The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-07 00:00:00

THE EXPERIMENTAL BRIGS.

(From the Plymouth Times.)
It will be within the recollection of our readers that dur-
ing the time the late squadron of brigs were under trial, and
before any official report had become public, the partisans
of the Surveyor's department of the navy were constantly
endeavouring to mislead the public mind relative to the
merits and qualities of their own vessel, the Flying Fish,
which they stated to be the most complete and perfect of the
whole; and, not content with this, they endeavoured to
strengthen their statements] by most unhandsome misre-
presentations of the other brigs, particularly L'Espiegle
and Daring. The fcrmer was made, more especially, an
object of official jealousy and vituperation, solely from the
circumstance of her having been built and constructed by
three gentlemen of the late school of Naval Architecture,
whom they described " as being of little or no use"—" as
sauntering about the dockyards and picking their teeth with
chips." All this was, of course, only a continuation of the
policy pursued by the late First Lord of the Admiralty, who
took so active a part in ruining the prospects of these gentle-
men—certainly the best educated and most talented men in
the dockyard service. He stated, as is well known, in his
place in Parliament, as an excuse for keeping them in
subordinate situations, they had "failed in the science they
professed ;" but did not explain how. At last, however, this
shallow policy of sacrificing the interests of science upon the
altar of a political party, merely to uphold the views and in-
terests of a few individuals, became so very apparent that
the present Board of Admiralty deemed it expedient to em-
ploy these much-abused gentlemen, for the first time, in the
construction and building of ships for the public service, by
which it would be seen whether they were fairly open to the
mean misrepresentations of those whose very existence de-
pended on keeping them back in
the service, or not. Now,
it proved that, so far from their being incompetent to the
very highest duties which could be required of them as naval
constructors, scientifically educated by the Government, that
they sent in very beautiful and perfect designs for a line-of-
battle ship, a frigate, and a brig, accompanied by a most
complete and important report on the general state of our
national naval architecture, and which, we are assured, on
the best authority, gave the greatest satisfaction to the Ad-
miralty. The brig, as is well known, when constructed, al-
though the first vessel ever built by these gentlemen, came
very nearly within the line of flotation given by calculation,
and differed less from the construction drawing, than any of
the other vessels; whereas the Flying Fish, the brig pro-
posed by the Surveyor of the Navy, and constructed in his
department, differed so much from the intended line of flota-
tion, as ,shown in the construction drawing, that if all her
ordnance stores, including guns and all her provisions in
casks, together with her anchors, had been sent on shore,
she would not then have swam upon the lines intended. So
much for the comparative merits of the constructors of these
two vessels, and so much for the alleged failure in the
science professed.
Come we now to the reports of the trials of these vessels
as men-of•war. The official reports upon these trials, al-
though called for in the House of Commons, have been de-
layed and kept back from time to time, in certainly a most
extraordinary and suspicious way. At length, however,
those who so withheld them have been literally compelled
to yield them up; and it will be most gratifying to those
who endeavour to maintain the necessity of scientific educa-
tionin the public service, to find that they fully bear out the
enlightened and patriotic principles which they so frequently
advocate.

The first of these reports which claims attention is that of
Commodore Corry, who states, that " on a wind," in mode-
rate weather, there is very little difference between the
Flying Fish and Espiegle; that in a head sea, the Daring
is the superior vessel ;" whilst in a following sea, " there
was little difference between the three." In the thirteenth

