The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-02 00:00:00

THE STEAM-SHIP AUSTRALIAN.

PLYMOUTH, FRB. 28.
This steamer, which sailed for Australia on Thursday,
and put back on Friday, was received into dock in her
Majesty's arsenal, Devenport, on Saturday night. Yes-
terday an official inspection of her was made by Lloyds'
Surveyor Mr. Mare, engineering surveyor to the Bolt
of Trade; Mr. Stewart, engineer of the Devonpo
dockyard ; Captain Hoseason, R.N., and the engineers
of the company and of the ship. The bottom of the ship
le stated to be in very good order, and there is no ap-
pearance_ or indication of leakage of any consequence.
when she was placed in the dock there was from three
ts four feet of water in the hold; and this was reduced
,lnlY three or four inches after she had been eight hours
'l7. It would, therefore, seem that there is some defect
which admits the sea into the ship, but does not allow
it to escape again. This arises, probably, from some
obstruction to the working of the valves in connexion
with the machinery. A small portion of coal getting
into the pipes would prevent the valves from closing
after they were opened. A cursory examination of the
engines and machinery was made yesterday, when the
Whole seemed to be in good "order. A more minute in-
sPection is to be made to-day. Some 60 bags of letters,
Partially wetted last Thursday night, were returned by
Sunday's mail to St. Martin's-le-Grand for the purpose
of being opened and dried. ,
MARCH 1.
• liPon a personal inspection of the exterior yesterday,
ul dock, a few defective rivets only could be observed,
and the weeping" from them was barely sufficient to
keep the interior of the hold sweet. However, while
81''e was in dock these slight defects were made good,
!Id several bolts in the heel of her main sternpost were
taken out, and replaced by new ones of a larger size.
From the bilges forward the hull is in every way per-
fect ; the defective rivets occurred only from the bilges
"", Possibly from the working of the machinery and
Propeller in that part of the ship. The engineers and
tourers being at work in the hold, there was no oppor-
tunity for examining the interior ; but it is stated that
Z, of the starboard bilge pipes, which feed the pumps
,v ',al water from the bilge, is entirely deficient of its
!.uve'
and that the valve of a second starboard bilge
Pipe has been kept open two inchei through being
clicked with dirt from the bilges. In this part the dock-
ardtn
e_
jab, _ .e.ll have been employed shovelling out the rub-
fee which has been improperly allowed to accumulate.
condition of the Australian's bilges and the de-
in, State of the valves of the bilge pipes claim
Perative attention. Here is a valuable ship, with a
lstlY cargo and the lives of the passengers and crew
the filled through the want of ordinary attention on
shoßart of some one upon whom the responsibility
oc__`,l rest. Derangements of pipes and valves have
,:ciurred in ships belonging to different companies,
hiserilt is to be lamented that there exists no orga-
ea',l:fleans for the prevention of such well known
the
.aelties. the present instance it is reported that
rooL aYage rose to the level of the floor of the engine-
th_"'__inbefore it was known that there was any extra
yu illation. The Australian was taken out of dock
eerPerning at nine o'clock, and she will probably pro-
inglic'eu Thursday for her destination. Previous to sail-
epgines are to undergo a thorugh examination,
ta,V,ruerpair if requisite, and the ship o
will make a trial
jear..,ander the inspectionlof Captain Lowe, of her Ma-
thia , ship Impregnable. The Australian will, through
tiers 'feacrood overhaul, proceed on her voyage in a condi-
the more satisfactory to the company, the passengers,
crew, and the freighters.
The G.,

Ile eneral Screw Steam Shipping Company's ship
to, llespont, Captain W. Watts, is appointed to call here
"„.43r en route for the Cape and Australia.
, -16'Y the Indiana General Screw Steam Shipping Corn-
iti's, the packet, which arrived on Saturday, we learn
Captain Australian Royal Mail steam-ship Melbourne,
th-‘l,l nutton, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on
of
e 27th of January, and sailed for Australia on the let
4:4:1441-1417- No news of the returning ship Sydney had
I,ed the Cape up to the 24th of January. The
tl.l-148 of the Great Britain, Captain Mathews, adver-
b deed her to leave the Cape on :the. Ist of February for
''J., nglatid • •
,et of jala She Was appointed to leave Australia on the
uedry for the Cape.