The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-03 00:00:00

when trimming sails Nov. 25.—Carried away flying Jib-
boom, trying rate of sailing in a moderate breeze; the boom
was very slight, being only five inches in diameter. Nov.
28.—Sprung jib-boom, trying rate of sailing in a. strong
breeze, in consequence of its being the heart of a lwrge spar,
and very knotty; it went in two places, shortly after the jib
was set, the vessel pitching at the time. • Dec. rhe iron
rudder head for tiller rendered useless, on account of the great
leverage of the tiller; it worked loose, and also loo:tened the
iron rim round the rudder's bead.
THE DARING (MR. WHITE'S BRIG.)-OCt. 27.—T:Afe buoy
was washed away, owing to a flaw in the iron-rod to which
it was attached. Nov. s.—Chain jib martingale was carried
away.
THE CRUIZER (OLD BRIG.)—Nov. 10—J011ylnat washed
from the stern, and damaged (since repaired) ; two lower
half ports washed away, berthing of nettings in wake of
waist anchors, both sides washed away ; standing and run-
ning rigging and sails much chafed and worn ; lower chain
plate of the starboard-forechains carried away ; hook for
main futtock shrouds carried away. Nov. 26.—Foretopmast-
studdingsail boom slightly sprung by accident in trimming
sails. Nov. 28.-31aintopgallant-yard carried away in a
fresh breeze, close hauled, by the force of the wind.

THE WATERWITCH (MR. WHITE'S BRIG).—OCT. 24.
Being hove too a sea struck dingy. life-buoy, whenever the
dingy was hoisted up she rested on life buoy, which could
not be secured in a more exposed situation in regard to the
dingy. Oct. 28.—Three boats' oars, one boat-hook, and one
boat-hook stave; gig stove in whilst being hoisted in a
heavy swell. Nov. B.—Maintopmast-studdingsail-boom lost
overboard : found missing from the yard in the morning,
heel-lashing having carried away. Nov. 27.—One spunge,
18-pounder gun lost at general quarters. Nov. 28.—Head-
shoots carried away.
THE PANTALOON (SURVEYOR'S BRIG).—Nov. 7.—Lost
three boats, oars, stern davits, having unshipped in a heavy.
sea. Nov. 9.—One rammer, 18-pounder gun washed over-
board ; four hammocks lost in a sudden squall. Nov. 23,
One top-mast studding sail boom carried away in a sudden
squall. Nov. 27.—One rammer, 18-pounder gun lost by
negligence in exercising,
[lt will be seen by the above list of losses, that the Mu-
tine suffered most. Great complaints were made by the
commander of the slop way in which she was rigged. Both
the Mutine and Espiegle were rigged by the dockyard people
at Chatham.]
A Return, showing the Quantity of Water and Provisionso n
board each of the under-me.ntioned, as shown by their last
returns (made up two days prior to sailing from Spit-
head) :
Water, in tuns—Osprey, Flying .Fish, and Daring, 40 each ;
Espiegle, 39 ; Cruizer and Mutive, 38 ; Waterwitch and
Pantaloon, 25. Provisions for 84 days on board each.
[The weight of ballast, armament, shot, and other stores,
are not given, nor is the draught of water or height of ports.]
A Return of the quantity of water taken in, pumped out,
or started, and of articles moved on board the Experimen-
tal Squadron, between the 21st of October and the 4th of
December, 1844 :
OSPREY.—Nov. 25.—T00k in 25 tuns of water to improve
her sailing. Nov. 26.—Stowed the hammocks and bags
forward on lower deck, before the foremast, and removed 60
32-pound and 12 18-pound shot from quarter deck to chain
locker, to improve her sailing.
FLYING Fisit.—Nov. 26.—T00k in 20 tans of water.
Nov. 28.—Moved one 18-pounder gun, making, with the
carriage, 34 cwt. nearly. Against a head sea, moved the
above 22 feet aft from foremost port, ship carrying taut
weather helm, which was afterwards returned to its place.
Dec. 2.—At nine o'clock guns squared ; at eleven, secured
with muzzles forward ; wind abeam experiment. Between
24th October and 4th December pumped out or started 28

