The Sun. — 1831-06-27 (London, England)

EXPERIIIENTAL VESSELS.  two experimental vesSels are at present building in the docks at SheeilieSs, a Steamer, to be called the Salamander, and a frigate, to be named the Calliope. The Salamander is intended for a ship of war; and is to be made sufficiently strong to carry a mortar. She is 175 feet in the keel and 200 feet aloft, and *ill mount g 2 guns. The imbers used in her are of English oak and African oak, the latter being placed in the legs important parts. They are precisely of the size and substance used in a frigate of the largest class. The wheels, instead of projecting from her sides, as in ordinary steam-vessels, will be let into the sides, a digression equal to abOut three feet being created by running the timbers up straight along the space to be occupied by the paddles, which are to be less broad than those generally seen ; thus, when the wheels are covered by the protecting planks, the sides Will present an entirely unbroken, surface ; so that the shape and symmetry of the ship will he as perfect as it might be in an ordinary frigate. In the construction of the Calliope, English oak, African oak, mahogany, cedar, teak, and other timbers are to he used ; the great object to be obtained by building her being po.itively to aseertaiii What species of timber is the best and the most durable. She will accordingly be kept afloat for ten or twelve years, and at the expiration of this period it is proposed to strip her, and decide upon the relative merits of the timbers used in her construction. She is large enough to carry 32 guns, if pierced after the usual fashion, but she will only carry 24, which are to be mounted according to the plan adopted by Captain Marshall, in the .Donegal; the advantage of which that all and each of the guns are given a more extensive space wherein to range, being fixed upon pivots, and having the carriage divided into two parts, the latter of which is moveable. With guns mounted in this manner, it is possible to bring the whole weight of metal to bear upon any given point at a short distance, and also to fire into boats alongside and under the muzzles of the guns. Greater room is required to work guns thus mounted, and consequently) instead of the usual number, five, there are seven timbers between each port-hole. This ship also, in accordance with the new fashion, is round in the stern, and, in common with the Salamander, is to have masts made after Sir Robert Seppings' plan--.that is to say, masts which, being divided into 42 pieces of unequal lengths, and embraced by iron hoops that are secured with a screw, may, in the event of any injury, be repaired by the ship's carpenter, wherever the ship may chance to be. In the old masts there are only five or six great pieces, and the hoops were driven on red-hot, and consisted of a simple circle. It was impossible, therefore, to repair these masts, unless by laying down the vessel in port (for which purpose it was in most cases necessary to return to England), and unshipping the mast ; whereas, with Sir R. Seppings' mast, it is only necessary to unscrew the hoop near the part injured, and removing the damaged timber, to supply its place by the appropriate one of the 42 pieces, all of which are regularly marked and numbered according to their designation, and may be carrie 1 without any inconvenience on board the vessel. It is expected that the Salamander and the Calliope will be fit to go to sea about Christmas.--, Observer.  We understand that the verdict in the case of the NeWtonbarry massacre is " Justifiable Homicide." This is the verdict of the Coroner's Inquest; and it remains to be seen how fir their view of the transaction will  be adopted by the Government. We have at all times under,tood that the yeomanry in this part of Ireland were of the most violent and factious character. The effect of  the affair will probtbly be to induce Ministers to reconsider the propriety of the embodying of this most odious and exceptionable description of force.—Morn. Citron.