The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-17 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

Two small vessels, one of 50 and the other of
about 20 tons, have been brought down Hasler-
creek and berthed in Portsmouth harbour, specially
fitten by Mr. Cunningham, RN., for the purpose
of prosecuting a series of experiments on the rig
best suited to our future steam ships of war. The
larger vessel is fitted on a plan for obtaining as large
a spread of square sails as at present exists, but
with much greater simplicity of arrangement aloft,
a great reduction of running rigging, and a more
extensive system of fore-and-aft sails in the shape
of,trysails than at present exists. The topsails are
rolled up and set from the deck, thus affording
means for making and shortening in action without
exposing any of the crew aloft, and one of the anti-
cipated further improvements is that the yards shall
brace up nearly fore and aft when steaming head
to wind. The smaller vessel is rigged in a most
novel manner. The principle is that, although with-
out yards aloft to impede her progress when under
steam against wind, a prompt and efficient system
of square sails is provided, with an immense reduc-
tion in the weight of spars and gear aloft. A very
complete system of trysails is also included in the
arrangement. The experiments are looked forward
to with an interest which, doubtless, owes its inten-
sity to the discussions which have taken place dur-
ing the past two years on the number of masts and
rig of the Warrior and other iron steamers.
The Euryalus, 35, screw, Capt. J. Josling, left
Spithead at ten a.m. yesterday by the eastern pas-
sage, under steam, for Plymouth Sound, where she
will embark Rear-Admiral A. L. Kuper, C. 8., the
successor to Vice-Admiral Sir Jas, Hope, K,C.8.,
commander-in-chief on the East India and China
station. No precise date has been named for the
Euryalus sailing from Plymouth for her station.
The Tribune, 23, screw frigate, was removed from
the old basin in Portsmouth dockyard to the steam
basin, to receive her armament and complete her
outfit for commission, reported for Capt. his Serene
Highness Prince Leiningen.

The Fox, screw storeship, has a large number of
hands employed upon her in No. 2 dock at Ports-
mouth, bringing her forward for immediate com-
mission, it is stated, to supply the place of the Dee,
paddle, in the conveyance of machinery, &e., be-
tween Wcolwich and the western ports during the
time the latter vessel is undergoing repairs, The
Fox was specially fitted some three or four years
back for the conveyance of boilers, machinery, and
stores to the West Indies and to Rio Janeiro, and
for such service she is admirably adapted. On her
conversion to a storeship the Fox was fitted with a
pair 100 horse power (nominal) screw engines. She
is now being rigged as a bark.

The Vindictive, fitted as a bread and coal depot
for Fernando Po, has had her masts brought along-
side her in the steam-basin at Portsmouth, and will
at once fit out for her voyage. This fine old ship
was built at Portsmouth as a 74, in 1813, from de-
signs by the then Surveyor of the Navy, but was
afterwards cut down to a 50 gun frigate, and proved
herself to be, under the command of Captain Toup
Nicolas, a very fast and efficient craft.
The testing of the armour plates from the works
of the Thames Iron Ship Company, the Atlas at
Sheffield, and the Lancefield at Glasgow, were
brought to a conclusion on Friday. The plates as
usual were affixed to the sides of the Java, and the
practice took place from the guns of the Stork at
200 yards range. They were merely plates selected
at each of the works by the Government Inspector
from those manufactured in accordance with the
right reserved by the Admiralty in their contracts
with the manufacturers, and their testing was
therefore unattended by any point of interest to the
public. The " hammered" plate, however, proved
to be so superior that it will very probably be the
cause of reopening the question of " Hammered v.
Rolled" armour plates.
Her Majesty's ship Barossa, 21, screw corvette,
1,700 tons, 400 horse power, Master in charge Robt.
Coen, underwent a trial on the part of the Govern-
ment at the measured mile off Maplin Sands on
Friday. The Barossa is a very fine specimen of
naval architecture. Her engines are built by the
firm of Bolton and Watts. The trial took place
under the superintendence of Capt. Schomberg, of
the steam reserve, the engines being in charge of
Mr. W. Price, inspector of machinery afloat at
Sheerness. The results of the trial are as follows :
—Average speed, 121 knots per hour; pressure of
steam, 201 b.; vacuum, 251; revolutions, 64;
screw propeller, 24 feet pitch, 16 feet diameter;
draught of water forward, 16 feet 6 inches; aft,
19 feet: The machinery worked easily and well,
and the trial was attended with the most satisfac-
tory results. The Barossa is also fitted with Dr.
Normandy's patent apparatus for distilling water,
the peculiarity of which is that the water is dis-
tilled cold. It was subjected to test at the same
time as the trial of the vessel took place, and the
invention is spoken of in the most commendatory
terms, the water obtained by the process being
much more palateable and refreshing than the or-
dinary water on board, which had been supplied to
the vessel from the naval well on shore.

