The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-01 00:00:00

THE SHIP MARLBOROUGH.

PORTSMOUTH, Tuesday.—The long-looked-for event of
releasing this great ship from the stocks, and introduc-
ing her to her destined element, came off this day
under the most unfavourable auspices. Heavy rain set
in at midnight on Monday, and continued without inter-
mission all this morning, in the early part of which it
was so discouraging that at nine o'clock her Majesty
sent a special messenger to the Port-Admiral to know if
the ship would be launched under such circumstances.
But, notwithstanding the rain, an enormous gathering
of spectators assembled from far and near to witness
the launch. Flags and ensigns were hoisted on all the
Government-office, and on various other establish-
ments within and without the port ; every de-
scription of craft seemed to be engaged for plea-
sure-seekers afloat, and every kind of locomotive
ashore was taken up for the general service.
At an early hour (some as early as seven o'clock)
pedestrians were admitted into the dockyard, and from
that time until the event of the day came off the multi-
tude kept streaming towards the centre of attraction.
The booths for the Commander-in-Chief and friends, the
Admiral Superintendent, members of Parliament, the
principal officers of the dockyard, the Mayor and Corpo-
ration, the junior staff of the establishment, on the one
side of the slip ; and for the Lords of the Admiralty and
friends, the Lieutenant-Governor of the garri-on and
friends, the Governor of the Royal Naval College and
friends, the Commandant of the Royal Marines ani
friends, the Captain Superintendent of Haslar and f iends,
the officers of the navy and army generally, and officers
of the civil departments, on the other, were early occu-
pied by well-dressed company, the varied uniforms of
the services assisting the gay appearance of the lathes to
lend additional life and interest to the scene. The Mayor
and corporation went in their robes of office. There were
not fewer than 50,000 spectators, ashore and afloat, all
bent upon the one object. The harbour presented
a peculiarly interesting and gay picture. The three-
decker St. Vincent and the two-decker Illustrious were
moored off the mouth of the slip, well over to the oppo-
site shore, gaily dressed in flags, as were the new royal
yacht, the Osborne, Fire Queen, Fanny, Europa trans-
port, and numerous other Government and private ves-
sels, besides the excursion packets, all crowded with
company, the bands of the line-of-battle-ships playing on
their poops. At length the booming of the salute from
the three-deckers St. George and Neptune, at Spithead,
announced the approach of the Queen, and presently after-
wards, about a quarter to 12, the salutes from the har-
bour, flag, and training ships announced the ro)al pro-
gress to the slip. The Court, consisting of the Queen, the
Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, and
the Princes Royal, accompanied by the Grand Duke of
Mecklenburg, and attended by the Viscountess Canning,
the Hon. Mary Seymour, the Hen. Miss Hildyard, Major-
Gen.
Bouverie, Col. Seymour, Col. Biddulph, Mr. Gibbs,
&c., lauded at the elegantly equipped steps of the pavilion
prepared for her Majesty, in the vestibule of which she
was received by the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Thomas
Cochrane, K.C.8., Rear-Admiral Superintendent Mar-
tin, Major-General Sir Frederick Smith, K.H., R.E.,
and Major General Breton, the Lieutenant-Governor.
The guard of honour was ranged on the jetty adjacent,
and consisted of the flank companies of the 80th Foot,
commanded by Major Curistie, Captain Hardinge,
Lieutenants Nunn and Dudgeon, and Ensign Maxwell
bearing the colours. Her Majesty, on ascending to her
position, was presented with a statement of the dimen-
sions of the ship, beautifully written on large em-
bossed cardzi, furnished by Mr. Wood, Clerk of the
Works. The following are the details of her dimen-
sions, &e.

