The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-24 00:00:00

TRIAL TRIP OP THE STEAMSHIP BRITON.

One of the most successful of our steam naviga-
tion companies le the Union, which has the contract for the
Cape of Good Hope mails. It claims to have performed its
agreement with such unvarying punctuality that the made
have never been a day behind time, either on the outward
or homeward voyage, minim the contract has been in its
hands. Thus it has not only secured the approbation of the
Post-office authorities, but has developed a considerable and
continually increasing trade in freight and passengers, call.
ing for constant additions to its fleet, for which its revenue, it
is said, provides the f ends, at ter dividing 10 per:cent. per annum
amongst its shareholders. The new iron steamship Briton
is the last of these additions, and yesterday she was sub
jetted to the usual official trial of her speed and powers at
Stoke's Bay. Them was a Lune party on board, numbering
upwards of 80 persons, most of them gentlemen connected
with the shipbuilding and shipowuing interests, attracted
by the novelty of the principle upon which the Briton is
onstructed.

Amongst the company were Sir G. B. Poch.)ll, Bart.,
t „captain Golfe, RN., Captain McDonald, of the Indian
Navy, Captain Strati, Mesas. Reed (Secretary to the So.
ciety of Naval Architects), Barnaby, Seabright, Hamilton,
Garwood, Alesander, Gilkiss,Wright, Murray; and officially,
Captain Patsy, RN., Naval Mail Superintendent at South.
ampton ; Mr. Massum, Secretary ; Mr. Luke, Admiralty
Impactor ; Mr. E. H. Res, of the Post.office department,
Southampton ; Means. Faudidl and Giles, Directors, and
Mercer, Secretary of the Union Company, were also present.
The test of speed was highly satisfactory ; the average rate
attained, under steam only, with and against wind and tides
being 10.81 knots, whereas the requirement under the
builder's contract was only 91 knots. Great steam.power,
however, Is not the object with these vessels—steam
being used rather as an auxiliary to this sailing power, for
which in the taut meats and wide-sprriding spars ample
provision is made. During the voyage tl,e unsinkable prim
ciple of the ship was explained by Mr. Langley, the builder,
who, by means of models, showed the almost impossibility
of her going down, even though one or more of her water-
' tight decks were filled with water. The other advantages
of the plan, in the way of subduing fire, ventilation,
facile stowage and removal of cargo, and handiness under all
circumstances, as detailed in a previous article in the Daily
News, were also pointed out, and, after a critical examine.
tion both of the models and the ship herself, elicited the
expressed approbation of the scientific gentlemen present.
Mr. Langley stated that his principle is capable of further
development (for which he has provided in the specification
of his patent) by the introduction of watertight wing com-
partments running along the sides of the ship, by MAIMS of
which any water which might enter through the sides, in
the event of the vessel going ashore or being run
into, would be prevented from finding its way further into
the centre, and would in fact be strictly localised.
The dimensions of the Briton are, builders' measurement,
1,09'2 tons ; length between perpendiculars, 239 feet length
over all, 264 feet; extreme breadth, 30 feet 8 inches; depth
of hold, 23 feet 11 inches ; and depth from top of beam to top
of keel, 28 feet. She is divided by ordinary transverse butt.
heads before and abaft the boiler and 'nine rooms, The
forepart before the boiler room bulkhead id divided below
the water line into two entirely separate holds or compart-
ment by a watertight horizontal deck, and the afterturt
of the ship abaft the engine room bulkhead is also divided
in the same manner by a horizontal deck, thus reeking the
two decks entirely independent of each other, and cutting
off all oommunication between them. The euginot, wkia
are of 110 hone-power each, are bypieure C. Day and Co.,
of Southampton.
The trial was pronounced eminently succv.sful, and the
Briton will be forthwith placed upon the station to take oil
the next monthly mails.

reports
current
AoTnlo32l7o.odary LlNCOLN.—Amongst
altiwater
one to the effect that Mr. Painter would reach Lincoln by s
late train, and address the electors on the present upset vi
affairs ; but we have authority for stating that that gra&
man has expressed a determination not to visit Lincoln
during the contort in which we are engaged, unless Nye:will
called upon to do so by his more immediate supporters i
underu no circumstances; until after the funeral of Mart
orp.