The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-18 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—It was stated that
when her Majesty's steamer Inflexible (then on her
voyage home from China) arrived, no doubt was
entertained but that her log would show as large an
amount of valuable service done as could be performed
by any steamer in the British or any other navy.
The Inflexible having since arrived home and been
paid off, we have made it our business to inquire how
far we are correct in our anticipations of what a
British man of-war steamer can do, and this one, by
the way, one of the most constantly impugned
craft on the list ; we now present the result of our
inquiries as proof of the good foundation of the antici-
pations encouraged respecting her performances :
The Inflexible is one of the vessels of the latter day
design of Captain Sir William Symonds, was
launched at Pembroke in 1846, is of 1,122 tons, 375-
horse power, direct action engines by Fawcett, with
an 81b. load upon the valve. The distance run by her,
not including going in or out of harbour, from the 9th
of August, 1846, to the 28th September, 1849, when
she was paid off, was as follows :
Steamed ... 64,477 nautical miles.
Sailed ... ... 4,392 „

Total distance ••• 68,869 „ If
Number of days under steam ... 3454
Ditto under sail ••• 27f

3721
Knots.
Average daily steaming ... ... 18662
Average daily sailing ... 161.18
For the whole period ... ... 57.44
Hours.
Time under one boiler 761
Ditto two boilers . . 4.047

Ditto three boilers

Ditto four boilers

Total ... ... ... ...

8.292

Knots.
Rate of steaming per hour ... 7.775
Rate of sailing per hour _ ... 6.715

Her fires have been alight 483 days 9/ hours.
Total consumption of coals while under steam,
8,121 tons, 121 cwt.
Coals for raising steam and banking fires, 576 tons
161 cwt.
Average distance steamed per ton of coals, 7.938
knots.
Consumption of coals per hour, 19.588 cwt.; ditto
per day, 23 tons 10 cwt. 12i lb.
The abovementioned distances are obtained by the
patent log towed about 50 fathoms astern, out of the
influence of the back-water caused by the revolu-
tions of the paddle-wheels, and not from the common
or hand log, or from the distance accomplished in a
run from Ato B, or port to port, when making a
voyage, for the error caused by throwing the common
or hand log into the " back• water" created by the
revolutions of the wheels, has been proved by the
Inflexible to vary from one to even four knots an
hour, the common log and revolutions giving 11 knots,
while the patent log and bearings of the land gave
only seven knots.
The expenditure of coal has been obtained by the
positive measurement of every tenth bag into the ship,
and every tenth as used by the fires, and a mean taken
every four hours as the hourly expenditure.
The distance stated to have been accomplished by
the Inflexible has been deduced on the main from
the time the patent log has been put overboard, when
the final departure from the land has been taken;
therefore she must have run many hundreds of miles
more than is recorded in these returns.
This abstract, being from the voyages during the
entire commission, includes the performances on the
stormy coast of New Zealand, where she was con-
stantly employed running for fifteen months, burning
the Newcastle Australian coal, the best quality of
which is about 10 per cent. inferior (even when
delivered at the mines) to good English coal; but
from having been exposed on the open beach of New
Zealand it was rendered fully 25 per cent. inferior to
the average Welch coal. About 4,000 tons in the
estimate stated above are of that inferior quality, and
must, therefore, be kept in view, when the economy
of the expenditure is considered. Another important
feature in the mode of ascertaining the true expendi-
ture of this ship must be here explained—the hourly
and daily expenditure always contains a certain
amount allowed for wastage, so that the true quantity
remaining in the ship is known after the daily expen-
diture is ascertained.

The quantity to be allowed for wastage was obtained
in the following manner :—On the outward voyage of
the Inflexible to the Cape-of Good Hope, in August
and September, 1846, when a run of 5,502 miles was
accomplished on a single coaling, at a mean average
velocity of 7.31 knots per hour, and at an expenditure
of 12 tons 19 cwt. 3 quarters 141 b., 81b. in every
2521 b. were allowed for wastage, equal to 3.174 per
cent.; but a deficiency of seven tons of coals in the
whole quantity received in England was found to be
the result of this allowance, proving the actual wastage
to be equal to 4.955 per cent., with coals of an average
quality.
On the voyage from the Cape of Good Hope to
Port Jackson, Sydney, when again 5,356 nautical
miles were accomplished on one coaling, at an expen-
diture of 458 tons 10 cwt., or at the rate of 15 tons
cwt. 2 quarters per day, and at a mean average
velocity of 7.87 knots per hour, 201 b. in every 2521 b.
were allowed—equal to 8 per cent. ; but on a survey
of the remainder at the end of the voyage 12 tons were
found remaining as surplus,; this would be equal to
2.69 per cent. allowed more than was required by
wastage and decrease of density, thus proving
the actual wastage during the voyage as equal to
6.31 per cent. 5 per cent. was afterwards estimated
and fixed upon as correct, and must therefore be
subtracted from the gross quantity if the true duty, in
miles per ton of coals, is sought by any parties who
may investigate the above data.
A remarkable instance of the exercise of the full
power of the engines occurred when the Inflexible
towed the barque Claudine, and succeeded in
transporting 1,500 soldiers, tent equipage, and bag-
gage 1,400 nautical miles in twelve days, four of
which were employed in the landing of one regiment
and the embarkation of another. It was highly im-
portant that the run from Madras to the Arracan
coast should be performed in the least possible time,
as the N.E. monsoon, which would have been dead
a-head, was hourly expected, therefore the four
boilers were put into requisition; the Inflexible care-
fully kept at a favourable line of immersion to
develope speed, for when a vessel is to be towed for a
moderate distance care must be ever taken not to have
the towing vessel too deep.
This forms a mere abstract from more voluminous
data of a minute nature, extending over a period of
more than three years, compiled with the single object
of eliciting the truth.—Times.
MANNING THE NAVY.—We stated on Tuesday,
that the Trident steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Risk, was ordered to Liverpool to recruit men for the
navy. She was to leave Devonport yesterday morn-
ing, Mr. flay having completed the application of
his useful composition to her iron bottom.
The Dasher, steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Parks, instead of being paid off at Sheerness, has
been sent to Hull, to raise men for the ship's fitting.
The Ganges, 84, Captain Smith, C. 8., has not re-
ceived orders to proceed to the Mediterranean. She
is merely ordered to fill up her complement from 500
to 750—a wise precaution, and better late than never.
The Superb, $O, Captain Purcell, called off Devon•
port yesterday (Wednesday) morning. The fifty
men belonging to the Hogue, and officers waiting to
join, went out to her, and she proceeded down the
Channel to relieve the wind-bound, on her way to
Queenstown.
The Hogue, 60, screw two-decker, Captain Mac-
dougal, has not been ordered from Queenstown to the
Mediterranean. As we stated yesterday, she is or-
dered to the chops of the Channel, to relieve the
homeward bound, detained by the prevalence of the
easterly winds; she then returns to Cork.
The Spiteful, 6, steam-sloop, fitting at Devonport,
it is reported, will proceed to Naples as soon as she
is ready, and pick up her commander at that place ;
after which she will join Sir W. Parker's squadron,
relieving the Rosamond.
_

The Octavia, 50, in charge of Mr. Henderson,
master attendant, and party, from Devonport dock-
yard, sailed from Pembroke on Friday. When off
the Lisord she met with the strong east wind which
has been prevailing for some days, and carried away
her foreyard. She put back to Mounts Bay, ready
to start when the weather will permit.
The Seagull, 6, packet brig, Lieut. Commander
Swale, was to be taken on the graving slip at Devon-
port yesterday -morning.

Earnestness and simplicity carry all before them.—
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