The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-18 00:00:00

The Sharpshooter, 6 gun screw sloop (iron), of
503 tons measurement and 160 horse power of en-
gines, was tried yesterday at the measured mile in
Stokes Bay, near Portsmouth, to ascertain her rate
of steaming prior to being commissioned, and was
afterwards tested in her steering powers with Capt.
F. Warren's patent auxiliary bow rudder, with
which she is fitted in addition to the ordinary stern
rudder. The Sharpshooter is an iron-built vessel,
constructed from the designs of the late Mr Fin-
chain, and launched from Blackwell in 1847. Her
last service was on the coast of Africa, on her re-
turn from which she was put out of commission at
Portsmouth, and she has since then undergone very
extensive repairs to her hull; her original engines
have been condemned and removed from her, and
she has received others, transferred from the Lynx,
of 160 horse power, by Messrs. Penn and Son. She
has been lined internally with the " Spence's patent
preserving cement," and externally she has been
payed over below the water-line with several rival
pigment composition intended for the preservation
of the ship's bottom under water, so that, altogether,
she may be looked upon as an experimental ship.
Her armament consists of one 40-pounder rifled
gun on the forecastle, one 58-cwt. 6-inch smooth-
bore aft, and four 23-cwt. 6-inch smoothbores
for broadside service. Her racks round the upper
deck contain the usual allowance of round 321 b.
shot, ancient-looking bunches of grape, and casesof
canister. The vessel left Portsmouth harbour at
7 a.m., in charge of Commander Brett, of her Ma•
jesty's ship Asia, and at once was steered for the
measured mile, her draught of water being lift.
2in. aft and 11ft. forward: She is complete in ar-
mament, rigging, and stores, and therefore, only
requires her crew, provisions, and ammunition to
render her ready for immediate sea service. Her
propeller is a left-handed " Griffiths." Six runs
with full boiler power were first made over the mile,
with the following results, in knots :-Ist run,
8.430; 2d, 9.113; 3d, 8.823 ; 4th, 8,665 ; otb,
9.600; 6th, 8.571 ; mean speed of the ship, 8945
knots. The maximum number of the engines'
revolutions was 100, and their minimum number
97i. The temperatures on deck and below
were as follows :-Ist run, on deck, 58 deg. ;
in engine-room, 71 deg. ; in stoke-hole 90
and DO dog.: GUI run, nn deck, 64 dPg. in engine-
room, 74 deg. ; in stokehole 94 and 98 deg. Two
runs were afterwards made with half-boiler power,
the first giving the ship a speed of 8.551 knots, and
the second 6.990 knots, the mean of the two being
7770 knots. The pressure of steam was 201 b., and
the vacuum was at 25 in. maximum, and 221 in.
minimum. The trials of speed having been brought
to a conclusion those of the rudders commenced,
both being tried, of course, in order to procure the
required comparison of the powers of each. The
stern rudder was first tested to port and starboard
with fall boiler power, and then in the same direc-
tion with half boiler power. With the rudder hard
to port it was hove up (five men being at the wheel
throughout these tests) in 30 sec to an angle of 33
deg, the half.circle being completed in 2 min, and
the full circle in 3 min 53 sec. The revolutions of
the engines were 99 at the commencement, bringing
up to 93 before the circle was completed. With
the rudder hard to port it was next hove over to
29i deg of angle in 30 sec, the half-circle made in
2 min 10 sec, and the full circle in 4 min 19 seet
The revolutions of the engines, as before, were from
99 to 93. With half-boiler power the rudder was
hove over to an angle of 38 deg to port in 22secs,
the half circle made in 2min Maces, and the full in
4min 22secs. The revolutions of the engines were
from 87 to 82. In the second trial, at half-boiler
power, the rudder was hove over to an angle of 30
deg to starboard in 26 secs ; the half circle made in
2 min 25 sec, and the full in 4 min 55 sec. The revo-
lutions of the engines were the same as in the last
trial to port. Half-boiler power still was kept in
use, and two trials similar to the last were made
next, but now with both rudders, stern and bow, in
use, with the following results. Hard to starboard—
Angle of stern rudder 301 deg ; do. bow rudder, 391
deg ; half-circle made in 2 min 17 secs ; full circle
in 4 min 49 sec ; revolutions of engines, 86 to 81,
Hard to port—Angle of stern rudder, 38 deg; do.
bow rudder, 40 deg; half circle made in 2 min 4 sec ;
full circle made in 4 min 6 sec ; revolutions of engines
from 86 to 81. Steam was next further eased down,
and the vessel going " very easy" ahead, two circles
were made with the engines going 60 revolutions at
starting, the first being to starboard, the angle of
the bow rudder being 40 deg, that of the stern 301
deg. The half circle was made in 4 min 34 sec, and
completed to the full in 9 min 8 sec. The second was
to port, the angle of the bow rudder being 391 deg,
that of the stern 38 deg, while the half circle was
made in this instance in 4 min 3 sec and the full in
8 min 20 sec. The engines in both instances slack-
ened in their revolutions from 50 to 47. The ship
was next put ahead at full boiler power and speed,
and both rudders again brought into play. In the
first circle made under these circumstances, the
stern rudder was hove to starboard at an angle of
30 deg and the bow rudder to 391 deg, the half-
circle made in 2 min 4 sec, and the full in 4 min
and 9 sec. The engines started at 95 revolutions
and slackened down to 91. In the second
circle the stern rudder was hove to port to an
angle of 38 deg, and the bow rudder to 40 deg, the
halficircle being made in 1 min 51 see, and the full
circle in 3 min 38 sec. The engines started at 96
revolutions and eased down to 91. This was the
last experiment with both rudders, and several
others followed with the bow rudder alone acting,
bat only two of these were noted, as it was evident
the vessel was not sufficiently in the water forward
to allow the bow rudder to fully develop its powers.
These two circles were made with the following re-
sults :-1. Astern. at full speed, with the rudder
hard to starboard, the half-circle was made in 5 min
18 sec, and the full circle in 8 min 17 sec.
2. Astern at full speed, and the rudder bard to
port, the half•cirele was made in 9 win 33 see,
and the full circle in 13 min 33 sec. The
officials on board had no means at their command
of accurately measuring the circles made, but
it was clear that their area made under the in-
fluence of both rudders was less than with one
rudder, and the time was also, it will be seen on
reference to the figures, rather less. It must be
borne in mind, in all fairness to Capt Warren, that
the bow rudder fitted to the Sharpshooter is merely
an " auxiliary" to the main or stern rudder, to assist
in turning the ship, either when going ahead or