The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-15 00:00:00

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We gave the progress of these ships last week ; but
we may repeat them on this occasion to complete our
lists. Waterloo, Royal William, St. Vincent, and Wel-
lington are respectively flag-ships at Sheerness, Devon-
port, Portsmouth, and Sheerness (two at Sheerness),
and are gradually getting ready for use, as other and
more urgent works that have engaged the attention of
tthe dockyard "force are completed. They have also a
nucleus of marines and seamen, and whilst they are fit-
ting are looked upon as feeders to the more advanced
ships.
The Hannibal, 91, has been taken to Chatham, from
Woolwich. She has got her masts and bowsprit in,
and has been taken into dock to be rigged and fitted for
sea, and to complete her crew of 850 men.
Algiers has been commissioned at Devonport for
Commodore Talbot, who is daily expected from the
Cape, in the Meander, 44, with 360 men. By the
time she arrives she will also have picked up some
marines and seamen, and then, with the Meander's com-
pliment turned over to her, she will be almost complete
for fighting an action.
Eurydice, Gladiator, and Harpy have been commis.
sioned at Portsmouth within the last ten days, and the
commander of each ship is trying his utmost to get fitted
out and manned quickly.
Including the whole of the above ships in our lists,
it will be found that there are no less than 60 ships of
all classes and sizes, mounting 2,786 guns, with steam-
power equal to 18,838 horses, and when fully manned,
the aggregate number of officers, seamen, marines, and
boys will be no less than 27,598. Half of this force of
60 vessels comprises line-of-battle ships, and of the 25
liners no less than fifteen have screw machinery.
In addition to the Meander, as we have already stated,
many ships may be expected from foreign stations daily.
They include :

Portland
Meander
Fox
Calliope
Lily
Star

Centaur
Vixen.....

Trident
Brisk (screw)
Hermes
Salamander

Guns.' Men.

450
336
310
205
125
80

EAMERS.
Guns. Men.

Pacific.
Cape.
East Indies.
Australia.
East Indies.
Brazils.
East Indies.

5
15
6
6

Brazils.
Brazils.

75
370
120
135

Brazils.
West Indies.
East Indies.
East Indies.

The above ships will give us 2,000 well-trained and
efficient seamen and marines, which would go far to man
all the GO ships that we have enumerated for the Baltic
fleet.

THE BLACK SEA FLEET.
We announced yesterday that it was intended to ap-
point Admiral Bruat to succeed A.dnuralllamelin in the

t) (•",,

,

[PRICE SD.

which lasted three days • 29 days under steam, ave-
raging 8 knots an hour ; took on board at Bahia 130
tons of coal ; at St. Vincent's, 212 tons ; at Madeira,
80 tons ; left in the ship on her arrival at Spithead
about 80 tons ; all well ; everybody happy, and pre-
pared for any service.
LAU-

-NCH OF THE SCREW-SLOOP HORNET.
The launch of the Hornet, 16 guns, screw-sloop, took
place on Thursdayafternoon, at Deptford Dockyard, in the
presence of fewer spectators than we ever remember to
have seen present on such an occasion. No booths
were erected, but the admirable band of the yard was
in attendance as usual, and played several popular airs
with their accustomed good taste and ability. The
christening was performed by the second daughter of
Captain G.:B. Martin, C.D., the gallant superintendent.
and about half-past two the dog-shores were knocked
away, and the fussy little master shipwright was re-
lieved of the extreme anxiety ,a hich such events gene-
rally cause him by the good little ship taking herself
off in the basin. She is a handsome-looking ship, like
her sister the Cruizer, now in the Baltic, and which has
already established an excellent character, and iz said
to have been designed by Mr. Eyde, one of the assist-
ant surveyors of the navy, and was built, or nearly so,
under the directions of the late master shipwright, Mr.
C. Willcox. Her dimensions are as follows

Ft, in.

Length from the fore part of figure-head to the
aft side of taffrail lB4 0
Length between the perpendiculars l6O 0
Length of the keel for tonnage l4O 7
Breadth, extreme 3l 1
Breadth for tonnage
Breadth moulded 3l. 0'
Depth in hold
Burden in tons, old measurement 752 74-94
Burden in tons, new measurement
Burden in tons, engine-room 193.683
Register tonnage
She is to be sent to Woolwich to be commissioned as
soon as possible, her machinery being already provided.
The Curlew, screw, being one of a new class likely to
be of great seruice at the present time, building at
Deptford Yard, is to be proceeded with as fast as pos-
sible. The artizans are to work extra hours upon her.

