The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-24 00:00:00

India Mail Company
William Crispin, Capt. R. 1., the Royal Yacht
John Utlay Ellis, Esq., Chairman of the Gehevil Berew.steem
;:hipping Company
Joshua Fuld, Esq., F.R.S., Engineer, London
John Fincharn, Esq., late Alaite.r Shipwright, H.M. Dockyard,

Portsmouth
Sir Richard Grant, Et , Capt. R.N.
William H. Henderson, Capt. R.N., C. 13., Comptroller-General of
the Coast Guard
Edward Humplays, Esq., late Chief Engineer H.M. Dockyard,
Woolwich
McGregor Laird, Esq., Managing Director of the African Mall Com-
pany
Thomas Lloyd, Esq., Chief Engineer of Tl.M.Navy •
,Charles J. Mare, Esq., shipbuilder, Lordon
Joseph Miller, Esq., F.R.S., Engineer, London
:Hob it Napier, Esq., Engineer, Glasgow
James Nasmyth, Esq., Engineer, Manchester
John Penn, Esq., Engineer, Greenwich
George Rennie, Esq, F.R.S., Engineer, London
JoSeph cra Samuda, Esq., Engineer, London
Robert Stephenson, Esq , M.P., F.R.S., C.E.
Isaac Watts, Esq., Assistant-Surveyor H.M. Navy
Money Wigram, Eaq., Shipbuilder, London
•JoSeph Whitworth, Esq., Engineer, Manchester
TREASURER.
Chitties Manby, F.R.S., C.E., Secretary of the Institution of
Civil Engineers
HONORARY SECRETARIES.
E. P. Halsted, Capt., R.N., and J. Scott Ru.ssell, Esq., F.R.S., Engi-
neer.

Extract from the Report of Baron CHARLES Durix to the Academy
of Science., Paris, on the prizes awarded by the French Govern-
ment to M. DUPUT DE Lone, and M. Mora, Otliciers superieurs
du Genie Maritime, et Ingenieurs de la Marine delere Classe, and
M. Bousecns, Captaine de Fregate, for the successful application
of steam and screw propulsion to raring vessels of war :
" En 1835, un fermier de Middlesex, M. Francis Pettit Smith, en-
cadre hor zontalement une vie 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."
" Revenons nu fermier Smith. Aussi pen savant dans le
principe que le barbit r Ark Wri ht, it avalt la meme perseverance et le
memeindomptable courage. Ces deux qualites morales Pont fait triom-
pher de true les obstacles. M. Smith, pendant deux minces, essaye son
bateau cur la Tamise d sur le canal de Paddington. Dane ce canal,
par an accident eeureux, une revolut'on de Ea vie d'Archimede est
brisee, et le navire marche plus vite qu'auparavant. C'est un trait
de lumiere, et l'on finira par n'employer qu'une moitie, qu'un tiers,
et memo une moindre partie de revolution d'helice. Par ce moyen,
l'on pourra loger le propulseur dans une etroite ouverture verticale,
en avant du gouvernail, entre deux etambots.
" D'esse.is en e3sals, M. Smith se hasarde a lutter contra les diffl-
cultes do la mer. Avec un navire extremement petit, it s'aveature
dans la Manche, et brave un mer toujcurs si dure, en essuyant des
temps mauvais ; son courage inspire une faveur universelle.
L'Arntraute d'Angieterre prend un vif interet a des easels tentes
st courageusement, et couronnes par le succes. Elle demande a M.
Smith un essal plus conside/ able, et la construction d'un navire a
helice de 200 tonneaux, avant de conclure a Padoption du nouveau
systeme. En consequence, l'Archimede, de 237 tonneaux, est con-
struct et mis ala mer. L'Amiraute se serait montree satisfaite, si
dans lee experiences demandees, le batiment eut parcouru 5 nceuds
par heure ; it en parcourut pres du double. Malgre le vent et la
mare°, it ne mit que vingt heures pour alter de Gravesend a Ports-
mouth.
" Convaincue par ces epreuves, l'Amiraute d'Angleterre accepts
l'helice pour sea propres navires. En 1841, elle fait commencer a
Sheerness son premier batiment a propulseur helicoide, le Rattler
du port de 888 tonneaux, batiment qu'on mit a la mer au printemps,
de 1843. On multipliat les experiences sur ce navire, et l'Amiraute,
completement edifice, ordonna de construire a la tots, vingt bati-
ments de l'Etat, a propulsears helicoides."

Letter from the Right Hon. the Earl of Minto, G.C.8., &c.
(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 purpere of testing the comparative
advantages of the paddle and the screw.—Believe me, dear sir, yours
faithfully, (Signed) "MLNTO.
"Charles A. Caldwell, Esq.
" r can have no objection whatever to your making any use of my
letter that can be serviceable to Mr. Smith."
iLetter from the Right Hon. the Earl of Haddin,gton, &c.,
(First Lord of the Admiralty, 1841 to 1846).
.6 Tyningthame, Pre,tonkirk, N.ll , August 24, 1854.
"Sir,—lt is impa.sibie 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 Rattler
in
,"
(built under Lord Minto's Board), led to the adoption of the screw
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 steam Deptutment of the
Admiralty in my time, and I have every reason to believe that his
services were found to be valuable.
" But the profes,lonal 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
Signed,be air, your obedient hum -
ble servant, ' " H &DDINGTON.
"Captain Halsted, R.N.
" I enclose the answer to your letter, of which you may make
any use you may thin k fit."