The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-28 00:00:00

N A VAL IN TELLIGENCE

PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 27.—The Sampson (steam-frigate.
Captain Henderson, arrived at Snithead this afternoon,
with a freight of upwards of 2,500,000 dollars on mer-
chants' account, from the Pacific, which Messrs. Casher,
wine merchants and freight agents of this port, will con-
vey to the Bank. She sailed from Valparaiso on the
30th of September, took the passage of the Straits of
Magellan, arrived at Madeira on the 18th inn., and
sailed on the following day for this port. She left at
Valparaiso the Asia, Champion, and Nereus; at Rio the
Inconstant and Calliope (t.laetJvier 0n.120r way home
from Nerr Zealand). She has'brouoht home Lieutenant
Symons, of the 99th, from New Zealand (out of the
Calliope); Mr. Hunt, late Vice-Consul at Monte Video;
and Count Guidon, Captain of the French war brig
Genie, from Valparaiso. The Sampson has made the
quickest passage from Valparaiso on record. She will
be inspected to-morrow, and afterwards come into har-
bour to land her freight and be paid off.
The following are the reports of the performances of
the Rifleman and Sharpshooter screw-schooners during
the cruise which terminated this day:—
In smooth water, to determine the relative consump-
tion of fuel, the Sharpshooter (202-horse power) kept
pace with the Rifleman, working at a very reduced speed.
Against a closereefed-topsail breeze and a correspond-
ing sea the Rifleman (100. horse power) had the advan-
tage of nearly three miles an hour.
Under steam and sail the speed of the two vessels
may be considered nearly equal.
Under sail alone the Rifleman appeared to have a
slight advantage. The want of time is alleged as pre-
venting the relative capabilities of the two vessels on
this point being satisfactorily determined.
Another account :
On Tuesday the Sharpshooter and Rifleman left Yar-
mouth Roads in order to encounter a gale of wind, to
try the superiority of the Sharpshooter steaming against
a head sea. After being at sea four days the result of
the trials was, that the Rifleman proved her superiority
in all points of sailing. On a wind the Rifleman beat
the Sharpshooter upwards of three knots in the trial,
which was the only one wherein both ships were esteemed
on a prfect equality. On Saturday both vessels tried
sailing with the wind on the quarter, studding-sails set,
when the Rifleman was fast overhauling the Sharp-
shoopter, but signal was made, " Try steaming and
sailing," and although Sharpshooter is 102 horse pow, r
more than Rifleman, she only gained on her a quarter of
a mile in two hours. The Rifleman came into harbour
this afternoon to be docked, in order to discover the leak

in the stern-frame which appeared while in the gale of
Tuesday, the 21st, in which from her rolling motion the
Sharpshooter carried away and lost her port quarter
boat. The conclusion which I have arrived at from the

trial is, that the Rifleman, notwithstanding the superiority
of wood over iron, has shown hr rself to be superior in
every point of sailing, and as to steaming, comparatively
speaking, more efficient than the Sharpshooter, inas-
much as the Rifleman can steam 23 miles with one ton of
coals, and 31 miles expansively at the lowest step, and
the difference of speed between her and the Sharpshooter
is not more than one knot, although the engines of the

latter are 102-horse power more than the fo.imer.

At 10 30 this da3 the Rifleman and Sharpshooter
proceeded to Stokes-bay to try speed along the measured
mile. The Rifleman, three trials up and down at full
speed, averaging 8.5 knots, and working at the lowest
step of expansion 7.827 knots per hour, thereby show-
ing that by using her lowest step of expansion-gear
her speed is the same within halt a knot as though she
was working full speed, which is a saving of one-third of
the quantity of coals. Revolutions at full speed, 43; at
the 3d step of expansion, 37.
Revolutions made each mile by the engines:—
First mile ... 311
Second mile ••• •••
••• ••• 336
Third mile
Fourth mile
Fifth mile ••• ... 346
Sixth mile 300
Seventh mile (expansion gear, 3d grade) 355
Revolutions of the screw:—

First mile ... ... ... ... ... 777
Second mile ... ... ... ... 840
Third mile
... 800
Fourth mile ... ... ... ... 702
Fifth mile ... ... ... ... 865
Sixth mile ... ... ..... ... 750
Seventh mile ... ... ... ... 887
Both vessels have done more than was expected of
them, and in the absence of a similar log from the Sharp-
shouter as we publish from the Rifleman, we give her the
credit of realising the extent of the wishes:of,all:concerned
in her welfare—builder, enginemakers, commanders, and
engineers.