" MARLBOROUGH SCREW STEAM•SHIP, 131 GUNS.
Ft. In.
245 6
206 3i
61 26
60 4
52 66
25 10

Length between the perpendiculars
Length of keel for tonnage
Breadth, extreme
Breadth for tonnage
Breadth moulded
Depth in hold
Burden in tons, 4,000 36-94
Load draught of water forward
Ditto ditto aft
Height of taffrail above load water-line.
Height of main truck 213 4
DEAD WEIGHT.
Weight of mainmast
Weight of mainyard
Length of mainyard
Anchors
Rigging
Sails (square feet 38,9;4)
Guns and carriages
Shot l7O „
P0wder......................................... .
Machinery, consisting of two direct acting en-
gines, six boilers, and machinery
Weight of water in boilers
Power of engines and boilers, 800 horses.
She is intended to carry the following formidable arma-
ment :

No. of
Guns. Calibre. Weight. Length.
Gundeck lO 8-inch 65 cwt. 9 feet.
Middledeck
-inch 65 cwt. 9 feet.
Maindeck
Quarterdeck
Forecastle

Total

Having taken a brief survey of the proportions of the
ship from the balcony of the pavilion, her Majesty signi-
fied her readiness to proceed with the ceremony of nam-
ing her, and for this purpose descended to the floor of
the ship, leaning on the arm of the Prince, and attended
by Sir T. Cochrane, Rear-Admiral Martin, Rear-Admiral
Eden, and Captain Milne (Lords of the Admiralty), Ma-
jor-General Breton, Captain Hutton, R.N., Captain the
Hon. J. Denman, the Ruyal suite, &c , anu proceeded,
by a reserved walk under the bilge on the port side to the
christening booth on the stern, the company along the
line standing and greeting her Majesty most enthusi-
astically. On ascending the platform at the stem Mr.
Abethell, the Master-Shipwright of Portsmouth Dock-
yard,' wag presented to her Majesty, and gave into
her hands the garlanded bottle of wine which hung
suspended, and which, precisely at twelve o'clock, her
Majesty dashed against the cutwater, pronouncing
simultaneously " Success to the Marlborough." Shouts
arose on all sides, the bands of the Guard of Honour
and of the Dockyard Brigade played the National An-
them and "Rule, Britannia," and the Court returned to
the royal pavilion to see the ship emerge from the shed.
Mr. Abethell then gave the order to the artificers below
to knock away the blocks, which occupied an ominously
long time ; at length, at 25 minutes past 12, she moved,
a general salvo from the lungs of the countless thousands
proelaimed the fact, and never did ship appear likely to
take the water more satisfactorily until she got two-
thirds out of the shed, when, to the astonishment of
everybody, she slowly brought up, as if checked by some
mighty influence, and remained immovable on the ways,
the bows remaining under the shed and the after'body
in the harbour ! So unlooked-for a casualty took every
one by surprise, while the enthusiasm which greeted her
start from the slip subsided into silence ; meanwhile, the
ship hung fast, and 'there we were obliged to leave her.
Sume pains have been taken to ascertain the growth (in
bulk) of our first-class line-of-battle ships, and also the
growth of our steam men-of-war since that element was
first introduced into the naval system, and the result of
the researches is both curious and instructive. The fol-
lowing table presents at one view the dimensions of the
oldest three-decker of the sailing class and the most
improved" of the same family. It at the same time
shows the size and capacity of the first steam man-of-
war that ever carried the pendant, together with the
I largest British frigate and first-rate the English navy

By whom designed.— (1) Sir F. Slade.
(2) Sir William Rule.
(3) The late Mr. Oliver Lang.
(4) After the Caledonia, with increased beam.
(5) .urveyor of the Navy (Sir B dwin Walker).
(6) Ditto.
(7) Ditto. • - -

By this table it will be seen that we are now building,
one-deckers of 500 tons more burden than the three-
deckers of the last century ; and, instead of steamers of
no armament whatever, and of but about 300 tons bur-
den, and 80 horse-power (a wonier 'for the age in which
they first paddled the water), we now construct vessels
to carry 130 guns, of 4,000 tons burden,-and 800-horse
power ; and even this latter monster is but apigrny con-
trasted with the mammoth mercantile hull at -Millwall,
whose tonnage is published as 22,000 I
Her Majesty remained some moments contemplating
the Marlborough in her unexpected "fix," but, finding
there appeared no prospect of her moving further, she
left the scene, accompanied by the Court, in four of the
Royal carriages, and escorted by Sir Thomas Cochrane,
for the Admiralty-house, to a dejeuner, and • the multi-
tude of spectators soon followed. A guard of the 80th
Regiment and 200 of the Royal Dockyard, Brigade, 'an-
der Lieutenant and Adjutant L.ong, formed an 'a:fiefit*
for the *sage of the Royal co7lo4,whieh, on airtii*,
at the 44 tairalty-home, wf4a- t'Ade.ttEed; of
honour of Roxal„Matea Ulan front of the man-
sion,- ciuninan3en ientenan t-Calon el Hunt, Captain
Boyle, First-Lieutenant Wharton, Second-Lieutenant
St. John, and Lieutenant and Adjutant Holland ; the
scholars of the Seamen and Marines Orphan Schools were
also drawn up next the house, and 'an .avenue was
formed thence to the dockyard gates by seamen from
her Majesty's ship Illustrious, and a party of the South
Lincolnshire Militia.