tuns of water.
ESPIEGLE.—FiIIed all the empty tanks with water on
Nov. 28. Kept them filled afterwards. No alteration in
stowage.
MUTINE,—NOV. 25.—T00k in 2314 tuns of water, to make
the vessel hold a better wind, being light. Nov. 28.
Pumped out five tuns of water, to lighten her forward, the
vessel carrying much weather helm.
DARING.—Nov. 28.—Hammocks removed from waist
netting to lower deck, for the purpose of keeping the men's
bedding dry, the hammock clothes being defective.
CRUIZER.—Nov. 26.—T00k in 7% tans of water, in order
to bring; the ship down in the water and by the head, con-
sidering that she would be thereby more weatherly, having '
previously carried a slack helm, particutarly on the larboard
tack. Nov. 27, took in 121/4 tuns of water for the above
reason, not having been pumped on the 26th because the trial
was before the wind. Nov. 26—Moved four carronades and
one medium gun, trained with their muzzles aft, 27 seamen's
bags (about half? a ton) removed from foremast to the mid-
ship- bins, in order to bring the weight more amidships from
the stern, because they were thought to be too much in the
extreme of the vessel. Thirty-one 32-pound shot moved
from the main hatchway and fore scuttle to the stern. There
being a trial of sailing with a light wind aft, they were moved
because it appears by experiment to be slightly advantageous
to the ship on that point ofsailing ; but they were replaced im-
mediately after the trial, because, as stated above, the ship was
considered, with reference to her weatherly qualities, to be
too much by the stern. The aim in the above alterations
was to give the vessel more hold in the water, to compensate
for water casks (two tons), being empty forward, and to keep
the counters and square tack out of the water, and at the
same time to keep the weight out of the extremities. For the
same reasons, the bread, which is stored partly in the midship
bins and partly abaft, has been used entirely from abaft.
WATERSVICH.—Nov. 25.—T00k in five tuns 200 gallons
water to hold a better wind. Nov. 26.—Forty-eight 181 b shot
moved from racks between each gun to abreast of the cap-
stan, as an experiment. Dec. 2.—Eighty-six 181 b shot
moved from racks on lower deck to shot locker, as an expe-
riment, which answered.
PaNTALooN.—Nov. 25.—T00k in 13 tuns of water, ship
being in want of ballast. Nov. 26.—Removed stream and
kedge anchors from under the booms to the square of main
hatchway; shot from upper deck to shot lockers; squared
the four after guns. Nev. 26.—T00k in four tuns of water,
ship being crank. Dec. 2.—Pumped out four tuns of water,
being rather too much by the head.
(Signed) AMAR L. CORRY, Captain.
[Captain Corry appends to his diagrams of the trials on
the 18th Nov. During the trial the Mutine asked per-
mission to fill water, which was negatived, my object being
to try them all under similar circumstances, having pre-
viously issued an order to prevent the slightest change of
weight on board any of the vessels." Nov. 12th, he says—
" The Pantaloon had in the early part of the day asked per-
mission to fill water, as she required more ballast; but, for
the reason assigned in the trial of yesterday, ordered it to be
negatived." On the 21st, Captain Corry remarks—" The
Pantaloon was withdrawn from this trial in consequence of a
letter from her commander, informing me that he considered
it as absolutely necessary for her safety that additional weight
should be placed in the hold,' and stating that even in
smooth water, with a fresh breeze, the inclination was from
12 to 15 degrees.' I, in consequence, permitted him to fill his
tanks with salt water, and was therefore obliged to exclude
the Pantaloon from competing with the rest of the squadron;
having issued an order before these trials commenced to pre-
vent any vessel having an advantage over another either
by changing or taking in additional weights, my object be-
ing that all should be similarly circumstanced, to enable
me to ascertain how far they were each affected by the
gradual lightening which the daily consumption of provisions
and water would occasion." On the 26th of November, the
first trial after the commanders of the vessels had been per-
mitted to trim and take in as much water as they though
requisite, took place. Captain Corry's reports and observa-
tions are highly interesting, and give an example which
might have been followed by other commanders of experi-
mental squadrons, with more fairness to the public and justice
to the respective ships.
A Return, showing the Draught of Water of the respective
Brigs, composing the Experimental Squadron on their
arrival at Plymouth Sound, Dec. 6, 1844:—
Forward. Aft.
Osprey
Flying Fish
Espiegle ... 12 6
Mutine
Daring
Cruizer
Waterwitch ...... 10 3 •
Pantaloon ..... 11 6
(Signed) " AMAR L. CORRY."