The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-13 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH SAILORS' HOME.

We have much pleasure in announcing the follow-
ing munificent donations to the above excellent insti-
tution :—Rear-Admiral Henry Hope, C. 8., 501. ;
Rear Adm;ral Sir Edward Chetbam Strode, K C. 8.,
K.C.11., 51.; Commander Coote, 501. The funds of
the charity, thus augmented, will soon enable the
committee to commence operations.
Messrs. Legg, S6llivan, Morgan, Phillips, Broad-
head, Owen, and Sainsbury, mates, passed their ex-
aminations in seamanship and navigation for the
rank of Lieutenant, at the Royal Naval Col!ege,
yesterday.
Ten of the crew of the Royal yacht, under Com-
mander CriAp;n, will proceed by railway to-morrow
morning to bear the coffin of her late Majesty the Queen
Dowager to its final rtstirg place :—Julni Hayles,
A. 8.; James a,rry, Boatswain's-mate; Henry Hin-
ki:.s, quartermaster ; Samuel Long, quartermaster,
who w>is Queen Adelaide's cockswain of the barge,
when her Majesty was cruising in the Mediterranean,
in the Hastings,l4 ; Jeremiah Glanville, boatswain's
mate; Hickford Hill, boatswain's mate; Philip
Perry, Captain's cockswain ; John Brodie, A.B. ;
James Gradly, yeoman of signals; and John Glass,
A.B.

The following slips in this harbour will fire 30.
minute guns each to=morrow :
The Excellent to fire at 111 a. 30m. A.M.
The Blenheim ... 12
The Illustrious ... 12 30
The Victory ... 1 P.M.
_ _

The Royal Artillery will commence firing 60
minute guns from Blockhouse Fort at half past one
o'clock, and a like number of guns in succession from
the platform saluting•battery, ceasing at sunset. The
Royal Marine Artillery will fire 30• minute guns from
Fort Cumberland, So as to cease at sunset.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert will leave Os-
borne at half-pest eight o'clock for Gosport, quite pri-
vately, no saluting or guard of honour being required.
On Friday all the colours will be hoisted at the staff
masthead, and the bands and drums of regiments play
as heretofore.

Detachments of the 44th and 69th Regiments will
embark at Cowes on the 14th inst., in the ship Wa-
verley, for Malts.

WOOLWICH, DEC. 11.—It is understood that Capt.
Sir James Stirling, Knight, at present commanding
the Howe, 120, on the Mediterranean station, is to
be the new Lord of the Admiralty, in the room of
Captain Lord John Hay, C.B , on the latter gallant
officer proceeding to Davonport to succeed Rear-
Admiral Sir John Louis, Bart., on his retirement
from the superintendentship of that dockyard, which
will shortly take place. There is not expected to be
any change in the controllership of the coast guard,
at present so ably filled by Captain Houston Stew-
art, C.B.

The master blacksmith-of the blacksmiths'-shop
the east end of the yard, has received permission to
employ two superior workmen, at 6s. 6d. each per
day, to assist him in the increased work which will
taste place on the Nestnyth steam-hammers being
transferred from the factory department. The usual
wages in the east blacksmiths' shop is 4s. per day, or
245. per week. An order has also been received that
25 men are to be discharged from the factory
department.
DEC. 12.—The Mini steam-vessel, fitted with a
screw propeller abaft the rudder, and one of Bishopp's
disc engines, of 10-horse power, went down the river
on an experimental trial, under the charge of Lieu-
tenant Robertson, with Mr. Casey, chief engineer of
Captain Austin's department, and Mr. Taplin, second
assistant to the chief engineer at Woolwich Dock-
yard.
The trial of this engine caused considerable interest,
and Captain Mangles Denham, F.R.S., who has for a
considerable period been engaged in inquiring into
the causes of accidents to steam vessels ; Commander
Forsythe, studying steam at the factory • Mr. F.
Rufford, i.P. for Worcester ; Mr. Laming, ilanaging
Director of the General Screw-Propelling Shipping
Company; Mr. Donkin, civil engineer; Mr. Farey,
civil engireer ; and Mr. Mylne, civil engineer of
the New River Company, were on board to
witness the experiments. The days are at
present so short that it was considered advisable
on staring from Woolwich at 9 40 A.M. to have a
hawser from the Monkey steam-vessel attached to the
Minx, and both vessels to put on their full power to
get down to the measured mile at Long-reech with
the least possible delay, that the two runs up and
two down the measured distance 'night be ACCOM-
piihed, and the vessels return to Woolwich with
daylight. The arrangements were well carried out,
and the experiments were made in a very excellent
manner, and with a very satisfactory r( sult. Oo arriving
within about a mile of the measured distance, the
vessels separated, and the Minx held on for trial, and,
on the average of two curs down and two up, the
speed produced by the disc engine was ascertained to
be 5.148 knots per hour, ale mean pressure of steam
being 53.5 lb. on the square inch, and the number of
revolutions 164 per minute, the result being nearly half
a knot greater speed on this occasion then was ob-
tained during the last trial, en the 26th of November,
being 4659 knot per hour. A new screw was sub-
stituted for the trial to-day, to work what is termed

