The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-04 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The large steam traction engine which has been
sent into Chatham dockyard by Messrs. Aveling
and Porter, of Rochester, for use at that establish-
ment, underwent' a. variety of tests yesterday, in the
presence of Captain Stewart, C. 8., the superinten-
d4nt and t4e.Aer officials of . the dockyard, in
order to test its, working capabilities when em-
ployed in the ordinary service of the yard. It
was first put to remove one of the large 61-tons
6-in. armour-plates preparing for encasing the
sides of the frigate Bellerophon. The plate was
picked up at the factory and transferred to the
other end of the dockyard, where it was de-
posited near the spot where the plate was to
be fixed, the whole occupying but a very few minutes,
while under the ordinary arrangements the opera-
tion would have tasked the energies of a number of
labourers, assisted by a team of horses, for some
hours. The engine was next taken to the centre
wharf and there lifted one of the disused screw pro-
pellers of the Cadmus, 21, 400-horse power, weigh-
ing several tons. It was rapidly moved to the place
intended for it, the engine conveying it at the rate
of six miles per hour. In order to lift the heavy
weights required to be moved by the traction engine,
a crane is attached to it, which by a simple arrange-
ment can hoist weights up to six tons. The advan-
tages resulting from this arrangement were mani-
fest yesterday, the engine, among its other labours,
being put to lift between two or three tons of old
metal, which was effected in a very few. minutes.
The metal,' still attached to the crane, was removed
to another portion of the yard, which was again
lowered to the spot intended for its reception. Alto_
gether, the results of the preliminary trials of the
working of the engine were pronounced very satis-
factory. The engine, it should be mentioned, being
required, among its other, duties, to traverse the
sides of the building ships amid highly combustible
materials, is provided with a sparkcatcher, so that
not a single spark can escape from the funnel. The
firebox is, at the same time, so contrived as to pre-
vent any of the cinders from being scattered about.
No apprehension of danger, therefore, appears to be
felt in the least degree from the employment of the
engine even when in the midst of shavings and chips.

Yesterday Mr. Warrener, the representative of
Messrs. Maudslay, Son, and. Field, proceeded to
test, with water pressure, the engines and boilers
of the iron vessel Valiant, 24 guns, 4,063 tons,
800-horse power, now lying at Sheerness. From
two or three times the ordinary pressure was
applied, with the greatest success, and the trial was
highly satisfactory. Capt. W. K. Hall, Mr.
W. Rumble, inspector of machinery afloat, of the
Sheerness steam reserve, were in attendance during
the trial:

The repairs to her Majesty's screw steam frigate
Bristol, 39 guns, 3,027 tons, 600-horse power, Mas-
ter-in-charge, John T. C. Webb, which have been
going on for some months in the large basin in
Sheerness yard, will be completed about the 18th
inst. The vessel will then be taken to the measured

mile of Maplin Swills to test her machinery and
speed. If the trial be successful she will be placed
in the first division of the steam reserve, to await