The Sun.
London, England, 1829-09-16 00:00:00

SHIP-BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS.

Some improvements are now going on
Portsmouth, in constructing and fortifying the
bows of ships. One of the objects contemplated
by the late improvements introduced by Sir. IL
Seppings, but not the principal one, was to for'
tify the stern better. His plans enable the run"
away ship to fire a greater number of gun°
against the chasing one. Our Naval Officer'
say that the advantages of the improvement will
all belong to the enemy. That we are generally
the assailants, and rather require the bows of our
ships to be well armed than the sterns. It nig
even, they say, be a temptation to turn tail 011
the foe. At any rate, as other nations hay°
adopted the plan of fortifying the stern, we are
compelled to fortify the bows of our ships better,
and to effect this is the object of the improve'
ments introduced by Mr. It. F. S. Blake. ,g SO
much (he says) were chace guns required even
in the late war, and before the stern was fortified,
that there is not a veteran in the navy who h2O
not to regret for himself and friends the loss of
laurels, or some personal advantage, by the want 01
efficient guns of this description." By altering
the shape of the ship's bow above the water-line,
_
and not interfering therefore, in any manner vt°,
her sailing properties, he remedies this defect, an"
brings, in a three-decker, a battery of
guns to bear right 'a
-head. In all other
ships he is enabled to double the nily.
ber of guns which bear in this direc-
tion, and to point them, which is not very 00'
,
as ships are at preserit.formed, except with Wei
guns on the upper deck, directly in the line °
the ship's course. The bow, above the water-
line, is, in his plan, made • broader, and less like
a wedge than at present. No additional expel°
will be necessary thus to form the bow, and rile
essential part of the ship will not be weaken!' A;
In the opinion of a Naval Officer, it will "1„
more room on the upper decks, and prohOt;
tend to make the ships so built better sea-het
•
Sir George Cockburn saw the models of t"lg
plan, when he was here some time back, and tnt
mediately an order was given to make the b°
of the Vindictive, now undergoing repairs ant
alterations, of this form ; so that it will have.
fair trial. The ingenious author of the plat! 19
also the author of several other mechanical 102 e
provements in his own department, for which P.
has already received the approbation of his su.
periors. In general there seems to be a cons%
derable degree of activity of invention amongst
the people connected with the Dock-yard 0.:
Portsmouth, as .if the College here created a sti,i
mulus to exertion beyond its walls, and as I/
the reproach of indolence usually thrown on
dock-yard people were not now, if ever, deserved•

MAYO.—CASTLEBAR, SEPT. 7.—The re'
mains of a murdered man were found in bog near BOP
near this town, a few days ago, the head severed from tb.e
body, and the general appearance much disfigured.
Who
conjectured to be:the body of a man named BgowU, Who
was known to be possessed of a sum of money, amountil
tq)6o/., and who, it was supposed, bad gone to Engls"
for goods. He has not been heard of for some tine.--"
Constitution.

BIRTHS.
On the 14th inst. at Streatham-lodge, Mrs. G. Sc°tt'
of a son.
On the 13th inst. the lady of E. Hickson, Esq. Kind'
street, Cheapside, of a son.

MARRIED.
On the 15th inst. at Marylebone, N. W. Hake, Eqy
only son of the late Rev. J. Hake, rector of Welf°l:
Notthatnptonshire, to Caroline, third daughter of ...„,.;
Samler, Esq., York-terrace, Regent's-park. of
On the 15th inst. at St. Pancras, Mark 'Sloper, EA' of
Bishop's Cannings, Wilts, to Miss Christina Dough*
Kentish Town. of
On the 34 inst. at Gossford, George G. Suttie, E 0 40.
Balgone and Preston-grange, to the Lady Harriet Charte"
daughter of the Earl of Wemyss and March.

...
DIED. d
At Boulogne, Antonetta, wife of John Ellis, Esq. Flee "" i
:n
daughter of Sir Peter Parker, Bart. Admiral of the
On the 14th inst. at Norwich, Jeremiah Ives, E"l' '-
his 53d year.
On the 15th inst. in Lincoln's-inn-fields, Bi goe Charles
Williams, Esq.
Admiral

At Milan, en the 22d ult. George Losack, Est'
of the Blue.
On the 14th inst. at Camberwell, Mr. R. Taylor, clerk
of his Majesty's ship Doris.
On the 12th inst. R. Page, Esq. of the Wan
of the d of Ma-
deira, Knight Commander of the Portnix'e
Tower and Sword.
Order

'LING, Al

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PAINTED AND PUBLISHED BT DIVRDO YO
THE °mut, Svsex, LONDON.

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