The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-04 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

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The work of fixing the light iron head to the
ironclad frigate Bellerophon, 16, 1,000-horse power
(nominal), is being carried out in No. 3 dry dock at
Chatham. In addition to clearing the forecastle of
the seamen's closets, hammocks, &c., the new head
will possess the great desideratum of serving as a
cutwater to divide the tremendous wave which the
ponderous under-water, cleaver-shaped prow
ploughs up when the frigate is being driven through
the water at full steam, and which was so apparent
on the occasions of the recent speed trials of the
Bellerophon, when the water was thrown up in a
comparatively smooth sea as high as her hawse-
pipes. The iron head, which fills up the space caused
by the projecting prow and the receding stem, will
be purposely kept short, so as not to weaken the
effect of the blow which the Bellerophon would de-
liver against an enemy under ordinary circumstances,
while, at the same time, it would be easily crushed
up in the event of a very violent collision. Provi-
sion for the additional head was made in the origi-
nal designs for the frigate received at the dockyard,
should it be found desirable to adopt the same. The
screw-blades of the four-bladed propeller have been
unshipped, and their pitch altered to one of 18 feet
6 inches. It is also intended to fit the frigate with
a two-bladed screw, now being prepared for her, but
it is not expected that the new screw will be com-
pleted and fitted in sufficient time to enable the
frigate to be ready for another trial of her machinery
by the approaching springs.
Her Majesty's ironclad steam corvette Pallas,
Capt. Connolly, originally intended to go down the
river on trial to-day, is ordered to be detained in
basin at Woolwich until the 4th proximo, when she
will make her official trip at the Maplin sands, with
the whole of her armour plating on,- and will be
otherwise in a forward state for sea. After the
trial she will go into Sheerness harbour to be com-
pleted. Her engines, by Messrs. Humphreys and
Tennant, which.are the first of the kind manufac-
tured, are expected to yield superior results. They
form a compound engine, consisting of two cylinders
of unequal areas, the larger having four times that
of the smaller. The steam is first admitted into the
small cylinder, and on the return stroke it passes
into the larger. Having also surface condensers, a
much better vacuum is obtained than ordinarily,
the benefit of which is manifested over the whole
surface of the large piston. By this means a large
amount of horse power is obtained with a compa-
ratively small consump'ion of fuel. The boilers
being supplied with superheaters, and every portion
of the machinery jacketed, an additional effect is
added to the steam used in the cylinders. On
the few preliminary trials to which the engines
have been subjected they have been found to
work with admirable success. Captain Connolly,
who served in the Phaeton, in command of the
present Admiral Elliott, has introduced a system
of flooding the lower parts of the ship by means
of safety-cocks, admitting an ad libitum supply
into the stores and lower parts of the ship, to
which access could not be readily obtained to
work the pumps in case of firs, cr event the descent
of an enemy's shell. This has been fitted to the
Pallas, under the direction:of Capt. Connolly, in a
similar manner to that of the Phaeton, and w2l no
doubt become general throughout the Royal Navy.
Mr. James Harry, borne on the books of the flag-
ship Fisgard, at Woolwich, as master to her Ma-
jesty's 6-gun paddle sloop Spiteful, yesterday
hoisted the pennant on its being announced that
she had been placed in commission for service. Her
station is to be the Brazilian csast. The following
named officers have been likewise appointed :—Mr.
Edwin Harris, paymaster ; Mr. Charles Edward
Warren, clerk ; and three warrant officers—namely,
Gunner Robert Crump, Boatswain W. D. Chapple,
Carpenter Samuel Deway ; and Chief Engineer
Mr. Thomas 0. Lewis. Her complement will con-
sist of 175 of all ranks. A colour-sergeant, corpo-
ral, drummer, and 14 privates Royal Maxine Light
Infantry, have been likewise appointed to join from
headquarters, Woolwich.

Her Majesty's iron paddlewheel vessel Oberon,
649 tons and 260 horse power, having put back to
Woolwich, again went down the river yesterday on
a trial trip at the measured mile. She is fitted with
a vertical tube boiler, experimentally, on Capt. the
Hon. Arthur Cochrane's principle, the result of
which has not been made known.

