The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-29 00:00:00

TR NAVY.

The Orestes, 21 guns, screw steam corvette, made
official trial of her machinery yesterday at Sheer-
ness. The ship left her moorings in the harbour
about oti .111. in charge of Capt. Schomberg (com-
manding the steam reserve at the port), and pro-
ceeded to Pretrial grouhd off Ma.pling Sands. Mr.
Price, inspector of machinery afloat, and Mr. Blax-
land, chief engineer of her Majesty's Dockyard,
were also in attendance on the part of the Govern-
ment, and Mr. George Brown, for the contractors,
Messrs. R. Napier and Sons, Glasgow. The Orestes
is a beautifully constructed vessel, recently built at
Sheerness from the plans of Rear Adm;'ral Sir Bald-
win W. Walker, late Controller of therdavy. Her
extreme length is 251 ft. Gin. ; between perpendicu-
lars, 225 ft. ; length of keel for tonnay. 196 ft ;
extreetle breadth, 40ft.; depth in hold, 24c,f. 2in.. ;
tonnage, 1,713 burden. She carries 20 8-inch jun&
(60cwt. etch), and one 68-pounder pivot gun.
Leer
engines are constructed on tile new patent air pump
principle, and are nominally of 400 horse power,.
the indicated horse power being 1,650, and worked
well, showing little variation. Under full steam
p
the vibration was scarcely erceptible,
Six and he
runsr
steering qualities were very good indeed.
were made at the measured mile, the ship drawing
14ft. Tin. forward and 16ft. Sin. aft, The average
of the six runs gave a speed of 12A- knots. Revolu-
tion of engines, 65; pressure of steam,
201 b.
vacuum, 251. There was a total absence of hot
hearings, and no machinery could have worked.
more evenly or satisfactorily.
The Euryalus, 51, screw, has been placed in No.
8 dock at Portsmouth to carry out examination and
repairs.
The Barracouta, 6, paddle, Commander Wood,
has been removed from the steam basin in Ports-
mouth yard and berthed aloi3gside her hulk in the
harbour to complete refit.
The Immortalite, 51, screw, Captain Hancock,
will take in the moorings of the Asia, steam
guardship, in Portsmouth harbour, on Monaay,
ar.id will be swung for the adjustment of her
eeetpasses on the following day siaould the weather
prove favourable. She will go to Spithead in
about a week.
The' Osborne, paddle yacht, master Commander
G. K. sower, has been placed in tile steam basin
at Portsmouth to make good defectS: Her crew
have been berthed in the Blonde hulk.
The Warrior, iron-cased steamship, as already
announced, is to be launched at Blackwel/ to-day,
but the statement that the preparations for the
launch were under the superintendence of Messrs.
Mare and Co. is a mistake. The launch will late
effected by the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding
Company.
The Megmra, screw troop ship, Commander Hen-
derson, at Portsmouth, is ordered for military
inspection on the Ist of January, preparatory to
, embarking troops, &c.
The West India mail steamer Avon has been
inspected at Southampton by the Assistant-Quar-
termaster-General of the South-west District and
his Staff. She has been chartered to convey reliefs
of troopg; between the West India Islands and the
West Coat:lt of Africa.
The feihpving appointments were made yesterday
at the Admsiralty:—Charles Morton, assistant-
surg., to the I.odus ; John Bishop, assist.-surg., to
the Narcissus, fat- the Penguin ; Antony H. Wood-
field, M.D., and J. S. Lewis, assist.-surgs., to the
Narcissus; J. Itothery, second-class assist-engi-
neer, to the Asia as supernumorary; Thomas J.
Warburton, acting third-class engineer, to the
Algiers ; and Allan Bullions, acting third-class
assist-engineer to the Bulldog.