The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-14 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 13.
Her Majesty's yacht Fairy, Master-Commander Welch,
completed yesterday the screw experiments with Griffiths'
patent screw as opposed to the general screw in use in her
Majesty's ships. She has continued these important trials
during the past week, the patentees, Messrs. Swayne and
Bovill, and a large party of naval officers, being on board.
So mush interest do these trials of screw propulsion create
in the mercantile navigation world, that on Wednesday
Mr. Patterson, the builder of the Great Britain, was sent
to this port by Gibbs, Bright, and Co., of Liverpool (her
owners), to witness and report the experiments, with the
view (as we are informed) of Griffiths' propeller being fitted
to the Great Britain on her next voyage to Australia. We
now give the general results obtained out of the great num-
ber of runs made at the measured mile in Stokes Bay, with
the screw blades set at different pitches or angles. These
results have elucidated some important points in screw pro-
pulsion. The ordinary screws (including those for her Ma-
jesty's ships Agamemnon, 91, and the Duke of Wellington,
131) have been made up to the present time without any
provision for altering the pitch, to meet the variety of
winds and currents to which all sea-going vessels are sub-
ject ; they have thus been deprived of that which now ap-
pears the most valuable feature of the screw, viz., its
power of adapting its pitch to meet every contingency. So
difficult does it appear to be for even the most experi-
enced engineers to determine for different vessels the cor-
rect pitch of the screws, that it is (we are informed)
the custom in the navy to construct the second or spare
screw, which every vessel carries, of a different pitch
to the other ; and it seems to be quite a matter of acci-
dent whether one or the other, or neither (which is more
frequently the case, we are informed), is of the right pitch
for the ship. This remark applies equally to the screw
vessels of the merchant service. During these experi-
ments on board the Fairy the pitch of the new propeller
was repeatedly altered to test its effect, and so simple is
the arrangement for doing this that the alteration only oc-
cupied three minutes on each occasion. In reference to
the table of experiments given below it will be seen that
with the new propeller the engineer can control the speed
of his engines at pleasure by increasing or reducing the
en es working only at
pitch of the screw, so that in a fair wind, by increasing
the pitch, the full power of the e
the proper speed may be exerted in effectively propelli▪
ng
the vessel, instead of consuming fuel for driving round
the engines (with a fine pitched screw) to no good purpose.
And again, in going head to wind, by diminishing the
pitch the engines can be made to give out their utmost
duty with a certainty of effectually propelling the vessel ;
and in cases where it is desired to economise fuel as much
as possible the pitch of the screw may be increased to re-
duce the revolutions of engines to any extent, and the
results of the present experiments show that this might be
done with great advantage, and no doubt in a vessel under
canvas would give an extraordinary result. The large
central ball of the new propeller gives great additional
strength, and
within it the very strong and, at the same time, simple
affords the opportunity of constructing
and effective arrangement for altering the pitch and
feathering the blades parallel to the shaft when the ship is
under canvas
only, to which so much importance has
lately been attached in reference to the Australian and
East India steamers. In the case of the fracture of one of
the blades of the screw (which not unfrequently occurs),
the patent propeller is readily repaired by shipping a new
blade,
weighing not more than one-sixth of the whole
weight ; but with the ordinary screws, which are cast in
one piece, the breaking of any part is fatal, and involves
the necessity of making a new casting. Simple as the
difference may appear, it is not unimportant in large
vessels with brass screws (such as are, we believe,
,
universally used in the navy), weighing from eight to ten
tons, and now worth about 2001. per ton. On Friday
the last series of experiments with Griffiths' patent propel-
ler were made, when
On board, including Captain Crispin, Captain J. A.
Stevens, Mr
Baker, inspector of machinery of her Majesty's
yachts ; Mr.
Harttree, of the firm of Messrs. Penn and Son,
the makers of the Fairy's engines ; Mr. Smith, inspector
of screw propellers &c. The new screw was represented
by Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Bovill. The destructive vibra-
tion arising from the ordinary screw—to which much im• -
portance was attached, as in larger vessels the vibration
impairs their strength;and not unfrequently creates great
leakage in the after part—was entirely done away with.
It will be seen by the tables, that when the screw was put
at 10-feet pitch the engines could only make 30 revolutions
per minute. Notwithstanding this great reduction in the
power employed, the mean speed of the vessel actually ob-
tained was 11'738 knots—only a quarter of a knot less than
was obtained with the Fairy's best screw ; 12'100 knots,
with engines running 38i revolutions per minute ; thus
saving in Power, wear and tear of machinery, and fuel,
about 25 per cent. When it was desired to increase the
speed of the vessel the pitch of the new propeller was dim▪
i-
nished, the revolutions of the engines regularly increasing
with every reduction in the pitch, and at 7-feet pitch the
engines made 42 revolutions per minute, and the mean
speed of the vessel reached 12'631 knots per hour. In
making this comparison between the ordinary screw and
the new propeller, it must be borne in mind that the
Fairy is considered the best screw steam-vessel in her Ma-
jesty's service, and that her present state of excellence has
been obtained after trying for the last few years every kind
and form of screw, and the one used in the present trial
against the new propeller was a fine polished brass one, and
considered the perfection of a screw. The new propeller
was simply a cast-iron one, and the first attempt made
against the Fairy's screw.
The Fairy went to Stokes Bay again yesterday (Satur-
day) morning with her own screw—we are informed, at
the desire of Messrs. Penn and Son and Mr. Screw Inspec-
tor Smith, to see if they could not, on a second trial, beat
the patent propeller. The result we have not been able to
ascertain sufficiently accurately to publish.

