The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-26 00:00:00

THE TRIAL OF THE ROYAL OAK

The weather having cleared up the official trial
of the Royal Oak was resumed on Tuesday. The
wind was exceedingly light, a gentle bra zs blow-
ing from the westward, which was highly faveu:-
able for tecz-rtaining the fligate's rate of spend.
The steam tender Adder arrived aiongeide with the
efficials Irene Chatham Dockyard shortly after e
o'clock, ::n ,I steam having been got up at the eh:p's
anehote,ge et the Nore, prep iratioes were at ()Lee
made for tripping per anchor add p"acing her on
the trill Broiled. As oil tre preview', diy, the Vc6-
et I was in charge of Coe-mender Crewe Read, of the
Cumberland, gu:rdstiip of the steam teserve at
Ceatham ; Mr. T. Biker, engineer in chief et
Chatham Dockyard; with Mr. W. Ramble, inspec-
tor of machinery afloat, eupe lint,- riding the workie g
of the machinery. The engines were in charge of
Mr. Tuck, chief engineer, and Mr. Warriner repre-
sented the firm of Mandalay, Son, and Field, by
whom the machinery was built. Mr. W. Hutchens,
assistant master-shipwright, under whose superin-
' tendence the Royal Oak was constructed, was pre-
sent from Chatham Dockyard, with a numerous staff
of assistants and workmen to note the steaming
qualities of the vessel when under way. The vessel's
anchor was short-a-peak at 9 o'clock, ready for
tripping, but some considerable time elapsed before
it could be hoisted, there being no auxiliary engine
on board for lifting the anchor as is the case in
the Warrior and other large vessels. The anchor
was, however, ultimately stowed in its place, and
the vessel's head laid for the trial ground, the en-
gines working most smoothly and regularly. On
getting under way the Royal Oak's draught of water
was found to be 23ft lin aft, and 24ft 4in forward,
which was something less than on the previous day.
The vessel reached the trial ground shortly before
11 o'clock, by which time the wind had entirely
dropped; there was a dead calm. A thick mist, at
the same time, sprang up, rendering distant objects
almost invisible, and for some time it was feared that
the trial must be postponed. Capt. Campbell, who
has been appointed to the Royal Oak, was exceed-
ingly anxious, however, that the trial should not be
again delayed, and the vessel was accordingly
steamed some distance below the Nore. Towards 1
o'clock the haze had so far cleared away as to enable
the signal posts at the measured mile to be clearly
seen, and the vessel's head was accordingly turned
for the trial ground, which was reached shortly be-
fore 2. Six runs were made at the measured mile
at full speed, the following being the results :
In the first run the time was smin 30sec, the speed
in knots was 10 902, the number of revolutions of
engines 60, and the pressure of steam 21; in the
second run the time was 4min 13sec, the speed in
knots 14.229, the number of revolutions of engines,
59, and the pressure of steam, 191; in the third run
the time was 5 min 30 sec, the speed in knots 10909;
the number of revolutions of engines, 60, and the
pressure of steam, 20 ; in the fourth run the time
was 4 min 18 sec, the speed in knots, 13,953, the
number of revolutions of engines, 591, and the
pressure of steam, 20; in the fifth run the time was
smin 30sec, the speed in knots, 10.909, the number
of revolutions of engines, 59, and the pressure of
steam, 19; in the sixth run the time was 4min 17sec,
the speed in knots, 14,008, the number of revolu-
tions of engines, 61, and the pressure of steam, 20.
In all the runs the vacuum forward and aft was 24.
The mean speed of the six runs was 12.487 knots.
The result of the trial of the Royal Oak at full
speed may thus be considered very satisfactory in-
deed, when her immense weight and size are taken
into account. The engines of the Royal Oak are of
800-horse power (nominally), while those of the
Black Prince are 1,250-horse power, and yet on the
occasion of the last trial trip of the latter vessel she
only attained a mean speed of 12.209 knots, the
Royal Oak thus beating her by a quarter of a knot
an hour. The actual displacement of the Royal Odk
during her trial yesterday was 6,500 tons, and this
