The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-19 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

Porra.ltount, Jail. 16 —The experiment of 'firing from
the Excellent, Captain (Zeds, at a steam-ship's 'funnel, to
ascertain what resistance (if any) it would offer to a shot or
shell, took place yesterday afternoon, in the presence of a
distinguished assemblage of scientific officers, naval, military,
and civil.
The funnel, which is a common one, of the average.rnanu-
facture for Government steamers, of about three-fourths of
an inch thick, was moored at about 600 yards distance from
the Excellent, in the direction of Porcliester Castle, placed
upon a butt of timber 14 feet wide, and of about the same
substance, secured as in the usual manner on board vessels,
by chains, the butt being rendered immoveable by heavy
moorings.
About 2 o'clock the firing commenced, and a number of
shots were directed against the funnel. Five or six struck
the object, a 64 and the rest 32-pounders, all going through
the funnel without knocking it down or shivering it to
atoms, as was expected. The practice concluded about
half-pist 3, without having done any very materiat damage
to the funnel.
This afternoon, about 2 o'clock, the firing was resumed,
but at targets, and not at the funnel, as was anticipated.
This morning, a little before 12, another experiment was
tried upon a boom. Two masts were towed up to the spot
where the former experiments took place, and lashed to-
gether with chain lashing and hemp cable; but instead 'of
having the breaker of gunpowder hauled and fixed under the
spars, it was floated down to the boom upon the top of the
tide, in order to save the risk (we presume) of fixing it by a
boat's crew; sufficient time being calculated upon for the
breaker reaching the spares after the lighting of the portfire.
The result, however, was not satisfactory, the explosion
having taken place without doing any material damage to
the boom.
This afternoon another experiment was made upon the
same boom, after the plan adopted on Tuesday and Wednes-
day. About half-past 3 o'clock a boat's crew from the Ex-
cellent fixed the breaker of gunpowder, containing 1121 b.;
f ignite,nutes t ead
ttrheemfeunsde
°ours poe rrpfiiro
ruonwdeedrnaeawtahy.th the paabros,uatnedighhatvimn
Mon took place, the spars being snapped asunder in the cen-
tre, and huge masses of the timber hurled into the air 50
feet, which, together with the immense body of water dis-
placed by the submarine blast, had a very grand and highly
interesting effect. Thus the experiments of displacing a
boom have been pre-eminently successful, the whole process
of destruction not occupying a space of time exceeding ten
minutes.

Further experiments upon the funnel will take place in a
day or two ; these, we believe, will be with the shells, the
shot having injured the funnel only as far as regards perfo-
rating it.
The Royal yacht Victoria and Albert was brought down
alongside the jetty to-day, to have the centre shaft taken
out of her, in order to its being differently refitted.
The ships on the undermentioned stations have served the
usual term of commission (three years), and may be expected
home shortly; many of them having been relieved, are on
their way :
Mediterranean Station, under the command of Vice-Ad-
miral Sir William Parker, Bart.—The Acheron steam-sloop
Lieut.-Commander B. Aplin ; the Orestes, 18, Commander
E. S.-L. Cannon, and the Warspite, 50, Captain Wallis.
North America and West India Station, under the com-
mand of Vice-Admiral Sir Francis Austen.—The Pique, 36,
Captain the Hon. Montagu Stopford; and • the Pickle, 2,
Lieut.-Commander Bainbridge.—(Period of service expires
on the 28th inet.)
Pacific Station, under the command of Rear-Admiral • Sir
George Seymour.—The Daphne, 18, Capt. Onslow ; the
Frolic, 16, Commander Hamilton ; the Salamander steam-
sloop, Commander A. S. Hammond; the Talbot, 26, Capt.
Sir T. Thompson, Bart.
East India Station, under the command of Rear-Admiral
Sir Thomas Cochrane —The Agincourt, 72, Captain John-
stone (flag-ship); the North Star, 26, Captain Sir J. E.
Home, Bart.; the Semarang, 26, Captain Sir Edward Bel-
cher ; the Fly, 18, Captain F. P.. Blackwood ; the Hazard,
18, Commander Egerton ; the Wolverine, 16, Commander
Clifford; the Wolf, 16, Commander ' Gordon ; the Serpent,
16, -Commander Nevill ; the Btarhble, 10, Lieutenant-00M-
mender Yule; the Sapphire troop-ship, Master-Commander
Fittock ; the Driver steam-sloop, Commander Hayes; the
Spiteful steam-sloop, Commander Maitland ; the Vixen
steam-sloop, Commander Ward.
South-East Coast of America Station, under the command
of Rear-Admiral. Inglefield.The Gorgon steam-sloop, Cap-
tain Hotham ; and the Spider schooner, 6, Lieutenant-Com
mander•Pym.
-• Cape of Good Hope Station, under the command of Rear.
Admiral J. R. Dacres.—The Winchester, 50, Captain Eden,
flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. J. Percy, having been relieved
by Rear-Admiral Dacres, in the President, 50, Captain Stan-
ley; the. Cleopatra,' 26, Captain Wyvill ; the Thunderbolt
steam-sloop, Commander Broke.
West Coast of Africa Station, under the command of Com-
modore Jones.—The Albatross, 16, Coinmander Yorke; the
Penelope; 22, steam-frigate, Commodore Jones; and the
Wasp, 16, Commander Ussher.
The Netts), tender arrived from Plymouth and Devonport
4n. Monday with supernumeraries, andsailed on her return on
Tuesday, taking men for the ships fitting at those poi ts.
The Mercury andEmerakt tenders; which took back the
hands who navigated the Janus from Chatham to this port,
returned op Tuesday.
The • Alban steam-vessel, Master Commander Aylen, left
on Tuesday for Plymouth 'and Cork with supernumeraries, Sec.
The Bittern, 16, Commander Hope, which Sailed on Tues-
day, took out specie to the amount of 10,000/. to Ascension,
on account of the Paymaster •General of the Naity.
The Rodney, 92, Captain Collier, was docked yesterday.
It was discovered she had lost about half a sheet of copper
on the starboard side, about six feet under water amidships,
and about the same quantity off her forefoot. Her maga--
zines, &sc.,. are to be altered. '

