The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-01 00:00:00

STEAM-COAL.

The development which Steam Navigation is
daily receiving gives a public interest to any fact
relative to fuel, and especially if it tends to faci-
litate the extension of steam to voyages once
thought too long to permit such a mode of com-

'unification.
The Royal Mail Steain Packets for the West
Indies will soon dispel the few 'doubts Which may
remain as to the practicability of so long a voyage,
though the invariable succeSs which has-attended
the New York steamers leaves little to be desired
onthe point of experience. The British Queen
steamer between London and New York has
been supplied with the Llangennech coal since
her first voyage, and its value as a steam-coal is
thus finally set at rest. Its peculiar property for
long-voyages,—that of greater durability than
any other coal—was brought forward publicly
before the House of Commons Committee on
Steam Navigation in July 1824, and Dr. Lardner,
in examining this question in his work on tile
Steam Engine, points attention to theimportance
'cif this coal, and cites the parliamentary evidence
on- tile4mbject.'
An interesting trial at the Blackwall Railway
within the ' last few days has again,,proved its
ItB' was used for-Mlle-whole day in
coinpetion With a north country coal of high re-
pute, on a preceding day. The duty of the sta-
tionary engines is to convey the trains backwards
and forwards by means of au endless rope, and
this offers a measure of work of greater equability
than any other except pumping s—its result must
therefore be free from error and conclusive.
The quantity used of the north country coal
was 6 tons 18 cwt., and of the Ilangennech coal
only 5 tons 6 cwt., being a saving4fof upwards of
;30 per cent. 5 now, putting on ona side the gain,'
hdre'isa. coarriroved by continuous experience
to be better than any other hitherto known for
long Voyages,' since an equal quantity in bulk and
weight will ,permit a , steamer ,to run 'a greater
number of days without a fresh supply, and the
importance:of this peculiar power would in many
Situations make price altogether subordinate.
Its Action upon boilers has 'been proved by
twelve years' experience at Messrs. Meux and
extensive brewer': to '-be less, than any
other fuel, and chemical analysis has confirmed
thivesult by establiships Are comparative ab-
sence of that very destructiveadmixture, sulphur.
The coat burns almost wholly freefrom smoke,
a quality hitherto slightly appreciated, but which
will one day—and perhaps not far distant—be
considered the prime requisite in fuel for steamers
or at least for those employed • on naval service
By the ascent of the smoke abOve the horizon
the motions of the steamers-in-Calais Harbour
are at all times observable, at Ramsgate with an
ordinary glass from first lighting- the fires to put-
tinc.,, out to sea, and this is equally so at double
the range,, when there are ho :currents of air to
depress the ,column of smoke.
This combination of qualities so advantageous
seems to make this coal all that can be desired as
a fuel for steamers on long voyages, and its cer-
tain safety from spontaneous ignition, by reason
Of the total .absence •of Pyrites, gives a special
character to this coal in drat-instances of distress
and danger at Sea, lat.ge quantities thereof having
been sent tothe Persian Gulph, Red Sea, and the
East and West -

N A'VIJ

L INTELLIGENCE.

( From. the Hampshire Telegraph.)
-PORTSMOUIII,JAN. 30.—The Iris, 26, Capt Nurse,
sailed on Thursday for the Coast of Africa, touching
at: Plymoutb,,to put on board the Inconstant 135 men
from this' port, for conveyance to the Mediterranean ;
she will take 170 also from Plymouth.
The Lizard, steam-vessel, Lieutenant T. W. B.
Estcourt, arrived yesterday from Woolwich, on her way
to the Mediterranean.
The Fearless steamer arrived yesterday from Wool-
wich, with the officers and men who took round the

