The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-03-08 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY TEST OF ANCHORS.

THERE are few inventions of more importance to our
marine greatness than that of an Anchor of perfect
construction, both in form and material ; and it is
therefore the more gratifying to notice the many recent
improvements in this implement, and the praiseworthy
regard for the safety of our mercantile marine, as shown
by the Admiralty in the severe tests to which the diffe-
rent anchors submitted to competition were exposed. We
gave last week the final result of the Admiralty trials, by
which it appeared that the palm was awarded to the
anchor known as TROTMAN'S, which are manufactured by
Messrs. H. WOOD and Co., of Liverpool, and of the Dee
Ironworks, Chester. It will be remembered that a gene-
ral trial of the anchors of all nations took place last year,
and at that time it wasprovedthatTnoTm AN'simprovement
of PORTER'S patent anchor, as manufactured by Messrs.
Woon,was fully forty percent.superior, in the most valuable
qualities, to the Admiralty and other anchors which were
tested at these trials. The tremendous hurricane which
swept over the Mersey on Saturday, the 26th ult., afforded,
however, an unexpected but at the same time most
valuable additional testimony to the superiority of these
anchors. The trial was no longer the steady artificia
strain to which the Admiralty had subjected the various
anchors, but the rude blast of the hurricane and the
heavy swell of the mighty waves which had to be with-
stood. The anchor was put to its real use ; it was tested
by the bona fide process to guard against which it was
designed; and the real advantage was apparent when the
storm had done its work, and left many a wreck to tell
the tale of its fury and the danger of inefficient anchors.
One of the most striking illustrations was afforded by the
Constitution, of New York. a ship of 1,600 tons, which,
with anchors and cables of Woon's manufacture, safely
rode out the gale under the most trying circumstances.
In offering a testimonial to the great merit of the anchor,
which had done him such good service, Captain JOHN
BRITTON says, in a letter to Messrs. HENRY WOOD and
Co..— _ _ _

" My ship the Constitution, of New York, 1,600 tons
register, with cables and anchors of your make, safely
rode out in the Mersey the great gale of Saturday last
(Feb. 26th).
" A perfect hurricame blowing at the time, with the
tide running ten knots an hour, two ships—the Atlas, of
Baltimore, 850 tons, and the Anna Rich, of Beston, 750
tons register—were driven from their anchorage, broad-
side upon the Constitution ; and the three ships being so
locked together for about half an hour, your cables and
anchors were thus submitted to an enormous strain,
which, 1 am happy to say, they perfectly resisted.
" It affords me pleasure to certify this circumstance as
a testimony due to the superior quality of your manu-
facture."

One of the most trying tests of the capabilities of an
anchor is the sudden strain when checking a vessel just
launched, and in this respect the following letter will
prove amply satisfactory.:--

" Liverpool, 7th March, 1853.
"Messrs. Henry Wood:and Co.
"Gentlemen,—At the launch lately of the Maha
Runee, upwards of 1100 tons register, built by Messrs.
Piele, Scott, and Co., of Workington, we had a capital
opportunity of testing the properties of Trotman's Patent
Anchors, and are so highly pleased with the result that
we beg to return our thanks to you for having induced us
to take these patent anchors in preference to common.
They thoroughly:checked the course of the ship, and were
found more deeply imbedded in the ground than when
first placed. Hitherto, in launching vessels there with
common anchors, the latter invariably jumped out of the
ground, at imminent risk of damage to the ship.
"Your cables also we are highly pleased with, as they
sustained, without breaking, the enormous strain of check-
ing the vessel.
" We remain, Gentlemen, yours most respectfully,
(Signed) " BUSHDY and EDWARDS, owners.
" P.S.—The patent anchors are about thirty per cent.
lighter than the weights required by Lloyd's for common
anchors."

Another striking illustration of the advantage of these
anchors was affirded in the instance of the large American
packet-ship New World, which at the time of the hurri-
cane had only one anchor down, and that one TROTMAN'S
patent, supplied by Mes3rs. WOOD and Co., but fully 20
cwt. lighter than a common anchor would have been re-
quired by LLOYD'S regulations. Yet she rode out the
storm in perfect safety, while many a goodly ship, which
had not such anchors to rely upon, were driven ashore,
and met with other casualties.

It is almost impossible to over-estimate the importance
of an invention the efficacy of which has been established
by such signal proofs. It has not only stood the severest
tests when thrown open to unrestricted .competition with
the best anchors by other makers, but in the gale to
which we have referred it was the means of saving much
valuable property at a time when other vessels not so well
armed were suffering by the fury of the blast. All that
was wanted by the shipping interest was an anchor, the
properties of which had been well tried and proved, and
as this result has now been afforded in the case of Tnor-
MAN'S patent, shipowners will be culpable who do not
avail themselves of the advantage thus afforded, and we
shall hear less frequently of ships driving from their an-
chorage. There can be no doubt that the Admiralty will
avail themselves of this valuable invention, and it has
even been suggested that underwriters should insist on
their being taken to sea before admitting a ship to be fully
seaworthy.

AFFECTING STORY OF A FEMALE EMI-
GRANT AT BIRKENHEAD.

A few days ago, a poor woman, named Elizabeth Smith,
with her child, arrived from London at Birkenhead, en
route to the Antipodes, whither she was going to join her
husband. It appeared that her husband was transported
to Western Australia four years ago, and through his
good conduct and attention he had recently obtained a
ticket of leave, and the government immediately con-
sented to his sending for his wife, offering to pay half
her passage money. A few days ago she received orders
from government to proceed to Birkenhead to embark,
but being unprovided with necessaries, she applied
to Mr. Day, the vestry• clerk of St. George's, Lon-
don, who forthwith waited with her upon Mr. A'Beckett,
at the Southwark Police-office, having ascertained
that the parish authorities could not assist her.
The amiable police magistrate, Mr. A'Beckett, after
thoroughly investigating her case, handed over sufficient
money to purchase the necessaries from the poor-boa,
which enabled the poor, deserving woman to join her hus-
band in a foreign land ;.but still there remained something
to pay her fare to Birkenhead, which was soon subscribed
for. On Saturday week the poor woman, accompanied by
Mr. Day, waited upon Mr. A'Beckett to thank him for
his kindness, and informed his worship that, through the
liberality afforded by the poor-box, she had been supplied
the subscriptions
with clothing and every necessary for herself and child,
and that she was to leave London on Sunday.
Thisthe gcraeseetisgooonde
whichamon is gmeaffneyeotetdhehrsy which gives proof
of
which are forwarded by a generous public to the poor-
boxes of police courts for distribution at the discretion of
the magistrates. Only a few weeks ago a gentleman sent
£5O, and others smaller sums to enable a widow named
Escott to proceed with her seven children to Australia;
her three eldest being entirely provided for by Mr. Sidney
Herbert's Female Emigration Society, but the mother
and young ones were not eligible. All the money, how-
ever, has been absorbed by paying the high rate of passage ;
therefore, although the
.public have been very liberal to
thew, there is not sufficient to pay for thew nal,