The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-03 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The armoured screw frigate Bellerophon, 14, Capt.
E. Tatham, will go out of Portsmouth harbour, it is
at present estimated, on Friday next, and commence
her trials of the competitive broadside 12-ton gun-
carriages about Mon day next. At present the Bellero-
phon has mounted in her battery three out of the four
guns on the competitive carriages, the Sir William
Armstrong, Woolwich Arsenal, and Capt. Scott's car-
riages. The Admiralty pattern wooden carriage is
being altered on the jetty alongside the slip to receive
the 10in. rifled 300-pounder gun which has been re-
ceived for trial from Sir W. Armstrong's works at
Elswick. As yet the preliminary drills on board
the Bellerophon hare been confined to Capt. Scott's
carriage and gun, and the Woolwich Arsenal car-
riage and gun. Yesterday the difference in handi-
ness and time occupied in running the guns in and
out on these two carriages was most remakable.
The gun on Capt. Scott's carriage was run in over
and over again in 12 and 13 seconds with no fatigue
to the gun's crew, while the gun on the Woolwich
carriage took actually minutes to perform the same
feat, and even then completely drove the breath out
of the men's bodies in driving round the useless
wheels which ought to have had, but were very far
from having, the necessary leverage over the run-
ning in and out chains. Sir W. Armstrong's gear
for running in and out, and Mr. Cunningham's for
the same purpose, have neither yet been tested pre-
liminarily on board the Bellerophon.
At Stokes Bay, near Portsmouth, yesterday, a
trial was made over the measured mile of a twin
screw launch, fitted by Messrs. John Penn and Son,
which was attended with very satisfactory results.
The launch (No. 19 on the Admiralty list) drew Ift.
101 in. of water forward, and 2ft. aft, the
mean immersion being 2ft. sin. Her two screws
were each of four blades, with a diameter of 2ft. Gin.,
and a pitch of 4ft., the length being 31in. The
four cylinders of the engines were each sin. in dia-
meter, and the length of stroke 6in. The heating
surface of the boilers was 100 ft., and the fire-grate
surface 4 8-12ths. The wind was from the N.E.,
light, the weather fine, and the water smooth.
Under these conditions the following results were
obtained:—Six runs at full boiler power, in knots,
7185, 7.017, 7.258, 6.857, 7.500 ; mean speed of
the ship, 7122 knots ; steam, maximum 73, mini-
mum 71; revolutions, maximum 320, minimum
308. Four runs at half -boiler power, in
knots, 5.572, 4.270, 6101, 2.894 ; steam,
maximum 72, minium 70 ; revolutions, maximum
368, minimum 364. The trial was considered very
satisfactory. Lieut. J. B. Michell, of her Majesty's
ship Asia, superintended the trial, as the officer of
the Steam Reserve, and the manufacturers of the
engines were represented by Mr. H. Anderson.
The gunboats Heron and Britomart left Plymouth
on Sunday for Halifax. The paddlewheel steam
sloop-Barracouta, 6, Commander William B. Urm-
ston, with the gunboat Charger, followed on Tues-
day evening. The armour-plated turretship Wyvern
4, was placed on Tuesday alongside the sheer hulk
in Hamoaze to have her guns removed. Extra hands,
joiners, and others have been placed this week on
the armour-plated ship Zealous, 20, in Devonport
Dockyard, to expedite her for active service. The
screw steam despatch sloop Amazon, 4, at Devon-
port, was put in commission on Monday, by Cora-
-1 mander J. E. Hunter. She will have a compliment
of 130 officers and men.
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April Terrible,lB,
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Victoria,
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k, the Resistance, the Phoebe, the Enter-
the Racer ; and at Gibraltar, the Skylark
Redpole. The Phoebe was to leave for Eng-
le 2d of May. The Supply left Gibraltar
on the 26th April. The Terrible brings Mr. Jones,
Paymaster, and 32 time-expired men and invalids,
two sergeants and four privates.
The screw steam frigate Severn, 35, from the
East Indies, and the troop ship Orontes, from
China, are daily expected at Plymouth.
The head-quarter division
first battalionab about
ut 1
13th Regiment, from isldioenrshoof arrivedhettt,
and embarking on board her Majesty's steamers
p.m. yesterday at Portsmouth from Aldershott,
Gladiator and Dee left in the evening for Devon-
port.
The deaths of the following officers have been