The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-07 00:00:00

THE LETIATLIAN.

Saturday was the worst day with regard to the
trogress of the ship which has occurred since she
first commenced her tedious journey towards the
water. The men were all at work by eight ;:n the
morning, and with the first pressure the Leviathan
slipped some eight or ten inches, but beyond this,
for some unaccountable reason, it was impossible
to move her. All the screw jacks and all the
hydraulic machines were worked simultaneously

and strained to the very utmost, and every expe-
dient which could induce a start resorted to, but
in vain. The ship remained as immovable as a
mountain throughout the entire day, and
notwith-
standing the tremendous pressure applied along
the entire surface of both her cradles, it was past 4
o'clock before another slip took place. This hitch
doubtless arose from two sources—first, that the
fore part of the Teasel had descended many inches
further than stern, and so twisted the cradles in
the ways as to require double the amount of pres-
sure to overcome their friction, and, secondly, that
the vessel itself is now at least 60 feet from the
strongest of the hydraulic rams, and this distance
necessitates so many joints in the beams which
push from them to her that the force of the ma-
chines is either lost in the compression of the
wood, or, when that is overcome, that the beams
themselves give way laterally. The latter occurred
often on Saturday, and in the delay occasioned in
refuting the beams the greater part of the day was
lost. This contretemps was the more to be rg-
gretted as there was an unusual number of scienti-
fic and distinguished visitors in the yard on Satur-
day, and during the early part of the day Mr.
Brunel and Mr. Yates had the honour of receiving
no lam illustrious a visitor than the Princess Royal
hermit Her Royal Highness, attended by the
Duchess of Atholl, Mr. Ormsby' Gore and an
Equerry in Waiting, went over the entire yard,
and all the pondrous apparatus for lowering the
largest mass and greatest weight the t has ever yet
been moved were duly pointed out, and their action
explained. Her Royal Highness seemed much
struck by the immensity of the drums and breaks,
and the hundreds of tons of massive chain cables
which were wound around them. Tho enormous
solidity and strength of the basis required to resist
the backward strain of the hydraulic presses seemed
also to amaze her Royal Highness, who examined
and inquired into every detail, inspecting the
hydraulic machines, the construction of the
cradles, and the double purchases, which, working
from the land to the moored barges, drag the
vessel towards the river. As we have said,
while the Princess remained it was unfortunately
impossible to move the vessel ; but this loss was
almost compensated by all the apparatus for moving
her being quite at rest, and so enabling her to ap-
proach it nearly, which, of course, had it been iu
action, and with a full strain upon all its great
system of beams and chains, neither Mr. Yates nor
Mr. Brunel would have allowed for fear of danger.
He. Royal Highness quitted the yard shortly
before 1 o'clock.

As we have said, it was past 4 before any move-
ment was made upon the ship, when the pressure
applied was so great that the "yield" could be
distinctly felt upon the whole series of timbers
which support the rams. After this she moved
with more or less difficulty in short slips and
with rather tedious intervals between, so that at
dusk the signal boards only showed a progress of
88 inches forward and 72 inches aft, her mean being
6 feet 8 inches.

During yesterday no attempts were made, but in
order that no further loss of time might be occa-
sioned the rams were advanced nearer to the ship.
The efforts will be resumed to-day, and with all the
advantages which the change of machines will
afford great progress is likely to be made. Trot-
man's anchors appear to have got hold of the centre
of gravity ; for, in spite of the severe strain upon
teem, 'up to the present they have not yielded an
inch.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

