The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-09 00:00:00

I LAUNCH OF HER IVIAJEST'Y'S
SHIP ALBION.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
DEVONPORT, WEDNESDAT.—Yesteiday
.was lA*
here by all classes as a general holiday, the oceasimt
being the launch of the Albion, of 90 guns, one of
the largest two-decked ships ever built, and if
the expectations .formed of her sailing should
be realised, she will be a . valuable addition to the
naval force •of the nation. She is to carry thirty-two
68-pounders on her lower deck, and will throw
broadside of 2,016 lb. of metal. She is built on the
principle of Captain Sir Wrn.'Symonds, the Surveyor
of the Navy. Additional interest -Was* given to this
launch-by the presence of the Lords of the Admiralty,
whose flag is no* -flying on board the San Josef,
Captain Burgoyne. •The day was as fine as could by
wished, bright and glowing, and the thousands who
were abroad, both on land and water, converted the
landscape into a most busy and, gratifying scene: The
heights opposite the dockyard were crowded
With': spectators; the surtax of the water was
covered with boats of all kinds and sizes;
from, the humble skiff to the noble vessel'of some 'dis-
tinguiihed member of the Royal 'Western Yacht
Club. Tickets of admission to- the seats the tem-
porary galleries erected along the sides, arici,around
the bows of the Albion, were quite at a premium,
and -much anxiety was manifested to obtain thorn
From three o'clock, When the dockyard gates weir
thrown open to the public, till past four, a eontinuous
stream of people was pouring down to the scene of
action, mid those who could not get an inside place •
• were fain to see as much as they could (which hap-
pened to be very little), through the supports of the
• immense roof over the ship and under the spec-
tators' galleries. The enormous fabric was lite-
rally ...wedged in by a mass of humanity. At
four o'clock Admiral Superintendent I'vnt ar-
rived on the platform, followed shortly afterwarrls,
; Lord Haddington and Sir 0,
. Cockburnmad
et 4.
appearance
at
half-past four.
biselv3u
e.Sn
preparationswent on busily, and the tide rose
under the keel rapidly. Shortfy before five o'clock
all was ready. Mr. Hawkes, the master builder, then
led Mrs. Drake, the daughter of the .Adrakal-Super-
intendent, to the verge of the piatforin ; a bottle of
wine, gaily decorated with white and purple ribbons,
had been suspended at a convenient. height, and it
having been, with all due ceremony, placed in the
lady's hands, she immediately dashed it against the
bows, shattering the.bottle into a hundred fragments
(a good' omen it is said,), and causing the " rep.'
purple stream" to flow copiously down the oak tim-
bers, soon to be washed by another and far diffe-
rent
fluid. " Success to the Albion" was then
given, with three cheers by the whole of the com-
pany, .and the Lords of the - Admiralty left
the prateerm, and proceeded to seats Whichbad been
prepared for them on the larboard stern-quarter. A
few minutes were allowed to elapse to give their Lord-
ships -time to seat themselves, and- .Mr. Hawkes then
gave the mallet and chisel to Mrs. Drake, who divided
the cord that, by a most ingenious mechanical con-
trivance, is all that holds the immense mass in its
place, and thus set at liberty the Albion, which, like a
gallant horse, impatient m the rein, rushed on her
downward path to the ocean, with speed and majesty,
which few could behold withot4 a thrill of feeling
and a throb of national pride.
She was taken into dock with the same tide, and
will be commissioned immediately.
The Lords of the Admiralty dined with the. Admiral
Superintendent in the evening, and a splendid-:eater-
tainment was also given by Captain Burgoyne,' on
board the San Josef, to which more than two hundred
persons, including a large number of naval and mili-
tary officers were invited.
Lord Haddington is holding his official levee at the
dock-yard this morning.
The following are the dimensions and armament of
the Albion :

Ft. in.
Extreme Length from Figure Head to Taffrail 243
Length of the Gun Deck 204 0

Extime breadth

60 24

Height of Figure Head above under part of Keel 52 11
„ Tiffrail 55 8
Depth. jn Hold
Burt hen
. _

Weight when laun2hed .. . 2,400
„ when equipped Tor sea, with
three months completestores 4,230
No.
(Lower Deck
Armament... - Upper Deck 32 „ 32
(Quarter Deck and Forecastle 32 „ 26
V'. eight of Broadside of Shot in lbs. .„. 2,016