Star.
London, England, 1829-10-15 00:00:00

SHIP ANC:HORS.

A very interestirq experiment has been tried during
the last week iu this Duck-yard, to determine the relative strength
of two anchors; one, the anchor commonly used in the Royal
Navy, some time since invented by Alt. Pering, late clerk of the
check of Plymouth Duck-yard, the other recently invented by
Lieutenant William Rodger, R.N. The chief peculiarity in the
new anchor is, that the shank is made hollow, and has a wooden
core, six inches in thickness, extending nearly its whole length.
Over the wood are placed two iron plates three-eighths of an inch
in thickness, and the whole are firmly bound together by strong
hoops. A shackle her also been substituted for the usual ring, and
the shank so formed that the stock may be unshipped with the
greatestsfacility. The weight of Pering's anchor was :newt. :qrs.
41b. that of Rodger's, including the oak, 99curt. °qrs. 191bs. •
The mode of trial adopted was by first placing two strong tim-
bers parallel to each other at some distance apart, and each resting
against the walls of two storehouse•. The anchors were hooked to
these timbers by their palms, and the timbers were so formed that
the whole surface of the palms rayed closely against them. The
perpendicular distance of the upper part of this bearing ftom the
middle line of the shank was about 2 tt. 1 in. each. The anchors
were hove towards each other, by nivans of two threefold pur.
chases, passing through blocks lashed to their rings, and the falls
led away to two capstans, each manned by 40 men. On the first
day. after having hove about ig minutes, the main purchase, an
eight-iatch cable, broke.
T•he next day, a nine-inch hawser, with powerful blocks baying
beer)" substituted, the trial was renCwed, when Rodger's anchor
broke in the fluke nearly in the middle,between the throat and the
upper part of the palm ; but, from the appearance of the fracture,
it was universally attributed to a defect in the workmanship rather
than the principle. The anchor was then turned over, so that the
other fluke was htiolted to the timber ; and on Thursday a farther
trial tusk place, when, after heaving about 8 minutes, the shank of
Perfing's anchor broke asunder, at about 9 feet from the throat. The
•fracture sbrwed the iron to have been united in the most perfect
I manner. From the result• of this day's experiment, there could
exist no doubt Of the superior strength of tho hollow shanked over
the common anchor, when subjected to a strain nearly iu the threc-
dun etthe mink. liad tt been possible :o have applied the pur-

By a letter received from Rivifire du Loup, it appears that the
surveying party under Captain Bay&ld were at that place on the
3d host. having returned from the Gulf. It was intended to cross
to the other side on the following day, to moor the vessels there,
and proceed in four boats to the survey of the Saguenay. The
survey must, if the weather permit, be completed this fall, and
the p.srty may be expected to return to Quebec about the 10th of
October.

Extract of a letter, dated Katnouraska, 12th inst.—s' Since the
27th of last month we have had rain every day, and sometimes
very abundantly; great complaints are made of gerosage; but I have
MI opportunity of visiting and examining these things impartially,
and I am confident that the loss of grain will scarcely be percep-
tible; a few individuals will suffer, whose corn was down before
the last wet weather Came on,but generally this is not the case.and
I expect that the loss is so trifling that no material damage will be
sustained.