1847.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEKR AND ARCHITECFS JOURNAL. 



1^1 



were sent for lo take charge of tlie balloon, he, and tlireclcd by a magis- 

 trate to retain it. 



" Lord Ingesire told the police that he was a magistrate, and that there 

 was nothing improper inlended, and to give the balloon np to the person 

 claiming it, and lliat he (Lord I.) vvonid be responsible for their so doing ; 

 to which they assented. This person then went with Lor<l Ingesire and 

 Ciipt. Chads to a stable ; showed them the balloon, and explained tlie cir- 

 cumstances of its ascent, and was quite conversant upon the siiliject. On 

 Lt.col. CliHlmer's entering the stable, he recognised this person to be 

 one of the Messrs. Green (the aeronauts), and who stated that the balloon 

 was his propt-rty, and named the ' Albion.' Mr. (Jreen was passing under 

 the name of lirown, in order to keep all proceedings as to a balloon being 

 in the neighbourhood a secret. 



" Lend Ingesire said that further search should be made by the keepers 

 fur the shot, but that then we conid do nothing more. AVe left Hugcley 

 for lieau Desert, and on arriving there we all had an audience of tlie 

 Marquis of Anglesey, reporting what we had seen and heard. Lord In. 

 gesire acknowledging that he considered the experiment a failure, in 

 which C'apt. Chads and Lt.-col. Chalmer fully coincided, j 



" Capt. Chads and Lt.-col. Chalmer took leave of Lord Anglesey, and 

 returned to liirminghani that night, on their way for London, considering 

 they had now only to make the otficial report of the experiment. 



" Lord Anglesey directed his keeper, Mr. Cockayne, to make diligent 

 search for any of the shot that Iiad been dropped from the balloiin in its 

 course from Haywood park to Kugeley. Reports were received from Mr. 

 Cockayne, dated Sth, 9lh, 10th, lltli, and 12th December, 184t), and lOlb 

 .lanuary, 1847, showing the number that had been recoveied, the direction 

 in which they were found, and their penetration into the ground ; he also 

 sent up two diagrams, exhibiting (from the positions the shots were found 

 in) the tortuous course of the balloon, which twice crossed the turnpike 

 road from Haywood to Rugeley. 



"Mr. Cockayne reports that 18 shot had been recovered ; live within 

 100 yards of where the balloon felt ; eight at about three miles from Hay- 

 wood-park ; and five one mile from whence the balloon started (Haywood- 

 park). The penetration was from one to four feet, in hard gravelly soil, 

 (signed) " H. D. Chads, Captain, K.N. 



" J. A. Chalmer, Lieutenant-Colonel, R.A." 



[We propose next month to give an analysis of Sir Howard Douglas's 

 account of the proceedings of himself and the other commissioners ap- 

 pointed to consider Captain Warner's claims.] 



MI1.1TAK-V" AMD NAVAL EMGIWEERING. 



LIEl'TENANT ROBERTS'S MORTAR. 



Some experiments were recently made at rolrsmouth, to test an im- 

 proved mortar, suggested by Lieut. Julius Roberts, of the Royal Marine 

 Artillery. The mortar tried on board the Curfew, a lUgiin brig, was a 

 13-inch, weighing 5 Ions, It was suspended between two cheeks or 

 brackets by a wrought iron spindle or bar of U inches in diameter, being 

 attached to this bar by two wrought iron shafts of .> inches diameter to 

 the trunnions, and a "short shackle chain under llie muzzle, by which tlie 

 elevation is altered or maintained to 45 degrees. Tlie brackets above- 

 mentioned stand firmly boiled to a circular oak platform 13 inches thick, 

 having a square hole cut through It, which platform is placed to revolve 

 over a circular hatch or hole on the deck with siifiicieiit bearings for sup- 

 port, and a combing round it, in which two opposite key bolls are alloweil 

 to work to prevent the platform rising, 'i'he siiuare hole in the platlorm 

 being immediately over the circular one in the deck, the mortar, liy a 

 single G-inch rope, passed fur the purpose, wlieu hanked over the bar and 

 hooked to a chock and ring placed into the innzzlr, is lowered, muzzle 

 downwards, at a moment's notice, into the hold, ami so secured there, by 

 which the enormous weight of five tons is instantly removed fiom olf the 

 upper deck; the same rope as easily reloriiing it to its mounted position, 

 the muzzle chain being unshackled, or shackled vv hen raised in position 

 for use. By tlie very simple means of its suspension, the shock, on firing, 

 by the mortiir recoiling to it, is greatly reduced, and a couseqneiit rednc 

 tion of strength and weight of deck, supports, and fittings is likewise 

 eirected. 



