The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-24 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The iron screw frigate Minotaur, Capt.' F. A.
II erbert, manned by the officers and crew of the
Royal Sovereign, with seamen gunners from Her
Majesty's ship Excellent, and engineers and stokers
from the Steam Reserve, steamed out of Portsmouth
harbour yesterday at high water, and anchored at
Spithead. Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.8.,
Port-Admiral and Naval Commander-in-Chief at
Portsmouth, went out to Spithead in the ship, and,
after she had been brought to an anchor, returned
ashore in his steam yacht, the Fire Queen, Staff
Commander Paul. According to the arrangements
at the time of the Minotaur leaving Portsmouth
harbour yesterday, she will sail from Spithead at an
early hour on Thursday morning. Captain A. C.
Key, C. 8., commanding her Majesty's ship Excel-
lent, with his staff, previously embarked to conduct
the experiments with the 12k-ton guns and their
carriages now on board the ship, with the dif-
ferent ,mechanical appliances fitted to the latter
for running the guns in and out, training, com-
pressing the recoil, &c. If the weather is found
sufficiently rough in the Channel off the Isle of
Wight the trials will be made there, but, if not, the
—iftip will proceed to Portland, and carry out the
contemplated trials in the " race" off Portland Bill,
or further westward, if necessary, according to the
state of the sea. The main conditions attending
the trials of these 12k-ton guns on the. Minotaur's
broadside to be sought for are that the ship should
attain as near an extent of roll as may be possible
to that attained by the Royal Sovereign when try-
ing the same description of guns in her central tur-
rets-16 deg. In the recent liniited cruises of the
Minotaur off the Isle of Wight the ship had on
board three 12i-ton guns—one mounted on Com-
mander Scott's iron-box girder-built slide and car-
riage, the second on the Woolwich Arsenal H iron
slide and its iron carriage, and the third on the Ad-
miralty pattern wooden slide and carriage, fitted
with eccentric movement rollers and other improve-
ments, as suggested to the Admiralty by Capt. A.
C. Key. All three of these guns were smoothbores

