vessel was then signalled to come up and proceed at full speed, which she did, and a greater quantity of steam being obtained in the Amphion, she accomplished 6.7 knots during the next hour, making 2,682 revolutions in that period, or nearly 48 revolutions per minute, working remarkably smoothly and easily, although the engines were, in a manner, tried for the first time; the trial in the basin at Woolwich having merely been made to ascertain if they fitted correctly.

At seven minutes past nine o'clock the Lightning hoisted her signal, to denote her number when opposite Sheerness, and at that time the Amphion was about the eighth of a mile astern, making excellent progress, and exceeding the most sanguine expectations of the designer of her engines and the constructors, who would not guarantee a greater speed than five knots per hour, owing to the small comparative power of the engines, 300-horsepower to a frigate of 36 guns, built for a sailing vessel, although subsequently adapted for a screw-propeller. The speed was maintained nearly throughout the entire distance of her outward trip to the south-west reach, beyond the lighthouse on the Maplin Sands. At 35 minutes past 12 o'clock the Amphion turned round in the short space of five minutes on her progress back to Woolwich, answering her helm with the greatest nicety, and, in the face of a very strong breeze which had set in, made admirable progress. The engines having become smoother, the number of revolutions reached 49, and, in some instances, 50, per minute, without heating in the least degree, and in scarcely any instance have we witnessed more perfectly adjusted or better working engines. The great advantage of Count Rosen's engines are, that they will be upwards of two feet under water, calculating the upper part of the boilers as the highest elevation. The engines are apparently on the locomotive principle, and the action of the pistons horizontal instead of perpendicular, as is almost invariably the case in steam-vessels with paddle-wheels. The diameter of the screw propeller of the Amphion is 14 feet. She is the largest vessel yet tried on this principle, and the result has been so satisfactory, as to place it beyond doubt that the screw-propeller will ultimately become universal for war-steamers. The speed to-day cannot be considered a fair criterion of the velocity that may be obtained, as the Amphion was only immersed about 16 feet 10 inches, but will, when ready for sea, be nearer 21 feet, and, consequently, give the screw-propeller a far better purchase and greater velocity. The engines are more compact, and occupy much less room than the engines where paddle-boxes are used; and the weight of the screw propeller being only about three tons, is far less than the ponderous wheels requisite for vessels of great magnitude. The Amphion passed Gravesend on her return at ten minutes before six o'clock, and shortly after having loosened one of the joints of her feed pipe, the steam was allowed to escape, as it would have taken about an hour to mend it, and she was towed by the Lightning to Greenhithe, where she anchored for the night, her depth of draught of water preventing her further progress up the river during the ebb tide. This simple occurrence does not in any way detract from the principle of the machinery and general performance during the day, which gave entire satisfaction, Captain Superintendant Houston Stewart, and the party who went down the river in the Amphion, returned at 20 minutes past six o'clock from Greenhithe to Woolwich.

SHIPWRECKED Fishermen and Mariners' Benevolent Society.

It is highly gratifying to find gentlemen supporting the claims of this Society, on different parts of the coast. That there are many portions of it

deficient of life-boats is unfortunately too true. Thus we find the Society's agents at Londonderry busy in the good work, and the editor of the Londonderry Sentinel at his post, addressing his readers in favor of a memorial in its behalf. He has our best wishes for his success, when he says:

"There appears elsewhere in our columns a copy of a memorial on behalf of this valuable society, emanating from the officers of the Portrush and Portstewart Auxiliary. The awful catalogue of casualties at sea, which it has been our painful duty to submit to our readers during the last two or three weeks, supplies abundant evidence of the necessity for such an institution. There are no classes of individuals whose lives are so frequently placed in circumstances of peril, as fishermen and sailors, and many a tragic scene has occurred on our own immediate coast, by which large numbers of helpless persons have been reduced from a state of comparative comfort to wretchedness and destitution. Scarcely a winter passes that numbers of fishermen do not perish off the wild shores of Antrim, Derry, or Donegal, leaving large families unprovided for, and many a gallant bark has been dashed to pieces, its crew losing their lives on this iron-bound coast. Considerations of humanity should, therefore, prompt all who are blessed with the means of doing so, to aid an institution which befriends the widow and orphans of the shipwrecked fisherman and mariner, while these two classes themselves are in an especial manner called upon to support it, as it is their families that become the recipients of its bounty. We have been informed by an officer of the Society that the memorial above referred to is to be transmitted to the several London Companies, which derive a large yearly rental from this county, and to the landed gentry of the district generally; and our philanthropic informant acquaints us that he has already received a very cheering letter from Mr. Green, the agent to the Hon. the Irish Society, assuring him that the memorial shall have his best recommendation, and that he will have great gratification in obtaining from the Society additional means to enable the Auxiliary to carry out its proposed objects. The design of procuring a life-boat for our northern coast is most judicious and praiseworthy. It is more important to save the life of the head of a family than to be possessed of sufficient means to maintain it after his death; and as great numbers of lives were saved by means of life boats during the late gales, we are persuaded that this project will be regarded as peculiarly valuable."

