The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-01 00:00:00

Jai; AVE

The Prince of \V' ales, 131, screw three-decker,
yesterday again rte a; med orkt of Portsmouth harbour
to Spithead to test hier speed at the measured mile
in Stokes Bay. C krpt, G. T. Gordon, commanding
the Steam Reserve at Portsmouth, had the ship in
charge, while Mr. .-G. Murdoch, inspector of machi-
nery afloat, and -Mr. Miller, second chief of the
dockyard steam
.'factory, represented the Govern-
ment in the .trigineering department during the
trial, Mr. Hal 1i day representing Messrs. Penn and
Sons, the eq., atractors for the machinery. The
weather wars, for the time of the year, exceedingly
favourable for the trial—a light breeze off shore
and /mow' ti water. After making a stretch towards
the Warier light vessel, the ship stood for the mea-
sured wile in the bay. Six runs were made, which
resulted in giving a speed to the ship of 12.575
knots. ; pressure of steam, 211 b. ; vacuum, 271 mean ;
revolutions of engines, mean, 571. The Griffiths'
propeller was used on the trial, with a diameter of
19ft. Gin., and a pitch of 28ft. Her trial, on the
whole, may be considered pre-eminently satisfactory,
and especially so in taking into consideration the
placing of such splendid machinery inside so ugly
a craft, the Prince of Wales being a fine form of
vessel as a sailing three-decker, but far from that
as a screw steamship. The vacuum at the com-
mencement of the trial was as high as 291. The
engines are a pair of 400 horse power, of the same
pattern as the Duncan's, and by the same eminent
firm.

The Cygnet, 6, screw, was yesterday taken out
of Portsmouth harbour to the trial ground in
stokes Bay for the purpose of commencing a series
of trials with the Griffiths' propeller, with a view
to some very important
improvements in the prin-
ciple by the patentee.
The Meteor, floating battery, has been brought
down Portsmouth harbour and placed alongside the
dockyard for the purpose of a thorough overhaul
and repair.
The Camperdown hulk has been removed from
the harbour at Portsmouth to the old ship basin.
The Duke of Wellington, 131, screw, will remain
for the winter in the ship basin at Portsmouth, the
room in the harbour for vessels of her class being
very circumscribed, and the number of her class in
the first-class reserve being beyond the average.
The Board of Royal Commissioners assembled
last year for the purpose of carrying out an inves-
tigation into the Universal Dockyard system, having
failed in rendering a satisfactory issue, the exami-
nation is ordered to be renewed under a newly-
elected commission, which commenced its proceed-
ings yesterday at Woolwich. The members present
yesterday were :—Admiral Robinson, Lord Gifford,
Mr. Dalglish, M.P., Sir H. P. Willoughby, and
31r. A. Price, R.N., secretary. Mr. W. Y. Peel, the
present Chairman of the Royai Commission, was
not in attendance. The Royal Commissioners com-
menced their proceedings by inspecting the books
and offices of the Commodore-Superintendent, and
afterwards proceeded to a superficial examination
of the exterior departments of the dockyard, through
which they were accompanied by Commodore the
lon. I. R. Drummond, C,B. (who had specially re-
turned from leave of absence on the preceding even-
ing), Mr. Crouch, his private secretary, and some
of the department officials. The investigation will
be resumed to-day.
The new despatch screw steam sloop Serpent, to
carry 4 guns, launched from Mare's yard at Mill-
wall, having been forwarded to Woolwich to be
brought forward for the steam service at that port,
was yesterday taken in charge by the officers of the
steam reserve, and proceeded on a trial of her
machinery. The new screw steam gun vessel Spar-
row, also built at Millwall, likewise went down the
measured mile yesterday on trial of her engines,
prior to being given over by the contractors Messrs.
Napier. The trial of both vessels was satisfactory. I,
The sailing transport Reward, the steamer Gib-
raltar, and the Philo, were yesterday taken up by
Government to ship from the military store depart-
meat at Woolwich, for foreign stations.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Thomas Radford, second
class assist.-engineer, to the Diadem; John Staley,
second-class assist.-engineer, to the Dauntless, from
service in the Leveret ; Charles H. Thompson,
third-class assist.-engineer, to the Dauntless; and
Nathaniel F. Hockerston, acting third-class assist.-
engineer, to the Indus, as supernumerary.