The Fire Queen steam-vessel, Master-Commander
George Allen, was docked to-day. It is understood she
is to have a renewal of Mr. Hay's composition on her
bottom.

The Superb, 80, Captain A. L: Corry, is to be paid
off to•morrow.

The Driver, steam-sloop Commander J. R. John-
son, is ordered to take her marines, and such of her
seamen as wish to avail themselves of the opportunity,
to Plymouth.

The Rolla, exercise brig for the naval apprentices, is
ordered to be laid up for the winter. She was accord-
ingly warped up to a buoy ahead of the flag-ship this
morning, and commenced stripping, which has been car-
ried on with such expedition that she bids fair to be
clear to her girtlines by sunset.
The compasses of the Reynard, Commander Cracroft,
have been adjusted to-day for local attraction.
Sir Charles Napier's squadron will sail as soon as pos-
sible, and the Reynard, Commander Cracroft, and Plum-
per, Commander NollAh, aro to follow. The latter
expects to be ready to-morrow evening or Wednesday
noon. The former has been detained for the perfect
testing of her cooking and distilling apparatus (Mr.
Grant's). The Plumper has not been tried at sea, and
no doubt the superior method she possesses of discon-
necting, and also of raising her screw when she is re-
quired to become a sailing vessel, and also of disposing
of her funnel telescope fashion so as to set her square
mainsail, will all give :the 11,-ynard an advantage as to
mechanical arrangement, but this will not affect the
actual sailing.
Wind W.N.W., moderate breezes, and fine weather.
WooLavicn, Nov. 27.—The Phaeton frigate, of 50
guns, launched at Deptford on Saturday last, under the
superintendence of Mr. Willcox, master shipwright at
that dockyard, was towed down the river to-day by the
Adder and Pigmy steam-vessels, and they will conduct
her to Chatham, the Adder and Pigmy being under
orders to remain at that port ready for service. Tho
Phaeton, as she passed Woolwich to day, appeared very
much down in the stern, apparently fully more than
three feet of greater immersion than at her bows.
The Tenzer steam-vessel, Lieut. Commander Selwyn,
returned to Woolwich yesterday from ber experimental
trial in the North Sea, and it is said to have answered
very well considering the quality of coals she had on
board. She left Greenhithe on the 23d, making only
5} knots with steam and 7 knots with steam and sail,
owing to the inferior coals and bad draught; but on the
two following days, the 24th and 25th, she made an
average of 8 knots, and stood remarkably stiff under sail.
She also answers her helm well, and will prove a good
sea boat. Her draught was 6 feet 11 inches aft and 6
feet fore.

The Arrogant, 42-gun frigate, with auxiliary screw
propeller, is to be towed down from Deptford by the
Monkey steam vessel, to be docked at Woolwich.
The Princess Royal transport ship is under orders to be
towed down the river from Deptford to Gravesend pre-
paratory to her proceeding with troops to the Cape of
Good Hope.

CAUTION.--A correspondent writes :—ln the Ken-
nington-road, betty, en . North• street and Richmond-
street, a female child, about six years of age, decently
clad, is to be seen at night-time importuning men for
alms, carrying on her arm a basket which she represents
as containing laces, &c. This child it most assiduous
in her calling, and by her plausible manner fails not to
enlist the attention of male passengers, to whom she
alone addresses herself, carefully shunning all female
passers-Lys An elderly gentleman was accosted last
evening by this child, and who from a feeling of sym-
pathy, before responding to her appeal, commenced
making inquiries as to the cause of her being out at that
hour seeking charity ; but ere the gentleman had put
the question a man and woman pounced upon him from
the dead wall at the corner of St. Alban-street, where
they had placed themselves to receive the proceeds, and
accused him of having made improper overtures to the
child. The gentleman was compelled to call forward
persons who were passing at the time, some of whom
stated that they had OA former occasions been similarly
solicited by, and gave alms to, this very child. &it for
their interference a groundless charge would have been
established against one who out of kindness was about
to relieve the child's supposed necessities, and he would
have been made the victim of these designing characters,
whose mode of living seems to be this infamous system
of extortion.—Walcot•place, Kennington-road, Nov. 26.
—[What are the police about in that quarter?—ED.
Sun.]