SUNDERLAND.-Blasting of the White Shell Rocks.-These rocks, which are situated about 500 feet to the eastward of the south pier, have long been a source of great danger to shipping frequenting the port, and the consideration of the damage that would inevitably happen to a vessel striking upon them, has caused many ships that were intended to enter here, to run for other ports on the coast. The channel of the navigation on leaving the north pier takes a south-easterly direction, and ships, on proceeding to sea, when overtaken with a north-easterly gale, had very little chance of escaping the hidden danger of the White Shell rocks. Many vessels have, from running foul of these rocks, been put back and delayed from proceeding on their intended voyage, to the great loss of the owners, from delay, and to the underwriters from the damage sustained, and frequently to the disappointment of the merchant by detention.

To remove these evils, the commissioners who are intrusted with the improvement of this port, have long had their attention directed to the adoption of means for increasing the depth of water on these rocks; and particularly from the additional depth of water now obtained on the bar; this object is rendered more essentially necessary, at least to effect an equal level with NO. 9.-VOL. XV.

38

the water at the bar, which could only be done by reducing the rock, and so lessen or remove the danger to vessels which may happen to be driven so as to pass over them.

Taking advantage of the favourable state of the weather and sea, the Commissioners directed T. Meek, Esq., the present talented engincer, to make an examination of the rocks, which was done by means of the diving bell. On surveying their form and nature, he satisfied himself of the practicability of their being blasted with gunpowder, and their most dangerous part removed. The surface was found to consist of ridges of pseudo magnesian limestone, running in an easterly direction.

The highest projecting ridges laid a short distance south of the channel, and at low water spring tides were not more than two feet six inches below the surface of the water. This was considered to be the most dangerous point, and was selected for the commencement of the removal operations. The first blast was fired by Richford's fusee, with a charge of three pounds of gunpowder, by means of which about six tons of rock were loosened and displaced; it was afterwards raised to the surface by means of the diving bell. Two more blasts have since been made, by which this portion of the rock is completely broken up and demolished, and on being levelled, a depth of five feet water at low spring ebb has been obtained.

Another projecting ridge, not so dangerous as the former, has also been lowered and broken up; and it is expected that the fragments will, by the winter gales and consequent strong seas, be carried away to the southward and scattered, so as not to be attended with any danger. The operations are still progressing, and should the weather continue favourable, we hope to have it in our power to congratulate the shipping interest of Sunderland on the great improvement caused to the navigation, so essential to the prosperity of the port, by the lowering of the White Shell Rocks, at least, three feet below their former level.-Sunderland Herald.

THE NEW ATLANTIC STEAM LINE.-The keel of the first steamer of this line, destined to run between New York, Cowes, and Bremen, has already been laid in New York. The Evening Post of that city says, "The dimensions and the power of the machinery of the steam-ship being built for the Ocean Steam Navigation Company, the keel of which was laid on Tuesday last, are as follows:

Length of keel, 220 feet; length over all, 220 feet; width of beam, 39 feet; depth of hold, 42 feet 6 inches; depth from the poop deck, 31 feet; tonnage 1,750 tons; power of engines, 1,000 horses; cylinder, 72 inches; stroke, 10 feet. Her cabin and second cabin will be fitted up in the most magnificent, and, at the same time, staunch manner, with ample room for two hundred first-class and one-hundred second-class passengers. She is to be commanded, we understand, by Capt. Hewitt, the present captain of the packet ship Utica.-Liverpool Albion."

EXPERIMENTS WITH SHOT ON IRON STEAMERS.-Some remarkable results have been produced by the shot practice from the Excellent on the Ruby iron steamer, ordered by the Admiralty to be experimented upon, in order to test what resistance the iron hull of a ship would offer to shot; and it is expected that the Admiralty will, in consequence, stop the building of iron steamers, and other vessels for the present. The shots which struck the Ruby not only penetrated the sides first struck, but, in several instances, passed through the other side, carrying with it whole plates of iron. In action this would risk

the total loss of a vessel, for on heeling over to leeward such a body of water must rush in that she would inevitably sink with all on board. A representation of this important result has been made to the Admiralty, and should further experiments prove that serious risk will be occasioned to iron vessels of war when exposed to the chanee of being struck by heavy shot, it is doubtful if the Board will not abolish them as men-of-war.-Times.

NAUTICAL NOTICE.

British Consulate, July 24th.

