The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-12 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, 'Tuesnay.—The doubt which we
expressed on Thursday respecting the fitting of the
Avenger with paddle-box boats has been cleared up,
the gallant inventor of those " life-preservers " hav-
ing informed us that she was supplied with them.
That these boats are good appliances to steamers no
one who has seen them made use of in a surf or roller
can doubt ; they were the only means which could be
relied on to work safely between the Sphynx and the
shore at the back of the Isle of Wight last year, and
•they have proved themselves invaluable in innume-
rable other instances; the means of launching them,
therefore, should be upon the simplest plan possible.
But what is the case at present ? They are a part
and parcel of the paddle-box itself, for they are 'so
fitted as to render their being got over the side a
matter of the greatest danger, instead of a certainty
of succour in the hour of need. Notwithstanding
the intended universal adoption .of paddle-box boats
to steamers by the Government, there is as yet no
fixed system resolved upon as a good and safe one
of launching them ; at the present moment
there are three or four plans of davits, by
a like number of inventors, for getting these
boats into the water, not one of which, however,
has been proved by trial superior to the other, nor
has any committee or board been ordered to test the
efficacy of the said plans. Thus whether a paddle-
box boat may be safely lowered to the assistance of
drowning crews remains as yet a matter of uncer-
i tainty, especially in night casualties. The Avenger,
it appears, by the very little we can deduce from
Lieutenant Rooke's letter, fell on her beam-ends im-
mediately after striking, and the heavy spars on her
deck fell upon and smashed the boats before they
could get out. The order for "out boats" should
have begun with those on the paddle-boxes, but such
does not appear the system, and those on board are
first attended to, whereas the top-hamper on the
paddle-boxes being first removed would have consi-
derably lightened the vessel. Instead of the boats
being fixtures to the 'paddle-box (as they, to a consi-
derable extent, are, under the present imperfect sys-
tem of davits), would it not be better to affix tackles
to them connected with the spars aloft, so that they
might, on the first alarm of danger, be the first got
over the side ? And, as accidents of the nature of the
melancholy one under consideration in nine cases out
of ten happen in the night, would it not be a good
plan, when the hammocks are piped down at sunset,
also to pipe "Rig paddle-boat gear ?" We think it would
and that it would offer a much more certain chance of
such life boats being effectually brought into service
than any that at present exists. The Avenger, it
appears, went on her beam ends, and, therefore, we
conclude, smashed one of the paddle boats at once ;
the other then became a fixture, and was doubtlessly
smashed in its turn from other causes and the want of
a good and infallible mode of getting it into the
water. We trust that after this dreadful warning a
committee will he appointed to investigate, try, and
report upon the plans now offered for adoption in the
service with regard to the means of launching paddle
box boats, so that their service may be more certainly
relied on. The boats also should be made lighter;
their weight is their destruction. The cast off boats
of the Retribution were so heavy when fitted, that on
an attempt to get them out, they straightened their
davits (of massive iron of immense thickness) and
could not be got in again. On the vessel's arrival
here they were cast off, and remain at 'this moment in
the dockyard, a disgrace to the establishment'Aich
turned them out.

Two anchors, respectively of 20 and 210vt., -on
the -plan of Mr. Miller, superintending engineer Of
Devonport 'dockyard, were tested to-day in: the
testing-house of the establishment,. and failed to sus-
tain the usual proof tests which anchors of that weight,
are subjected to before they can be considered fit and
trustworthy for service. It is much to be regretted
that all such experiments as the above are not super-
intended by a qualified committee to report upon the
eligibility or non-eligibility of all such improvements,
as we fear that many valuable suggestions are lost to
the service for want of a better system than at present
worked upon in these and other such important mat-
ters connected with the service ; thus, the anchor has
remained for centuries unimproved in principle, whilst
everything else around.has been benefited by scientific
skill and individual enterprise.
The Netley tender, with supernumeraries from
Devonport, arrived to-day.
Wind N.N.E., moderate breezes, and dark hazy
weather.

WOOLWICH, J.N. 1] .- The Phccnix steam-sloop,
260-horse power, is to be taken down from Lime-
house to-day by the Monkey steam vessel, to be im-
mediately brought forward for commission at Wool-
wich, and will have a crew of 120 men.

The Pluto steam-vessel has been taken into dock,
and will require about a week to have her defects
made good; when she is taken out, the Virago steam-
sloop is to be taken in, preparatory to being brought
forward for commission. This vessel will have a
crew of 160 men. She is of 300-horse power, and of
the same class as the Stromboli steam-sloop.
The Banshee steam-vessel, Captain William
Smithett, was brought up to Deptford yesterda7
afternoon, and safely moored opposite Messrs, Penn a
establishment.

RIOT AT a
STOICERAVEII.—A most us disturb•
ser;,-
ance took place at Stonehaven ott';',;, eduesday,
....,
part of a number of the nOn the
a
The inhabitants did O. ...es in that neighbourhood.
%
best th could to defend them-
selves, but the rives of o ending individuals, it is
reported, ',where sacrificed iul
is the affray. --Noniron
Review,—[ln addition to the ahoy:, w. e have learned
were brokend in the
destruction
that a great number of windows
left,cti t
hoef
course of the disturbance, besides et
other property. At the time the last accounsttrau
place was quiet, but fears were entertained that an
attempt would be made by the navies to rescue from
confinement the ringleaders, who had been apprehended,
and it was consequently deemed necessary to summon
the presence of the military from Aberdeen. They had
not arrived on Thursday afternoon, but were hourly ex-
pected. The accounts received in Edinburgh state that
one man was killed, and not two, and that a number
of persons received severe injuries in the affray.—
Scotsman.]
Shakspere's House has been secured at a cost which
would have built and endowed a permanent asylum for
the aged and decayed delineators of his sublime con-
ceptions.
A few apocryphal bricks have been purchased,
chiell9.hY those who do not condescend to support the
'SkoksPeriati drams.—Dramatic and ittifical Balm