the principle advantages claimed, is stated to be much greater lightness and decrease in draught of water, and consequently greater speed, I shall feel obliged to you if you will give insertion in the pages of your useful journal, to the following account of a run which took place on Saturday last, May 2nd, between the Ruby and two of the crack Iron

steamers.

I should premise, that the Ruby has been built 3 years, and she has now commenced for the fourth season, and that no vessel has yet been found that can compete with her. She is timber built of English Oak plank upon the improved plan adopted by the Diamond and Woolwich Companies, a plan I have no hesitation in saying is stronger, more durable, and superior to that of any iron boat whatever: she has never been caulked since the day she was launched, nor a farthing laid out in repairs, and her lines are as true as when they were first laid down on the Shipwright's floor.

As the Ruby has been lying by some time to refit for the season, the owners of the two iron boats alluded to, took the opportunity of announcing their respective craft as the fastest vessel in the kingdom, but the Ruby has again taken her place as No. 1, and like a giant refreshed with sleep, goes more powerfully and faster than ever, and the drubbing she has given the "Orwell" and "Sons of the Thames," will no doubt cause their respective partisans to alter their tone for the future.

In conclusion, I have only to repeat the challenge which has appeared in different public journals for the last three years, that I am ready to match the Ruby to run from Gravesend to Margate and back, for 200 guineas, against any boat afloat, whatever may be her size, power, or build. I remain Sir, yours, &c.

To the Editor of the Nautical Magazine.

A. BILLINGS,
Manager to the Diamond Steam
Packet Company.

On Saturday at 8 A.M. the Ruby got under way from Blackwall, and proceeded slowly down the river to enable the Orwell to come up, as she was to start from London at 8 o'clock.

The Ruby went half speed down to Long Reach, no "Orwell" in sight, then tried the mile one hour after flood spring tide, came back as far as the half-way house and discovered the Orwell coming down with plenty of smoke and steam; turned round the Ruby and went on quarter speed till the Orwell was just four boats astern at Erith, off Cold harbour point; set off full speed with strong flood tide, two hours flood, (the reason of placing the Ruby a-head was the fear of hugging as both were near the shore.) The Ruby's engines went off in fine style 31 strokes, and she soon began to draw away preceptibly from the "Orwell," (the Orwell's people at this time hoisted the Jack at the main,) however when off Purfleet the Ruby had gained a quarter of a mile upon the latter vessel, the Jack was hauled down, and the Ruby as the conquerer hoisted her's. The Ruby gradually gained upon her antagonist till she stopped at Gravesend Town pier. when by observations made, the Orwell was a mile and a half astern, and by time eight minutes as she passed the town pier: thus beating the " Orwell " in a run of 14 miles about a mile and a half, the distance of four boats lengths having to be deducted, which was the distance the Ruby was ENLARGED SERIES. NO. 6.-VOL. FOR 1840. 3 M

4

a-head when the race began; the Ruby ran the whole distance against a strong flood tide and wind a-head in one hour and ten minutes, being seven minutes less time than the Orwell.

Second trial from Gravesend.

The Ruby having stopped ten minutes at Gravesend Town pier, allowed the Orwell time to come up, on the opposite shore and pass Tilbury fort, when she again started for the chase, and by the time the Ruby had crossed the river against the strong flood in the stream, the Orwell was one mile a-head, the Ruby then ran on for 45 minutes, in which time she caught the Orwell and went right by her neck and neck, (you might have tossed a biscuit from one vessel to the other,) headed her by a quarter of a mile, turned round, and was back to Gravesend in 70 minutes, in this second race she beat the Orwell one mile in 45 minutes. From the above it will appear that the Ruby against tide is full a mile and half faster than her antogonist.

Race with the "Sons of the Thames.”

66

The Ruby waited at Gravesend till 4 o'clock, and then started up the river, to meet the "Sons of the Thames," (the fastest steamer in the world! so called in their advertisements.) The Sons of the Thames," and the "Mercury," left London at 5 P.M., and at forty minutes past 5, they were both discerned at the bottom of Woolwich reach, the" Sons of the Thames" full a quarter of a mile a-head of the "Mercury." Some colliers being in the stream, prevented the Ruby being turned round so soon as she ought to have been, so that when the vessel was got round with her head down, the "Sons of the Thames" was a quarter of a mile a-head, and the " Mercury was just alongside, all three going full speed, and the tide running down strong; it was now evident, by the "Ruby" drawing away from the "Mercury," that she was gaining fast upon the "Sons of the Thames," which vessel the Ruby came up to and was passing, in fifteen minutes, when the "Sons of the Thames" had a half minute stop; the "Ruby" shot by her, and continued to gain upon her till the arrival at Gravesend Town Pier, when the " Ruby was one mile a-head: it should be observed, that at Greenhithe, the "Sons of the Thames" had another short stop, but as she was going all the time with the tide, both these stoppages could not have made more than one minute difference.

The whole distance was done by the "Ruby," from the bottom of Woolwich reach in fifty-five minutes.

It is right to observe, that during the above races, the "Orwell," apparently had 100 persons on board, and the "Sons of the Thames" about 50, whilst the "Ruby" had none but her crew.

