The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-27 00:00:00

The vessel has a builders' measurement of 972 tons.

length between perpendiculars is 250 ft. with a beam of 28:
and a moulded depth of 15ft. bin. Her machinery consists
of two pairs of horizontal direct acting engines,with cylin-
ders of 40in. diameter and 221 in. stroke, driving two three-
bladed screws of 9ft. 2in. diameter and a pitch of 17ft. 3in.,
the distance from centre to centre of the screws being 10ft.
10in. Steam is supplied by two boilers, firing from for-
ward and aft, the furnaces having 245 ft. of bar surface.
The engine room is fitted with the most modern improve-
ments in its means of communication with the captain or
officer in charge on deck, and the engines are amply pro-
tected by the arrangements of the coal bunkers from shot
if the ship in her future career should ever come within
range of hostile guns. The Louisa Ann Fanny has been
built for purely commercial purposes, but as she may not
improbably some day cross Wilmington bar, this protec-
tion afforded to her machinery is a necessary precaution.
The vessel started on her trial trip at about 15 minutes past
noon yesterday, from off Gravesend, drawing 9ft. 9in. of
water aft, and Bft. 9in. forward, being at the draught of
water she would float at with a full cargo of cotton and her
complement of fuel if leaving Charleston or Wilmington.
The wind was north-easterly at about the strength of 3 at
starting, but freshened very considerably as the mouth of
the Thames opened and the ship approached the dreary
waste of waters below the Nore lightship. The run from
Gravesend to the Nore and thence to the Mouse light ves-
sels was accomplished in the most satisfactory manner, the
engines working perfectly and without a hitch of any kind
occurring, and the ship going evidently at the rate of speed
that had never been equalled before, even by any sister
twin screw. The ship maintained her great rate of speed
down to the extent of her course, and the distance between
the Nore and the Mouse lightships was accomplished in
24min. 38sec., equivalent to a rate of speed for the ship of
171 knots. The tide was going in favour of the ship at
about two knots, and, allowing for this rate of tide, the true
speed of the ship would therefore be, as nearly as could be
definitely
arrived
having ix knots. The speed of the ship on
a straight been ascertained, she was next
tried in making circles, with the following results :—From
a state of rest with the engines they were set to work in
opposite directions, with the helm hard over to starboard,
and two consecutive circles made, the ship turning liter-
rally on her centre, in 4min. 11sec. and smin. 16see. With
the rudder fixed amidships, and the engines reversed in
their motions as before, the circle was made in min.
40sec., the diameter of the circle made being, asp reviously,
very nearly, if not quite, within the ship's length. The
average revolutions of the engines since leaving Tilbury
had been 113, the pressure of steam 321 b., and the vacuum
26in. In running past the measured mile on the Maplin
Sands the time was 3min. 30sec., the tide being, according
to the pilot's account (Mr. T. Leigh) about two knots in
favour of the ship, but a stiff breeze, about 5 in strength,
blowing against her. The indicated horse-power of
the ship's engines, as given by the cards, was 1,650.
The Louisa Ann Fanny returned to Gravesend, after
completing her trial run between the Nore and Mouse light-
ships,one of the most successful
by the 6in
time
trips of any experimental vessel under steam.
p.m.izatoall:oafwtetrhempatir.tuy on board to reach London
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