Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-08
Foreign Naval News.

Inc BrltlSn IOTpeuO-DOdL CalcHeT
Spanker was recently given a three
hours fill-powor trial Of her machinery
with forced draught. The run was
made off Plymouth. 1t is reported that
for over two hours the trial proceeded
very satisfactorily, a speed of nineteen
knots being accomplished and the
vessel developing 3,60O-hOrse power.
Then the contractors tried TO run
the horsepower up to 1000, but
tho additional pressure was 30 great
that the boiler tubes began TO
leak. They leaked at such a rate that in
very short time the boiler was emptied,
and there were quite three inches Of
boiling water running over the stoke
hold. phe engine-room force pumped
salt water into the boiler from the sea,
and it was only in this way that serious
disaster WAS averted. The trial at once
stopped, and tie Spanker returned to
herDOr
The British cruiser Barham is waiting
in Portsmouth until, her sister ship, the
Bellona, has gone through her trials
with some OF the tubes removed from
her boilers. The BaTham was designed
to develop 6,00o-horse power under
forced draught, but hitherto her boilers
have been made TO Admiralty design,
and are similar to those locomotive
boilers which, in the Sharpshooter class,
failed to prodnce steam under forced
draught. After the Bellona's trials the
Admiralty will decide what to do with
the Barhams boilers. These ships have
good forecastles and poops, and if they
succeed in getting boilers which will
produce sufficient steam 1t is thought
they will be fast, as they have fine lines,
hut in their construction insufficient
space was devoted to their boilers
Vice-Admiral Watson, commanding
the British naval forces in North Ameri-
can waters, has paid 81, 500 salvage to
the American schooner which recently
picked up a disbanded torpedo-boat off
Halifax. The torpedo-boat was towed
into Sydney, Cape Breton, by the Ameri-
can schooner. TO this port the British
cruiser Buzzard was dispatched to tow
the torpedo boat to Halifax. On her re-
turn a terrific storm was encountered.
The torpedo boat broke away from the
cruiser, while heavy sea swept over the
Buzzard, doing much damage The
torpedo-boat foundered. Her crew had
been previously brought to Halifax by
the British cruiser Pelican.
During the recent stay of the German
training squadron at southampton, Eng
land, the tirst-class cutters of the Kaiser
Flagship and sPreussen were fitted with
the Hill disengaging hooks at the special
request of the German Admiralty IN
Berlin. This invention, though only
lately patented, is reported us In use IN
the Italian and Argentine navies and
fitted to several boats in the mercantile
marine. None of the vessels of the
British navy has as yet adopted the de-
vice.
An improved form of air.tight buoy
ancy cases for life-boats are being intro
duced into the British market. 1t is re-
ported. by Newcastle firm. The cop
per with which the old form of case was
made is so thin, to secure buoyancy,
that a considerable amount OF staying Is
necessary TO prevent the cases bulglng
in. The firm in question got over this
difficulty by using corrugated sheets ior
constructing the cases and thus obtain
ing the necessary rigidity.
The British report Natal coal as real
izing the expectations formed OF 1t. A
trial of 100 tons on steamer was deemed
eminently satisfactory. Forty-four and
half tons were consumed in "a hours al
full speed, being Il tons per day more
than Welsh coal. which Is very much
dearer, costing IS shillings per ton.
The Haytien gunboat Jacmel, oI
which SO much was heard during the
trouble between the United States and
Hayti, has been sunk in collision of
| Cape Haytien with merchant vessel.
The British battle-ship Sans Pareil a
Chatham, England, has received th'
second of her ll0-ton guns her arma
ment is now complete.