The following comprised the guests of Lady sale Sir
Thomas Cochrane :—The Queen, Prince Albert, the
Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, the
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, the Viscountess
Canning, the Hon. Mary Seymour the Hon. Miss Hild-
yard, Major-General Bouverie, Colonel Biddulph, Col.
Seymour, Mr. Gibbs, Captain Gordon, of her Majesty's
ship Victory ; Captain Eyres, C. 8., of her Majesty's
ship St. George ; Captain Hutton, of her Majesty's ship
Neptune ; Captain Sir Thomas Maitland, C. 8., of her
Majesty's ship Excellent ; Captain the Hon. Joseph
Denman, commanding the Royal yachts ; Capt. Harris,
of her Majesty's ship Illustrious ; Captain Elliot, C. 8.,
of her Majesty's ship St. Vincent ; Captain S.. C. Dacres,
C. 8., of the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar, Ste. ; Cap-
tain Farquhar, of her Majesty's ship Malacca ; Mr.
Drummond, Mr. and Mrs. B. Cochrane, Mr. and Mrs.
Lumley, Lord Granby, Rear-Admiral and Mrs. Martin,
Major-General Sir Frederick Smith, K.H., RE., and
Lady Smith ; Major-General and Miss Breton, Rear-
Af!rniral Eden, Rear-Admiral the Hon. H. D. and Miss
Byng, the Earl and Countess of Mayo, Captain
Milne, R.N.
The Admiral's band, stationed in the garden, played
during the dejeuner.

The arrangements made by Lieutenant Hall, the
Director of the Dockyard Police were excellent.

HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO THE MILITARY
GENERAL HOSPITAL AT PORTSEA.
On leaving the Admiralty-house at 2 o'cloCk her Ma-
jesty and the Prince Consort, the Royal Family, the
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and the suite pro-
ceeded to the Military Hospital at Portsea. 'Sir Thomas
Cochrane, Sir Frederick and Lady Smith, Major-Gene-
ral Breton, &c., accompanied them. The progressthrough
the town f Portsea was a very quiet one, the route taken
being through the most unfrequented streets. On ar-
riving at the hospital her Majesty was received by the
medical staff, comprising Dr. Odell, Dr. Burgess, Dr.
Leech, Dr. Lawson, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Sharpe, and
escorted by the Lieut.-Governor of the garrision, and Sir
F. Smith over the establishment. Her Majesty was first
greeted on her arrival by about 300 convalescents, or-
dered up from the various barracks and temporary sick
quarters, and who were inspected minutely by the Queen.
Her Majesty went through the wet parade regardless of
personal comfort. She then entered the hospital, and in-
spected those of the inmates who were well enough to be
paraded in the verandahs, asking almost every man some
question, and reading the card supplied to each, stating
his name, grade, the nature of his wound, on what oc-
casion it was received, and the number of the regiment.
Many of the cards so perused by the Queen in her
round through the building were handed by her Ma-
jesty to the Prince, to take away with them. Hav-
ing inspected those in the verandahs, her Majesty
proceeded to the wards, and went to the bedside of
each helpless patient, questioning him in a most kind
and feeling manner, which elicted from one gallant fel-
low the spontaneous expressions of "God bless her" as
she passed to the next bed. Among the serious cases
in this hospital her Majesty took special notice of seve-
ral sergeants suffering from severe wounds received be-
fore Sebastopol. Her Majesty inquired with marked
feeling respecting the death of Lieut.-Colonel Lowtb, of
the 38th, which we mentioned in the report of the ar-
rival of the Hansa on Monday. Her Majesty also made
inquiries into the ventilation of the building and the
general treatment and comfort of the sick and wounded.
The Prince Consort examined, in addition, the various
out-buildings and the improvements in progress under
the superintendence of the Royal Engineer Depart-
ment. On concluding her humane visit, which occu-
pied an hour and a-half, the Queen expressed her
satisfaction with the state of the hospital and
the progress of the inmates, and returned by
the same route as on her arrival to the dock-
yard, of the new stairs of which the Fairy was
awaiting her einbarka ion. Captain the Hon. Joseph
Denman received her Majesty in the Royal barge, and,
having ag%in embarked the Couit, the Fairy steamed up
to the shed where the Marlborough lay half launched,
and took another survey of her unfortunate and critical
position, remaining near the spot half an hour watching
the efforts made by the dockyard staff at the capstans on
board the ship and by the steam-tugs to release her from
her perilous position. The cause of the catastrophe is
supposed to le is the piles on which the ways are laid
out into the korhour having given way. Ear Majesty
returned to Osborne by 5 o'olock.