On Saturday the first draught of the new cavalry
levy, in the service of the East India Company,
marched from Warley barracks to Brentwood, and
thence proceeded to Tilbury and embarked oa board
the screw steamship Gertrude, for Calcutta. The
number of rack and file who embarked was 450,
with five officers. On Saturday next the second
draught of cavalry recruits will be despatched to the
same destination. When this body (500 strong) has
left the barracks, recruiting for the East Endia Com-
pany's cavalry, which has been suspended in conse-
quence of Warley barracks not affording accommo-
dation for a large number of men will recommence.
The Bth company of Royal Sappers and Miners,
under the command of Captain W. F. Lambert,
Royal Engineers, is under orders t• leave head-
quarters, Chatham, and embark for China, the order
for its embarkation for India having been counter-
manded. The Bth company has been augmented
to its full number, and is now 120 strong, including
non-commissioned officers and men.
The following appointments to the Staff of Om
Indian depot battalions at Chatham have been
made by the Duke of Cambridge :—Capt. L. Side.
bottom, Adjutant, to the Ist Battalion; Captain T.
J. Grant, late of the 58th Regiment, Inspector of
Musketry, to the 3d Battalion.
During the whole of yesterday and also on Satur-
day large gangs of shipwrights and labourers were
busily engaged in efforts to raise her Majesty's
steamer Cuckoo from the position iu which she sank
off Chatham dockyard. Several of the largest
lighters employed in the service have been sent to
Chatham to be used in floating her, but they have
but partially succeeded. On Saturday the large
force were employed in removing the sunken
steamer from her former position and placing her
stem more towards the dockyard, whereby she was
considerably eased of the immense strain to which
she had been formerly subjected. Yesterday re-
newed attempts were made to lift her, and a num-
ber of additional chains were passed beneath her
keel and made fast to six large lighters. As the tide
rose last evening it was found that the steamer was
being lifted and hopes were entertained of being
able to remove her at high tide last night.
A party of 120 men have left Colchester Camp
for Great Clacton, to relieve a similar number of
recruits who have bean stationed at that place for
zitia practice. Considerable numbers of recruits
continue to arrive in the camp, the command of
which has been assumed by Major. -Gen. Shade.
Recruiting is actively going on at Lin.'oln for
the Royal Artillery, Ist Royal Dragoons, 91st
Foot, and 10th Foot.

We have good authority for stating that a forth-
coming Gazette will announce the appointment of
an Admiral of the Fleet, and that Sir Chas. Ogle,
Bart., the Senior Admiral of the Red will be the
recipient of this honour. Sir Charles's father, Sir
Challoner Ogle, Bart., died Senior Admiral of the
Navy in 1816, and his grandfather died Admiral of
the Fleet in 1751.
The screw steamer Balaklava, from Woolwich,
arrived at Southampton on Saturday, with stores
for the Abeona steamship, about to sail with troops
for India.
The Hannibal, 91, screw line-of-battle-ship, hav-
ing been refitted at Portsmouth, has been removed
from dock, and taken out of harbour for the work-
ing of her engines._

The trial o? the Diadem, 32, Captain Moorsom,
C. 8., having proved so satisfactory under the in-
fluence of Griffith's improved screw and pitch,
Admiral Sir G. Seymour, Commander in-Chief,
took a cruise in her on Saturday to observe the
working.
The Cnro9oa, 31, Captain Mason, was undocked
at Portsmouth on Saturday, and removed into the
fitting basin to be masted and rigged.
The newly instituted quarterly examination of
nominees for entry into the navy concluded at the
Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, on Saturday,
when the following passed and received certificates:
—For Naval Cadets—H. Studdy, C. A. Blake, J.
Bradford, J. A. Dashwood, C. B. Wadcotr, 0.
Churchill, J. T. Kilgour, E. Wickham, W. A.
Hudlestone R. W. Evans, A. W. Whist), F. Gar-
nault, E. Hicks, J. B. Haye, W. B. Inman, E. A.
Bolitho, H. P. Karney, T. H. Fraser, C. Krng,
G. H. Jervis, the Hon. H. E, Ellis, G. It.
Beadon (the above wire between 14 and 15
years of age), J. C. Higgineon, R. W. Stopford,
11- H. Rainier, A. H. B. Bradshaw, H. L. Ryder,
Loci%.Maclean, F. Gaskell, J. H. Butt, 0. P. Tu-
d,oore,. C. Holland, N. F. Gye, G. V. Story, G. M.
S. L. Osborne C J C Clair G. E.
Somerset, T. w. C. J. C.
and 14 years of Haweis (these were between 13
For Masters' Assistants—J.
C. Boulton and 11
ukenson, ft ona Greenwich
school. 16 of the cadets sod from the preparatory
naval establishment of Mr. T. Eastman, IZ.N.,
Siuthsea.
The Persian, 12 guns, sloop, Corarnlnder J. li.
Chads' sailed from Sheerness yesterday at 9 35
a.m. She i 3 under orders to stop at Plymouth pre-
vious to her departure for the West Coast of Africa.
The new screw steamship Renown, 91 guns,
Capt. A. Forbes, iu the fitting basin at Sheerness,
is masted and tops are over the masthead. Exer-
tion is beino• made to expedite her fitment. The
following officers have taken up their commissions
and appointments and joined her :—Commander
B. Lethbridge, Lieuts. S. F. Douglas, R. Sterne,
and the Hon. F. W. Charteris; Mr. J. R. Andrews,
paynraster ; Mr. W. W. Thompson, assistant-sur-
geon ; Mr. C. Osborne naval instructor; Mr. C.
M`Kern, clerk; Mr. 11. W. Govett, assistant-sur-
geon ; and Mr. F. B. Williams, assistant-clerk.
A commission dated Dec. 3, 1857, will be laid be-
fore the Queen, appointing the following named
gentleman cadet to be second lieutenant in the
corps of Royal Marhaes—viz,, Gentleman Cadet IL I