The screw frigate Arethusa, 35, 500 (horse power
nominal), belonging to the experimental squadron,
will undergo a thorough refit to engines and vssel
during her stay in the Medway. She will be placed
in the great ba&a, where the work of refitting and
making good her defects will be carried on. It is
stated at Chatham that, in consequence of her ge-
nerally unsatisfactory state and the nature of the
reports respecting her steaming and sailing quali-
ties during her recent experimental cruise, she will
be put out of commission and her crew burned over
to another vessel.

. The Bristol, 39, GOO horse power, flagship of
Commodore G. Hornby, senior officer on the West
Coast of Africa, will, according to orders received
at Chatham, proceed from the Nore on Monday
next, should her trial of machinery prove satisfac-
tory. The Bristol -relieves the Rattlesnake, 21,
400 horse power, flagship of Commodore A. P. E.
Wilmot, C.B.

The screw steam frigate Constance, 31, Captain
Edward K. Barnard, which arrived in the Sound on
Thursday evening, as already reported in The Sun;
left Madeira October 15, under canvas for the
West Indies. On the 20th, in lat 29, 51 N., long.
29 40 W. (about midway between the two places),
while moving the engines by steam, a serious
accident took place, by which one of the low pres-
sure cylinders was completely disabled. No doubt
the accident is the result of a defect of some stand-
ing in the piston rod in a position where it was im-
possible that it could have been discovered. Not
having arrived within the limits of his station, Capt.
Barnard determined to return. After passing the
Azores the Constance encountered very heavy gales
from south-west to north-west, which strained her
and opened several of the seams abreast of the lower
deck, and compelled both officers and men to sleep
with waterproof coats over them. Mr. Steil, second
engineer at Keyham, and Mr. Dinnen, inspector of
machinery afloat, examined her engines yesterday
morning. The frigate's repairs altogether will de-
tain her some weeks at Plymouth. In reference
to the trial of steam power with the Octa-
via and Arethusa from Plymouth to Madeira, the
officers of the Constance state that the Octavia,
having lost the water from one of her boilers, was
left astern on the evening of their departure,
Saturday, September 30, from the Sound. The
Arethusa continued in company until Tuesday
morning, October 3, when the Constance lost
sight of her ; on the sth heavy weather was
experienced, and continued till the 7th. In
consequence of being under steam longer than the
others the Constance arrived at Madeira on the Bth,
the Octavia on the 10th, and the Arethusa on the
11th. It is considered that the Arethusa and Con-
stance possess much the same speed under steam ;
if there is any difference the Arethusa has the
advantage.
A court-martial was held at Pembroke on Wed-
nesday before Col. Mann, C. 8., and other officers,
on Gunner Sullivan, of the 7th brigade Royal Artil-
lery. The charges were first, for absenting himself
without leave ; secondly, for making away with his
necessary kit ; thirdly, for attempting to strike
Major Champion, R.A. ; and fourthly, for threat-
ening to shoot the same officer. The prosecutor was
Adjutant G. Montgomery, ILA., and Col. Laye was
specially sent from the Horse Guards for the de-
fence. The charges were fully proved, and, in fact,
Sullivan did not attempt to deny them. The sen-
tence will not be made public until it is approved
by the Duke of Cambridge.

On Tuesday and Wednesday Lieut.-Gen. Vis-
count Templeton, C. 8., inspected the 62d Regiment
and the Royal Artillery at Pembroke Dock. The
troops went through the usual evolutions, and
Lieut.-Gen. Templeton expressed himself highly
pleased with their general efficiency.
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. the Hon John B. Vivian, to
the Victoria and Albert, vice Lord Charles Scott,
promoted ; Sub-Lieut. Patrick. A. Blake, to the
Bristol ; Lieut. C. R. Harris, to the Spiteful ; James
Harry, master, to the Spiteful ; W. H. I..iaxter,sur-