The Sparrow Ketch, Commander Otter, was undocked yes.
terdzy, and retaken to her hulk, the Topaz, where she -wit
eomplete her refit for sea.

Tim General Palmer transport,. Lieutenant Wooldridge
agent, came into harbour this morning to refit.
The Bee experimental steant-vessel, tender to the Excel.
lent gunnery-ship, was undocked yesterday, having under-
gone a refit. ,

The Fairy, Royal Yacht 'tender, Master Commander 'Ro-
berts, went down to Cowes to-day with a select party on
board, to make another trial of her new screw.

The GAingwood, 80, Captain Smart, flag of Rear-Admiral
Seymour, was at San Blas prior to the 16th of Norember
last, ftom the. Sandwich

A fatal accident occurred last night on board the Rodney,
92, in dock. A corporal of Marines fell off the gangboard
alongside into the dock, and so seriously fractured his skull
and some of his ribs that he died this morning in Haslar
Hospital, where Ire was promptly conveyed after the ac-
cident. •

The paddle-box boats of the Retribution have been found
to be so heavy and unmanageable• that leave has been given
to return them to the dockyard•; lighter ones are to be con-
structed in their stead. The boats, without gear or shifting
thwar.tss• weigh four tons each; and the two with their gear
and davits weigh twelve tons!
The Drake slighter, with stores for Plymouth, sailed on
Friday evening.

FOREIGN PROVISION'S. •
'The iniportations" of cattle, and provisions generally from
. the continental states continue to be of an extensive and
important character. The regularity in the arrivals of such
articles at this time of the year, must, in a great degree, be
attributed to the rnildtiess of the weather, fur, so far as have
any accounts been received to the contrary, it does not ap-
pear that any of the Dutch, Ger Man, or Belgian ports, or, in-
deed, any of the more northern ports, are closed for navigable
and Commercial purposes, in Consequence of the stoppage of
' the navigation of the river on which they respectively are
bound, from being frozen over, and therefore rendered im-
passable. It will -be recollected that at this peried of last
year the frost. was so, intense that all, communication be-
tween this_ country and the places mentioned, and from one
to the other of them, Wes completely suspended, and that the
Elbe and Scheldt continued in that state for several weeks.
to the very great_inconvenience-of the mercantile and shipping
community. • :
In consequence of the mildne,es of the weather at the pre-
sent time, a sitbilir stoppage to business has been prevented,'
and the arrivals from Rotterdam, Ilaniburgh, &c., have beetl-
es regidar as cculd be expected, and indeed much more so
than might reasonably be looked for at this advanced season,-
as will appear froth the numerous importations' of which we +
will eriutherate some of the most important which have taken
;place duringlhe past week, and since our last notice appeared
fon the subleet. ' . .' • •
Two sailing vessels from the Channel. Islands brought be-
tween" them 95 tons ot potatoeifthe produce of those places.
.A vessel,' called the John Skiddy, arrived at Liverpool, from
New York, at the beginningiof the week, having on board
6,445 bushels of wheat, the large quantity of 16,600 bushels of
barley, 300 kegs I%f lard, 300 of beef, 1,000 barrels of:flour,'
1,400 boxes of cheese, a large quantity of pork, and an kn.
manse carpi ot ereryother.description of provisions, the pro-
duce of the United States, for consumption in this country.
The General, Steam Navigation Company's ship Colun;-
,bine, froM Rptterdam, at the: Brunswick Wharf, Blackwell,
had, in addition to 400 packages of butter, and 500 of cheese,
18 packages of poultry, 17 oxen, 8 cerws, 255 packages of
fresh fish, 79 packages of yeast, and a variety of other Dutch
produce. . The steamer ,the Triton, from Ostend, brought
,lhe usual supply- of poultry, butter, &c. ; and- the James
Watt; from Havre, in addition to other articles, 100 packages
of the dried table fruits usually imported from France at this
time. of the year. .
The 'Virgo- a, sailing vessel from Jersey, brought the
largeluatitity of 170 ton* of potatoes, the produce of that
islarid. • . • -

