The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-27 00:00:00

communicating the result of their independent obser-
vations, or descended to visit friends, in bed, and wait-
ing for the breakfast bell, with the same pleaFirg
intelligence. Strange as it may seem the news was
pleasing, for, as the great object of a " trial trip"
is supposed to be actually to make trial of the capa-
bility of a vessel, it was, of course, desirable for
engineer, builder, officers, and directors to have such
a good opportunity as the promised gale would
affiod them of testing the sea-going qualities of the
steamer. Particularly was it agreeable intelligence
for the amateurs on board, who were in great
dread of an involuntary visit to the well-known
marine curiosity " the Lizard," or even to the rock
of Lisbon in search of the hard weather, which now
so kindly met them nearer home. At 10 15 A.M , the
steamer was rattling along at full speed against a
strong tide towards " the Girdles," her engines
making 121 revolutions in the minute, and forcing
her through the water at the rate of 12 statute miles
per hour. Every instant the wind rose higher, and
with it the spirits of those on board. It was quite
delightful to some to see the muddy sea breaking in
butter-coloured sheets of foam on the numerous
banks which lay around us, and occasionally one was
favoured by having the precise spot pointed out where
"the Royal Adelaide was lost with all on board," or
where the "So and So" went down in a "dirty night
last year." The sky became more overcast and
threatening hour after hour, and the wind rushed
down fiercely over the low lands of Sheppey from the
south-west, and tore away as hard as it could to the
North Sea like smoke. Small colliers flew before
it, pitching and rising on the short seas, and now and
then a stout barque or clipper brig, bound outwards,
and anxious to reach the Downs before night, clapped
on all sail, and came bowling along under double-
reefed topsails, and challenged the huge steamer,
strong on their best point of sailing, but one after
another she shook them off, and went along so
steadily that there is not the smallest exaggeration
in stating there was, at times, difficulty in believing
she was in motion at all. The disagreeable tremor
felt in steamers, especially in a tideway in shallow
water, was scarcely perceptible. In the saloon one
could write as easily as at his library table, and the
vast frame of the ship seemed to bid defiance to winds
and waves to shake its timbers. This quality was the
theme of general approbation and remark, and to those
accustomed to the peculiarly disagreeable jerking of
steamers it must appear almost incredible; but the
fact was so, and the largest and easiest line-of-battle
ship could not have gone so smoothly and comfort-
ably as the Orinoco, not only at this period, but
throughout her passage to Southampton. As she got
out from under the lee of the North Foreland the
gusts increased in vehemence, and we had the satis•
faction of seeing large and well-found ships bearing
up and bringing to for the night, unable to make
further progress, while we were going as steadily as
if in a canal. All under cover of the land appeared
long lines of vessels, of all sizes, riding at anchor,
and at midday a screw-steamer, which had been
battling the elements off the Goodwin, put about
and ran in from sea towards the Foreland,
and moored, having evidently had quite enough
of it ouside. A perfect forest of masts was seen
rising out of Ramsgate Harbour, where a whole
fleet of small craft had run to escape the fury of the
gale ; for the wind had by this time reached to the
dignity of being so styled. As the steamer opened
the Downs the sight was splendid, one rarely seen by
any but those gentlemen of England who sail upon
the seas; an armada of ships, barques, brigs,
schooners, and vessels of all sizes and all nations, were
riding at anchor. The large ships were all busy
striking topgallantyards and masts, and veering out a
snug allowance of cable. Among them, " rocking to
anti fro," lay the celebrated American clipper ship
Oriental, with her straight, long black hull, ugly
Yankee stern, and sharp, line bows and entry. She
seemed to be taking it very easily, but the spray flew
over her bows in sheets, and as she rose and fell, she
showed a very fair share of her copper. The ships and
barques had all plenty of foam at the bows, and now and
then clouds of white drizzle flew over the forecastle
and drifted over the decks to leeward in a temporary
Scotch mist of salt water. As the look of the
weather became worse instead of better, the Orinoco
also got down her fore and main topgallantyards, and
the boats were lashed up more securely (a necessary
precaution this, for it would not be agreeable to find
the boats gone altogether when they were wanted).