As recently reported in The Sun, the Govern-
ment are about to erect new forts at Cheney Rock
and Queensborough with a view to the protection
of the estuary of the Thames and the River Med-
way, in addition to which the already existing and
formidable fortifications at Sheerness are being
rendered still more formidable, Mr. Thomas Twigg
having nearly completed his contract for the erec-
tion of new curves and " racers" on the Cavalier
Battery, the Centre Bastion, and No. 1 Bastion.
For their better armament 15 100-pounder Arm-
strong guns have just been received, the whole of
which will at once be mounted. When the works
now in progress are thoroughly completed and the
guns fitted the armament at Sheerness will be one
of the most powerful coast defences in England.
The Chesapeake, 51, screw frigate, 400-horse
power, and the Argus, 6, paddle sloop, 300 horse
power, are undergoing extensive repairs at Sheer-
ness, previous to being placed in the second class
steam reserve.

The Worcester, 60, is now fitting at Sheerness as
a training ship for boys, and will, when completed,
be stationed at the City Canal, London.
The Terrible, 21, which was recently paid off at
Sheerness, having been dismasted, was removed this
day to her moorings at Salt-pan Reach, and placed
in the third class steam reserve.
Orders have been received at Sheerness Dock-
yard to dismantle the whole of the gunboats which
were prepared for commission during the time an
outbreak with America was apprehended.
The Defence, 18, iron screw ship, Capt. Powell,
ej3" "8 been taken to her moorings in Sheerness

Orders have been received at Sheerness that in
future no boys are to be entered on board her Ma-
jesty's flagship at Sheerness, the Formidable, 84, but
that all second class boys are to be entered on the
Wellesley, 72, Capt.-E. G. Fansbawe, which is spe-
cially fitted for training purposes.
The 18 pounder battery of position was removed
from Tilbury Fort to Woolwich on Saturday, the
battery consisting of four 18 pounder guns, each of
42 cwt., together with the full complement of shot
and shell, forge, limber, forage and platform wag-
gons, and store carts and medicine cart. The bat-
tery will be replaced at Tilbury Fort by a 40
pounder Armstrong of the same nature.
A numerous party of convicts arrived at Chatham
on Saturday from Pentonville for the purpose of
being employed on the works in connection with
the extension of Chatham Dockyard and the im-
provement of the harbour.
The artisans of the. Devonport dockyard are
busily occupied planking the screw steamship
Ocean, 50, which it is expected will be iron-plated
in Keyham steamyard.
According to present arrangements the repairs of
the iron mcrevrateam transport Himalaya, Capt, J.
Seccombe, will be sufficiently advanceefOr htr' to'
be removed this day from No. 1 dock in Keyham
steamyard. She is bound for Alexandria, to receive
the Japanese ambassadors for conveyance to Eng-
land.

The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—George A. Macfarlane,
master to the Asia, for the Tribune ; William W.
Vine, master to the Asia, for the Coquette; Alfred
L. Eshelley, master's-assist. to the Emerald; and
H. Bunting, confirmed as second-class assist.-engi-
neer to the Hero.