•
left-handed, to harmonise with the motion of the
engine, and a considerable gain in speed was acquired.
The engine has accomplished wonders, considering
that it is only:of 10 hone power,r.occupy ing 5 feet 2
inches by 3 feet, and fitted to a vessel of 301 tons
burden, 130 feet long, and 21 feet broad, originally
constructed to carry engines of 100-horse power,
which did not give her any extraordinary degree of
speed, even with a considerable consumption of fuel.
The 10 horse power disc engine works very econo-
mically, about 18 percent. less than any other of the
same power tried with it—an important advantage
where ten days' consumption might be extended to
nearly twelve days. It has no dead points, and can
be worked with the greatest ease, stopping or reversing
instantaneously, and may be made to go forwards or
backwards with less than half a turn. As an auxiliary,
its advantages will be very great ; it is compact, and
not liable to get out of order, and is so easily managed.
On the return of the Minx up the river, when at Bark-
ing-reach, she left the Monkey, and steamed up against
the tide, and on being moored the engine was o?ened
for examination, and it appeared in most admirable
condition, without any symptoms of having worked
on one part more than another. The speed of the
two locomotives of 10 horse power fitted by Messrs.
Seaward to the Minx, and tried on the 24th of
September, was 4.515 knots per hour, fully half a
knot less than the Minx accomplished to day with
the disc engine.
The launch belonging to the Enterprise was tried
iu tha basin yesterday, and went down to the mea
sured mile at Long-reach, with Mr. Trickett, assistant
to the chief engineer, on board, to-day; it being
intended to make it again ready to proceed in that
vessel in her next voyage round Cape Horn to
Bhering's Strait;. The launch of the Investigator wa,
left at Port Leopold.
The Ariel eteam•vessel, fitted with a smoke-con
su ming apparatus, went down the river a short distance
to day on a private trial, and is to be officially tried
in a few days.

NOTICE
A NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR Or
_LA. "Ernllia Wyndham," " Mordaunt Sze.
Entitled
THE WILMINGTONS,
Will be shortly ready for pu'Alcation.
Or recnived at all the Libraries.
Henry Colburn, Publisher,l3, Great Marlborough-street.

There will to no performance at the Theatres This Evening, in col
sequence of the Funeral of tha late Queen Dowager.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAY MARKET.
Mr. B. Webster, Lee and Manage-1% Old Brompton.
10-MORROW EVE.NENO,
Will he irrformed THE HOUSEKEEPEtt.• Sidney Maynard

air. (

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C. KeT).
THE Wws.WElt. lion Felix, Mr. C. Kean; Donna

tetra. C. Kean.
To be folowed Ly BOX AND COX.
To conclude with WHO'S MY HUSBAND?
The Isox-offize Is undcr the dircietion of Mr. I. T. Archer.

Lr.der tdie of Nia,lame
TO-MORROW,
Will be per:brrned a new•dorricstie Drams, called THR WILLOV.
CC.P3E. Principal char.leters by Messrs. Hughes, Wright, P. B
ford, 0. Smith ; ate,lame Cel,:ste, anA Miss W6olgar.
To be tollowed by an entirely new Extravaganza, entitled DO
MESTIC ECONOMY. John Grumly, Mr. Wright ; Mrs. Brumley
alrs. F. Matthews.
To ronchtle with a new slippery sketch called MRS. BrINBURY%
EPDONS. Mr. Ilighbury Barnes, Mr. P. Bedfor,l ; Bob Twinkg
111 r. Wright ; Job Mr. 0. Smith: Mrs. Banbury, Mrs. F
Matthews; .!.ifs. nigh:Jury Barnes, Miss Brooks.

TIIEATAr.
•
J. M. Maddox, Scin Leine and manager.
TO-MORROW,
ed a new arid original comic Opera called MIN
Ilarrison, Weiss, Corr!, Wyn

Meisi•s.

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