trial, L'Espiegle "had a decided advantage over the Mutine
and rest of the squadron." In fact, any one who will peruse
Commodore Corry's very clear, well-arranged, and valuable
report, will see that, to say the least possible in favour of
this, the first vessel ever constructed by the gentlemen of the
School of Naval Architecture, she was in no wise inferior in
sailing qualities to the Flying Fish, the latest production of
the Surveyor's department of the navy, after fifteen years'
empirical experience at shipbuilding at the public expense.
And it will be apparent to every one that in this same report
it is proved that the Flying Fish was very frequently beaten
by the other brigs—not only by L'Espiegle, but by the
Waterwitch and Blutine. In the ninth and tenth trials the
Flying Fish was third.
Upon the whole, Commodore Corry awards superior sailing
qualities to the Daring. But in reference to other qualities,
viz., capability of firing guns, &c., he remarks, "Whilst al-
luding to the inclination, I must state that I could not help
remarking the extreme stiffness of L'Espiegle when com-
pared with the other vessels, which must give her a great
advantage when firing her guns." Now, when it is consi-
dered that this brig carries her ports nearly a foot higher out
of the water than the Flying Fish, and, by Captain Thomp-
son's report, she left Plymouth Sound with full five months'
provisions under hatches, whilst the Flying Fish could only
stow, in a similar way, fourteen weeks', can any one doubt
of the superiority of this vessel over the Flying Fish as a
British man-of-war? Even the report of Commander Harris,
of the Surveyor's own vessel, the Flying Fish, is favourable,
and highly honourable to L'Espiegle, admitting, in fact., that
each might claim success upon four trials to windward out of
seven ; whilst in eight subsequent trials Commander Thomp-
son states that L'Espiegle beat the Flying Fish five times,
and Daring three times.

Yet, notwithstanding' these striking facts, the organ of the
Surveyor's-office, which seems to keep no terms with either
consistency or truth, has the impudence to tell the public that
these returns to the House of Commons prove the great supe-
riority of the Flying Fish over all the ether brigs, as they
have repeatedly maintained. Verily, none are so blind as
those who won't see. If Captain Corry's report goes for
anything, it goes to show directly that the constructors
of L'Espiegle have been most unjustly dealt with, both
by Lord Minto and the late Board of Admiralty, and
tyrannically kept down to subordinate situations in the
dockyards against every principle of honourable deal-
ing. If the Admiralty will only look a little forward
there will appear a most melancholy prospect of
obtaining in a few years, properly qualified persons for
superintending the work of the dockyard ; and from whom
can be selected surveyors of the navy and other officers in the
higher department of the service. In fact, they have only
the wreck of the School of Naval Architecture to depend
on. Some of them may be certainly found eminently quali-
fied as practical and theoretical shipbuilders, extremely
well versed in the routine of the dockyard, and who are
beside sound mathematicians; but even those are
getting far advanced in life, and unless some grand step
be taken to train up and educate fitting persons
in the science of naval architecture for the Go-
vernment service, why, as a matter of course, that service
must either become degraded i.n its class of shipwright
officers, or be left at the mercy of any successful private
shipbuilder or amateur, who, through the patronage of the
State, can seize upon the office of the Surveyor of the Navy.
The Reform Admiralty he7e made a pretty mess of it, they
" and their apron men." They have certainly left the Go-
vernment ship-building in a far worse state than they found
it ; with such a man as Sir Byam Martin, comptroller of the
Navy, and such men as Sir Robert Seppings, Sir William
Rule, Sir Henry Peake, and others, there was at least some
guarantee that the public affairs could not be misconducted
by underlings and managing men, whilst, at the same time,
there was some little regard shown to the progress of science
in the establishment of the School of Naval Architecture.

We have, in this respect, to use a homely proverb, got out
of the frying-pan into the fire. It was remarked by an old
stage coachman, in regard to railways, that if you are
thrown off a coach into a ditch " there you are. But if ou
are smashed in a railway carriage where are ye ?" Now
where we are in the naval architecture of the Government
by this smash of the reform government in their royal road
to learning, we believe it would puzzle any to tell—such a
mass of contradictions was never before heard of in any public
establishment. With respect to the official reports of the
brigs, we earnestly recommend them to the serious attention
of naval men, as being quite conclusive to the principles
for which we are contending, and as being a complete con-
tradiction to the numerous attempts of hired writers to mis-
lead the country upon all the important questions of its
government shipbuilding and the melancholy state of its
dockyard affairs.

ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB.
Last night the monthly meeting of the club was held at
the British Coffee-house, W. Harrison, Esq., the Commodore,
presiding, faced by Lord A. Paget, the Vice- Commodore, and
supported by Lord W. Lennox, and about eighty influential
gentletnen of the club.
Mr. Iltiritru, brought forward his long-delayed motion
for the establishing a new club-house, or removing from their
present quarters, and after considerable discussion the motion
was unanimously carried, and a committee of thirteen gen.
tlemen appointed to inquire as to the best mode of carrying
out the same, and to report thereon. Among the gentlemen
appointed were the Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Lords W.
Lennox and Seaham ; the first meeting to take place on
Thursday, the 20th inst., at Cuttriss's Piazza Coffee-house.
The great confusion at present existing from the mode of
taking the ballot was, on the motion of Mr. GREENWOOD,
altered to taking the names collectively, or by balloting
singly if one black were found in five
It was also decided, upon a motion of Mr. BUCKNALL, that
the Society should in future receive 11. for every yacht sold
after being placed on its list.
The remaining business having been disposed of, thanks
were awarded to the Commodore, &c., and the proceedings
terminated.

SIR ROBERT PEEL.—We are exceedingly happy to
state that the answer to inquiries in Whitehall-gardens yesterday
was, that Sir Robert had nearly recovered from his recent attack of
the gout, and was in excellent health.
Tun COURT.—In the event of a continuance of the
present fine autumnal weather, her Majesty and the Prince Consort,
accompanied by the infant Royal Family, are expected to proceed
1 to Osborne House about the 20th or 21st inst., where the Court
will probably remain for about a fortnight or three weeks.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE' OF LADY ADELA
Vittonts.—Bannyrorr, Nov. 6.—Considerable excitement has
been caused in this town by the sudden and mysterious disappear-
ince of Lady Adele Carisanda Maria Villiers, youngest daughter of
the Earl of Jersey, who has been missing since yesterday afternoon.
His Lordship and family are at present residing at East Lodge,
Upper Rock-gardens. It appears that at five o'clock yesterday
afternoon her Ladyship retired to her room. with the avowed in-
tention of dressing for dinner, but as she did not make her ap.
pearance at table, inquiries were made, and she was not to be
found in the house. On further investigation it was ascertained
that her Ladyship passed through the lodge-gate, at a quarter.
past five o'clock, with a small bundle in her hand, and turned down
St. James's-street ; but nothing further could he learned of her.
Inquiries have been made
n sb
since h
either
it at the
of h
railwayt the
tr station,
ains
wh which
ht n
lefto per-
son employed about it remembers any person answering her Lady-
pshigiph'ts aftcleesrcfirivPetin glock. Every means have been resorted to to trace
.ui fugitive,withouttgdt4uttreshslitnhgerotcocurrence wasa
thesed to h
forward slightest success.
te C
()n
I nu tetlel is-
L...s hs
pence u. s'n was on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk,
of Jersey, ir..- and the Countess returned to East Ledge early
at Arendel Castle, . ',,la is only 17 years of age.
this ntorning, Lady A.
MAKING THE BEST or. IT.—Not long ago the
,use, near this town, failed to
Mini-stet of a dissenters' meeting...'
make hit appearance at the hour appoin 'ed for
. the commencement
ently for some time,
of the servia The congregation waite'd pu.'-
but still he came not ; and anxiously they waste.. on,
t, expecting
butstill
each moment that he would be seen ascending the pull: their
they nailed in vain. They, however, remained quietly it. 4.
places, and scarcely a whisper broke the silence of the house ...
worship. At length a highly respectable gentlemen of this town, I
seeing his son in the lower part of the chapel, and no doubt think-
ing it time to commence proceedings, called out " Tom I" Tom
responded, " Yes, father." " Hadn't we better sing a hymn,
Tom ?" " Yes, father, I think so," responded Tom. Accord.
ingly a hymn was given out and sung. Still the minister did not
appear, and the service came again to a dead standstill. The old
gentleman above alluded to, however, came again to the rescue.
Calling again to a relative, he said, " Hadn't some one better read
a-sermon 7" " I think so," was the reply, ;and forthwith the re.
spondent, a sharebroker of this town, went into the vestry, found a
sermon, ascended the pulpit, and read the discourse with good
eraphaeis and discretiothissZstyPool iilbiont