The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-08 00:00:00

THE TRANSIT.

Cn the motion that the house at its rising adjourn to
Monday,
Mr. LINDS t!eY called attention to the statements
that bad been published relative to the disastrous state
of the Transit. He recapitulated all the items connected
with her already before the public, and remarked that
his reason for bringing the subject before the house was
to ascertain, if possible, their truth. She was one of three
ships, the "Perseverance," " Urgent," and " Transit,"
from abroad on a recent cccasion by the Government,
and the Transit was the vessel placed at the disponil of
hon. members to view the naval review last year. The
hon. gentleman then entered into details as to the defec-
tive state of each of these ships when sent to sea.
These ships were built by Messrs. Mare and Co. the
well-known ship-builders, and it was reported out of doors
that often they got out of Messrs. Mare's hands and got
into the hanr4s of the Admiralty where they were
spoilt. These ships were built on very fine lines, but
when the Government got them, they put very heavy
poops and topgallants, sail, yards, &c., to them, which
made them crank and caused them to roll in the manner
described and strain very much. He asked if the state-
went he had made relative to these alterations in our
dockyards was true ?
After some remarks from Mr. BENTINCIC,
Sir C. WOOD expressed his gratification at having the
opportunity of replying to the statements that
bad been made relative to these ship', and thereby dis-
pel the alarm and anxiety than had been raised in the
public mind in consequence. These vessels were built
by Messrs. Mare, the eminent ship-buil lers, and not in
anticipation of an extraordinary demand arising from
the war. Mr. Chaplin, and Mr. Partridge, of her Ma-
jesty's Dockyard's, surveyed the ships previous to their
purchase—(hear, hear) —and gave an opinion that they
were admirably constrncted for the conveyance of
troops and stores, the only additional requirement
the Government insisting on : being their ap-
plicability for a screw. It was true the poops were in-,
creased, and a portion of the decks covered in for the
comfort of the troops, which did not materially add to
their top weight. As regarded the masts, lighter masts,
sails, yards, &c,, were put in each of the ships than they
were intended to carry. Tlee Transit ire-tead of having
a mast of a two decker, had only that of a 20 gun cor-
vette—a remarkably stiff ship. The Transit was 2,580
tons, and the masts, &c. put to the Transit were those of
a ship of only 1,460 tons, the tonnage of a corvette. The
length of the Transit was 300 feet, and the corvette he
had referred to only to 200 feet. The breadth of beam
of the latter was 44 feet, and in the former 41 feet 6 in.
Tue proportion was as 3 to 2, and as regarded the area
of sails the Transit was intended to carry was 18,800
square feet, whereas she had only 16,400 square feat.
After entering into various other technical details as to
the relative sizes of ships of this description, the
right hon. baronet said that he hoped the house. would
believe that she was sound and firm, and was as fine a
vessel as ever went to sea. That was the opinion
entertained of her by competent judges. The right
hon. baronets's() referred to the Perseverance and Urgent,
said that it would appear as if Government vessels were
the ocly vessela• that meet with accidents, but it
was a fact that merchant vessels met with as many ac-
cidents as Government vessels ; and in toe storm where
the Mesgara became disabled, a usernhant steamer suffered
more than the former from the same gale. No doubt these
articles were amusing for the papers, but many of the
accidents arose from circumstances beyond control. In
alluding to slack rigging, Sir George said that it was
well known that from change of weather, &a.,
new rigging always stretched, and •it was a
usual practice to set no rigging of Government
vessels going across the Bay of B.seay at Corunna.
In conclusion he read a letter from au officer on
board to his brother in this country, giving a different
complexion of the affair to that published in the news-
papers. The accident to the Transit -vas one likely to at-
tend any ship under similar circumstances, and reflected no
discredit on the parties interested. He condemned such
publication&', not for himself, being invulnerable to all
a tacks of this kind, but on account of the anxiety and
misery it infl cted on the relatives of those ou board such
vessels.

S r G. GREY introdrctd his Transportation Bill
and Mr. LABOUCEIERE obtained a select coo:
nittee in reference t 7) the yulson'zi Bay C3mpany.
The house adjourned at 20 minutes past 6.