Every sail in sight, except herself, a few craft to
windward staggering away for the river as hard as
they could carry, and a solitary Deal boat or two,
looking out for a vessel in distress, was safe at
anchor, but still " the trial" was the thing, and at
any risk—the result proved there was but little—we
were to push out to sea. Managing directors turned
out in shiny suits of waterproof silk, oilskin and
tarpauline hats, caps, and south-westers, were in great
requisition. The captain appeared on the platform
as impermeable to wet as a walrus, and the pilot,
after some fond allusions to the superior comfort of
a snug berth under the Foreland till daybreak, was
obliged to submit to the exigencies of his position,
and to convert himself into a human "crustacean"
for the night, after repeated pithy outbursts
of eloquence as to the "nastiness" of the weather,
and tee immense capabilities of the Foreland in a
marine, terrestrial, and mooring point of view, that
would have done credit to the late Mr. George Ro-
bins. It must be admitted that of the correctness of
his statements there could be no possible doubt, and
many en board were quite of opinion that " after all,
perhaps, it would be better to take that pilot's advice."
But ere darkness closed in the Orinoco was pushing
past the Goodwin, on which for miles vast toppling
mountains of water, crested with foam, ran their ter-
rible course, and bursting upon the sea that rushed to
meet her from the Channel.
Oa shoving out round the South Foreland the gale
was at its height. It was with difficulty a man could
make way against the wind on deck aft and foreward ;
at times the gust would force the strongest back-
wards. The gigantic engines puffed and bellowed
through their brazen throats almost in vain. More
than half the force of one thousand seven hundred
horses was completely neutralised by the gale, and
the rest was at times but just sufficient to enable
the steamer to hold her own. But still she met sea
after sea beautifully, rising to meet it as buoyantly as
a seafowl, " with lusty timbers throwing it aside, and
stemming it with heart of controversy," andsleaving it
to rush astern bowling into the darkness. For hours,
however, the lights of Dover and Folkestone on the
one hand, and of Griznes on the other, glimmered
through the mist, bobbing up and down, and seeming
to hold their way with the steamer. It was an
enxious time for all. A screw loose, a bolt broken,
and there were a hundred deaths behind us—every
one connected with the vessel was on deck, though
the spray flew over the foremast and dashed right
over the top of the fore funnel. Still she shipped no
seas—her machinery worked exquisitely—as blandly
almost as the watch in one's pocket. There was no
straining—no stiffening. There was no bearing
heated, and once only, during the whole time, did a
little stoppage take place in one valve, which was
rectified in a moment. In the squalls thick
showers of rain fell, and the drops, mingled with
spray and sleet, were driven by the blast as sharp
as arrows against,the face. It was, in fact, a "frightful
night." Channel pilots are pretty good judgesof
weather, and two of them agreed that worse weather
could not be met. From the deck nothing could he
seen but the black, starless sky, descending
bodily
with sea
on
the water in dense clouds, which mingled
and foam, so that there was little difference between
water and air—nothing heard but the furious
rigging,
ravings
of the blast, and its screarning,through the or
the hissing of the seething waves as. they ran up and
broke against the stout ship. This.gale lasted from
9 P.M. till 3 A.M. the following morning. The best
proof of its severity is this, that, though the engines
were working up to 1,600 horse-power, the Orinoco
was eight hours in going from off Dover to off Dunge.
ness—aea t
distance of about 16 miles. At 7
hoursßchl:e-
head was sighted N. by E., and in a few
steamer was in smooth water, having perfectly satiss
mayseabobaet
fled every person on board that a safer,. easier
could not be found in the world, and that she
reckoned as presenting the highest combination of the
unrivalled skill in naval architecture and engineering
in which this country excels.
When in the vicinity of Stokes-bay this morning
advantage was taken of the opportunity to test the.l
speed of the ship by several
the results of which
wer runs at the measured e,
e asifollow :-
Ist run, in slack water, 4m. 59sec , equal to 12.040
knots; 2d, sm_. Dec.,s 11.650 • 3d, 4w..
—revolutions 133 • h
4, with 121 b. steam. 593ec., 12.040
Experiments were also made in turning the ship
when under full steam and she came round on the
first occes; the second trial .on in 3m. 30sec., and on
in 2m. 30sec.
1r; will be seen by the above that the Orinoco, on
two trial', attained a speed of over 12 knots, equal to
above 131 statute miles an hour in Stokes-bay. It
must he remembered, however, that she was light,
end that when fully Wien with coals, stores, cargo,
&c., her rate of steaming through the water will neces-
sarily be considerably less.

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