The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-06 00:00:00

THE BLENHEIM AUXILIARY SCREW STEAM-SHIP,

Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, the Commander-in-Chieflak
Portsmouth, visited the Blenheim, 55, steam
guard-ship,
Captain H. D. Chads, C. 8., on Monday, and was received
on board and conducted round the ship by the gallant
commander. The Blenheim was to have gone to Spit-
head on Tuesday, but was detained to have her com-
passes adjusted, which was done by Commander Strange.
She got her steam up yesterday forenoon, and at about
two o'clock slipped her moorings and steamed out of
harbour. The weather was most favourable—smooth
water with a light head wind. She went out with Royal
yards crossed, and her wire rigging made her look light
and neat aloft. She was nearly three hours making
the voyage to Spithead, not going at any time more
than three knots through the water, but we do
not know what strength of steam she was using. With
her stores on board she was deeply immersed in the
water, her copper being entirely under; but this might
be entirely rectified by reducing the weight and size of
her lower-deck armament. She has now long 42-
pounders, of 65 cwt.; they are too long and too mi-
wieldly for a deck of this ship's capacity, and could
never be worked properly in a general action ; 32-
pounders would be better adapted for the ship. When
outside the harbour she saluted the Port Admiral's flag
with 17 guns, which the Victory returned. Rear Ad-
miral Prescott, Mrs. and the Misses Prescott, the Rev.
Mr. Ogle, Mrs. Ogle and family, and a large party of
fashionables, most of whom were of the fair sex, went
out in the ship. The fair company added much to the
appearance of the ship as she progressed slowly but
majestically out of harbour, for as the wind was right
a-head the smoke from the funnel rendered the quarter-
deck untenable, and the ladies took refuge along the
booms and boats amidships. The Fanny, Admiral Sir
Charles Ogle's yacht, the Portsmouth yacht, and the
Bee steamer, followed the Blenheim to Spithead, to
bring back the guests.
The Dragon, steam-frigate, Capt. W. Milian, went into
the basin at Portsmouth on Monday; she has dismantled
her foremast, it being defective, and will receive a new
one. The engineers are busy repairing defects in her
machinery; she will be taken into the angle dock on
Friday, after the Fairy is taken out, and come out again
on Saturday, and got ready forthwith for service with
the experimental squadron.
The Sharpshooter screw steam-vessel, Lieutenant-
Commander Bailey, arrived from the coast of Sussex,
and remains at Spithead.
The Medusa, steam-packet, Lieutenant-Commander
Bathurst, sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday morning
for Malta, taking dispatches for the Governor, Mr.
O'Ferx all, and for the Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker.
The Merlin, steam-packet, Lieutenant-Commander
Turner, was inspected on Monday, at Portsmouth by
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, and sailed yesterday after-
noon for Lisbon, to relieve the Stromboli, ordered for
Spithead.
The Helena, 16, Commander Smith, and Frolic, 16,
Commander Vansittart, have been swung for the adjust-
ment of their compasses, and will go to Spithead to-day,
and join Sir Charles Napier 's squadron.
The Pilot, 16, Commander Lyons, was towed from
Devonport Harbour into Barnpuol, by the Confiance,
steam-vessel, on Tuesday afternoon.
The Devon. lighter, arrived at Devonport, on Tues-
day, with stores from Pembroke.
The Euridice, 26, Captain T. V. Anson, was at the
Cape, May 14, with the Nimrod, 18, Commander Bel-
grave (acting), about to leave for St. Helena ; the
Acheron, 4, steam-vessel, Captain Lord Stokes, about to
leave for New Zealand; and the Seringapatam, Depot
Master-Commander Russell.

The Reynard screw steam-vessel, of 516 tons and 60-
horse power, to be commissioned by Commander Foul.
Cracroft, was tried on Saturday in the river ; but the
trip was more to test the machinery than speed, as the
measured knot was only run once. Her light draught
was, with screw immersed, forward 7 feet 10 inches, aft
10 feet 4 inches ; steam, 101 b. to the square inch ; revo-
lution of engine, 58 ; ditto of propeller, 116 ; full speed,
71 knots, fresh breeze and squally weather. She turned
at full speed in 2 minutes 20 seconds in twice her own
length of space, and made the complete circle in 4 min.
35 seconds. When her engine is in good, working order
eight knots may be fairly calculated upon. The little
engine abaft for raising the propeller answers perfectly,
and although not absolutely necessary in so small
a vessel, would be an immense advantage
to the Blenheim, whose screws weigh four tons each.
Commander Cracroft is going the right way to gain ex.
perience in screw propulsion before he hoists the pendant
on board the Reynard, by taking trips to Rotterdam and
back in the screw propelled merchantmen which daily
make that course; this practical knowledge, blended
with the theoretical, obtained by study at the Royal
Naval College, cannot but result to the advantage of the
service. The Reynard is a Navy-office production, of
147 feet long, 27 feet 10 inches breadth, and 12 feet 6
inches draught, intended to carry an armament of eight
long 32-pounders, and to stow fuel for 15} days' steam-
ing, and provisions, &c., for three months for 100 men.
SUPERANNUATION.—Mr. Laity, leading man of rope-
makers at Devonport Dockyard, has been superannuated
on a pension of 38/. 10s. per annum.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY, Five P.M.—Light breezes
from the south-west, with fine weather.
DEVONPORT.—Her Majesty's hired transport, Maria
Soames, Lieutenant John R. Black, R.N.,: Admiralty
agent in charge, arrived on Wednesday morning at
Devonport, with the left wing of the 82d Regiment, from
Halifax.

