The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-06 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

WOOLWICH, MAY s.—Commander F. N. K. Wasey
(1850) to'study steam at the factory at Woolwich Dock-
yard, vice Commander Bowyear, passed.
Commander Michael do Conroy (1848) to study steam
at the factory, vice Captain Cospatrick B. Hamilton,.
passed.
Commander Philip de Saul/rues (1845) to study
steam at the factory, vice Lieutenant Richard Moore,
passed.
Commander Henry I. Lacon (1842), to study steam
st the factory, vice Lieutenant Macdonald Bourchier,
passed.
Lieutenants Macdonald Bourchior and Richard Moore,
hating completed a course of study of steam, were
severally examined as to their knowledge of steam and
marine steam engines by Mr. Charles Atherton, chief
engineer at Woolwich Dockyard, and on passing satis-
factorily received their certificates accordingly.
The Herald, 28, Captain Henry Mangles Denham, was
visited to-day by a great number of ladies and gentle-
men, who were conducted over the vessel by Captain
Denham. who showed them the arrangements which have
been made for the long stay of the Herald on the sur-
veying service in the South Seas, and the numerous pre-
sents intended for the natives of the islands in that part
of the Pacific Ooean.

LOSS OF THE BIRKENHEAD.
A court-martial, consisting of Rear-Admiral H.
Prescott, C. 8., president; Captain Chads, C. 8.. of the
Excellent; Captain G. B. Martin, C. 8., of the Victory;
Captain Scott, of the Neptune ; Captain Henderson,
C. 8., of the Blenheith; Captain S. T. Inners, of the
Sampson;- Captain Robinson, of the Arrogant; Captain
Loch, C. 8., or the Winchester; Captain Warden, of the
Retribution; Captain Symonds, of the Arethusa; Cap-
tain Harris, of the Prince Regent; Captain Matson, of
the Highfiyer; and Sir G. L: Greethave, Deputy Judge-
Advocate of the Fleet, assembled yesterday morning at
nine o'clock, on board the Victory, to try Mr. R. B
Richards, master's assistant; J. Bowen, T. Dunn, able
seamen; A. Stone, ordinary seaman; and John Ashbolt,
stoker, for the loss of the Birkenhead, or rather to in-
vestigate the conduct of the survivors of that awful wreck.
The witnesses called when our report left were Thos.
Coffin, who had the first middle watch on the night of
the wreck; Thomas Daly, of the first Watch, and look-
out mat on the forecastle; Colour-Sergeant Drake, on
the poop when the ship struck; John Archbold, gunner,
' in bed when the accident happened; and Mr. W. Cul-
bane, assistant-surgeon, in his cabin at the time.
All these witnesses were subjected to close and
lengthened examination, and deposed to a great num-
ber of facts connected with the disaster; but nothing
calculated to alter materially the main incidents
already before the public. Oae of them stated,
that had the boats remained near the wreck, and not
pursued the schooner, more lives might have been
saved; but all seemed to agree that both on board the
ill-fated ship and after she bad sunk every effort was
used that, under the circumstances, was prectesble.
The ec:upants of the boats dated that they could not,
without danger, take iu more than they held; that they
beard no cries and saw no cases of distress which they
did not seek to relieve; that the heaviness of the surf, in
their judgment, rendvred landing impossible; and, in
short, that they aced fur the brat in the trying emer-
gency. As to the course which the ship was steering, it
was proved that she was some three miles from shore,
whien, however, was not •isible in the darkness; that
the soundings were taken; that the rate of speed at the
time was 7 keots; that a light had been discerned
shortly before the catastrophe took place, and that the
sound of the surf WhS not distinguishable.. It was also
shown that the boats were in perftct order for launching
had time permitted; that the captain was perfectly col-
lected, and that the orders which he issued were obeyed;
that the engines were backed for two minutes atter the
ship struck, and that she yielded to them; that in ten
minutes the fires were completely extinguished, and that
she went down in less than half an hour. Questions
were put to the witnesses, not only by the members of
he court7inartiel, but by the prisoners, and at six P et.
he Court was adjourned till to-,morrow morning.

