The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-06 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF PIRATE JUNKS BY THE

RACEHORSE.

HONG KONG, SEPT. 14.

The Rattler, Commander Mellersh, and Racehorse, 14,
Commander Barnard, had an encounter with pirates on
the 29th of August. It was reported that there were
twenty-five heavily armed junks in a bay to the east of
Hong Kong, and the Rattler and Racehorse proceeded in
search of them, but, unfortunately, from the Rattler being
detained by as accident to her screw, most of them were
enabled to escape. However, Commander Barnard opened
a sharp fire on three of them, which was answered by a
junk carrying twelve guns and fully manned ; he, how-
ever, soon silenced them, but being unable, from the
swell in the bay, to take the vessels, he landed, and his
crew set them on fire ; being filled with gunpowder, they
immediately blew up, but they had previously secured
several of the guns. The crews, to the number of 500,
were assembled on a hill, but beyond the range of shot
from the Racehorse. She sailed the following day for
Shanghai, with the Governor, Sir John Bowring.—
Plymouth Mail.

THE LAUNCH OF THE' ORION, 91 GUNS, AT

CHATRAM.

The launch of this splendid war steam-ship took place
at Chatham shortly after one o'clock this day, from under
one of the new iron sheds. This is the first launch
since the new sheds have been erected. The keel of the
Orion was laid down on the let of February, 1850, and
she was originally constructed for an 80-gun ship. Dur-
ing the latter end of the year 1852 the Admiralty decided
that it should be fitted for the screw, and to have engines
of 600-horse power ; consequently, it was cut asunder
in midships, in the beginning of January, 1853; she was
thereby lengthened in midships 24 feet, and received an
addition of 4 feet forward and 12 feet aft, so that she is
now one of the largest ships ever launched from Chat-
ham yard, and she is of greater tonnage than the Water-
loo, 120 guns ; indeed it may be said that she is one of
the finest-built war steam-ships in the Royal navy ; her
length, within the works on the upper deck, is 243 feet,
and 42 feet in width clear on the deck • the captain's
cabin is abopt 33 feet in length, and about 30 feet in
width. The following are her dimensions :-
-

Feet in.
Length over all
Length between perpendiculars 238 2
Length of keel for tonnage
Breadth extreme
Breadth for tonnage 55 2
Breadth moulded 54 4
Depth is held 24 0
Breadth in tonnage, old rule
Ditto ditto new rule 2864 52
Engine-room
Registered tonnage 2305 2
The dockyard authorities issued about 2,000 tickets
for the seats fitted up for the occasion. These seats ex-
tended all round the ship, and were gaily dressed with
flags of all nations. Every facility was afforded to the
public to witness the sight, which was looked upon as a
national one. A very splendid booth was fitted for the
reception of the Lords of the Admiralty, and another
for the use of the officers belonging to the French screw
line-of-battle ship Austerlitz, at Sheerness. The Royal
Marine Band, the Dockyard Band, together with the 18th
Royal Irish, and the 94th bands, were in attendance.
The design of the Orion was by the Surveyor of the
Navy ; her engines are to be fitted by Penn and Son,
at Greenwich.
A considerable number of officers of high rank of
both services, from London, Woolwich, and Sheerness,
were present, and accommodated in the booth set apart
for the Admiralty. The arrangements, altogether, were
far superior to those on any former occasion.