Table of the Trials of her Majesty's yacht Fairy at the
measured Mile in Stokes' Bay.

WITH THE COMMON SCREW.

Britannia
Trafalgar
St. George
Neptune
Waterloo
Quoen

Guns.

Men.

Stations.

120
120
120
120
120
116

1000
960
554
482
400
400

Mediterranean.
Mediterranean.
Devonport. •
Portsmouth.
Sheerness.
Devonport.

0' 03 o ' ' t 5 0) m g Of these it will be seen that the St. George, Neptune,
---. a - N. • SM4 • brl tZ4 • • ..a. ..'' and Waterloo, are flag-ships at the ports, and only
Rims. 'EL ' g 42 ,:> 4moo fl ''A ..k partially manned, but they are considered as sea-going
—4O a te, 8 g
P. 4 8 g cs PI ~4" tlionq 4 A:, ships, and ought to be effective as such on an emer-
g4B 4 kl 1 gency, The Queen has only an advanced complement.
_
We do not count either the Victory, at Portsmouth, or
lbs. in. m. s. I ft ft. the Impregnable, at Devonport. The former is a mere
2. Against 3B
11 266'4 57 12.121 11 261:4 59 12.040 12.248 8
1. With tide 383 11 26314 49'12.456 ' 17
Ift 5 for show-ship, but the latter is made to mount 78 guns, and
3. With tide 3B c
1.. a
is an admirable floating battery.
4. Against 3B 11 26i 5 3 11.880 1 TWO-DECKERS,
12.000 8
5. With tide 3B 11 266 449 12.456 } 12.053 8155 for
for
11
6., Against 38i 11 26A 5 9 11.650 1 Guns. Men. Stations.
Total mean speed per hour in kn0t5...12.100 London 92 820 Portsmouth.
GRIFFITHS' PATENT PROPELLER. Rodney 92 820 Portsmouth.
Albion 9O 820 Mediterranean.
1. With tide.. 30 11 26 457 12.121 t
2. Against 3O 11 26 517 11.356 fprince Regent 9O 820 Portsmouth.
11.73810 5 for Vengeance B4 750 Devonport.
3. With tide.. 336 n. 26 434 13.139 t 12.057 915 for Bellero
Monarch B4 300 Sheerness.
4. Against 33 11. 26 528 10.975 f
5. Slack water 374 11 26 451 12.371 t phon 7B 600 Mediterranean.
' Cumberland 7O 600 West Indies.
6. Slack water. 37 11 26 450 12.413 f 12.392 8 5 for Boscawen . 7O 316 Chatham.
7. With tide:— 414
12.631 715 for 11 26 14 23 13.688 t I
Hastings 6O 600 East Indies.
8. Against..... 426. 11 26 511 11.575 f

