The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-27 00:00:00

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N E WSPA.PE It
"Naval and 1 any I.llt •
The efficial trial of the iron clad ste
prise, one of the class of wooden ar er..44444
vessels designed by Mr. Reed, the Const Ckaf o -11 s
the Navy, to decide whether wooden ships (nese
than 1,000 tons burden, and therefore considerably
smaller than the Royal Oak and Prince Consort
type of armour clads, cannot be coated with shield.
armour plates of 41 inches in thickness, and ren-
dered es effective es our larger armour plated ves-
sels, took place yesterday at the measured mile,
near the Nere, with the most satisfactory re-
sults. Although the Enterprise carries a casing
of 41-inch armour plating along both her sides.,
she is as buoyant in the water es a wooden sloop
ofo the same
sc hlaosts: and with the whole of her
guns,crew,andsea-
upwards of 100 tons
of coal on board yestf rday, the lower sill of her mid-
ship ports was between Wt and 7ft out the water.
As originally designed it was calculated that she
would draw 12ft 9.53 forward and IL'ift Sin aft, or a
mean draught of 14 t, but during her trial yester-
day she drew only 11(t 10in forward, rand 15ft Sin
aft, or just 3iu less than was originally inteneed.
The Enterprise is driven by a pair of horizontal
single piston rod engines, fitted with surface con-
densers, tubular boilers, super-heaters, and all the
latest improvements. Her machinery was supplied
by Messrs. Ravenhill, Salkeld, and Co. The en-
gines are of 160 horsepower (nominal), but are cap-
able of being worked up to four times that power.
The screw is a two-bladed Griffiths, with a diame-
ter of 1 lft Bin, and a piteh of 114 ft. The diameter
of the cylinders is 45in, and the length of stroke
18in. There is an area of fire-grate surface of 96ft,
and of heating surface 960 ft. There are two of
Appold's pumps for circulating the water through
the condensers, driven by a pair of auxiliary engines.
The Enterprise got under way at an early hour yes-
terday morning, and dropped down the river to the
measured mile, the cfficials on board being Mr.
Reed, Chief Coe struc'or of the Navy ; Mr Dinnen,
of the steam department at the Admiralty; Mr
Burnaby, of Chatham dockyard; and Mr Bannister,
assistant-inspector of machinery. The vessel wee in
charge of Capt. Luke, commanding the steam re-
serve in the Thames, the contractor for the era-
chinery being represented by Mr Ravenhill and Mr
Hodgson ; the engines were in charge of Mr Elliott.
On reaching the Lower Hope Reach six runs were
made at the measured mile, with full boiler power,
with the following results :—First run—Time 7 min
40 sec, revolutions of engines 98, speed 7.826 knots,
pressure of steam 2311 b, vacuum 26. Second ran—
Time 5 min, revolutions of screw 99, speed 12 knots,
pressure 221, vacuum 261 b. Third run—Time 6 min
32 sec., revolutions 98, speed 7.965 knots, pressure
221 b. vacuum 261. Fourth run—Time 5 min. 3
sec., revolutions 100, speed 11.881 knots, pressure
2211 b., vacuum 261. Fifth run—Time 7 min. 26
sec., revolutions 97, speed 8.072 knots, pressure
221 b., vacuum 261. Sixth—Time 5 min. 8 sec.,
revolutions 100, speed 11.658 knots, pressure 221 b.,
vacuum 26. Taking the first means of the above
runs we have a speed in knots of 9.913, 9.982, 9.923,
9,976, and 9.888 ; and the second means as 9.880,
9.952, 9.949, and 9.928, giving the true mean speed
of the vessel as 9.927 knots, or a trifling fraction
under 10 knots per hour. This is considered ex-
ceedingly satisfactory, and proves the high sailing
qualities of the Enterprise, which, although 1,000
tons burden, is driven by engines of 160 horse power
only. It should also be remarked that the speed of
the Enterprise has exceeded by half a knot the rate
calculated upon by her designer, who estimated her
steaming capabilities at rather less than 91 knots
per hour. The Enterprise, at full steaming carries
a rather large wave under her bows, but from the
sharp outline of the stem this is thrown upward and
outward, and does not interfere in any way with
the progress of the vessel through the water. At
the termination of runs at full speed four runs were
made over the measured mile at half boiler power,
with the following results—First run—time, 6 min.
27 sec.,; speed, 5.022 knots; revolutions, 83; pres-
sure, 191 b; vacuum, 26. Second run—time, 8 min.
