The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-15 00:00:00

THE WARRIOR OFF THE WIGHT.

In accordance with previously announced ar-
rangements, the Warrior, 40, screw, Captain the
Hon. A. A. Cochrane, C. 8,, weighed her anchor at
Spithead yesterday morning, and made a trip oub-
side the Wight, preliminary to her trial of speed at
the measured mile on Thursday next. The com-
pany on board, official and otherwise, included
Rear-Admiral Robinson, Controller of the Navy;
Rear-Admiral Charles Eden, C. 8., Vice-Admiral
Sir Michael Seymour, K.C.8., Rear-Admiral the
Hon. George Grey, Rear-Admiral J. E. Erskine,
Captain Moore, R.N., Private Secretary to
the First Lord, Captain H. Broadhead, command-
ing the Steam Reserve, Captain R. S. Hewlett,
C. 8., IL Harris, R. Coote, Sze., Messrs. Murray and
Miller, heads of the engineering department of the
dockyard, &c. Messrs. Mathews and Halliday
represented the builders of the ship's machinery,
Messrs. Penn and Sons.

The strong gales and heavy seas of the three pre-
ceding days had subsided yesterday into light
breezes from S.S.W., with smooth water, the latter
attended clear of the land with a slight swell from
the westward, the results of the previous rough
weather. The weather was too fine, in fact, for the
occasion; for, although it was pre-eminently calcu-
lated to develope the ship's favourable qualities, it
was not so likely to develope any unfavourable
points she might possess when steaming at sea. At
10.30 a.m. the frigate had her anchor out of the
ground, and in obedience to the signal on the face
of the engine-room telegraph the engines were
turned ahead at "slow," the ship's head being out
to the southward, and so, with the engines at 22
revolutions, she proceeded on her way for the Bela-
bridge lightship, the operation of tatting and
securing the anchor being in the meanwhile carried
out. On passing the light vessel with the engines
still going slow at 30 revolutions, the common log
gave the ship a speed of six knots. The swell in
the Channel began to be felt as the Warrior stood
over with her head S.S.W. on clearing the Isle of
Wight, and the ship exhibited a decided inclination
to be lively at times as the swell caught her star-
board side. It was, however, as yet more with an
inclination to lift to the swell than to roll in it. The
revolutions of the engines were gradually increased
until at noon they reached 491, the temperature in
the engine-room being now 88. In the stokeholes
the maximum was 136, minimum 95. Pressure of
steam on boilers 20; vacuum 52. Standing now
well into the Channel, the force of the swell was
more fully felt, and she rolled as any other vessel
would, but not exceeding five degrees as yet to
starboard and three to port. The engines were
doing their work beautifully, and with but little
noise. Vibration was felt to a certain de-
gree at the extreme ends of the vessel, but it
was of a totally distinct character from what is ex-
perienced in a wooden steamship-of-war. The spars
and gear aloft had no perceptible vibration what-
ever, and afforded a remarkable contrast to the
Mersey's rigging on her trial trips, where it was
apparent to an extraordinary degree. The huge
frigate was now fairly clear of land, with the Isle
of Wight fast lessening to the view astern, and,
alone as she was upon the water, she appeared to
diminish to the eye from her known colossal size,
and to assume more of the appearance of an ordinary
frigate. At 40 minutes past 12 the engines were
making 52 revolutions, which was the maximum of
their rate during the trip, and continued working,
as indeed they did throughout with great smooth-
ness and regularity, never requiring to be stopped
for a moment for any purpose, except when experi-
ments were made to test the ship's qualities in cer-

,
tain positions, as in making a circle, or their own
efficiency in noting the time it took to stop them,
start them to full speed from a state of repose, turn
ahead again to full speed, &e. At 1 p.m. the patent
log, which had been overboard 41 minutes, was
hauled on board, and gave the ship a speed of 12
knots. At half-past one the greatest offing was
reached, and her helm was placed hard a-port to
test the time in which she could make a complete
circle
eurpsnroid,accomplishedvsietliyontopromise
eonmli
wassl.
e
i
minutes full l p
sl
eseuenedd, which
seconds.
. The helm being next shifted
over to starboard she performed the same feat in
9 minutes and 7 seconds. In a third trial with the
helm to starboard she completed the circle in 8
minutes and 30 seconds. The Mersey on her trial
made the circle in as near as can be quoted from
memory—maximum time 13 minutes, minimum
time 9 minutes. The Warrior, therefore, from her
greater length and displacement, contrasts in a very
favourable manner with our largest wooden frigate.
From a dead stop, with an interval of time, the en-
gines were started ahead to full speed in 11 seconds,
and from full speed were stopped dead in 31 seconds.
When going full speed ahead they
effeudiearrarcentl
different
upon
0 n
put on at full speed astern in 49 seconds. AU this
was accomplished with wonderful ease—wonderful it
may fairly be said when the ponderous nature of
thehtnh er;
emtffhtouehvcseet,
m\wo,machinerycefhsntsethen:
the swell
became
s according;aecicoaeinmnl slaiewd etarh se
sufficiently
oft.
so
elact onshu makinge
a fair roll on some future occasion. But it was
when the engines were stopped as she stood back
1 towards the land, and the following sea caught her
on her port quarter, that she displayed her greatest
extent of rolling power, going over to starboard,
by the pendulum on the wheel standard, 15 deg.,