The plan of fitting her supports is admirably arranged for lightness and 

 strength, thei-e being eight upright " struts," or pillars, where tlie Siourge 

 and other mortar vessels require from 18 to 22, besides additional beams 

 between every one, and fore and aft beams of enormous strength (from )o 

 to 18 inches square) connecting the whole ; saving thereby, in the fittings 

 of Lieut. Roberts's mortar, about 20 tons of this material alone, supposing 

 the mortar in both cases to lie the same height Irom the keel. The jump- 

 ing up of the mortar, as usually fitted, on firing, is almost as destructive 

 to the vessel as its downward shock, and this was strikingly exemplified 

 in the trials of the mortar fitted to the Scourge steam-sloop, where the bolt 

 Becuring the mortar to the deck beams was forced upwards with its key- 

 bolt through an iron plate into the beams, the nut requiring screwing up 

 every time, and the muzzle requiring to be lashed dowu also every time 

 to prevent the mortal jumping backwards. By the principle of Lieutenaut 



Roberts's plans, these evils are entirely removed, the mortar lying harm, 

 lessly and only seeking to return to its inert position on the recoil. The 

 plall^orm traverses on an iron bull-ring, and works moFt easily with two 

 single tackles. It occupies no more room on deck than ihe present mortar 

 beds; by being suspended as above described, it ran be fired to lire great- 

 est nicety, the direction of the oliject fired at being simply taken by Iwo 

 small iron pickets in line with the axis, instead of that awkward ami very 

 uncertain method, when a vessel is in motion, by a plumb-line. The mor- 

 tar just tried is fitted on a vessel in no way calculaied to stand any con- 

 cussion, should any have taken place. These many and very important 

 advantages over the old mortar vessels are bodied in so simple a construc- 

 tion, as to render Lieutenant Roberts's mortar available for any class of 

 vessels. 



ARMAMENT FOR WAR STEAMERS. 



The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, after considerable experi- 

 ence of the power of the various steam frigates and other steamers in the 

 Royal navy, as retrarrls Iheir capabilities of bearing heavy armaments, 

 have resolved to fix Ihe ftillowiiii; as the armament of each particular 

 steamer. \ essels of similar, or nearly similar, tonnage and horse-power, 

 arc to be arranged in classes ; — 



Steiimc7's Prnjielkd Inj Puddles. 



Steam Ships. — Terrible, 1,8.J0 tons, 800-horse power; main deck: four 

 .lli-pounders of 97 cwt., 11 feet in length ; four 8-inch guns of tj5 cwt., 9 

 feet; the 50-pounders on pivot slides, and carriages; the 8-inch guns on 

 common carriages — upper deck: four 5G-pounders of 97 cwt., 11 feet, on 

 pivot slides, and carriages ; four 10-inch guns, 85 cwt., 9 feet 4 inches, ou 

 common carriages : total guns, 10. Penelope, 1,016 tons,650-horse power; 

 main deck : eight 8-inch guns of 05 cwt., 9 feet, on slides and carriages ; 

 two G8-pounder carronades of 30 cwt., 5 feet 4 inches, on Hardy's com- 

 pressor carriages — upper deck: two G8-pounders of 95 cwt., 10 feet, on 

 pivot slides and carriages; four 8-inch guns of 05 cwt., 9 feet, on slides 

 and carriages : total, 10. Retribution, 1,041 tons, 800-horse power ; main 

 deck, none (but it is arranged that all steam ships which do not carry an 

 armament on the main deck shall, if possible, carry four 32poundeis of 5ti 

 cwt., for head and stern tiring) — upper deck : twoGSpounders of 93 cwt., 

 10 feet, on slides and carriages to pivot ; four lO-incb guns, 85 cwt., 9 feet 

 4 inches, on slides and cairiages : total, 0. 