of 10.5-inch calibre, and all three, with the samo
slides and carriages, she takes to sea with her again
on this occasion. The Arsenal iron carriage is now
fitted with an improvement in the compressor, having
a much quicker action than the former one. The
fourth gun taken out on her cruise by the ship on
this occasion is also a 12+-ton gun, but it is rifled
on the Woolwich plan, with six shallow groOves,
on a Firth's steel tube, having a diameter of 9 inches.
This gun is mounted on a wooden slide and carriage
similar to that with Capt. Key's improvements. It
is not at all probable that the results of the trials
will be favourable to the wooden carriages in com-
parison with the two iron ones. This makes it the
more to be regretted that the iron carriage and its
slide now being manufactured by the Elswick Com-
pany from the designs of Sir William Armstrong
have not been completed in time to be sent on board
the Minotaur to mount the rifled gun she takes out
with her trial. In justice to Commander
,Scott we
are bound to state that his iron carriage and slide,
which mounts one of the 10.5-inch smooth bore
guns, has so far answered admirably under fire. In
the smooth-water trials that have been made—no
rough-water trials having yet been carried out for
want of a fitting opportunity—the gun has been
worked with the ease and regularity of clockwork.
The gun, with its carriage and slide, is held in posi-
tion on the ship's deck most effectually by the hol-
low-soled slide-rollers working over the massive
raised metal racers without the aid of the embrasure
pivot, and the compressors have been fuund fully
equal to check the gun at any desired length of
recoil, with single or double charges. It delivers a
very rapid fire, 12 rounds having been discharged
on the last day the Minotaur was off the Wight in
6 min. and 35 secs. On that day also its com-
pressors came out of their trial with great credit.
The gun was being fired double shotted with 401 b.
powder charges. On the first round being fired
it recoiled 4ft. Sin. on the slide. Nos. 3 and 4
of the gun's crew, who were loaders, asked for
more room for loading the gun in the next round,
and the adjusting screw of the compressors was
slackened up accordingly by direction of the captain
of the gun. On the gun being again fired she re-
coiled sft. Gin. This was rather more than the
loaders required, and a half turn was given the
opposite way again to the compressor wheel, when
the gun, on its third round, recoiled sft, which was
found to be just the distance required. We mention
this incident thus particularly as best illustrating
the ease with which the compressors of Captain
Scott's carriage are adjusted, and the power they
hold over the movement of the gun, and at the same
time take the opportunity of remarking that the
compressors may even now be very much improved
by rendering them self-acting. There are many
parts of this carriage and its slide, or rather of their
fittings, which may be very much simplified, this
opinion being one which Capt. Scott appears to
share. For instance, there is the elevating screw.
It works admirably in giving the gun quick eleva-
tion and depression at moderate angles, but it ap-
pears in its present arrangement, with its rigid ver-
tical screw, to be somewhat unsuited to extreme
elevations of the gun in firing. This, however, yet
remains for actual proof, and at the same time it
must be confessed that, in all probability, but few
opportunities will be taken of firing the 121-ton
guns
of any ironclad's main deck batteries at ex-
treme elevations, owing to the confined nature of
the gunports. Objections have been raised to the
observation made in our naval intelligence of the
20th inst., that in all three gun carriages and their
slides then on board the Minotaur " there was not
a single new mechanical contrivance or idea."
There now seems no reason for modifying this state-
ment. The guns, in each instance, are carried on
their carriages as in years past, and the carriages
themselves run on the same form of slides. Two of
the carriages are certainly made of iron, in lieu of
wood, but this change of material in a body keep-
ing the old form cannot be termed " a new"
mechanical idea. With regard to the fittings of
the gun carriages and their slides ; endless chains,
eccentric motions, friction compressors, and
other arrangements of a like nature, cannot be
termed " new." They are simply mechanical forms
of power in daily use in all parts of the world, but in
the present cases are for the first time applied in
their new arrangements to the working of heavy guns
on a ship's broadside—adaptations of sound prin-
ciples, and adapted, too, in a most ingenious man-
ner. The Minotaur will be swung to-day at Spit-
head to ascertain the deviation of her compass, pre-
paratory to leaving to-morrow on the cruise, which,
if she completes the trials of the guns and their car-
riages, as at present intended, may possibly be a
somewhat lengthened one.
The Oberon, 3, iron paddle steamer, 649 tons,
260 horse-power, Commander Edmund H. Verney,
sailed from Portsmouth yesterday at noon for the
West Coast of Africa.
The decision of the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty relative to the disposal of her Majesty's
20-gun screw corvette Tartar, in dock at Woolwich,
was yesterday made known. It is—" That, taking
into consideration the large amount of expenditure,
necessary for repairs to put the Tartar into service-
able condition, according to the official report after
the departmental survey of the injuries to the ship,
their lordships have ordered that her hull shall be
made watertight, in order to convey her to Messrs.
Castle and Beech's yard at Charlton to be broken
up." The steam corvette Archer, ordered to be paid
out of commission on Tuesday next, at Woolwich,
is ordered to be opened out, so as to ascertain by in-
vestigation and inspection of her timbers if any cause
can be discovered in decay or rot to account for the
fatal outbreak of disease already detailed in The Sun.
Yesterday a general court-martial, convened by
order of the Duke of Cambridge, assembled iu

the court-martial room at Chatham garrison, under
the presidency of ColonelJ. W. S. Smith, C. 8., com-
manding the Ist Battalion, for the trial of Duncan
M'Millan, a sapper in the Royal Engineers. Colo-
nel J. H. Lay e, Deputy Judge-Advocate for the
district, officiated at the trial, and conducted the
prosecution. The prisoner was charged with re-
peated acts of insubordination and insolence towards
his commanding officer, Colonel Simmons, C. 8.,
with breaking out of barracks, and making away
with his regimental necessaries. It was proved at
the trial that the prisoner has been in the corps of
Royal Engineers about six years. and- that during
the whole of that time his conduct had been very
bad. He has been repeatedly tried by district and
other courts-martial, and has scarcely, owing to his
repeated imprisonment, performed a twelvemonth's
duty the whole time he has been in the service. The
Court found the prisoner guilty, but the sentence
passed on him will not be promulgated until it has
been submitted to her Majesty for approval.
We have to report the death of Capt. John Moore,
R.N., C. 8., which took place on Saturday morning
at his residence, Brook-farm, near Chobham, Surrey.
The deceased entered the navy on the 7th of Feb.,
1834, and on the 22d of Sept., 1841, was promoted
to the rank of lieut. while serving on board the
Caledonia, 120, flagship of his father, Admiral Sir
Graham Moore, G.C.8., G. C.M.G. On the 30th
of October of the same year he was nominated
additional lieut. of the Queen, 110, fitting at Ports-
mouth for the flag of Sir Edward Owen. He was
from the 26th of July, 1842, until advanced to the
rank of commander, on the 22d of November, 1843,
employed on the Mediterranean station in the Aigle,
24, Capt. Lord Clarence Paget. On the 12th of
November, 1846, he was appointed to the command
of the Harlequin, 12, again in the Mediterranean.
He was appointed in March, 1853, to her Majesty's
ship Highflyer, which he commanded throughout the
war with Russia, and during all the operations in the
Black Sea in 1854 and 1855. For his services during
the war he was nominated on the sth of July, 1855,
a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and had
received the decoration of the Medjidie of the third
class from the Sultan. In March, 1858, he was ap-
pointed to command
,the Hogue, guardship in the
Coastguard, which he held a'short time, and then
was selected by the Duke of Somerset, First Lord
of the Admiralty, as his private secretary, a post he
filled for upwards of three years, when he retired
from ill-health. He was appointed a naval aide-de-
camp to the Queen in January, 1864. Capt. Moore
was nephew of Gen. Sir John Moore, the hero of
Corunna, after he was named. He attained the
rank of commander the 22d of November, 1813,
and his post rank November 22, 1848.

