The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-25 00:00:00

,2.e.:-...er'
NEWSPAPER
?___X.
_ec,,.
►
(----"
s 0 -(----r---,-,6 ziov:k
c 4 t ,
~. 2,
...
"S•
g( ,-I
. 0 1.-:
i 4 _
-..
.. _#l
~ ... . ..-..
..,,kr-- ,
e---- Voyage of the Ruesian Battery PerviNetz,a
..., \.....: ,
.415. M.- . . ,
_.
__ __,, .44'
.., llllik
".• N - -
~...,, • '''' .-• V...... '
• ' -,,1-40,01 = ... - 1.21,..4. •-,......,,,,
'' ~.411.4e,..'t-"lj .- .c. -''c,,f (; -• "..914.:
~
4,,
. rcl .
.......... • ,
~, , ',.7tA ' ' '4 yr.,,,;' s . :. :::!'
c. VhCrZI A' ~,r, '; \ O. vr• Z.,,g4' I ..r----,-..;:- .ge: billier •:" ' '',. ;•-fd' .• • .
. . ~.. . ',***-v-0,1,?..ei`-',-, ..,'"' 1 ''',-`;' , vim`. ' .:,...- 11%;:,_
`.„:, .... -... 0. —111"--7- 5,.,, s.
•' ' -T=7, .v, ,S.• -", 't IV i ,nizorr• ' ' "1 -4Nr-Za--.
.;. . , , 4 DIE. , . ..,,,,. • , 10. . .. ..yypo'.. ce., ~ . our x,,i'l ~...;_ta: kt, z;..,qti, :.,..
~,,,t,-.0....
:..;,,,,
~ v.
..,,, .dr/Ir. ' N. 14.!",,.. ' ~t, ) ~, +
~,,0„,,,,

The Russian iron-clad battery Pervenetz, it will
be remembered, left Gravesend et an early hour last
Saturday fortnight, for Cronstadt, under the convoy
of the frigate General Admiral. On the following
Wednesday the battery and frigate arrived at Copen-
hagen, and two days having been spent there, Cron-
stcdt was reached cn the next Tuesday ; the voyage
from Gravesend to Cronstadt basing eaesequently
occupied, inclusive of the stoppage at Copenhagen'
110 more than ten days. This is a most satisfactory
periormance to the Thames Shipbuilding Company,
the builders ; to Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field,
the engineers ; and to the Russian Governthent. It
is scarcely less so to that very numerous class in-
tere,sted in the experimental navigation of iron-clad
ships, the voyage of the Pervenetz being that of a
perfectly flat-bottomed ship without any keel.
At an early hour steam was got up on board the
Pervenetz, and the General Admiral, as well as on
board the tug Napoleon, which was coaled for the
purpose of going to Cronstadt, and on the other tugs
hired to accompany the battery to the Nore. By
six o'clock hawsers had been passed to the bow and
quarter tugs,and the go on was given by Mr. Moore,
the pilot, from the bridge of the battery. Natu-
rally, after the experience of the down river voyage,
and the perfectly accidental and unavoidable run-
ning into the Warsprite at Woolwich, considerable
anxiety was manifested by every one on board. But
the better distribution of the tugs, and the better
control over the rudder that had been secured by
shifting the wheel more aft, at once showed plainly
that the battery was at last under complete control.
The always difficult navigation of the river from the
presence and often improper positions of all sorts of
river craft, proceeded comfortably, and before long
the battery was trusted to its own motive power.
So pleased and confident all now became that the
tugs were fairly cast off, and the Napoleon ordered
to return to Gravesend, and discharge the coal
taken in for the voyage to Cronstadt. The Per-
venetz needed no towing from either tug or fri-
gate, and the Russian officers were desirous that
the voyage to Cronstadt should be proceeded
with alone, without any more delay than that in-
volved in running the measured mile on the Maplin,
which with the engines working at 80 revolutions,
from purely prudential reasons, not being ventured
on—was accomplished in the time represented by
eight knots an hour. A complete circle was after-
wards accomplished with the same number of revo-
lutions in exactly five minutes.
With the tugs the pilot and visitors left the bat-
tery, giving three rousing English cheers to Capt.
Jarvis and his crew of English sailors, which were
as heartily returned. The course of the battery
was then laid across the North Sea, canvas hoisted,
and more steam supplied to the engines; machi-
nery, rudder, and ship working admirably. Over
the ship the rudder exercised complete and instant
power, particularly at a speed not exceeding eight
knots, but a little more than the usual amount of
watching was required to guard against the lateral
drift or motion which it is the function of a keel in
other ships to prevent. Across the North Sea the
weather was on the whole floe, but in the Cattegat
a whole gale was encountered. This the battery
roughed out in much the same fashion as other
ships, and the only damage was the giving way of
one of the rudder chain ring bolts. In a short time
this, of course, was made good in the ready way
known to all sailors. During the remainder of the
voyage the weather was again fine, and the battery
entered Cronstadt as proudly and with quite asgood
a sea-going character as the best frigate in the
Rusaian navy.
The Pervenetz, it may be as well to add, has been
constructed and delivered within one month of the
original contract time by the Thames Shipbuilding
Company, notwithstanding the many changes that
have been made from first to last. Originally the
Russian Government contemplated the construction
of a ship similar to the large Minotaur in the
Thames Shipbuilding Company's yard, but that in-
tention was abandoned. Then a ship of the class
represented by the Valiant was thought of, and.
that also was given up for the light draught of
water ship with buoyant ends, which is known as
a mere battery, but which in reality is a very for-
midable iron-clad frigate.

