The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-19 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—A very novel and, to all
appearance, a very efficacious contrivance for the pre-
servation of life from shipwreck or other casualties and
disasters at sea, was exhibited here this morning by Mr.
Alfred Hely, the patentee of the invention, which is
called a "catamaran." This invention consists of cy-
linders, or bags, of a flexible waterproof material, filled
with any article or substance of a less specific gravity
than water, as hammocks, clothes, provisions, valuables,
stores, and such like, which, being lashed to spars, cap-
stan-bars, &c., are or can be speedily combined into a
raft, or float, drawing only a tew inches water when
launched, not liable, in consequence of its flexible nature
and open structure, to be swamped, capsized, or stove in;
and capable of carrying one man with 30 days' provi-
sions per cylinder, or, in round numbers, 2501 b. dead
weight, at the rate of 641 b. per cubic loot of water dis-
placed. This catamaran, which may be constructed
in ten minutes by thirty hands taught the mode of
putting it together, was about thirty feet long by eight
feet wide; she carried a lug-sail, and was steered
by an oar over the stern; independently of which she
carried two lee boards, about six feet long by three
feet wide, thrust down between the cylinders, one
forward and the other aft, which answered the purpose
of a sliding keel, and kept her to windward. This
apparatus was launched this morning at Gosport at 8
o'clock A.M., and was mounted by the inventor and
patentee, a coxswain and four men, and worked out
to Spithead, where she was anchored at 10 o'clock, the
wind southerly, and awaited the approach of his Royal
Highness Prince Albert, who had previously appointed
that hour and place to inspect the invention. At eleven
o'clock the Fairy Royal yacht, Commander Crispin,
arrived and bore up for the spot; the anchor was hove up,
and the catamaran was pulled alongside the Fairy, which
stopped to receive her. The Prince came forward to in-
spect the apparatus, and had the invention explained in
detail by the inventor, when the Prince requested
him to get up sail, as he would then have au oppor-
tunity of seeing the catamaran again on his return
from Portsmouth. The yacht then proceeded, and the
catamaran went on to Osborne, having previously borne
up to Hyde to land the visitors who accompanied her in
a pilot-boat to witness the experiment. At this time
Rear-Admiral Prescott, C. 8., in his yacht, went out and
sailed round the catamaran. The Fairy came into this
harbour, and at 11.30 A.M. the Prince and suite went on
board the Excellent gunnery-ship, Captain H. D. Chads,
C.B. His Royal Highness was received on board by
Admiral the Hon. Sir Bladen Capel, K.C.8., the Com-
mander-in-Chief; tied Captain Chads, who presented the
chief executive officers of his ship (Commander Howlett,
First-Lieutenant Hodgkinson, and Gunnery Lieutenant
Wolridge) to his Royal Highness, who then inspected
drawings of fortifications presented by Captain A. R.
Savage, R.M.A., having examined which, the Prince
walked round the ship to see the men and
boys at their instructions; he witnessed several shots
from the 10-inch revolving gun at the 800-yard target,
and also the boys firing from Cook's platform; he then
walked round all the docks and heard men and boys
repeat different parts in detail of gunnery exercise,
taking a book himself to judge of their correctness; he
visited the ward-room and gun-room, and then pro-
ceeded to the lower deck to witness the guns cleared for
action and fired at targets 800 yards distant. The deck
was cleared, ports down, and guns housed for sea, and
the first gun (which was the officers' gun) fired within a
space of time somewhat less than two minutes; two
broadsides of shot followed, and one broadside of shell
(metal fuzees), which passed through and burst round the
target. Commander Hewlett then exercised the men at
manning and arming the ship and the scaling ladder
exercise, &e. The Prince remained on board nearly two
hours, and witnessed everything as practised in one of our
most important national establishments. His Highness
took the deepest interest in every movement explained
to him of man-of war discipline, and himself ran up one
of the scaling ladders to witness and experience the
effect of the effort ; made a mod minute examination of
the books in the school-room; put many most pointed
and pertinent questions touching the object under in-
spection, and appeared to take great interest in all that
related to the tuition and welfare of the men and boys.
If the Lords of the Admiralty paid one tittle of the at-
tendon at their periodical visits to the ports the Prince
Consort did this day, and inquired as much into the sub-
jects cursorily passed by them, there would be consider-
ably more benefit accrue to the service and to the Ex-
chequer than such visits will ever yield as now con-
ducted. Before leaving the ship the Priace expressed
most warmly to Captain Chads the pleasure he had
afforded him, and begged him to give the ship's company
a holiday.
On arriving at Osborne the Prince again re-appeared
in the Fairy, and landed on the Pier under Osborne, and
the catamaran tacked, and in order to save the tide, as
the wind still continued foul, was towed to the mouth of
this harbour by her tender, after which she proceeded to
Gosport-beach, and was taken to pieces, having been
afloat about nine hours. She behaved at sea remarkably
well during her passage out and home, and in every way
sustained the character of seaworthiness and efficiency
which she exhibited on her voyage from Dover to Bou-
logne and back in June last. The spars, sails, &c., for
the exhibition of this admirable invention were furnished
by the kindness of Admiral Superintendent Prescott.
The Earl of Auckland returned to the Admiralty to-
day from Bowood.
Commodore Henry Eden will return to Woolwich
Dockyard, from leave of absence, and relieve Captain
Fitzroy in his duties of Superintendent on Tuesday next.
We have heard that it is likely Lieut. Dirom (1841), a
very excellent officer, late of the Albion, will be the
Flag Lieutenant.
Commander Gennys will not be appointed to the Cen-
taur steam-frigate, fl.ig ship, for the coast of Africa, as
that gallant officer is ineligible, from not having served
one year in command of a sloop, or as Lieutenant in
command of a brig, or as First Lieutenant, or as Gun-
nery Lieutenant in any ship in her Majesty's service.
Master Frederick R. Sturdee (1843), who has been
prevented from taking an appointment by subpoena of
the Attorney-General, he being required as an essential
witness on the part of the Crown in some slave-trade
causes, will most bu appointed Master of the
Centaur, for further service on the coast of Africa,
should his presence in England be no longer necessary.
We have heard of some new and unpalatable regula-