The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-12 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 1863.

Every mechanical invention that in any way
affects our naval and mercantile interests is deserv-
ing of prompt and careful attention. We are glad
to find that the new improved rudder called " Lum-
ley's Rudder" is being adopted with very general
success. The improvement effected by this rudder is
simple and eminently practical, and the benefit
conferred by it is at the rate of not less than
50 per cent. This is accomplished by making
the rudder in two pieces (the tail and the
body)—pieces which are joined together in the
same_. manner in which the rudder is attached to the
ship. In addition to this, there are two chains
fitted on the outer edges of the "tail" on opposite
aides
These chains cross each other through diago-
"'' 'lots in the body of the rudder, and are then at-
tached
4out4he stern post. In '
working 4 the rudder
in
the
11,
the way the " tail" part makes angles to
makes
a;els t othe same way in which the body"
formed anq
the ship ; thus a recessed surface is
angle of aZtter steering power obtained—an
equal to 20 degreeeses with the new rudder being
result of such
alteration is obvious. The
with the old. The beneficial
getti
time saved in
an ig the tiller from 10
to 20 degrees is
collisions are imminent u1"83 advantage when
° rocks are ahead.
The hand of the steeracaaiiir
double with with double
power, the rudder has
vessel is rendered more man Purchase, and the
ageabie and easy to
guide. The different action of the two
rudders, the.
q..
old and the new, is somewhat
snalo
e
double reins, the curb and snaffle of th:°118 to th
ueatrian e
The benefit of the alteration must be obv
to the inexperienced. 'The next thing i 3 tong ev.re
en
how the plan works when reduced to praZe~
the most wonderfully satisfactory theories p,e,ing
sometimes quite illusory when a practical test is
applied to them. In this instance the result appears
D
to be very satisfactory. During the ten or eleven
months that have elapsed since the invention wile
-first patented, it has been applied to ten vessels of
various kinds. Among them are three in the Royal
Navy, namely, the Bulfinch gunboat, the Colum-
bine steamsloop, and the Locust. Of these the
Columbine, a steamsloop of 609 tons and 150. horse
power, has recently returned from a cruise of several
niontha on the coast of Scotilnd, where she has been
Protecting the fisheries. On the vessel being examined
in doek,it is said that the rudder (a Lumley Rudder)
Was found to be exactly in the same condition as when
it set-4 fitted out several months previously. When
Nve:htil:nkbe;l,:eouetaiecount the severe weather which the
oalitered during this cruise, so severe
that during one ,-
gule
8"
lost
a part of her bow and
eutwater, the result
highly re gard, the new rudder is
satisfactory. this
rudder is to be affixed to
the screw ships no, in
course b
consta uction at Port-
Glasgow, vessels svhicheanraudi
destined for China. The
owners say they will be
enabled to build these screw-
ships 100 tons larger in een.ecio.
facility of navigation afforded bace of the greater
le new rudder.
The vessels are intended for the i
Tien-sin River,
which, being very narrow and intricate,
only admits
vessels of moderate dimensions ; but
o great is the
improvement effected in the steering power by the
Lumley Rudder that the main difficulties of the
navigation are overcome. Facts such as these are
better than a hundred arguments, and we cannot
doubt that when a farther experience has v,Esuee4