Ethnological society.

-~ ----

Yesterday evening an ordinary meeting of this
society was held in their rooms in St. Martin's-
place. Mr. John Cranford, the president, intro-
duced the proceedings by reading a note he had re-
ceived from Mr. George Thompson, mentioning an
exploration that is about to be made from the east-
ern coast of Africa in search of the ruins of the city
.of Ophir, which are supposed to exist, and for the
discovery of which Mr. Thompson conceives they
are in the right track.
The first paper read was " Notes on tha Andaman
Islands, taken during a three days' steam trip," by
Lieutenant St. John, which was read by his uncle,
Sir E. Belcher. The expedition proceeded from
Burmah in May, last year, and the party was much
more successful in coming into communication with
the natives than the expedition previously under-
taken, under the command of Dr. Mouat. Lieut.
St. John described the climate as healthy, though
at first relaxing to Europeans. He succeeded in
penetrating some distance into the interior,
though the whole country is covered with a thick
growth of mangrove trees, and he made friends
with one of the tribes of natives, some of whom,
at first, were very shy, and avoided all commu-
nication with the exploring party. The Anda-
mans he found a short thick-set race, about five
feet in height, but he does not seem to have been
particularly struck with the smallness of their
stature, which has caused them to be described by
other travellers as a race of pigmies. They are jet
black ; their features are generally those of the
negrillo, though they vary in a remarkable manner,
some of them having almost hooked noses. Their
hair, when allowed to grow, is short and woolly,
but the head is generally kept closely shaved, some
few alone allowing it to grow on the upper lip. The
men wear no clothing beyond belts and cords made
from twisted bark, the women wearing a leaf in
front and a bunch of bark behind. They paint their
persons in patterns with red and white paints, and
when unwell they cut the part affected all over with
a sharp shell or a piece of glass. They are exces-
sively quick and clever, and delight in a hoax. In
disposition they are represented as very affectionate,
but, like children, angry when thwarted. Their huts
are of the rudest kind; they are constructed of
branches of trees just high enough for a man to sit
under, and they aro slightly thatched with cane
leaves. Their food consists of fish, turtle, and wild
pigs—the latter being numerous, though small and
peculiar to those islands. Lieutenant St. John said
the bows of these islanders are very peculiarly
formed, being of the shape of the letter S, in the use
of which they are very expert. Their arrows are
long, and most of them are pointed with iron, hav-
ing been hammered into shape from iron nails found
in vessels wrecked on the coast. He described the
dance of the islanders as exhibiting greater variety
of figures than is usual in the dances of savages, the
musical instrument used being a kind of wooden
drum placed on the ground and struck with their
feet. It is a curious fact that these savages make
beautiful baskets, nets, and earthen pots. The
latter are made like those of the ancient Britons,
but thinner, and Lieutenant St. John thinks they
are used for burial. Very little, however, is known
of the habits of these people.
At the conclusion of the paper Dr. MOUAT gave
a description of these savages at the peod he visited
the islands. They were very hostile, and he could
not get them to enter into any communication with
his party, with whom they from time to time came
into collision. lie gave an interesting account of
one of these savages, named Jack Andaman, who
was captured and taken to India, and of his con-
duct in witnessing the various appliances of civilised
life. Jack was very tractable and affectionate, but
he could not bear clothing. The effect of it on him
was to produce colds and inflammation of the lungs,
which he had never been afflicted with when naked
and exposed to the weather; and he was at length
sent back to his native island as the only chance of
saving his life.
A second paper was read by Dr. CADDY, navy
surgeon, giving a brief account of his visit to the
Patagonians in 1861. He prefaced his account by a
notice of the destructive earthquake at Mendosa, on
the eastern slopes of the Andes, which calamity had
occurred shortly before the vessel, on board which
he was, touched at Valparaiso. In that earthquake
the whole city was destroyed, and out of a popula-
tion of 15,000 more than half were killed. In passing
through the Straits of Magellan the ship touched at
several points, and Dr. Caddy had an opportunity
of seeing the Patagonians, who at first sight ap-
peared to him like the giants of nursery tales. Dr.
Caddy is Gft. 11in, in height, but the Patagonians,
he said, were at least a head taller. Their features
and general appearance reminded him of the Indians
he had seen at Vancouver's Island and Nova Scotia.
They seem to be in a very savage state, had nothing
to offer in barter, but had a strong craving for rum,
biscuits, and tobacco. Coal had been discovered
within two leagues of the coast, there is good promise
of mineral wealth, the climate is healthy, and Dr.
Caddy considers the future of the Chilian settle-
ment in the Straits of Magellan to be most favour-
able.
After a few remarks from Mr. Crauford the
meeting adjourned.