54 sec. ; speed, 9.363 knots ; revolutions, 80 ; pres-
sure, 1911 b.; vacuum, 261. Third run—time, 8
min. 56 sec. ; speed, 6.716 knots ; revolutions, 81 ;
pressure, 191 b.; vacuum. 26. Last run—time, 6
min. 19 sac. ; speed, 9 493 knots ; revolutions, 81 ;
-dressure, 1911 b.; vacuum, 26,1. Tao average speed at
balf boiler power was 8.105 knots, the Eaterprise
proving herself to be an equally fast steamer under
!lalf as when steaming at full b-)iler power. At ae
close of the more important p +rtion of the eay's
',rim some experiments were made with the view of
ascertaining the steering and turning capabilities
of the Enterprise. The screw well being abolished,
the principle of the old gun-room tiller has been
reverted to with the most satisfactory results. The
tiller is placed below the armour-plates, which
altogether prevents its being shot away, and an
arrangement is also effected by means of which the
frigate can be steered from the armour-plated bate
tery, whereby the steersmen are effectually pro-
tected. With four men at the wheel the helm was
brought over to starboard, at an angle of 30 deg.,
and the full circle made in 4 min. 14 sec. from a
state of rest, and in 4 min. from fall speed. The
circle to port, with three turns of the wheel and
the rudder at an angle of 29 deg., was accomplished
in 4 min. 18 sec. from full speed, and in 4 min. 37
sec. from rest. From the circumstance of the chief
weight of the vessel being placed amidships the
Enterprise possesses remarkable powers of turning,
and during the trials yesterday the full circles were
made in little, if at all, more than a diameter of
twice the vessel's length. The working of the
engines during the trials was exceedingly satisfac-
tory. At the close of the trials she steamed up the
river, and awaits orders from the Admiralty.
fiesnhcinegofvetahseelaalleeng
the Bcreolagciahnm e tet
waters,s of
Britishn
Lordss equ
of the Admiralty haveedorednered the Lizard,
tthheele
3 guns, iron paddlewheel tender to the Formidable,
flagship at Sheerness, lieutenant in command Henry
J. Challis, to proceed to Ostend to watch proceed-
ings. The Lizard sailed from Sheerness yesterday.
The Clio, 22, screw steam corvette, having com-
pleted repairs and been refitted for commission in
Sheerness dockyard, was yesterday taken for the
trial of her engines at the measured mile off Maplin
Sands, in command of Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., of
the Sheerness Steam Reserve. The engines were
in charge of Mr. W. Ramble, inspector of machis
nary afloat, and Mr George Bplroixmlaianged.iecrhhiaenf
leinnggineer
of the dockyard. Although a strong breeze was
duringtrial
was
the s trial
aia s t withsatisfactory,
at
saf
afeotroc force of
y,
being an entire
The engines,
.
t hfrom
boilersfi. v e
giving out plenty of steam, and there
htoleswixiegthe
absence of hot hearings and
which have undergone a thorough and
of Messrs. Ravenhill, Sale
repair, are from the firm
during the trial. The fol-
lowing worked admirably
—Mean speed at full boiler
mild and Co., and are of 400 nominal horse power.
9 648 knots; pressure of
,pressure of steam, 201 b;
revolutions of engines,
vacuum, 26 ; revolutions
power, wle2re2ot2h e
knotsresultsd:
of
engines,
57. At half
vaceenausnit'urneid; at full power with helm
boiler power mean speed,
steam, 201b:o
yards ; and with half power helm 27
49. The circle
see, diameter of
starboard in 4min 37
degrees to port in smin. 33sec., diameter of circle
being 358 yards; the revolutions of engines while
going round the circles were 54 and 44 respectively.
eadatienreliso seconds, started
seconds. The
aTc2hihoreacai
dee degreesni2l63 e 5 seconds,er taonpdp
vessel is fitted with Smith's screw, with the corners
cut off, its diameter.being 16ft.; its pitch, 26ft.; and
it length, 3ft. The draught of water during the
trial was—forward-17ft. 6in.; aft, 18ft. 10in. The
Clio is full rigged, having all her sea stores and
armament on board, and is expected to be commis.
sioned in a few days.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Commander T. H. Swinburne,
to be Inspecting Commander of the Coastguard,
vice Commander Kane, deceased ; Commander
Charles Parry, to the Aurora; Arthur P. Penney,
nominated to a naval cadetship ; James Paterson,
chief engineer, to the Indus for the Agincourt ; C.
R. Chamberlain, chief engineer, to the Cumberland
for the Ariadne; James Morris, promoted to chief
engineer, and appointed to the Cumberland for the
Scout; Henry W. Tregilgas, engineer, to the Asia
for the Wallace ; and William M'lntyre, assistants
engineer, to the Cumberland, as supernetnerary.

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