At the monthly examination of candidates for promotion
and entry into the navy, on the 9th and 10th inst., at the
Royal Naval College, the following qualified :
For Lieutenants—Messrs. W. H. Liddell, J. F. 3l'Don-
nell, T. Borrett, G. H. Barnard, W. G. Annesley, R. S.
Chisholme, J. R. Ouseley, W. O. Butler, H. G. Payne, A.
Henderson, 3. Rorie, C. W. Martin, J. H. Thomas, G.
W. Carter, A. Tabuteau, H. L. Holder, G. D. Bevan, C.
Crowdy, A. T. Maynard, and H. Berkeley.
For Masters—D. Hall, A. Brown, J. W. Reed, R. J. C.
Grant, H. J. Sutton, J. G. Frewin, and P. J. Dennehy.
For Naval Cadets—Messrs. C. H. Farquharson, L. B.
Disney, 0. F. Daniel, Viscount Kilcoursie, F. S. Van der
Ateulin, J. D. V. Butler, T. A. S. Kynnersley, W. R.
Everard, J. Tracey, F. J. Pitt, E. Rice (her Majesty's ship
Odin,) and R. P. Dick.
For Master's Assistant—Master Lloyd F. 3l`Cullum.
For Clerks' Assistants—Messrs. W. F. Simmonds, C. D.
Du Port, A. C. Archdeacon, R. T. Jones, J. F. Allen, and
J. Campbell.
Rear-Admiral Fanshawe, C.B. superintendent of this
with the clerks of the
morning in the steam-tender Fire Queen, Master Com-
Tdorcekyasuryard, and
department,actin Perp
acdmeedi:dal, to Spithead yesterday
Com-
mander Paul, to pay wages to the ship's company of the
Fury, 6, paddle-sloop, Commander Tatham. Captain Sir
Baldwin Walker, K.C.8.,
Surveyor of the Navy, Captain
W. H. Henderson, C. 8., of the Blenheim, also went out in
the Fire Queen to board some of the steamers of the
squadron lying there.
The Banshee steam-packet, Lieutenant James Hosk en,
commanding, will be ready to come out of dock into
the steam basin on the 15th. Her crew were "paid down"
yesterday morning.
The Rodney, 92, Captain Charles Graham, C. 8., sailed
from Spithead for the Mediterranean yesterday morning.
The Leander, 80, Captain King, sailed from Spithead on
a cruise yesterday morning.
A respectable tradesman of Portsea makes the following
statement in one of the local papers of yesterday :—" The
time appears to be fast approaching when tradesmen will
be obliged to give up business with the ships afloat. The
Leander and the Arrogant, after lying here several months,
and incurring debts, were paid on Thursday, one in the
morning and the other in the afternoon. The Arrogant
sailed the next morning without giving her men an oppor-
tunity of paying her just debts, as no tradesmen were
allowed on board ; and in the Leander several instances of
robbery were discovered, which rendered it unsafe to do
business." We regret to state, in confirmation, that the
tradesmen have too much just ground for complaint in
these matters. _

The London is, perhaps, 100 men short of complement;
the Rodney is in the Channel en route for the Mediter-
ranean; the Monarch is the ordinary guard-ship at Sheer-
ness ; and the Boscawen is in the same service at Chat-
ham. But all the above are sea-going ships, and, with
the exceptions abovenamed, fully manned.

The Medea, 6, paddle-sloop, Commander J. C. Bailey, is
under sailing orders for the West Indies. She takes to the
Havannah Mr. Backhouse, Judge of the Mixed Commis-
sion, and Mrs. Backhouse.
Tho Cruiser, 14 (screw), Commander the Hon. G. H.
Douglas, having remedied the defect in her screw shaft,
was undocked yesterday afternoon, and the Rattlesnake,
8, Commander Trollope, was taken in to repair defects,
which always seem to develope themselves between the
Thames and Spithead in all ships and vessels fitted at the
eastward.
The screw three-decker Duke of Wellington, 131, Cap-
tain H. B. Martin, C. 8., is getting on fast with her fittings
in the machinery department in the steam basin. The fol-
lowing appointments were made to her last week, but the
principal of them have not yet been published in the daily
journals :—Commander G. W. Preedy, just promoted from
being first lieutenant of the Prince Regent ; Lieutenants,
L. E. H. Somerset, C. M. Luckraft, and E. E. Maunsell ;
Master and pilot, Mr. H. A. Moriarty ; Surgeon, Mr. W.
F. Legrand ' • Second Masters, Messrs. T. Oyler and F.
Taylor ; Assistant-Surgeons, Messrs. S. Bowden and G. F.
Banks ; Gunner, Mr. D. Collinburn.
The Agamemnon, 91, screw steam-line-of-battle ship,
Captain Sir Thomas Maitland. The fever cases 'on board
are not of a dangerous character. The sick are confined to
the bay, whilst the healthy are permitted exercise) on shore.
We trust the fine salt-water air of Spithead will soon en-
able them to show a clean bill of health on board this hand-
some and magnificent ship. But for this sickness we should
have had the results of her speed at the measured mile at
Stokes Bay. It appears that on her 'coming round from
Sheerness her engines must have run away with her, as she
found herself 20 miles to the westward of the Needles on
the morning of her arrival at this port.

PLYMOUTH, FEB. 12.
The crew of her Majesty's screw-steamer Desperate, 8,
Captain W. W. Chambers, bent sails on Thursday, and on
Friday she went from Hamoaze into the Sound.
The crews of the steam-frigates Magicienne, 16, Captain
T. Fisher, and the Vulture, 6, Captain F. H. Glasse, were
paid advance of wages in the Sound on Friday.
The Nimrod, coal depot, was docked on Friday ; when
complete she will be moored in the Admiralty ground,
Plymouth Sound, for the accommodation of steam-vessels
not requiring to go into harbour.
ppainted
black, from Guadaloupe, was spoken, by a fishing boat off
A French man-of-war paddle-wheel steam-shi, p
Start Point this morning. Wind, north-east.
Efforts are making to take some of the rice and cotton