The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-30 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

WOOLWICH, OCT. 28.—CaptainTylden, Deputy-Assis-
tant Quartermaster General to the Royal Artillery,
visited Woolwich Dockyard yesterday afternoon offici-
ally to witness and report on the efficiency of the ar-
rangements for an amply supply of water, and the mode
of using it, in case of fire. The police, under Inspector
Havard, on the shortest notice ,attached the:leathern
hoses to the mains, and discharged large ,volumes of
water from one two and four hoses, carrying the water
to a height of 110 feet and upwards without the aid of
engines, the pressure on the surface of the water in the
reservoir on Woolwich common, near Shooter's-hill,
which always contains an abundant supply, being suffi-
cleat for that purpose. The time occupied on a former
occasion in taking out the hose from the place where it
is deposited, on a pretended alarm being made, attach-
ing it to the main, and throwing a large volume of water
over the roof of the slip under which the Royal Albert,.
120 gun ship, is building, only occupied six minutes, and
the exercises yesterday afforded the greatest satisfaction
to Captain Tylden, owing to the celerity with which.
they were executed, and the efficient- manner in which
everything connected with the waterworks is kept ready
for use in case of an alarm of fire.

The Grappler steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander

Hawker, had her steam up yesterday in the basin, to
test the power of her engines. The stern of the vessel
was attached by strong ropes to the testing machine,
constructed at the west side of the basin, on a principle
submitted by Professor Daniel Colladon, and capable of
ascertaining the exact capabilities of any description of
engines fitted to steam-vessels to the extent of 1,000
horse power. The result is ascertained by dials with
moveable hands, similar to those of weighing machines.
The engines of the Grappler are two of 110-horse power
each, constructed by Maudslay, Field, and Sons.
The Garland steam-vessel, Captain Smithett, was
kept in dock yesterday to have her decks over the
boilers and in the vicinity of the funnels payed with
marine glue. It was at first doubtful whether that sub-
stance would answer where pitch had been previously
applied, but repeated trials have shown that although
the pitch is only partially tak en out, or driven further
in, by the caulkers, the marine glue thoroughly amalga-
mates with the remaining part, and renders the decks
perfectly water-tight, and gives additional strength to
them. The engineers of the Garland have availed them-
selves of the opportunity of her being in dock to effect
an improvement in her slides and in other parts of the
vessel, and her commander anticipates that her speed
will be greater than formerly. Being constructed of wood,
her steering qualities and the correctness of her com-
passes are all that her commander can wish for.
The Sphynx steam-frigate, Captain Cragg, has had
her steam up and her engines at work to-day, but the
denseness of the fog prevented her going down the river
on trial. She is fitted with engines of 500 horse power,
by Penn, and the largest ever made on the oscillating
principle. The engines are of beautful workmanship.
Mr. Lloyd, chief engineer at Woolwich Dockyard,
having left to-day for Liverpool, on official duty, Mr.
Murray, chief .engineer of Portsmouth Dockyard, has
arrived to superintend and report on the trials of the
engines of the Sphynx and Amphion steam-frigates and
the Geyser and Grappler steam-vessels, as they are re-
quired with the least possible delay for service.
An experiment of an interesting and valuable nature
was tried with a boat fitted on a plan submitted by Mr.
Holdsworth, Governor of Dartmouth, and for many
years a Member of Parliament. The object of Mr. '
Holdsworth is to render any boat attached to ships of
war, or other vessels, incapable of sinking in the most
tempestuous sea, if the load is not greater than the cal-
culation of displacement of air,- the means adopted for
supporting the boat and persons who may be in danger
by shipwreck, or from any other cause. The boat ex-
perimented with on this occasion was one built at Wool-
wich Dockyardf on a plan of Lord John Hay, C. 8.. a
pre-,ent Lord of the Admiralty, and given to Captain
Henderson, C. 8., Commander of the Sidon steam-frigate,
on kis Lordship's ceasing to be Captain-Superinten-
dent pro tem. of Woolwich Packyard. The boat mea-
sures 32 feet in length by 5 feet broad in the centre,
and weighs 2 cwt. On the inside all round under the
cross beams were fixed simply with cord, which could
be effected in ten minutes, ten hermetically sealed tubes
formed of vulcanised India rubber, each six feet long and
five inches in diameter, calculated to support 500
cwt. without sinking, although the boat was filled with
water. The boat was taken from the boat-house to the
basin at the west-end of the dockyard at 3 o'clock pat.,
and the experiments were made in the presence of Cap-
tain Henderson, Captain Cragg, Captain Hunt, Colonel
Parker, C. 8., Lieutenant-Governor of the Royal Mili-
tary Academy; Lieutenant Gardiner, Lieutenant Ly-
saght, Mr. Holdsworth, Mr. Brockenden, Mr. Elson,
Master Attendant, and Mr. Reid, Assistant to the Master
Shipwrights. On the boat being dropped in the water a
plug was withdrawn from her bottom, and she was al-
lowed to fill with water. Three persoils then stood over
the ankles in water on her cross-beams, but they could
not bring her down. 500 weight of iron was then
lowered into her, which she supported with the greatest
ease, and the three persons in addition stood on the edge
of the side, sinking it about six inches under water, with.
-out the boat showing any inclination to sink, but rightingherself with the greatest ease.
The Formidable, 84, at Sheerness, it is said, will be
commissioned by Captain Ramsay, of the Terrible,
steam-frigate, on her arrival at Woolwich ; the captain
and crew of that steam-frigate being turned over to the
Formidable.
The Vengeance, 84, Captain Lushington, is progress-
ing rapidly in her fittings at Portsmouth, considering
the small number of bands she has on her. Her
itop-
masts are fides I. The continuous puffs on her officers
are too barefaced not to be traced. The menne
oneare,
ofthe
as we
this
Vengeancewith which the ship is
n Lushington de vv
have said before, working very well, but not better than
the crews of other ships fitting have worked. It must
servesah de vhaonrcaned borne in
c
i nmindi
ships.re
tTo s
fitting, the fact is not omitted that he is unwell. Too
much of this will defeat its own object, and the second
and third lieutenants will not get first and second one
day the sooner.
d for theth ahtow
smartness that
Captain

ST. PETERSBURGH, OCT. 16'—
In the night of the
10th cf this month his Majesty the Emperor, accompa-
nied by the Grand Duke Alexander, set out from Zar-
skijesela for Moscost, where they both arrived in good
health pry the 11111.