Driver steam vessel.
Tne Wirspite, 50 jrazee), was brought into the
Basin on Wednesday, to be completed for commission.
The Bittern, 16, is ordered to be fitted for com-
mission.
The new steam-ship Styx was launched at Sheerness
Dock-yard, on Tuesday, and is ordered to be fitted out
with all possible expedition.—Her burden is 1,057 tons.
We understand the Iris and Pelican have generously
followed the example of the Avon, Rapid, and Viper,
and given a day's pay for the relief of the widows and
orphans of this crew of the Fairy. Through the kind
exertions of Lieutenant Sherringham, several small
sums have been collected in this neighbourhood, for
the same object. Mr. Langley, ordnance storekeeper,
has given a donation of 11. to the fund.
In Harbour—Queen, Victory, Indus, Excellent,
Royal George, Tweed, Rapid ; Lizard, Alban, and
Echo steamers.
At Spithead—Pelican.
At M otherbank—Sussex freight•ship.
It may not be generally known that the ship's corn•
pany of the Pylades, when serving on the Coast o.
Africa, under the command of Captain Castles, sub.
scribed the sum of 201. towards the Nelson Monument
An order was this week received at this division of
Royal Marines to'forvrard immediately recruiting par.
ties, each composed of three sergeants, three corporals
and one private, to the following places :—To Derby
under the command of Capt. D. Campbell ; to Grant
ham, under the command of Capt. Mercer ; to Wel
verharepton, under the command of Capt. Tothill ; and
to Hereford, under the command of Capt. Pearce.—
Two recruiting parties arc also ordered out from Wool-
wich, one to Edinburgh, under the command of Capt.
Wright. The standard is lowered half an inch ; it is
now 5 feet 6. It is understood that the number of com-
panies about to be raised is twelve, which will give com-
missions to twelve captains and 12 first-lieutenants, and
the appointment of sixty sergeants and sixty corporals,
five sergeants and five corporals being attached to each
company of marines ; while there are only three serjeants
and three corporals attached to companies of the hoe.
PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS.
PnomovoNs.—Lieutenant—Thomas Harvey, to the
rank of Commander, and to the Racer ; J. S. A.
Dennis (late First Lieutenant of the Pl:cenix, having
completed his sea time), to the rank of Commander.
Mate—Edmund A. Glynn, to the rank of Lieute-
nant, and appointed Flag Lieutenant to Sir Thomas

Harvey.
APPOINTNIENTS.—Lieutenant—G. Vincent, to the
Indus, vice Dennis, promoted ; J. B. West, from the
Beacon to the Powerful.
Mates—C. S. Dunbar, to the Lizard ; John Dorlase,
Riward Hardy, Edward Lacy, and NV. A. It. Lee
(from the Naval College) to the Excellent, for the first
ships wanting Gunnery Mates ; W. Moorsom, to the
Excellent.
Acting Master's Assistant—John Matthews, to the
Victory.
Assistant Surgeons—Dr. W. 111‘Dermott, of the
Caledonia, to the Iris ; A. L. Enislie, to the Queen ;
John F. Vciteli, to the Caledonia.
Volunteer Ist Class—Gerald F. H. Wellesley' to
the Indus ; George Stratton, from the Queen, to the
Clerk in Charge—C. H. Niblett, to the Raven.
PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY, JAN. The Comet
steamer, Lieut. F. C. Syer, arrived on Tuesday from
Liverpool, with volunteers.—The Avon, steamer,
Unit. It. 1) . Pritchard, arrived on Thursday, with
volunteers from Liverpool.—The Endymion, 50, Capt.
lion. F. W. Grey, is expected to sail for the East
Inclies about thu middle of next week.—The Incon-
stant, 36, Capt. D. Pring, wid sail for Malta, on the
arrival of some seamen expected from Portsmouth ;
she has had upwards of 150 men sent on board of her
from the Caledonia, and will take out altogether up-
wards of 300, for the mon-of-war in the Meiliterr.a-
-nean.—ln Harnolize—Caledonia, San Josef ; nicer-us,
Avon, Pluto, Comet, and Carron steamers, and
sl Raven
eutter.—ln the Sound—lmpregnable,
constant, Belleie, In-
constant, and Endymion.
(From the IlanipsAire InflepeTle.ntive)
frigate has
PoaTsmouTit, JAN. 30.—Tho Vindic
been taken into dock, reported upon, and will most
likely be commissioned in the spriog for active service.
The Indus, 84, Cir i
ot. Sir J. Stirling, s making consi-
derable progress in hs r equipment, and will proceed to
Spithcad shortly to c implete her cris now all a tanto,
and will go out of liar] uour in the course of nt:xt week.
She expects to go to the South American station to
supply the place of the Calliope, 9.5, Capt. Herbert, or-
dered from the Brazils to the coast of China.
The Pelican will p roce,:d to the Mediterranean, and
Lady and Miss Napi !r will go in her to join the Com-
modore on that static., i.

KIRKCALDY ELECTION.---NVe understand
there is not a single 'w fort 1 of truth in the statement put
forward by the Globe un Thursday last, that Dr. Bow-
ring bad been in con Imuni'eation with the Tory candidate
and the Tory agents or th e county of Fife during the late
Kirkcaldy election. Equa fly false is the story th&t he
had gone to Cupar, or that he had dined there with the
Tories, or had obtathed ..a ap ajority of Tory votes.