The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-21 00:00:00

The iron paddlewheel steamer Recruit, 6, 150
horse power, Commander G, F. Cottam, fitted at
Chatham for the coast of Africa, was taken to the
Ilaplin Sands on Wednesday for the purpose of
making au official trial of her speed at her sea-going
trim, with all her Armstrong and other guns, stores,
&c., on board. On the occasion of her former trial,
on the 9th ult., the Recruit, after one breakdown,
attained an average speed of 10.508 knots per hour
in six runs at full boiler power. In four runs, with
half of the boilers cut off, the average speed was
8 652 knots, the paddlewheels making 31 revolu-
tions per minute. Her mean draught was eight
feet. Since her former trial all her guns, stores,
&r., have been put on board, and the result of her
performance on Wednesday leaves little doubt that
the Admiralty will abandon their intention ot send-
ing her to sea, and immediately transfer her officers
and crew to another vessel. With all her stores on
board the Recruit lies like a log in the water, and
at times during the trial on Wednesday the sea
washed over her sponsons in a manner which was
rather alarming. Only two runs were made at the
measured mile, when the speed attained was only
about five knots an hour, Capt. Hall, in command
of the steam reserve, was on board to superintend
►he trials ; the other officials present being Mr.
Baker, chief engineer ; Mr. Moore, principal assist.-
master-shipwright at Chatham dockyard; and Mr.
'tunable, inspector of machinery afloat. After
steaming twice over the Maplins, the perform-
ance of the vessel was found to be in the high-
est degree unsatisfactory. Captain Hall conse-
quently determined on abandoning the trial, and
the vessel was brought back to harbour, a very
strong report of the unfavourable result of the trial
being at once forwarded to the Admiralty. The
Recruit is sister ship to the Weser, 6, now in
the Mediterranean. Both vessels were originally
constructed for the Prussian Government by Mr.
Scott Russell on what is termed the wave line prin-
ciple. They were afterwards exchanged with the
Admiralty for a couple:of our wooden sailing frigates.
The fitting of the screw frigate Arethusa, 39, 500
horse power, for the pennant, is being hastened as
much as possible, the Lords of the Admiralty hav-
ing decided on placing her in immediate commis-
sion. It is stated at Chatham that she, as well
as the Octavia, 39, 500 horse power, and the
Constance, 39, 500 horse power, will be despatched
on an experimental cruise to test and compare their
steaming and sailing qualities, the Arethusa, the
last of the 50 gun sailing ships altered to screw
steamers, not having been at sea since she under-
went the converting process at Chatham dockyard.
On the recommendation of Capt.. J. K. Hall. com-
manding the Chatham reserve in the Medway,
a method is to be adopted on board the Cumberland,
74, guardehip—provided it is found to be practica-
ble by the dockyard authorities—for roasting cor-
vettes and other similar classes of ships, without
necessitating their being docked for that purpose.
This will effect a considerable saving both of time
and expense, the want of such an arrangement often
operating most Injuriously to the service, by com-
pelling every vessel, however small, to be taken to
the roasting shears in the steam basin of Chatham
harbour. The plan only awaits the favourable re-
port of the dockyard officials, to whom it has been
referred, to be at once carried into effect.