The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-08 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

SECOND TRIAL OF THE DUKE OF
WELLINGTON.

PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 7.

The Duke of Wellington, 131 guns, screw steam ship,
Captain H. B. Martin, C. 8., having completed her fit
out, got up steam this morning in harbour to go out to
Spithead. The importance of the event excited the ut-
most interest at this port, and caused thousands to
assemble at every point of view on the sides of the har-
bour, to witness the progress of this magnificent ship to
Spithead. High water was at about 10 minutes to 12
o'clock, and some speculation was indulged in as to
whether there would be a sufficiency of water on the bar
outside the harbour to enable her to cross it in safety.
The public were not generally admitted on board, but
those having a reasonable excuse for being there were
not excluded. Among others, the following were on
board :—The Right Hon. Earl Spencer, Sir Thomas
Byam Martin (Admiral of the Fleet), Vice-Admiral
Bowles, Rear-Admiral Fanshawe (Superintendent of this
Dockyard), Rear-Admiral Fanshawe Martin, Major-
General Simpson, Lieutenant-Governor Major-General
Fanshawe, Captains Henderson, Harris, Pelham, Robert
Sharpe, Mr. Dinner, from Somerset House, &c., &c.
Several ladies were also on board.
At a quarter to twelve the ship was under weigh, but
a hulk being in the way a little delay was thereby occa-
sioned, and she was carried by the tide somewhat astern.
She soon got herself into a suitable position by the care
and presence of mind of Mr. Underwood, the Master-
Attendant of this dockyard, and Mr. Jones, the pilot on
board. . She then began to make head way, and was.
soon breasting the strong tide that was running into
harbour at the time. In passing the Victory, flag-
ship, the band of the Duke struck up "God save the
Queen," and another minute brought in view the
crowds of people assembled on the Hard, Portsea,
and other places, from which could be obtained
a view. There must altogether have been some
10,000 or 15,000 persons present on the shores of the
harbour. The noble ship proceeded through the Chan-
nel with slack speed, but with perfect ease, against the
tide, and as she neared the bar, which is situate between
Hollingsworth's Rooms and Southsea Castle, right across
the harbour channel, deep interest, if not anxiety, began
to be felt as to whether she would quite Clear it. The
speed of the ship was diminished, and the utmost atten-
tion was paid to the reports of the leadsmen on both
sides of the vessel. Every throw of the vessel produced
a diminished depth of water, till at length their reports
showed that there was only a space of Li to 2 inches be-
tween the after part of the keel and the bar. The sus-
pense as to what the next throw of the lead would indi-
cate was, at least on the part of the non-professional
persons present, greatly relieved by its showing an in-
crease in place of a decrease of water, and in a few
minutes an ample depth was obtained, and all danger
was at an end. Full power was then put on, when it
became obvious that although the ship was much deeper
in the water than on her previous trial, she was never-
theless going at a very high speed. At her first trial
she had no guns on board, to-day she had the whole of
her main and middle deck guns on board, besides 22 of
her lower deck guns ; these latter were placed forward
to bring her down by the head. The total number of
guns on board was 97. She had also a large quantity
of ship stores, provisions, &c., on board to-day, besides
her crew of officers and men, at present amounting to
840. These include 210 marines, 30 marine artillery,
and 66 boys. Her full complement will be 1,100 men.
As the vessel approached Spithead she saluted the
6 n of the Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir T.
Cochrane, with 15 guns, which the Victory returned
with 7. The Duke of rellington then made her way
to the measured mile in Stoke 's Bay to try her speed,
and made two runs there, the result of which were as
ollow

'Time. Revolutions of speed in knots Average
Engines. per hour. speed.
1
lit. 8.
First run, with} 5 16
32 11.392 I
tide ........
9.
Second run, Ii 7 9
32 8.413 902
against tide. i

On her first trial, which we reported on the 12th of
April, this leviathan steam-ship realised the following
yeollts

liuns. I Elmo:a- I Time. Knots per Average of I Mean

tion3.

hour. !knots per hour.

min. see

First .....
Second
Third....
Fourth ...
Firth
Sixth

29 1 5 43 10.495 11
31) I 6 15 9.057 IS 10.022
29%, 5 1!8 10.975 1}
10.187 10.03
31 6 23 9.g99
29 I 5 23 11.145
10.100
29 3, 9.038

The pressure of steam was nominally 15 lbs., but in
reality the engines could not be worked beyond a pres-
sure of Sibs. to 101bs., owing to the boilers being too
small. To-day the ship's draught of water was 25 feet
10 inches ; on her first trial it was 24 feet 3 inches. The
difference between the averages of the runs made to-day
and those made at her previous goine• out showed a
difference of about three-tenths of a knot in favour of
the latter. The results of the above trial are obviously
of the most satisfactory character, and were regarded as
sue'a on board. After the two runs the ship was put
through several evolutions, exercising her expansion-
gear, turning round in a circle, backing astern, &c., all
of which she performed with the utmost facility, and in
a manner that excited the warmest admiration of all on
board. The shake of. the vessel to-day was apparently
much less than on the previous trials, owing no doubt to
her being deeper in the water, and consequently steadier.
At 4 o'clock this afternoon the Duke of Wellington came
to an anchor at Spithead, and her visitors departed fbr
the shore, but just as she was doing so, there was a cry
raised of " A man overboard." It appeared that one of
the crew had dropped from the side of the vessel into the
water, but without striking against anything. He was
picked up unhurt.. The Duke of Wellington remains at ;
Spithead.

