The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-30 00:00:00

THE EAVY‘

On Thursd-y last the Bristol, 51 guns, Fero°
steam frigate, which has recently been launched and
fitted at Woolwich, left that place for Sheerness.
The engines of the vessel, which are built by Messrs.
R. Napier and Son, of Glasgow, are of 600 nominal
horse-power, the indicated horse-power being 3,000.
The ship is furnished with horizontal air-puroZ
engines, which are remarkable for the simplicity 01
their expansion motion. Two trials took place 012
Saturday at Maplin Sands. The first resulted A 5
follows :—Average speed, with full boiler power,
12.568 knots ; pressure of steam, 201 b. ; vacuum,
261 ; revolutions, 66. The vessel was then tried at.
half boiler pressure, when the following results were
obtained :—Average speed, 10'078 knots ; revolu-
tions, 59 (Griffiths' screw) ; pitch, 23 feet ; diameter,
18 feet ; draught of water forward, 17 feet ; aft, 20
feet 4 inches. The vessel is remarkably well built,
and very strong, scarcely any vibration occurring
even when under the full force of the powerftlY
machinery. These trials, which lasted seven
were of a highly satisfactory character. Mr. Part`
ridge attended on the part of the Government, Sild
Mr. George Brown, foreman to Messrs. Napier and'
Son, on the part of the contractors. hours,rt

The Wanderer, 4, screw steam-sloop, 400 horse"
power, recently commissioned at Sheerness by Cool'
mander Michael C. Seymour, was takEn out of the
fitting basin at that port on Saturday, having NM-
pleted her fitments, to await sailing orders. Sli°
is supplied with two Armstrong guns.
The Sharpshooter, 6, screw, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Gibbons, was officially inspected yesterdel
morn:ng„at Spithead, by Captain Coote, flag-cap'
tain to Vice-Admiral Sir H. W. Bruce'
and afterwards steamed into Portsmouth harbour
to prepare for paying off.

The Bulldog, 6, paddle, Commander M'Killop) at
Portsmouth, is under orders to proceed to lialifalcr
taking out supernumeraries for the Mersey and
other ships on the station. She is expected to ge
out to Spithead on Monday next,
The lighter Devon, Thomas Jennings master, left
Plymouth Sound yesterday for Pembroke with jell
gear for the screw steam sloop Perseus, 17, which
will be taken to Devonport to be fitted for the first
division of the steam reserve.

The Norwegian corvette Ellida left Plymouth 0111
Sunday for the eastward.

The Donegal, 101, and the Immortalite, 61, both
in Plymouth Sound, have just been ordered to pre'
pare for sea. The Diadem, 32, also in the Sound,
is ordered to embark stores for Halifax, and then
proceed to the West Indies.

The Pylades, 21, screw corvette, Captain M. do
Courcy, having been dismantled, will be paid off at
Chatham this day, and placed in the steam re-
serve, after being in commission upwards of four
years, during the whole of which period she hao
been employed in the Pacific.
The following extract is from a letter received
by our Portsmouth correspondent from her
Majesty's ship Tartar, 20, screw, Captain Hayes►
dated Saturday, June 18 :

" We left Vancouver's on the 12th, and after 0.
run of six days arrived here on our way to Callao,
to relieve the Calypso, 18, Capt. F. B. Montresorr,
ordered to England, calling in at Panama. We
sail again from here on the 23d. When in harbour
our crew have lots of amusement provided for then 3
in the shape of cricket, football, and, on board, thea-
tricals. The men are actively employed in gull
practice, and gunnery is the word throughout the
fleet."