Mr. G. V. BROOKE.—Our readers will be re-
joiced to learn that there is reason to believe that this dis-
tinguished tragedian is not amongst the number of those
who perished in the steamer London. Relatives of Mr.
Brooke, who reside in the neighbourhood of Belfast, state
that he was too late in applying for berths in the ill-fated
steamer, and at once started for Australia by the overland
route.—,Belfast News-Letter.

:,-...-.-.~e.~ s+~

_
---' to,
Court --•
--
(f 4
Amu

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Tuesday.
Her Majesty walked out in the morning, accom-
panied by Princess Helena and Prince Christian,
and drove in the afternoon, attended by the Dow-
ager. Duchess of Athole.

Their Serene Highnesses Prince and Princess
Hermann of Hohenlobe and Prince Leiningen dined
with her Majesty.

Countesd Gleichen also dined with her Majesty.

VISIT OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES
TO THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND.
NEWPORT, Tuesday Evening.
The first visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales
to the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland
in the Staffordshire Potteries commenced this after-
noon, having been somewhat delayed in consequence
of the period of mourning rendered necessary by the
death of the late King of the Belgians.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, attended by
the Countess of Morton and Major C. H. Grey,
left Sandringham at about a quarter to ten o'clock,
proceeding to the Wolferton Station of the Lynn
and Hunstanton Railway in an open waggonette.
The train by which they travelled arrived at Peter-
borough at 11.25. On the platform were assembled
from 150 to 200 persons, who cheered heartily as
the train entered the station.

From Peterborough the special passed on to the
Peterborough and Northampton line of the London
and North-Western Railway. It left Peterborough
at 11.30, and passed through some very charming
Northamptonshire scenery. The royal travellers
passed the populous manufacturing town of North-
ampton—at which place a number of persons were
assembled on the platform--at 12.45, and arrived
at the Blisworth Junction 10 minutes later, when
the special was shunted on to a siding, and awaited
the arrival of the 11.20 express train from London.
The train left the station at 1.10; Rugby was
reached at 1.35, and here a stoppage of 10 minutes
took place. The platform was occupied by a good
number of persons, who speedily recognised their
royal highnesses, who graciously showed themselves,
and were greeted with a good hearty cheer as the
train moved on.

Without further incident the train proceeded to
Stafford, which was reached shortly after 3 o'clock,
and here, after sonic cheering, an engine being in
readiness, the royal carriages again assumed the
character of a " special," and reached Newport
about a quarter to 4 o'clock.

The preparations at Newport to give their royal
highnesses a proper reception have been carried out
on an extensive scale. The prince and princess
proceed this evening to Lilleshall, and his royal
highness will shoot over the Duke of Sutherland's
well-stocked 'preserves there to-morrow, proceeding
on Thursday to Trentham ; and it is understood that
a visit will be paid by their royal highnesses to the
steelworks at Crewe on Friday. The prince and
princess will, according to present arrangements,.
remain the guests of the Duke and Duchess of
Sutherland till Monday next.

