The New Ships Of War.
The Times, 1824-11-12T00:00:00

(Frona Corremeindent who is mfpec:tiv well in %V;/ \ We extracted from the Hampszire Tele-graph, in our paper of Monday last, a paragraplh respecting the sailing qualities of the ne lv Soops of war Gfihzmpzon, Orestes, and PYlade.5, buUlt on the several plnn.s of Captain Hayes, u.N., Professor ln;nan, and the Navy Boad, (or Sir Robert Sep. pings). The superiorit, of *hesetvessels, decie and va- luable as it is, is therein' ascribed to the Champio0n, as pos. sessing that quality which it is mostdifficult to attain in the art of ship-bttilding. Moreoyr, it seems, this vessel has not this qualification at the expense of any ether, for she is a better or safer ship, in bad weather, than either of the otlier two, and does not strain or disable so much in it, and has more capacity, both for stovage of provisions, and withal the better accommodations for both officers and men. A more convincing proof of these facts cannot be adduced than the reports made to the Admiralty by Captains Walis, Blake, and Harrison, of the navy, who went to sea in the Niemen frigate, for the express purpose of making offidal statements of the relative qualities of these ships, antd the present condition of the three ships. Since the trial then alluded to, the Champion has made an experimental trial with the Pandora brig, of 18 guns, a class of vessels chieAy valuable for their sailing well to windward. These two ships stood in together, on Sunday last, five hours, going from sevCn to eight knots. The resutlt was, tllat the Pandura gained upon the Cuanlpion about a mile; but irt going belbre the wind the Champion beat the Pandora greatly. The Champion ias siace been triumphantly vait. ing at Spithead for a competitor, or to be emplhyed on whatever service may be required; but the P7yWade: and Orestzes have all thie appearance of beilng completely dis- abled. They are now, we understand, lying in Portsmouth harbour, waiting to be taken into dock, that they may un- dergo such alterations and improi'ements as their projectors, Professor Inman and Sir Rolbert Seppings, may be dis. posed to suggest! What proof is here of the decided ad- vantage of the skill of one artist over another ! If, by ac- cident, eitber of these two vessels, after their amended state, should beat thle Champion (which no one expects), it will not be called a fair eompetition. Each builder constructeid his vessel, in every particular, according to his professed scienitific knowledge; and any adyantage either of the beaten vessels mnglit hereafter aetain, would properly be called "' accident" or ' chanet ;" to (lestroy which system, it is understood, Captaini Hayes offers his plan to the nation. The p resent practice of ship-building is more " according to the work)man's eye" (as it is ternmed in the dock-yards), than by known, fixedi, foundation principles. Hence it is that we have so many crazy, wretched.l bad-sailing ships in our navy, which are broken up for fire-wool ere thev per- form any duties commensurate with their great exwnse, and what a better system may enable them to do. The subject is of national importance; and no petty jea- lousies, nor official coBceits of persons in office, should be permitted to prevail against the present stateoftknowledge, which has thus come to light, and prevent the public from reaping the a(lvantage of it. THE JEW SffIPS OF WAR.