The gunnery experiments from the Excellent upon the
old convict hulk York, 74, have soon demolished that
venerable relict of the wooden walls. She was very
rotten, or she would have held 71, longer tug with the
gunners ; she has fallen over upon her broadside, and
her upper broadside has fallen in upon the lower. Such
was the state of decay of her timbers that several of
Moorsom's shells went through the ship without burst-
ing. Apropos of gunnery, while Rogue's crew were
being exercised in that science at Plymouth, 'a few days
prior to her leaving for Portsmouth, ",No. 3," in taking
the fusee cap off an 8-inch shell, turned the screw the
wrong way, which screwed out the fusee itself, the con-
sequence was than; when the shell was fired it split the
gun (a 50-cwt. 8-inch on the main tier), near the muscle,
in three planes.

The Blenheim, 60, screw guardship, Captain Hender-
son, C. D., was paid wages at Spithead yesterday.
The Neptune, 120, Captain E. H. Scott, ordinary
depot ship in this harbour, was yesterday ordered to fit
for sea immediately, it is conjectured, to reinforce, if
necessary, the Mediterranean or home fleet. She com-
menced sending down her jury yards and topmasts this
morning, and returned them to the dockyard, and all
her seagoing gear has been sent off' to her, which she is
setting up with all expedition. Either the Princess
Charlotte, 104, advanced three•decker' or the St. Vin-
cent, ditto, 101, will be fitted out to take the Neptune's
place as ordinary depot ship.
The Royal yacht Victoria and Albert, Captain Crispin,
hauled out of dock this morning, and had her masts
stepped in the fitting basin. The vessel will be a model
of elegance in a few days.

SHEERNESS, JUNE 6.
The Monarch, 84, guard-ship of ordinary, Captain-
Superintendent, Charles Hope, has this day been taken
into dock. bier copper is being cleaned down, her top-
gallantmasts, topmasts, and topgallant and topsail yards
are being sent down, and her sea-going masts and yards
are ready to be sent aloft. She will be put out of dock
on Wednesday next, and prepared for immediate depar-
ture from here. It is reported she is to join a squadron
of 15 sail of the line for service in the Mediterranean.

The Comus, 14 guns, sloop, Commander 'William A.
Fellowes, will be out of the dockyard hands on Wed-
nesday next. She is only six AB.'s short of her com-
plement, and these are expected round from the west-
ward in a few days.
The Tribune, 30, new screw steam-frigate, Captain the
Hon. S. T. Carnegie, will be put into dock on Thursday
next, on the Monarch- being undocked and the blocks
being examined.
The President, 50 guns, at Chatham, has this day
been put out of dock, and the Boscawen, 70, guard-ship
of ordinary, has this day been taken into the dock for
overhauling and cleaning copper, &c. She is also
expected to join the squadron for service in the Medi
terranean.

A number of Coast Guard men, selected for service in
the navy, being late men-of-war's men who have entered
the Coast Guard, and now in this district, have received
orders to hold themselves in readiness for being imme-
diately draughted to ships in commission and fitting at
this or any other ports. It is reported that 8,500 sea-
men, serving at present in the Coast Guard in the
United Kingdom, are under, similar orders. Those alone,
it is calculated, will man 10 sail of the line with first-rate
experienced seamen accustomed to all naval discipline
and tactics.

k-
An order has recently been issuedher hmeraejebsytyysapdtaocin-
Superintendent Charles Hope, of
Yard, Which has been most joyfully receivedl beyontsh:
aspirants to promotion by merit and ability. .
pnwright,
quence of a vacancy for an assistant master-sln by the promotion of Mr. Laing, late assistant to the
master-shi-
pwright at Chatham yard, now promoted to
be master-shipwright at Pembroke yard, an Admiralty
circular has been sent requesting the professional officers
to report to the captain-superintendent the names of
three
ini of the forem
be cons en, of shipwrights who in their practical
oh
may idered most eligible for promotion.ave been sent to all
It is understood similar orders h
the other yards, and the ca have
are de-
sired to send the names forward to the Surveyor of the
He (the surveyor) will, after mature considera-
Navy-
tion, select three of the candidates from the entire num-
ber; these three will then be sent for and under g
rigid examination, and the one who shall in most-,orea-
ldly
-
I
sPects have attainedthperohfiegshseiostn,kwnoilwl
rleedcegiev,eptrhaceirt-
calor and theoretically,
o° f his
to the situation as assistant master-
shipwright at t at Chatham, yard.