SHIPS' LIFEBOATS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—The attention of the public is now called to
the lamentable deficiency of ships' lifeboats, and
allusion has also been made to the coast lifeboats of
the National Lifeboat Institution as being probably
too heavy to carry on board our merchant ships.
I have therefore thought that perhaps you would
like to know that the important subject of ships'
lifeboats has for some years past occupied the seri-
ous attention of this institution; and the fearful

calamity that has just occurred to the ship London
has directed renewed attention to the necessity of
efficient or standard ships' lifeboats.
This institution has long maintained-
1. That there should be a sufficient number of
boats to carry every-.person on board a ship, each
fitted as a lifeboat of the size and description as per
given standard, hoisted to davits at the vessel's sides,
fitted with Clifford's or other sanctioned improved
lowering apparatus, and having always in her such
articles of equipment as shall be defined by law.
2. That every such boat should have painted on
her exterior, in legible and conspicuous characterg
the number of persons she was legally authorised to
carry ; in order that every passenger or other person
on board could at any time, by adding the total
numbers together, satisfy himself that there was lifo
boat accommodation for all.
It would also be a manifest advantage that every
boat should be of corresponding size, so as to take
an equal number of persons on board. Thus,
each was authorised to carry 30 persons, it would
be readily calculated that each ten boats would
carry 300, and the number would be so familiar to
every one that in the hurry of taking to the boats
the regulated safe cargo of each would be more cer-
tainly known, and less likely to be departed from.
3. That on leaving port, and at certain intervals
during every long voyage, the captain of the ship
should muster all hands, and call over the names of
the officer to take charge, the crew to work, and
the passengers to embark in each boat individually
specified.

4. That the boats of every passenger ship should
be especially and carefully inspected and reported
on by the appointed Government inspector previous
to each voyage. •
At present the inspection of ships' lifeboats is Of
no service, as there is no fixed standard, and it is
notorious that the generality of those in passenger
ships, and nearly or quite all of those in our COao
passenger steamers, are a mere sham, unentitled to
the name of lifeboats.

If space were allowed I could easily offer son°
remarks on eazh of the above recommendations t°
make plain their practicability.
About two years ago the National Lifeboat Insti-
tution had two standard lifeboats built by the
Messrs. Foriestt, of Limehouse, under the superiw
tendence of its inspector of lifeboats, Capt. Ward'
R.N., and Mr. Joseph Prowse, its lifeboat survelcr'
The institution invited the Lords of the AdmiraltY
and other gentlemen to inspect these two boats.
This invitation was readily responded to by their
lordships, several of whom, with the Duke °i.f
Somerset at their head, together with
other naval authorities and the Committee
of the National Lifeboat Institution, asselw
bled at the Regent's Dock, Limehouse, and
witnessed a series of experimental tests to which
these boats were submitted in conjunction with sow°
of the coast lifeboats belonging to the institution/
and with which their lordships were pleased to a"
press their satisfaction.
These two boats were constructed on the sal°
principles as the two classes of boats adopted by the
institution for coast service, but with such necessary
modifications as were essential to make them capable
of performing the ordinary duties of a ship's boat.
Although such boats cannot be made to possess
in the same degree all the valuable properties of 00
coast lifeboats of the institution, chiefly in consc-
quence of the much greater weight which would bae
thereby entailed, yet this experimental trial suffice
to show that they could be made approximate tdl
them, and tl(at without excessive weight they inigllt
possess considerable stability, either entire or partl 0
4
self-relief of any water that may be shipped, a 111..
amount of extra buoyancy, and, lastly, partial sci.o
righting power, so that they could, if upset, °
readily righted again by their crews in the water'
After further trials the Admiralty ordered the
Messrs. Forrestt to build a large number of lifebo/L:
in accordance with the principles contained in t
above-mentioned boats.
It is, therefore, earnestly to be hoped that every
o
vessel of war and every merchant ship will, st3;_
distant day, be provided with ample standard 1'
boat accommodation.—l am, Sir, yours, Sze./
RICIIARD LEIVIS, Secretary.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution, John-
street, Adelphi, Jan. 23.

Capt. William M. Dowell, C. 8., has been 3, 11;
pointed to the Topaze, commissioned, to take
on to Valparaiso, and bring back the Leander.