- -
EXPERIMENTS WITH ANCHORS.
Woomvicli, MAY S.—TWO anchors, in addition to
those previously described, were delivered at Woolwich
Dockyard on Monday last, one by au American named
Isaacs, which has au arrangement to prevent what is
technically termed " foulieg." The other, by Brown,
Lennox and Co., Admiralty contractor, differs only
slightly from Sir William Yarker'a plan in section and
in length of shank, and with a palm more spear-shaped.
The testing the seven anchors for trial with the usual
strain applied to anchors of similar weight when de-
livered for service commenced on Monday afternoon by
placing one of Lieutenant Rogers's anchors, weighing
19 owl. albs., in the testing-frame, and applying a strain
of 198 tons, when the first tested arm was found to have
deflected 5-16ths of an inch, and the other s.l6ths, both
returning to their original position when the strain was_.
withdrawn. On Mr. Mitobeson's anchor, Weighing
cwt. 141 b., being subjected to a 'train of 21# tend,.en
Int Ge-
ee.
fleeted to the point of the palm extending *
sured from the shank, and the other arria_gnawv?l,fleliYr
the same result, the palms returning to
nw_abol
tilr"""
entire
original position from the deflection i and to
the shauk.
original position when measureit3,_
ar
of 20 owl*
Brown, Lennox, and Co'e. a
oi.h 2 liv tons applied,
3 qra. 10;h., on ing
deflected and * from the siraanala-
being withdrawn the
similar result, and on the strain both arms giving a
d and the arms resumed
deflection was entirely removed,
,anchor,
their original position. °T.vritteethsdeaytesbiori;gl..eiraoat'an
and a
of 21 cwt. 1410., was placed
ld,
and was found to deflect of
strain of 21i tons applied, and
an inch, and the dis.tdantlehcen
from the shank, deed the
withdrawn both arms re-
sumed Mr. Trotman's anchor,
result. On the strain
their originall rp,
had a strain of 21i toes up.
weighing 21 owet.ted ci;
the point of the arm extending
plied, and deflected
3-16 from the shank ;
and onwitthheouotthearnyaremxtebnesiinogn
tried the deflection was,
of the arm, and on the strain being withdrawn the
deflection returned to * and the arms to their origi-
nal position. Mr. Honibalre anchor, weighing 20 cwt.
3 qr.a7lb., had a strain of 21i tons applied, and the
deflection was, arias,
and the extension of the ar
and the other arm gave exactly the same result. On
the strain being withdrawn the first tested are returned
to its
original position, and the deflection of the other
to within *, and to its entire original position when
measured tram tke shank. Lieutenant Rogers's kedge
anchor, weighing 20 cwt. 1 qr., was placed in a testing-
frame, and on a strain of 21* tons being applied, the
deflection was 1 inch, the point of the arm extending of
an inch from the shank. The deflection when the other
arm was tested was 1 3-16th inches, and the extension
I of an inch, and on the strain being withdrawn, the
deflection on the one side returned to 6.16 and the arm
to its original position. The deflection on the other side
returned to 4 of an inch and the arm to its original po-
sition. The anchors are now lying on the wharf, ready
to be transferred to Sheerness to contend for the , palm
of superiority as regards their holding properties, and
will subsequently be brought back to Woolwich dockyard
to undergo an ultimate or breaking strain, in order to
determine the greatest degree both of maximum strength
and holding properties, the two great essentials for an
anchor. A committee of EiX naval officers and six of the
most eminent shipowners, assisted by Par. Atherton, chief
engineer at Woolwich dockyard, have consented to DCA as
jurors on this occasion. Oat of rather more thin 30
persons who exhibited anchors at the Great Exeibitiou
in Hyde-park last year, 6 have responded to the invita-
tion to submit their inventions to actual tests and prac-
tical triels for I,uperiority. The anchors were weighed
and tested wi h Alt their eteeki.

Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the Etna
India House, when Lieutenant-Genera Lord Frederick
Fitz. Clarence, G.C.H.,
of the company's was appointed Commander-iu-Chief
Pally's farces on the Bombay CztabliSiiirient.
LINCOLN'ti ItiN, MAT s.—The following members
of this society have been called to the bar, and were sworn
in this evoniug in the Hall :—Juhu Buck. bI.A.;
Richard O.
Turner, b'.A.; WilliamJ. Potts, Esc' ; Charles Lees, 8...1n'1
Francis 0. Adams, bI.A.;. John f.i. Smith, B.A. ; a
Augustus A. Vansittart, M.A.
PaDITERS' DRAT.IAT IC .SOCIETY •--Ii 'll°:fal
to the secre-
t.amaHighness the Duke of Cambridge
tary of the Printers' Dramatic Sochi:4%7 101.a1d431. a.asn
teur
performan,ce at St. jaines's Thcatre,.oll Saturday.titAfg,tiihsee
funds of the Printers' Pensiett Society ""
Endowment Faud.
.