NOTICE to Masters of Ships bound to Brest.-A vessel was recently fired at three times in consequence of neglecting to heave to when hailed by the guard-ship. To prevent this recurring it is necessary that the following regulation, common to all French military ports, should be strictly attended

to:

Regulations referred to.-All ships entering Brest Roads are to steer for the guard-ship, which is the outermost anchored ship, and is known by her having a white and blue broad pendant at her fore, and by her having jury topmasts.

The ship coming in is hailed from the guard-ship, and told where to anchor. A yellow flag is sent on board, and must be kept flying until the vessel is released from quarantine by an officer of the Board of Health, whose boat comes off from Brest as soon as possible.

LAW CASES.

LIME JUICE FOR SEAMEN.-Mr William Finch, the master of the Eden, who has been several times at this Court, and fined for neglecting to supply his crew with lime-juice and sugar, appeared before Mr. Ballantine to answer the claims of two seamen, named William Jones and John Gray, who claimed the respective sums of £6. 19s., and £15. 14s. 6d., for services on board, on a voyage from Liverpool to Sierra Leone and London. The case of Jones was first gone into. The master had stopped £2 from his wages in consequence of his being sick in Yawry Bay, Sierra Leone, and £2 more for quitting the ship without leave, in London. For these sums, and also for £2. 10s., which the seamen claimed as damages under the Merchant Seamen's Act, for being deprived of his wages, without just cause, and detained here 24 days, the summons was taken out. Mr. Finch maintained that the man's illness was brought on by his own indiscretion, but failed to establish that fact, and Mr. Ballantine said the man had a right to be cured at the expense of the ship, and made an order on the defendant for the payment of £2; but as regarded the other claims he refused to make any order, and said that no seaman had a right to quit a ship after it was moored without the permission of the master, and that if he did so he forfeited a month's pay The second case was a novel one. The complainant, a man of colour, who was cook of the ship, had a quarrel with the master who wounded him, and left him behind in Africa, and it was now contended by Mr. Framley, on the part of Gray, that as he was compelled to abandon the vessel by the master, he was entitled to the whole of his wages. Mr. Ballantine said the contract had not

been completed, and he could make no order in the case. The seaman had his remedy in the Court of Admiralty, to which tribunal Mr. Framley said he should apply.

Mr. Field was also charged with unlawfully neglecting to serve out limejuice and sugar at the rate of half an ounce to each of the crew, on the 19th of June, after they had been consuming salt provisions for ten days. The defence set up was, that during a storm on the outward voyage, a stone bottle containing lime-juice was knocked down and broken, and the whole of its contents wasted. The master made an effort to obtain a fresh supply, both at St. Christopher and Nevis, but was unable to do so, and, during the whole of the homeward voyage, the men were deprived of the antiseptics to which they were entitled. Hagle alleged that he was attacked with scurvy for want of the lime-juice, which the mate denied, and said that there was not a man in the ship laid up a minute. Mr. Ballantine said that the act was imperative, and the master was bound to "provide and keep lime or lemonjuice," and should find a safe depository for the bottle. The master had incurred a penalty of £5 for each and every default, but only one day was named in the summons. He fined the defendant £5 and costs, and expressed his surprise that no lime-juice could be obtained at the two islands where the ship touched at.

Caution to Masters of Ships.—Conviction under the Act for the Consolidation of the Laws relating to Merchant Seamen, and for keeping a Register of Seamen. Mr. John Harvey, master of the ship Hope of Liverpool, was fined £5 by Alderman Gibbs, for having neglected to deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Collector of the Customs, the agreement entered into with the crew, specifying the wages of the seamen, the quantity of provisions to be received by them, and the capacity in which the vessel was to be employed. The solicitor to the Admiralty attended for the prosecution, and Mr. Brown, of Walbrook, solicitor, for the defence, who would have had the information quashed on legal grounds, but for the interference of the defendant, who insisted that the case should be decided on its merits only. It was so decided, and the defendant in consequence was fined ten pounds, which, on the application of Mr. Brown, was reduced to five pounds, which the defendant paid.

NEW BOOKS.

SALE'S BRIGADE IN AFGHANISTAN, with an Account of the Seizure and Defence of Jellalabad. By the Rev. G. R. Gleig, M.A.

This interesting little account of the military proceedings in Afghanistan has the great recommendation of coming from the pen of the principal chaplain to the forces, who, with a knowledge (and experience, we might almost add), of military operations, has availed himself of the M.S. journals of officers engaged in that ever memorable campaign, besides those friendly communications of officers that have been made to him. With these materials he has preserved, in a compendious form, a record of bravery, endurance, and steady discipline, which cannot fail in exciting the deepest interest.

LETTERS FROM MADRAS DURING THE YEARS 1836-1839. By a Lady.Murray.

These letters abound in tales of Indian manners, customs, and prejudices, and give a good insight to the character of the people, along with the practice of forming native schools.