The United States'mail steamship Adriatic, Capt.
West, arrived off Point Lynas at 9 p.m. on Thurs-
day, after a run of ten days four hours, from New
York, having left that port at noon on the 23d ult.
Had she proceeded to Liverpool direct the passage
between the two ports would have been made in 10
days eight hours, mean time, but Capt. West, pro-
bably in consequence of a strong gale from the
westward, deemed it prudent to lay to during the
night, and did not get under way till nearly high
water of the next flood tide. We have not received
any official particulars of the trip, but we under-
stand that the Adriatic's performances during the
voyage were considered by all on board to be highly
satisfactory. It is reported that the supply of coal
fell short. We were told by a passenger that the
highest rate of speed in 24 hours was 330 miles,
and that occasionally she logged 15 knots per hour.
In taking the passage at ten days eight hours some
allowance must be made for this her first trip, for
there is no doubt that when her machinery is in
good working order she will improve in her rate
of speed. It may not be out of place to state that
the first passage of the Persia from New York to
the Liverpool bar occupied 10 days seven hours ;
but this was made in Feb., 1856, the worst season
of the year, and on that occasion she made a con-
siderable detour southward to avoid the ice. Her
quickest run eastward was made in eight days 23
hours, to the Bell-buoy.
On Friday morning intelligence was received that
the Adriatic was outside, and a steam-tender was
despatched for the mails, which were landed at 11
o'clock. In the meantime, notwithstandiag the
remarkable increase of late years in the size of
ocean steamers, crowds of people assembled on the
piers and landing-stages to witness the arrival in
the Mersey of the long-looked-for steamer. It was
not till 2 o'clock, amid a crowd of outward-bound
shipping, that the Adriatic was seen off the Rock
Lighthouse, and, as the weather was fine, a good
opportunity was thus afforded for viewing the stately
vessel as she steamed against a four-knot ebb tide
to her moorings. She appeared to be under easy
steam, going at the rate of nine knots per hour, and
yet, so keen and fine are her lines, there was scarcely
a ripple perceptible at the cutwater,: while aft there
was an entire absence of that turmoil of waters
which distinguishes the "sea-bruisers," the pet
models of the old school of naval architecture, in
their laboursome progress at sea. On approaching
the Sloyne the Adriatic displayed the English en-
sign and saluted the Cunard steamers Canada and
Persia, a compliment whioh was promptly returned
by these fine vessels, each of which had the United
States' ensign at the fore.
Viewed from the piers, the Adriatic appeared to
us less graceful on the water than the Persia, and
differs but little from the other steamers belonging
to the Collins line, having the same upright stem
and neatly rounded stern. She has two light masts,
with topsail yards on the foremast, and two lofty
funnels, placed fore and aft, slightly raked.
The Adriatic was constructed in New York by
the late Mr. Geo. Steers, who also built the United
States' screw-frigate Niagara, and was launched on
the 7th of April, 1856. Her extraordinary delay
in that port was caused by frequent alterations in
her machinery. According to the American mea-
surement she is of 5,900 tons capacity ; but if mea-
sured in accordance with the English standard we
presume this calculation would be considerably re-
duced. The length of the Adriatic over all is
354 2-3 feet, while that of the Persia is 390 feet.
The breadth of beam of the former is 50 feet, being
five feet more than that of the latter. The depth
of hold of the Adriatic is 33 1-6 feet, and that of
the Persia 32 feet. The tonnage of the latter is
given at 3,600 tons, with side lever engines of two
cylinders of 100 inchec diameter each, and 10 feet
stroke of piston. The machinery of the Adriatic
consists of two of the largest oscillating engines
that have evsr been constructed, which were manu-
factured at the New York Novelty Works. They
have two cylinders, each 100 inches in diameter,