OFFICIAL REPORT ON THE MINIE RIFLE.
The following is the official report of Major Nor-
cott, of the Rifle Brigade, upon the Minie rifle :
Sir—ln accordance with instructions which I had yes-
terday the honour to receive (personally) from the General
Commanding-in-Chief, I proceed to report upon certain
points connected with the Minie rifle in possession of the
2d battalion Rifle Brigade.
I understood his lordship to ask my opinion with regard
to the following points, viz., as to
Ist, Its safety and freedom from accident.
2dly, Its capability as compared with the old Brunswick
rifle.
3dly, The loading. If any difficulty had been found, and
if so, how remedied ; and
4thly, The comparative practice between the Minie and
Brunswick rifle.
His lordship was further pleased to direct that I should
endeavour to classify the average practice of the battalion.
I had answered these queries and other matters, and was
about to crausmit by rail, when your letter, dated the 19th
inst., arrived, more particularly detailing Lord Hardinge's
wishes. I proceed at once to recapitulate, under guidance
of this letter, replying as I have nambered.
1. SAFETY, &C.—The Minie Rifle has been found per-
fectly safe, nor can I trace a single accident which has
occurred since the arm has been in our possession. We
have had autumn and spring target practice since April,
1852, up to the present month, and tested it well with
blank ammunition at Chobham.
2. COMPARATIVE CAPACITY.—The capacity of the Minie
over the Brunswick rifle, after 200 yards, is vast. The ad-
vantage of seeing the object fired at, *as in the Minie, is too
evident.
I have heard it argued that the old Brunswick rifle,
sighted like the Minie, would produce the same results.
This is a fallacy. The Brunswick, sighted like the Minie,
would doubtless gain the advantage of "sighting" distant
objects, and so might a pistol. The great advantage the
Minie offers 14 the increased range and accuracy of the ball's
sight. There is a windage overcome in the Minie (by the
ball's expansion), which neither the construction of barrel
or ball would allow of in the Brunswick rifle. The groove
and belted ball strove against gravity at the expense of
range ; both retarded the flight of the ball, whilst the latter
offered a surface (too often made jagged or uneven by the
force required to drive it home) on which the wind exer-
cised an influence increasing with distance and requiring
great allowance at 200 yards when the breeze was strone-.
The Minie ball opposes a cone to the action of the air, and
being propelled by a greater and more equal force, travels
without offering any hold for the wind beyond its common
construction, the best I believe for the object desired.
3. OF LOADING.—We have never found any difficulty
in loading the Minie. In the old Brunswick rifle the bat-
talion used tallow (or fat) grease to facilitate the passage of
the ball. This necessity is obviated in the ammunition of
the Minie. In the construction of the cartridge, the part
which contains the ball is dipped into, and well saturated
with, melted tallow. I can only conceive any difficulty in
loading to proceed from the want of a proper knowledge
and ordinary attention in practice.
The cartridge bitten, and the powder shook into the bar-
rel, should then be reversed, and the ball placed in the
muzzle just so far as will admit of the paper (now above
the ball) being twisted or broken off, which is done in a
second. The pressure of the little finger, could it be con-
tinued, would drive the ball home, and this is as easy after
20 as after 5 rounds.
4.—COMPARATIVE PRACTICE.—In the return given
below, showing the comparative practice made with the
Minie and Brunswick rifle, I have taken a company's tar-
get-practice roll, which is that of the battalion on a similar
scale, the practice of the companies averaging. I need
hardly draw your attention to the remarkable superiority
of the Minie in this return.
You will observe that at 300 yards (and you must bear
in mind that every man in the battalion is forced to fire
half his shots "off the shoulder"), 3 men out of 59 men
put seven out of ten shots each into the target, whilst the
Brunswick rifle shows only six men out of 70 ! who, at 150
to 200 yards, put in more than half their shots, this excess
on the half even being below that made by the Minie.
Again, at 400 yards, you will observe the marked supe-
riority of the Minie practice. I cannot leave this return
without, however, particularly pointing out the remark-
able superiority of the practice of those men who, not
attaining excellence, appear to be far from contemptible
shots.
Of 59 men at 300 yards with the Minie there are only
12 who put in less 4-6-14, or near a half, and at 400 yards
only 32 out of 74 who put in less than near one-half of
their shots. The practice of the Brunswick rifle at but
150 to 500 yards shows 50 men out of 70 who put in less
than one-half of their shots. Nor should it be forgotten
that the practice of the Brunswick was with an arm we
had long possessed ; the Minie, as you are aware, is com-
paratively newly in our hands.
Classification of a company's practice from 200 to 600
yards with the Minie rifle for the season :
Good. Fair. ' Bad. !Total.

