The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-12 00:00:00

PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE.

James Allan, Esq., Managing Director of the Peninsular and Oriental
Company
Charles Atherton, Esq., Chief Engineer H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich
Joseph reardmore, Esq., Manager of the General Steam Navigation
Compan,'s Engine Works
H. Wollaston Blake, Esq., F.R.S., Engineer, London
Isambard K. Brunel, Esq., F.R.S., C.E.
Edward Chappell, Esq., Capt. R.N., Secretary to the Royal West
India Mail company
William Crispin, Capt. R.N., the Royal Yacht
John Utlay Ellis, Esq., Chairman of the General Screw-steam
shipping Company
Joshua Esq.. ' Engineer. London
John Finchairt, Esq., late Master Shipwright, H.M. Dockyard,
Portsmouth
Sir Richard Grant, Kt , Capt. R.N.
William H. Henderson, Capt. R.N., C. 8., Comptroller-General of
the Coast Guard
Edward Humphrys, Esq., late Chief Engineer H.M. Dockyard,
Woolwich
McGregor Laird, Esq., Managing Director of the African Mail Com-
pany
Thomas Lloyd, Esq., Chief Engineer of H.M. Navy
Charles J. Mare, Esq., shipbuilder, London
Joseph Miller, Esq., F.R.S., Engineer, London
Robert Napier, Esq., Engineer, Glasgow
James Nasmy Ur, Esq., Engineer, Manchester
John Penn, Esq., Engineer, Greenwich
George Rennie, Esq., F.R.S., Engineer, London
Joseph d'a Samuda, Esq., Engineer, London
Robert Stephenson, Esq., M.P., F.R.S., C.E.
Isaac Watts, Esq., Assistant-,urveyor H.ll. Navy
Money Wigram, Esq., Shipbuilder, London
Joseph Whitworth, Esq., Engineer, Manchester

TREASURER
Males Manby, Esq., F.R.S., C E., Secretary of the Institution of
Civil Engineers

HONORARY SECRETARIES.
E. P. Halsted, Capt., R.N., and J. Scutt Russell, Esq , F.R.S., Engi
neer.

Extract from the Report of Baron CHARLES DU NN to the Academy
of Science, Paris, on the prizes awarded by the French Govern-
ment In M. DIMITY DE LONE, and M. lion, Ofliciers superieurs
du Genie Maritime, et Ingenieurs de Ia Marine delete Masse, and
M. Boreoors, Captaine de Fregate, for the successful application
of steam and screw propulsion to saPing vessels of war:—
" En 1835, un fermier de Middlesex, M. Francis Pettit Smith, en-
cadre hor zontalement une vis d'Archimede a l'arriere et dans la
partie la plus pincee de la carene ; cette vie est continue ; elle a deux
revolutions completes. L'auteur prend son brevet le 31 Mai,' 1836."
" Reverons au fermier Smith. Aussi pen savant dans le
principe que le barbier ArkwriAht, ii avait Ia meme perseverance et le
reemeindomptable courage. Ces deux quell tes morales Pont fait triom-
pher de tons les obstacles. M. Smith, pendant deux annees, essaye son
bateau sur la Tamise et stir le canal de Paddington. Dans ce canal,
par nn accident heureux, une revolut on de sa vie d'Archimede est
brisee, et le navire marche plus vite qu'auparavant. C'est on trait
de lumiere, et Pon flnira par n'employer qu'une moitie, qu'un tiers,
et meme une moindre partie de revelation d'helice. Par ce moyen,
l'on pourra loger le prepulseur dans une etroite ouverture verticale,
en avant du gouvernall, entre deux etambots.
" D'essais en essals, Nt. smith se hasarde a lutter contre les diffl-
cultes de la mer. Avec un navire extremement petit, 11 s'aventure
dans la Manche, et brave un mer toujours si dure, en essuyant des
temps mauvais ; son courage Inspire une favour universelle.
" L'Amiraute d'Angleterre prend un vif interet a des easels tentes
si courageusement, et couronnes par le succes. Ella demande a M.
Smith un essai plus considerable, et la construction d'un navire a
helice de 200 tonneaux, avant de conclure. ]'adoption du nouveau
systeme. En consequence, l'Archimede, de 237 tonneaux, est con-
struit et mis ala mer. L'Amiraute as serait montree satisfaite, si
dans les experiences demaudees, le batiment ent parcouru 5 noeuds
par heure ; ii en parcourut pros du double. Mt:4re to vent et la
mares, 11 ne mit que vingt heures pour eller de Gravesend a Ports-
mouth.

" Convalncue par ces epreuves, l'Amirante d'Angleterre accepte
l'helice pour ses prop.es navires. En 1841, elle fait commencer a
Sheerness son premier batiment a propulseur helicoide, le Rattler
do port de 888 tonneaux, batiment qu'on mit a la mar au printemps,
de 1843. On multipliat les experiences sur ce navire, et l'Amiraute,
completement ediflee, ordonna de construire a la foLs, vingt bat'.
ments de l' Etat, a propulseurshelicoides."

Letter from the Right Hon. the Earl of Minto, G.C.8.,
(First Lord of the Admiralty, 1835 to 1841.)
"London, June 13, 1854.
"Dear Sir,—l have not a doubt that Mr. Smith may justly claim
the merit of having been the first to introduce the use of the screw
propeller ; and it was owing to his success in its application that
shortly before I left the Admiralty I felt myself justified in ordering
the Rattler to be built, for the purpose of testing the comparative
advantages of the paddle and the screw.—Believe me, dear sir, yours
faithfully. (Signed) "MINTO.
"Charles A. Caldwell, Esq.
" I can have no objection whatever to your making any use of my
letter that can be serviceable to Mr. Smith."
.Letter from the Right Hon. the Earl of Haddington, &c.,
(First Lord of the Admiralty, 1841 to 1846).
• ryninghame, Pre,tookirk, N. 13 , August 24, 1854.
"...Ir,—lt is impo,sible for me to take upon myself to offer an
opinion as to which of the claimants is to be attributed the merit of
the first invention of the screw propeller; but I believe that the
success of" the Archimedes," followed by the trial of " the Rattler,"
(built under Lord Minto's Board), led to the adoption of the screw in
H M.'s Navy, and in the merchant service.
" It is admitted, I believe, that to Mr. Pettit Smith belongs the
credi' of the success of " the Archimedes," consequently he is en-
titled to be considered as the introducer of a most valuable improve-
ment in steam navigation.
"He was employed generally under the Rteam Department of the
Admiralty in my time, and I have every reason to believe that his
services were found to be valuable.
•' But the professional names attached to the attestation you have
furnished me with, as well as those of the most eminent engineers,
are of far greater value to Mr. Smith, than any testimony of mine
can possibly be.—l have the honour to be. ,ir, your obedient hum-
ble servant, (Signed) "II ADDINGTON.
"Captain Halsted, R.N.
" I enclose the answer to your letter, of which you may make
auy use you may think fit."