A. telegraphic despatch frern a correspondent, dated
9 o'olook p.m., says :
" I have just been to take another look at the ship.
Her stern is in the harbour, but her bows remain high
and dry under the building-shed. She is shored up well
at the bows by spars, and buoyed underneath on either
side by casks, &c. The whole shipwright strength of
the dockyard is employed upon her, and hopes are
entertained that she may be extricated from her diffieulty
at the next tide, which will flow at half-past 1 to-morrow
morning, and which is one of the highest spring tides
this moon. It is supposed that the harbour end of the
slip has given out, and sunk a little, the ground there-
abouts being entirely new, and no launch having taken
place from the slip before. lam happy to add, the only
accidents I have heard of are two. Russell, a foreman
of shipwrights, and a shipwright have sustained injuries
by falling into tlo slip in the discharge of their duties,
and have been carried home. The ship has moved two
feet six inches only since she brought .up in the attempt
to launch her."

A subsequent telegraphic despatch from a corre-
spondent, dated half-past 12, states :
" The Marlborough, through the united and energetic
exertions of 2,000 men, was safely got off, amid the en-
thusiastic cheers of those engaged, about midnight, and
now lies afloat and safely secured in the harbour."

(Prom the Times of this day.)
Yesterday was a great day at Portsmouth. Her Ma-
jesty and the Court came across the waters of the Solent
to one of our grandest national ceremonials. Even an
Englishman longs for the sublime and beautiful, and he
finds it occasionally in the construction of enormous
vessels, larger, and fleeter, and more terribly armed than
any vessels ever were before. When the vast pile is at
last complete and ready to take to its element, it is ne-
cessary to give it some sort of sanction, some pious in-
auguration, some act which shall express in the highest
possible degree the auspices and destinies of the majestic
work. The vessel which was to have been launched
yesterday was of the same class as the Duke of Welling.
ton and the Royal Albert, which are, we believe, about
twice as large, twice as heavily armed, and, with the aid
of steam, much more swift and infinitely more manage-
able, than any ship in Nelson's fleet. The mishaps of a
naval career begin very early, and many a fine vessel
has been ruined before it reached the sea, or even touched
the water. These difficulties increase with our ambition,
and if we choose to pile Pelion upon Ossa we must have
competent machinery. Yesterday, as happened last
year at Pembroke, the huge vessel ominously and dis-
loyally refused to quit the shore. It stuck fast in the
ways, whence it was only dislodged at midnight, with
some chance, we fear, of requiring repair after this first
step in her course. We will take what some people
will think an unfair advantage of this mischance to con-
sider whether the nation will lose very much by the
accident, and whether we really want one more monster
of the deep on this costly scale.
We are throwing out ships of this sort, we know not
how frequently, for we know not how many such mon-
sters are still in their vertebra and their ribs in some one
of her Majesty's dockyards. When the race of naval
Anakim will be finished no one can say,. but the spectacle
will then be awful indeed ;—something unapproachable,
,1 and, within its own sphere, irresistible in power. It is