.Steam Fuioates. — Class 1. Avenger, 1,444 tons, GSOhorse power; 

 and Birkenhead, of 1,400 tons, 500-liorse power. Upper deck : twoGS- 

 pounders of 95 cwt., 10 feet, on slides and carriages to pivot ; four 10-incli 

 guns, 85 cwt., 9 feet 4 inches, on slides and carriages; total, 0. At pre- 

 sent the Avenger carries, by way of experiment, two 32-pounders of G5 

 cwt,, instead of two of the 10-incli guns. — Class 2 (A). Odin, 1,32G tons, 

 500horse power. Main deck: 32-ponnders, 50 cwt., 9 feet G inches, on 

 common carriages. Upper deck: two GS-pounders, 95 cwt., 10 feet, on 

 pivot slides and carriages; four 10-inch guns, 85 cwt., 9 feet 4 inches, on 

 slides and carriages ; total, 12. The steamers also belonging to this class 

 are the Sidoii and the Leopard. — Class 2 (B). Clladiator, 1,210 tons, 430- 

 horse power; Sampson (450.1i.p.) ; Centaur (540-li.p.) ; Dragon (500- 

 h.p.); Firebrand (400h.i).) ; Vulture (400h. p.) ; and Cyclops (320-h. p.). 

 Upper deck: two 08-pounders, 95 cwt., 10 feet, on pivot slides and car- 

 riages ; four 10 inch gnus, of 65 cwt., 9 feet 4 inches, on slides and car- 

 riages : total, 0. 



Steam Sloues.— 1st class. Gorgon, 1,11 1 tens, 320-horse power ; Bull- 

 dog (500), Fury (515), Inflexible (378), Devastation (40U), Sphyux (500), 

 Cormorant (3U0), Thunderbolt, since wrecked in Algoa Bay (300), Virago 

 (300), Eclair (287), Driver (280), Geyser (280), Growler (280), Slyx (2S0), 

 \'ixen (2S0), Spiteful (280), Strombuli (2811), and Vesuvius (280). Upper 

 decks : one OS-pounder of 90 or 95 cwt., 10 feet, and one 10 inch, 85 cwt., 

 9 feet 4 inches, on pivot slides and carriages. Four 32-pounders of 42 cwt., 

 8 feet, on Hardy's slides and carriages. Tolal for all vessels of this class, 

 G. — 2nd class: Medea, 835 tons, 35U-horse power. Salamander (220), 

 Hydra (200), Hecate (240), Hecla(240), Hermes (220), and Trident (350). 

 Upper deck : two 10 inch guns, 05 cwt., 9 feet 4 inches, on pivot slides 

 and carriages. Four 32.pounders, 25 cwt., G feet, on Hardy's compressor 

 carriages. 7'otal, G.— 3rd class: Ardent, 810 tons, 200-horse power, 

 Alecto (200), Hulyphenius (200), Prometheus (200). Upper deck : one 

 32ponnder, 45 cwt., 8 feet G inches, on pivot slides and carriages. Total, 

 3. A special exception is made in tins class of the Janus, 703 tons, 

 220-horse power, which carries only two 10 inch guns of 85 cwt., 9 feet 

 4 inches, on pivot slides and carriages. 



Bomb Steamers.— Scourge, 1,124 tons, 420-liorse power ; upper deck, 

 one 08-pouuder, 95 c«t., 10 feet, on slide, and carriage to pivot; one 13- 

 inch mortar : total, 2. 



Steam Gi:n-vessels.— Class 1. Firelly, 530 tons, 220-horse power. 

 Blazer (120), Tartarus (130), and Flamer (120). Upper deck, one 32- 

 poumler, 42 cwt., 8 feet, on slide and carriage to pivot. Two 32-pounder 

 carronades, 17 cwt., on Hardy's carriages.— Class 1 (A). Grappler 559 

 tons, 220-horse power. Pluto (100), Cohnnbia (100), Oberon (200), Triton 

 (200), Antelope (200), Acheron (170), and Volcano (140). Two 32- 

 pouuders, 5G cwt., 9 feet inches, on slides and carriages to pivot; two 

 32-pounders, 25 cwt., feet, on compressor slides and carriages ; total, 4. 

 Class 2 (A). Spitfire (432) tons, 140-horse power. Porcupine (132), 

 Lucifer (180), Avon (ITO), Gleaner (130), Shearwater (100), Kite (ITO), 

 Lighting (100), Blcleur (100), and Comet (80), Que 18-pouudei' of 'iO 



