The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-10 00:00:00

THE GREAT BRITAIN STEAM-
SHIP.

On Wednesday the Great Britain made a trial trip
down the Channel, having about 140 visitors on board.
It was intended that she should have started from King-
road as early as eight o'clock, A.m., but owing to the fog
in the Channel, the pilot did not deem it prudent to start
her until the fog dispersed, which was not until twenty-
five minntes after twelve o'clock. The consequence was
that the trial trip was necessarily much shortened in its
distance. No ladies were on board, but among the gen-
tlemen were—Mr. George Rennie, Mr. I. K. Brunel,
Mr. Samuda, patentee of the atmospheric railway ; Mr.
T. B. Smith, patentee of the Archimedean screw-prc-
peller ; Mr. B. Woodcroft, patentee of a screw-pro-
peller ; Captain Hosken, R.N. ; Captain Cooksley,
R.N. ; Captain Ward, R.N. ; Captain Wallcott, R.N. ;
Mr. Pattison, naval architect ; Mr. R. Bruce, &c. The
Great Britain now presents a very different appearance
to that which she did when she left the docks, her six
masts, which are called the foremast, mainmast, and 3d,
4th, sth, and 6th masts, having been stepped, and tem-
porary shrouds attached ; the yards of the mainmast are
also across. The vast size of the ship will perhaps be
better exemplified to the nautical reader by stating that
were she riggod with three masts, her foremast would be
upwards of 60 feet from her bows, and her mizen up-
wards of 100 feet from her taffrail, while each of her
masts would still be as far asunder as they are on board
of an 80-gun ship. At 25 minutes past twelve precisely
she started, and came roand from her moorings in the
Kingroad in beautiful style. The engines were then put
in motion at teu revolutions a minute, when she made
6} knots. During the voyage to the Holms and on her
return the log was frequently thrown, and her speed
taken, which was as follows ;-
10 revolutions=6i knots.
Rate of the screw
Apparent rate of ship

Slip
At 19 minutes past one o'clock the log was again thrown,
13 and nearly 14 revolutions, 9 knots. When off the
Holms 14 revolutions produced 91 knots ; 15 revolutions
full gave 9f knots ; 15:1 revolutions 9i knots. When
the ship was below the Holms she was brought round
twice, and came round the 32 points in a little less than
7 minutes ; and half round, or 16 points, in 3 minutes
55 seconds. On her return up channel, with her head to
the wind, the speed of the engine was increased to
16 2 3d revolutions, which gave 10k knots ; and sub-
sequently to 18 revolutions, which gave 114 knots. The
engines worked beautifully, none of the bearings heating;
but, of course, they were at no time put to full speed ;
and the Great Britain made the pasage from the Helms
Kingroad (19 miles) in exactly 1 hour and 9 minutes,
being head to wind.

FUNDS-(CLOSING PRICES)
BRITISH FUNDS.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced
3 per Cent. Consols
New 314 per Cent .. 10414
Long Annuities to expire Jan 1860 12
Ditto 30 years, Oct. 10,1859 ... 12
Ditto 30 years, Jan. 5, 1860 ... 11 13-16
India Bonds, 1,0004.
Ditto under 1,000/. .
South Sea Stock 116%
Consols ...
Exchequer Bills, 1,0001., 11/2d.... 63 pm.
Ditto 500/.
Ditto Small
FOREIGN FUNDS.
Chili= Bonds 6 per Cent.
Dutch, 2% per Cent
Ditto, 5 per Cent 99lu
SHARES.
Chaster and Holyhead, 5 paid 5... 53/i

Churnet Valley, 2 paid 4
Pirect Northern, 21/ paid 2l//
Eastern Counties, 25 paid ...
Ditto Perpetual, 5 per Cent, 2a paid, No. 1. 1
Great Southern and Western (Ireland), .5 paid
Ditto Extension, 214 paid 4%
Great North of England, 100 paid —
Ditto, New Shares, 5 paid 26
Ditto, 2 paid
Great Western, 75 paid ... 167
Ditto Fifths, 20 paid 3Bl,
London and Birmingham (Stock) ... .. —

. .
Ditto Quarter Shires, 2 paid
London and Brighton, 50 paid 5l
London and Greenwich, 12% paid
London an. South Western, 411 paid 765
Ditto N ,:w
London and Croydon, 131. 15s. 9.1. raid ......
Midland, 100 paid
North British, 71/2 paid
Northern and Eastern, 45 paid 59
Richmond and West End Junction, 1 paid 2,
South Eastern and Dover, 33h paid 4IP
Ditto New Shares, 4 paid l5
Trent Valley, 2 paid 9 A
York and North Midland, 50 paid
Ditto Scarboro' Branch, 10 paid 3211
FRENCH RAILWAYS.
Boulogne and Amiens, 2 paid 4%

Tint CLIFF AT BLACK Root, BRIGIITON.—Dur-
ing the last three or four winters the rapid falling away
of the cliff at the eastern extremity of Brighton parish
has excited considerable anxiety. The narrow space be-
tween the sea and the south side of the road loading to
Rottingdean is constantly diminishing. This is especially
the case immediately opposite the Black Rock Gas-
works, where, last winter, the road had become so un-
safe that if prompt measures had not been adopted, it
must have been closed against the public. On that oc-
casion a piece of land was obtained from the gas com-
pany, and a new road was constructed. A year has not
passed since that work was completed; the sea, however,
continues to advance; and if the work of destruction be
permitted to go on at the same rate as during the last
few weeks, the operations of last winter will have
soon to be repeated. We forewarn those who
have property invested in the Rottingdean-road, that
if some effort be not speedily put forth to stay the
further progress of the sea, the safety of the public
will require that the road be again set back, or that
it be stopped up altogether. On the 12th of November
last there was an extensive slip along the whole face of
the cliff, commencing at the western boundary of Rot-
tingdean parish, and reaching to within a few yards of the
Black Rock Coast-guard Station. Since then several other
slips have occurred on the same site ; and unless the
base of the cliff be protected by groynes or a dwarf
wall, they will become still more frequent. The rapid
inroads of the sea at this particular spot are occasioned
partly by the materials of which the cliff is composed,
but chiefly by the sea having embayed itself. At one
part the distance from the road to the edge of the cliff is
only about twelve feet. A series of groynes, in continua-
tion of those erected some years ago by the commissioners
of Brighton, would form a certain and comparatively in-
expensive defence. The inhabitants of Brighton are
interested in preserving a road, without which their own
Marine parade would lose many of its attractions. Let
us hope that something may be done, and without delay,
to keep this line of road unbroken and to remove all
cause of apprehension of danger floe' the minds of those
who travel on it.—Brighten Gazette.

SUICIDE AT THE RESIDENCE OF SIR HENRY
POTTINGER.—Last night, at eight o'clock, an inquisition
was taken before Mr. Higgs, deputy coroner for West-
minster, and a jury, at toe Lowndes Arms, Chesham-
place, Pimlico, on view of the body of Benjamin Paine,
aged 40, butler, in the service of General Sir Henry
Pottinger, who committed suicide by cutting his throat
at the residence of his master, No. 80, Eaton-place, Ea-
ton-.qu are. To elueirlate the mystery that seemed to
haog over the tate of deof,vs.-d, the inquiry was adjourned
for the attendance of Henry Pottinger, and to ascer-
tain as tar as practicable the cause of his committing the
suicidal act.

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