mass was driven through the water at a speed
greater than that attained by the largest of the iron
frigates, with the exception of the Warrior. Thus
far, then, the Admiralty may congratulate itself on
the perfect success which has been obtained by the
first of the squadron of iron-clads so far as its steam-
ing qualities are concerned. At the termination of the
runs at full speed, it was determined to try the vessel
at half boiler power, and four runs were accordingly
made at the measured mile, with the following re-
sults :--In the first run the time was 6min 45sec ;
the speed in knots, 8.889 ; the number of revolu-
tions of screw, 47 ; and the pressure of steam,
19 ; pitch of screw, 27ft 6in. In the second
run the time was 6min 9sec ; the speed in knots
11.650 ; the number of revolutions of screw, 49 ;
and the pressure of steam, 20 ; pitch of screw,
27ft 6in. In the third run the time was
6min 29sec ; the speed in knots, 9.254 ;
the number of revolutions of screw, 47 ; and
the pressure of steam, 20 ; pitch of screw, 27ft 6in.
In the fourth run the time was smin 46sec ; the
speed in knots, 10405; the number of revolutions
of screw, 47 ; and the pressure of steam, 20; pitch
of screw, 27ft 6in. In all the runs the vacuum fore
and aft was 24. The average speed of the four runs
at half-boiler power was 10.140 knots. At the ter-
mination of the trials of speed some experiments
were made in order to test the time in which the
half-circle would be made. Four runs were accord-
ingly made, with the following results :—First run,
helm put hard a-starboard, with four men at the
wheel, and the rudder at an angle of 18 deg, half
circle made in 2min 29sec ; second run, helm at
port, and rudder at 17 deg, half circle made in 2tnin
34sec; third run, helm at starboard, half a circle
made in 2min 42sec ; fourth run, helm at port, cir-
cle made in 2min 39aec. At half-boiler power the
helm was put hard a-starboard by four men with
three turns of the wheel, and the rudder at an angle
of 152 deg, when the half circle was made in 3min
40sec, the screw making 39 revolutions per minute,
and the diameter of the circle 300 yards. The helm
was then put hard sport, at an angle of 141 deg,
and the half circle made in 3min 32sec. Commander
Crewe-Read, who superintended the trials, then di-
rected the helm to be put hard a-starboard to an
angle of 18 deg, and the ship going at full speed,
with the screw making 54 revolutions, the com-
plete circle was made in @min 38sec, the diameter
of the circle being a little more than double the ves-
sel's length. During the trials, which were pro-
tracted until a late hour on Tuesday afternoon, the
Royal Oak was found to answer her helm remark-
ably well, and wss steered as easily and expedi-
tiously as a river steamer.
The boilers generated a full supply of steam, and
the engines worked with remarkable steadiness and
precision, and with scarcely the slightest vibration.
The average temperature of the stokeholes, with 24
furnaces at work, during the trials, was 78 deg, and
the engine room 62 deg; this low temperature be-
ing attained by the admirable ventilating appa-
ratus fitted on board the Royal Oak by the inventor,
Mr. Baker, Chief Engineer of Chatham Dockyard.
As a comparison, it may be mentioned that the ave-
rage temperature of the upper deck was 53 deg.,
and that of the lower deck 64 deg.

At the close of the day's trials, which did not ter-
minate till just 6 o'clock last evening, the Royal
o.xk was placed alongside the Ocean coal depot, to
fill up with coals, after which she will be removed
to Folly Point, Chatham, to complete fitting for s(a.,
and receive on board all her guns, provisions, stores,
&c., and will await the orders of the Admiralty as
to her next trial trip at deep draught.

It is strongly rumoured that, on the recommen-
dation of the Lord Chancellor, Mr. Sergeant Shoo is shortly
to bo elevated to the bench, in the room of Mr. Jll.3loer.
Wilde, whose health is likely to compel his
ine3Toin sanfrenspect.
Sergeant Shee, from his professni
rcrotTit entitled to look to
ability as a leading °oe'
h but, issoi°far as we know, no Roman
a place on the beach,
Catholic has hitherto been promoted to that post in Eng-
land.--Record.