Uood.-
Fair. Indifferent. Bad. ) Total
- -
17 40 16 6 79
Put in from 45Put in from 301 Under 30 out Under
to 56 shots' to 40 out of of 90. 20.
out of 90. 90.
170 1
___ 400 160 60 790

If I make myself understood in the above form there
will appear to have been out of 790 men of the battalion
whose firing it records in the lower line,
170 Marksmen for particular service.
400 Good service.
160 Of indifferent attainment.
60 Of no attainment at all.
The two first numbers give 570 men out of 790, capable
of a most destructive fire from 200 to 600 yards. Nor are
those of indifferent attainment to be looked on as in a
settled state. There are many young soldiers amongst
these, and men whom practice will yet instruct. You will
permit me also again to impress on you, that the half of
the above firing is " off hand." I now come to certain
questions, which, though I answered his lordship person-
ally, he desired me to record in my report.
The Minie ball is 10 to the pound; the charge of the
Minie is 23 drs. The musket ball is 16 to the pound ; the
charge of the musket is 4} drs.
I will now take your letter of the 19th inst.
The weight of the Brunswick rifle 9lb. 7oz. Isdr.
The weight of the Minie (1851)
The sword and scabbard of the Brunswick rifle brought
the combined weapons to 111 b. 12oz. 15dr.
The bayonet and scabbard of the Minie bring these com-
bined to 101 b. 11 oz. 12dr.
The weight, you will perceive, is with the old rifle, but
was fully compensated for by the hardiness of the arm, the
usefulness of the sword (beyond a defensive weapon), and
its formidable nature in the hand. I have heard it re-
peated again and again, by the old Peninsular officers and
men, that often they had cooked their dinners before other
divisions had well got the " pot on." The sword was
most useful in cutting and chopping wood. His lordship
has begged me to be most free and unreserved in offering
my opinions. It is with this invitation that I beg to
bring to the notice of the General Commanding-in-Chief
the great advantage that would accrue to all corps,
but most particularly to an advanced one, or one whose
province it is to be in readiness as soon as possible, ossl ble
if one file of each section carried bill-hooks, in aleather,
case, slung at the side or thrust beneath the pack straps. I
attach the greatest importance to this provision, could. it
be effected. Great swing t offatigue and a help to the
celerity of cooking, a inos
desirable point where time and
the necessity of feeding men under any circumstances
exist.
RELATIVE SKILL.—Your letter expresses further his
lordship's desire to be informed of the relative skill of the
best shots in the regiment
when firin,- with the Minie and
Brunswick rifle. I have done this in " Company's Com-
parative
Practice"' under margin note of 4thl3r. proceed,
however, to give the' number of hits and misses of a good,
though not the best, shots in the company from whose roll
I have made my other returns :
Rounds. Distance. Hits.
10 ......... 200
30 ......... :30 ) •••
20
10 ..... 400
:500
20 ......... 600

Misses.

90 50 40
Eight men out of 80 men did equal to this, and two men
better, putting in 56 shots.
The best Brunswick rifle shot in this company put 42
out of 60 shots in at 203 yards, but this was only one man.
The greatest number in, after this is 31; and here again
this approach to any comparison with the best shot-is only
by one man. The average of the rest is 20 out of 60.
To recapitulate the average of the Minie is, a from 200
to GOO yards out of 79 men,

- 17 men abovelalf
40 near half
16 one-third (near) in target.
6 under 20 rounds
R 4. og 140.1?LtiC4.—The Maio Is lorded not only