-...4d.
STAItr.PED

i
tiproonp
wiortlilobnee dftcoe
dthe
iwt he igg t.ih Ai its
os intended bte or
bear. Al! the forts will be circular in form, the
external diameter being 205 ft., and the founda-
of guns with which each is to be armed, that
of course depends upon the progress which is made
in artillery science, but there can be no doubt that
they will be armed with guns of the heaviest calibre
which it is possible to make. In laying the foun-
dations of works of this kind, of course the great
object is to obtain a good bottom. So far as the
Horse shoal is concerned—and it is the only one
where any precise examination has been completed
—nature has strongly favoured us in this respect.
It is there found that an artificial bottom will be
perfectly unnecessary. The depth over the shoal
is about lift. at low water, spring tide. The bor-
ing of the shoal to the depth of 55ft. shows that the
upper stratum consists of sft. of compact shingle
and sand; the second stratum is composed of 18ft.
of sand, containing pieces of bark and branches of
trees, partly carbonised ; the third, of blue clay,
containing layers of vegetable matter, Bft. thick ;
the fourth, shingle and sand with shells, sft. thick ;
the fifth, blue silty clay, to the depth of 17ft., and
then sand and shingle. The shoal is, therefore,
substantial enough to bear any weight, and the
boring has been carried so far, not for the purpose
or finding a more substantial foundation, but to ob-
tain fresh water. The method by which this result
is to be obtained is ingenious yet simple. A wrought
iron cylinder 6ft. in diameter, is sunk into the upper
stratum, and as the various strata are excavated by
divers inside and the cylinder sinks lower and
lower, successive lengths of cast iron tube, of the
same diameter are added to it. As we have already
intimated, this cylinder has been sunk to the depth
of 55ft. below the surface of the shoal, and 90ft.
below high-water mark, and the divers now expe-
rience considerable difficulty in pursuing their la-
bours. inasmuch as the pressure of atmosphere
pumped into the helmet is nearly three times the
pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the earth.
The Sturbridge shoal differs from the Horse in the
tact that it consists of a bank or clay, and will pro-
bably require an artificial foundation, the depth of
water over it at low spring tides being about 17ft.
The Noman, it is expected, will offer a foundation
equally substantial with that at the Horse. For the
construction of these works a circular staging will
be erected round each fort, and upon it will be con-
structed radiating steam travellers, so that the
stone and other material will be raised from the
vessels by steam power, and deposited on the exact
spot where it is required. The piles upon which the
superstructure of the staging will be supported will
be fitted with heavy cast iron screws, and will be
screwed into the ground by means of a capstan head
fixed upon 'each pile. The foundations will not be
laid by means of a coffer dam, as in ordinary cases,
but the ground will be levelled and each block of
stone laid by divers in helmets. The construction of
these extensive works will be under the superinten-
dence of Mr. Hawkshaw, the eminent engineer of
Great. George-street, London, the resident engineer
being Mr. Harris, son of Sir William Snow Harris.
l'he contractor is Mr. Leather, who was also the
contractor for the construction of Portland Break-
water, one of the grandest examples of modern engi-
neering science. Mr. Leather has already begun the
establishment of extensive works in Stokes Bay for
the manufacture of concrete blocks and the prepa-
ration and reception of stone and other material used
in the foundations of the forts, and to facilitate
shipment he has constructed a pier with a steam
crane. From this brief description it will be seen
that the work has been begun in earnest, and the
House of Commons, with the approval of the coun-

try, is so far c committed to the plan that it is not
probable we shall hear any more talk about remov-
ing the dockyard and arsenal of Portsmouth to any
site which dreamy theorists or interested speculators
may urge to be more eligible.—Hampshire Tele-
graph.