WOOLWICII, JULY s.—The Minx steam-vessel, 100-
horse power, went down the river last week, with 13
different modifications of screw propellers, for which
she is fitted, one shipped, and the others to be tested, to
ascertain their relative qualities in giving speed to the
vessel. Mr. Trickett, first assistant-inspector of steam
machinery at Woolwich Dockyard, attended on board to
test the various screw-propellers, and the whole 13 were
tried with the greatest care, as many as 30 passages
being made in one day up and down the measured mile
at Long Reach, commencing the trials at four o'clock
in the morning, and continuing them until dusk on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday last. The result of
the repeated trials was in favour of a form of screw-
propeller proposed by Mr. Woodcroft, and slightly
altered at the suggestion of Mr. Atherton, chief engineer
and inspector of steam machinery at Woolwich Dock-
yard, Wooderoft's screw having propelled the Minx at
the rate of nine knots per hour, and when at its greatest
velocity the engines performed about three revolutions
per minute more than with any of the other screws.
The ship Radcliff, hired for the occasion, has arrived
at moorings opposite the Royal Arsenal, to receive on
board male convicts for Sydney. 120 of that class
arrived this morning from the Penitentiary, and were
put on board the vessel.

-----
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean's engagements at the
Haymarket Theatro terminate on Saturday next, when
they appear there for the last time this season, for Mr.
Webster's benefit, in The Stranger and The Wonder.
These distinguished artistes then leave London for Liver-
pool, at which place they are under engagements for
next week.

NORWICII MUSICAL FESTIVAL AND JENNY LIND.-
The committee have been unable to secure the services
of Mdlle. Jenny Lind for our approaching musical festi-
val, owing to the difficulty of meeting the other ar-
rangements of her provincial tour_ The sum of 1,000/.
was offered by the committee, and Miss Lind, to show
the interest felt by her in the charities of the city, ac-
companied the refusal by a cheque for .504—Bury and
Norwich Post.
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.--CIIATIIAM JULY 3.
The following officers attached to the Prov'isional Bat-
talion at this garrison have received orders to hold
themselves in readiness to embark for Bombay to join
their respective regiments serving in that presidency :
22d Regiment, Brevet Major T.
, S. Conway, Lieutenant
Lynch, Stapleton, Cotton,
King's
Ensign Duncombe, P.
Bouverie; 60th, the Royal Rifles, Captain the
Hon. Henry
L. Powys; second, Lieutenant Conyngham
Jones, and second Lieutenant William Teddie; 78th
Highlanders, Captain, _Garratt, Lieutenant 11. D.
Gordon, and Lnsigp H. U. Rorke; 16th Regiment,
Lieutenant John Spier, Lieutenant Henry M. Havelock,
Ensign Maxwell Lepper, Ensign E. Leek, Ensign H,
Bassett Scott, and Assistant-Surgeon James Kellie
M.D.; 94th, Lieutenant E. Smyth Mercer. The 90th
Light Infantry at this garrison assembled on the general
parade ground for the purpose., of witnessing the presen-
tation of medals by the Colonel to two non-commissioned
officers, viz., Sergeant •Mujor David Jackson, of 4.5
years' service, and Quarter-Master Sergeant Thomas
Barnes, of 22 years' service. The former was presented
with the annuity medal and 101.; and the latter with the
gratuity medal; and on his discharge be will receive 15/.
WHEAL CURTIS COPPER MINING COMPANY.—In
consequence of the requisite number of shareholders to
constitute a meeting, which was advertised for yester-
day, not being present, it was adjourned to Thursday,
the 13th inst.

THE GAIt DENERSI BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.-
Yesterday evening a meeting of the committee and
friends of the above institution, founded in 1838 for the
purpose of affording relief, by pensions during life, to
aged and indigent gardeners and their widows, was held
at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, for transact-
ing general business. The report for the past year con-
gratulated the subscribers upon the steady increase of
the institution, the funded stock having increased to
1,8501., and there being thirty-four pensioners receiving
annuities, the males of 161., and the females 121. each
per annum. The financial statement was also very
satisfactory.