The City of Boulogne steamer, from Boulogne, brought
14 hampers of poultry, &e.; the Tourist, from Calais, 12
hampers of the same article; and the Princess Victoria, from
Antwerp, 42 'packages of 6sh. Numerous vessels have ar-
tived.at the port. of Liverpool from the south of Europe with
dried and other fruits, usually brought at this season. The
Eclipse* issiling vessel, from Harlingen, brought the large
quantity of 2,765 packages of butter, -besides cheese,. &c.,
the produce of Holland. It may be 'mentioned, also, that
among the importations of interest from the Continent, one
vonsisttng of 7,660. gun and 577 pistol-stocks for the Go-
veinment, made from the wood of the- walnut tree, which
abounds in Belgi ern, tookplace front Antwerp.
The General Steam Company's. ship Princess Royal, from
• Hamburgh;brought a large quantity of fresh
,beef, potatoes,
&c., and the tart of Llverpooli from Ostend, 16 packages of
poultry, 80 of butter; &c. ,A (tailing vessel,the Verwachting,
from .Amsterdam, brought:. the large quantity of 30,000
cheeses of Dutch produce, and the Marys, from Guernsey, 30
tons of potatoes, the produce of that island.
The New York packet-ship, arrived at Liverpool from New
Tork, having on board 2,l6o:barrels of Shur, 1,000 cheeses
200 packages of apples, 490,0 f beef, 218 of butter, &c.; and
the Elizabeth, from Newfoundland,. had 58 packages of sal-
mon and 800 of cod.. fish on board. The vessel had been
obliged to cast 250 packages of the latter deivription of fish
overboard, in consequence of the rough. weather she expe-
rienced on the voyage.
The General Steam -Company's ship Countess of Lonsdale,
front Hamburgh,.brought 12 hampers of fresh beef, a -quan-
titv of butter, and other produce; and- the Caledonia steam-
ship, from the .same port, 19 packages of fresh beef, 160
packages of butter, and other articles. The Company's
steam-ship-which subsequently arrived at Blackwall, from
Rotterdam, brought, in addition to 183 packages of yeast,
109 r. sheep, •11 packages of poultry, 317 of fresh fish,
and 120 °flutter; and the Harlequin, from Boulogne, and
Belfast, from Calais, brought their usual supplies of butter
and Other French produce. The same, ompany's steam-ship
Earl of Liverpool, from Ostend, brought 50 packages of eggs
and 29 of poultry and the Giraffe steam-ship, from Rotter-
dam, upwatds'of 300 packages of butter, 43 of yeast, 19 of
poultry, a quantity of hams, meat, ,&e., and. 334 baskets of
fish, all of quantity
produce..
artitsSo,
3h4o,pa'ferketaugeAsnotfwsemrpeitsb,r,atungdht, in
tatwddcioditiosnteatom-osthhiepr,
the A specially dispatched fpr the purpose, brought from Rotter-
andm
da
p4esf ect sa oxen
fety3s
ws, and 358 sheep, all in good condition
r.co
A packet ship, the Samuel
from New York into
large
esequently to"these impor-
euantityge:lB,,,:: 2h bushels
of Liverpool, brought 2,500 barrels of flour, 26 bushels of apples,
riofpwtiohne:to,fancdornth.e
a sailing vessel, the Rapid, has arrived at the
tations,
Brunswick What f, Blackwall, from Harlin
e6f6(9)Bthbe7dheelsc3
tits of poultry', 104 cows, 8 oxen, and 150 sheep, on board,
the produce •of Holland, the whole of which, although an