The sister frigate to the Pervenetz, or firstling,
is in course of construction by a Newcastle firm in
Cronstadt dockyard.

The Peace Society and our Relations with

Japan.

The following memorial has been transmitted by
the Peace Society to Earl Russell, in reference to
our relations with Japan :
"My Lord,—We ask permission, as the committee of the
Peace Society, respectfully to express to your lordship the
deep regret and apprehension with which we have learnt the
present menacing state of relations existing between this
country and the kingdom of Japan. We cannot but regard
it as a most painful and deplorable fact, that the first ap-
pearance of cur countrymen among remote and heathen
nations, instead of being the harbinger of peace and a higher
civilisation, is so frequently the prelude to a course of ag-
gression, violence, and blood. It seems clear, on the testi-
mony of those most conversant with thefact, that the treaty
of intercourse and commerce on which we ground our right
of intervention in Japan was in the first instance obtained
from the authorities of that country under the coercion of
fear, in opposition to the traditional policy of the Govern-
ment and the strong prejudices of the people. It is too
evident also that we have failed in observing honourably on
our part the stipulations of that treaty. From the first,
our countrymen who, for purposes of commerce, entered
into Japan in the wake of our diplomatists, have availed
themselves of the advantages they thus acquired in
a spirit which could not fail to prove both offensive and in-
jurious to the Government and people, thereby confirming
the prejudices against foreigners already existing, and most
seriously aggravated the difficulties of the Japanese au-
thorities in their attempts to enforce on their own country-
men a fair observance of the conditions of the treaty. It is
obvious, moreover, that our official representatives in that
country are quite powerless to restrain the irregularities of
such lawless and unscrupulous characters as unhappily too
often pioneer and represent British commerce and civiliza-
tion in the Eastern seas. If the facts be as above stated, it
can hardly be a matter of surprise that an intercourse thrust
upon the Japanese against their will, and commenced under
such circumstances as we have described, should have led
to an early and serious collision. Nor can we hope that a
persistent attempt to force our acquaintance upon them at the
mouth of the cannon can conduce to their advantage or to
our honour as a professedly Christian and civilised nation.
On the contrary, all the facts and appearances of the case,
as well as our former experience in the East, but too clearly
indicate that any further progress in the path of coercion
cannot fail to lead to grave and dangerous complications,
ending in all probability in a succession of ignoble and costly
wars, and the introduction of an era of revolution and
anarchy among a people who previous to our intrusion
among them had enjoyed, according to the testimony of com-
petent witnesses, a large measure of internal order, peace,
and prosperity, We earnestly hope, therefore, that your
lordship will send such instructions to our representatives
in that country as shall save England and Japan from the
calamity of such a course; and if intercourse between us
and them cannot be conducted in a friendly spirit we ven-
ture respectively to submit whether it would not be better
for us to withdraw altogether from their country. It is not
likely that commerce can be successfully prosecuted with a
reluctant and ang7 people ; and even if it could it would
be more honourable for a Christian nation to make some
sacrifice of commercial advantage rather than inaugurate
among another people what may prove to be a long course
of disorder and blood.

" JOSEPH PEASE, President.
"HENRY RICHARD, Secretary,"

ICEBERGS IN TIIE ATLANTIC.—'Iho ship S. L.
Tilley, of Yarmouth, N.S., Cook, master, which
arrived at Greenock last week from Trinidad, reports having
passed great fields of ice during the passage, having had a
narrow escape from collision, Captain Cook says he never
saw ice so far south at the same season of the year. While
in let. 42, long. 48, and on the northern side of the Gutf
stream, a huge iceberg was suddenly descried about 30 yards
off. The ship's course was immediately altered, thereby
escaping the imminent danger with which they were
threatened. Next day the remains of what had been a large
iceharg were seen,with a portion of a ship's timbers embedded
in it.

[ADVERTISEMENT.] - Twofold Extraordinary Cure
Effected by Holloway's Pills and Ointment Mr. J.
Webb, boot and shoemaker, Chapel-street, Calurcevin,
Ireland, writes under date January 10th, 1863, that he
had been afflicted for 17 years with a most dreadful
asthmatic cough and shortness of breath, and latterly was
also subject to benumbed sensations in his limbs, attended
with heavy drowsy feelings, which threatened an apoplectic
fit. In alarm, he consulred the most skilful of the profes-
sion within many miles of his residence without avail, and
fruitlessly used every means recommended by friends, till
he heard of the repute of Holloway's remedies, end re-
solved, with death staring him in the face, to give them a
trial. They immediately relieved him, and ultimately
cured him.