The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-12 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.
Her Majesty's yachts Victoria and Albert, Capt.
his Serene Highness the Prince Leiningen ; Os-
borne, Staff Commander Bower; and Fairy, Staff
Commander Welch, arrived at Portsmouth yester-
day from Antwerp and the Thames, The Osborne
made the passage from the Downs to Portsmouth in

exactly seven hours, an extraordinary passage con-

sidering the yacht's age, tonnage, and engine
power, and the fact that one of her paddlewheels is

all but useless, and part of her engine machinery
considerably in want of repair.
The Pioneer, 6, screw despatch vessel, Comman-
der Robinson (acting), having been officially in-
spected at Spithead, yesterday steamed into Ports-
mouth harbour to dismantle and pay out of com-
mission.

On Wednesday and Thursday a series of very
nteresting experiments was carried on at Sheerness

by order of the Admiralty to test the value of a
steering screw propeller applied to the Charger
gunboat, the invention of Mr. Curtis, C.E., of Hol-
loway, and 142, Fenchurch-street, London. The

peculiarity of this screw is that a ring forming an
universal, or ball and socket joint, is placed within
the hollow boss of the screw, which is thereby con-

nected with the main shaft, the centre of gravity of

,he screw and the centre line of the rudder inter-

setting the centre line of the main shaft, so that
the entire weight of the screw is borne by the
shaft, and by means :of the tail or spindle of the
screw projecting from the boss working in the
rudder, whatever may be the movement of the
rudder, it communicates an equal movement to the
screw, which therefore becomes not only the pro-
pelling but also the guiding power of the ship. Fur-
thermore, by this invention the retarding action of
the rudder and likewise the vibration are removed,

while the speed of the vessel is increased. The
Charger gunboat, having been handed over to Mr.
Curtis for the purpose of making experiments, was
on Wednesday taken for trial at the measured mile
off Maplin Sands, the result being that the mean of

the runs to and fro was 8.698 knots an hour, as
contrasted with 7.'751 knots obtained at Portsmouth
previous to the vessel being placed in Mr. Curtis's
hands ; showing a gain of .531, or about half a mile,
in favour of the steering screw, while the indicated
horse power showed 113.30, against 145.25 obtained
at Portsmouth. It was felt by those who witnessed
the experiments that had the engines been in a more
efficient working state the gain would have been
still more considerable. On Thursday a competi-

tive trial of speed took place between the Charger
and the Spanker, twin boats, having been built

upon the same model and lines by the same builders,
and each containing engines of 60 horse power.
The distance run was from a buoy off the Formid-
able, flag ship of Vice-Admiral Sir G. It. Lambert,
K.C.8., commander-in-chief at Sheerness, round the
Nore Light and back, a total distance of about eight
miles. In this distance the Charger beat the
Spanker by 17 minutes, being 25 per cent. gain, or
equivalent to about a mile and a half per hour, the
whole run being made by the Charger in one hour
and one minute. This gain is evidently obtained
by avoiding the retarding effect of the rudder, as it
was found that to keep the vessel in her course the
helm never varied more than from 3 to 5 deg. The
full circle was made in 2 minutes 40 seconds, helm
starboard 40 degrees, the diameter of the circle
being 120 ft., measured by a line paid out
from the stern of the ship. The circle to port
helm 40 degrees, was made in 2 minutes 30 seconds,
diameter the same, the length of the vessel being
115 ft. By working the screw astern and putting
the helm over 40 degrees, the vessel can be turned
in about half the time above stated, and in a radius

of only one-third its length, measuring from the
screw itself. The screw can be applied in the dead
wood of the ship, and lifted as in the ordinary way,
so that the vessel may be governed either by the
rudder or screw, or by both, at the option of the
commander; also, if found necessary or desirable,
the rudder may control the movement of the vessel
by the momentum after the engines are stopped ;
but all that has been sought or could be expected
by a first trial is the establishment of the principle
of the invention, which is considered to be proved
beyond all question. Its value to large ships must be
apparent, whether for war or commercial purposes.
Her Majesty's screw steam frigate Arethusa, 39
guns, 3,141 tons, 500-horse power, having under-
gone several important alterations in her machinery
to enable her to work either as a surface or common
condenser, or the two conjointly, was taken out of
Sheerness Dockyard on an experimental trip for
five hours yesterday. During the trip the average
revolutions of engines were 68 per minute ; vacuum,
281 b ; and pressure of steam, 251 b. The trial was
of a most satisfactory character, the result exceed-
ing the most sanguine expectations. The vessel was
in charge of Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., commanding
the Sheerness Steam Reserve ; and Vice-Admiral
Sir G. R. Lambert, K.C.8., Commander-in-Chid
at the Nore, was on board to witness the trial. The
contractors, Messrs. J. Penn and Son, were repre-
sented by Mr. Mathews. Mr. Rumble, inspector
of machinery afloat, and Mr. Blaaland, chief engi-
neer of Sheerness Dockyard, attended on the part
of the Government.
The Wrangler, 4, screw steam gun vessel, 477
tons, 80 horse power, Com.tHenry H. Bonnlish, ar-
rived at Sheerness from the West Coast of Africa,
last from Devonport, on Thursday evening. On the
following day she was inspected by Capt. J. 1, ul-
ford, of her Majesty's ship Formidable, flagship of
Vice-Admiral Sir G. R. Lambert, C. 8., who con-
gratulated her commander on the effective state of
the vessel and crew. Sho will be paid. out of coin.
mission in about ten days and placed in the Sheer-
ness Steam Reserve, having been in commission
since May, 1860.
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