it is turned
on. But at the time of the late fire the subsidiary pipes had
not been extended to all parts of the Castle, it being
deemed sufficient that the mast commanding positions were
so supplied. The public, however, will now be glad to
learn that the Commissioners of Public Works have given
directions for the extension of the mains to every part of
the Cattle, and the operations were commenced a few days
ago under the superintendence of Mr. Turnbull, the resi-
dent clerk of the works. The original expense of carrying
the pipes to Cranbourne was 10,00 W., the expense of their
present extension is estimated at 4,0001., which sum has
been voted by parliament.
INCENDIARY FIRES LN BIRMINGHAM AND NEIGH-
.

BOURHOOD.—Daring the put week two more of these
alarming occurrences, of a most destructive character, have
taken place, and both, it is to be feared, are the work of in-
cendiaries. The ant took place in a meadow at Greet,
about three mile' on the road to Solihull, on Monday even-
ing last. The fire commenced in a rick of bay, the property
of Mr. Poole, living in Bradford-street. It was discovered
about half-put seven o'clock, and an express was instantly
despatched for the engines, which were speedily at the scene
of the disaster, but it was net until three o'clock in the
morning that the flames were subdued, by which time the
large rick of hay was entirely consumed, and other damage
done. The value of the hay was about 601., and little
doubt exists that it was wilfully ignited. The second fire
occurred on Thursday, on the premises of Mr.Mayou, farmer,
ile Cross, a short distance beyond Sheldon. About half-
eleven on Wednesday night it was discovered that •
stack in the rick yard was in fire, and a despatch was in-
stantly sent to Birmingham for the engines. In the mean-
time the fire had taken firm hold of the contents of the
yard, which, at the time of the occurrence, contained ten
large ricks; and, notwithstanding the most strenuous
exertions on the part of the Birmingham firemen,
the firmer were not entirely extinguished until an
advanced hour on Thursday afternoon. Only two stacks
were saved; three stacks of wheat, three of barley,
and two of straw being entirely consumed. The
value of the property destroyed cannot fall far short of
1,9001. ; but it was stated that Mr. Mayon was insured in
the Birmingham and Unity fire offices. There is every
reason to believe, as has been already observed, that this
serious calamity was the work of an incendiary ; and we
would call the attention of the authorities to the necessity
of exercising some vigilance in the detection of the offend-
ers.—Birmingham paper.
EMPLOYMENT OF PAUPER CHILDREN IN THE
Navy.—Last week 12 boys from the Oxford Union were
sent to Portsmouth, to be entered in her Majesty's navy,
where it was thought employment might be obtained for
them. Eight of the 12 have, however, been sent back. It
appears that the master of the house took the boys to Ports-
mouth, where the guardians of the Oxford Union were led
to believe that situations would have been at once procured
for them. He proceeded, with proper introductions, on
board the Victory, when the boys were placed under the
standard, and other formalities gone through. However,
, upon the proper officer seeing the boys, he immediately
pronounced them totally unfit, but upon an explanation,
he was induced to consent that four of them should remain,
in order to see if they could be provided with situations.
The master then went with the remainder to the Excellent,
but he could not previa on the officers to take any of them ;
it was, however, intimated to him that had they been pre-
I sented six weeks ago, there would have been no difficulty
I in finding employment for them.
ROMAN ANTIQUITIES IN HUNGARY.—At Petronell,
a Hungarian town on the Danube, there has just been
found, near the castle of the Counts of Abensberg Traun,
an uncommonly fine 'tonic pavement ; also, not far from
the spot where the pavement was found, a military order of
the Emperor Trojan was discovered. Petronell is the
ancient Cornuntum, and near it are the remains of •
triumphal arch, raised by the Emperor Augustus to Tibe-
' rice, in memory of the conquest of Pannonia.