with 12 feet stroke of piston, and are of the tech-
nical horse-power of 1,500, but they are considered
in reality equal to 2,800 horse power. The dia-
meter of the paddlewheels of the Adriatic and the
Persia is the same—namely, 40 feet. The Adriatic
is considerably larger than the other American
steamer, being 700 tons more than the screw frigate
Niagara, 800 tons more than the Vanderbilt, and
2,000 tons more than the Atlantic. She is alto-
gether a splendid specimen of naval architecture,
and will doubtless prone to be by far the fastest
vessel ever constructed within the United States
The total cost is estiraated at little short of a quar-
ter of a million sterling.
The New York Times, speaking of the departure
of the Adriatic, says 'The departure of the steam-
ship Adriatic on her first voyage across the At-
lantic, is an event in our current history entitled
to a special notice. It does not, indeed, mark the
commencement of a new era in navigation, as the
first trip of the Clermont up the Hudson or the
first passage of the Sirius across the Atlantic did,
but it marks an epoch in the history of steam navi-
gation. The Adriatic is not only the largest steam-
ship afloat, but the largest vessel of any kind that
has been launched, as she is believed to be the best
in all respects. She is, therefore, at the present
time the champion of the seas, and is likely to con-
tinue so until the Leviathan hall be launched and
afloat. Then we shall, of course, assign the ocean
belt to Great Britain, but until then we may be
allowed to claim the d stinction of having sent to
sea the largest and finest vessel that ever clove the
waves of the boisterous Atlantic. The Adriatic's
engines are the largest in the world. There are
eight principal boilers, each with furnaces ranged
side by side, so that the whole number of fur-
naces is 48. Besides these there are two extra
boilers, to be used when desired. The vessel will
carry, for the supply of her boilers during a single
passage across the Atlantic, from 1,200 to 1,500 tons
of coal. She is supplied with. patent condensers,
the cold water running through 12,000 circulating
copper pipes, condensing the steam in its course,
saving, as it is said, nearly 75,000 dollars per an-
num in fuel and wear and tear when the ship is
running. The piston rods are 15 inches in diathe-
ter, of solid wrought iron. The furnaces require
from 50 firemen and coal-passers, and no less than
six engineers will be required to attend the engine-.
The wheels are each 40 feet in diameter and 12 feet
face, and hive a dip of from eight to nine feet.
What the Adriatic may accomplish rerea ne to be
proved, and, as we shall soon know the results of
her first voyage, it will be idle to boast of her speed
and safety now ; but we know her beauty of model,
the unequalled elegance of her interior arrange-
ments for passengers, the superiority of her dimen-
sions over any other vessel afloat, and the grace
and loveliness of her lines as she sits upon
the water ; we know, too, what her perfoim-
ances were on her trial trip, and we may confi-
dently anticipate, setting aside the accidents
which all ships must encounter, that she will fully
justify all that her admirers have predicted of her.
In all her cabin arrangements she is greatly superior
to any other vessel that has been in our harbour,
and not only has everything been done to add to
the comfort and even luxurious enjoyment of the
passengers at sea, but everything that will tend to
secure their safety and prevent the occasion of acci-
dent... She is abundantly supplied with lifeboats,
light,
arid, among
whlal7he carries at her foretopreast head,
other new arrangementm, the calcium
another veYssele
will ton' d ai:ecurity against a collision with
discover objects at ual.'d'i?Y'stt enabling the look-out to
in the dark, will greatly lessen
of three or four milt s
has accommodations
the, chances of acci-
dents at night. She haY
for about
400 passengers, 300 of theraial
first-class. Her
matet., ,
ii..eadivided as
_urgeou,. 1
24carpenters, 1 botswain,
working force, numbering
4:—qulartcoemrmmaasistiielresr,,
pfoullrsoeurts,
36 seamen, 1 engineer, 3 assistants, 6 superinten-