To some, this may appear an advantage for the "Ruby," but the advantage would have been more in favor of the "Ruby," if she had had 200 persons on board, as her paddles would then have had more hold of the water, and the vessel would have consequently gone faster as during the race the "Ruby's" engines, were, overrunning their speed for want of proper resistance to the wheels. The "Ruby's" best speed is when she has 500 persons on board; in proof of which, the "Ruby" started from Gravesend on Sunday night last, with 300 passengers on board, half an hour after the "Sons of the Thames had left, and

arrived at London Bridge within three minutes of the time that the latter reached there; the "Ruby" thus beating the "Sons of the Thames" twenty-seven minutes, in the whole distance, which was entirely against a strong ebb tide.

TABLE AND SIMON BAYS.

Bishopsgate street, May 1, 1840.

DEAR SIR.-A long letter from Lieutenant Barrow appeared in the • Nautical'* last year, advocating in strong terms the superior advantages of Simon over Table Bay. Had it met my eye before leaving England, I should have requested the insertion of a few remarks on some of the very erroneous statements contained in that letter; and I had, indeed, some intention of writing to you on the subject during my voyage. On reaching the Cape, however, I was happy to find that Captain Bance, whose experience, and excellent judgment rendered him so well calculated for the task, had fully replied to Mr. Barrow in the South African Advertiser, confuting all the mis-statement which your excellent magazine has (unfortunately in this instance,) too' widely circulated. Captain Bance's letter was, I understood, forwarded. to you, and has probably met with insertion; my object in now writing is to show how great an evil has already resulted from Mr. Barrow's account of the good qualities of Simon Bay.

The "General Palmer," a ship of 600 tons, left England in July last, with a large detachment of H.M. 15th Hussars, bound for Bombay. Off the island of Trinidad she lost her main-mast in a squall, and the Captain having the number of the Nautical' before him, wherein Mr. Barrow describes in such glowing terms the advantages of Simon Bay, in an evil hour determined on going thither to obtain the necessary repairs. The Commanding Officer of the troops on board is my authority for stating that Mr. Barrow's letter alone induced him to take this most unfortunate step. And what was the consequence? not a spar, not even an artificer, was procurable at Simon Bay, and consequently every thing had to be prepared at Cape Town, and transported across the heavy sand of the isthmus. An additional expense of upwards of 400l. was thereby incurred, and, at least, a fortnight's longer demurrage with 170 troops on board! I wonder what consolation Mr. Barrow (who resides at Simon town,) had to offer the poor disappointed captain? I remain Sir, &c. JAMES LIDDell.

To the Editor of the Nautical Magazine.

P. S. Let me take this opportunity of stating that another has been added to the long melancholy list of wrecks near Cape Lagullas.-On the 22nd February, (the very night I was passing,) the brig" Venera ble" ran on shore near the spot where the Northumberland was stranded; the weather being moderate, fortunately no lives were lost, but the vessel and cargo were totally destroyed. I grieve to add that not a stone of the long talked of light house on this " cape of wrecks," has

* See February number.

yet been laid, nor, as far as I could learn, have any explicit orders on the subject, as yet issued from the Colonial Office, notwithstanding the admirable report made by the talented surveyor-general of the Cape, Major Mitchell, whose plan appeared in the Nautical last year. Can it be regarded but as a national disgrace that so many years should have passed without a light-house being erected on the turning point of that vast continent, around which more than 250,000 tons of British Shipping yearly pass.

Our Correspondent should point out the "erroneous statements" to which he alludes. The reader will find Captain Bance's letter copied from the South African in p. 644 of the same volume, and in which we are at a loss to find any refutation of Lieut. Barrow's statements as to the natural "good qualities" of Simon Bay. Of the supplies to be found there, nothing was said by Lieut. Barrow excepting water, which Capt. Bance passes over in silence! whilst he makes an absurd comparision between the number of vessels that have for some years frequented the two places, to shew that Table Bay must necessarily be superior-a comparison between a place very long established for affording supplies and one not established at all! but undeniably affording that protection to shipping which Table Bay never can do. The General Palmer had no business to go to Simon Bay when she wanted supplies, and Lieut. Barrow must be acquitted of all blame, for her captain giving meaning to words that they did not convey,

With regard to the light-house on the Cape, for which so much zeal was displayed by the admirers of Capt. Horsburgh, we can only lament with our Correspondent, that it has been allowed to pass away "as a story that is told."-ED. N. M.

BANK IN ST. GEORGE'S CHANNEL.

The following extract of a letter from that indefatigable officer Capt. Beechey, while commanding HM.S.V. African, and dated Stranraer, March 10th, 1840, contains an account of a bank lying nearly midchannel between Corsill light-house and Sanda Island.

"It is about a mile in diameter, steep to on all sides; and has from 18 to 22 fathoms on it. On the west it has 50 fathoms alongside it, on the east it slopes abruptly to 41, and on the north and south to 36 and 38 fathoms. It is situated from Ailsa Craig S. 41° W. true, 13 miles from Sanda Island S. 32° E. true, 13 miles, and from Corsill light-house N. 54° W. true, 9 miles.

As the sea in this part of the channel is supposad to be deep, a vessel coming suddenly on this shoal, might suppose herself close upon Corsi or the Ayrshire coast, and in shaping a course according to that belief be endangered upon the opposite shore.

SHAKINGS.

PACIFIC. The American Exploratory Squadron, consisting of the Peacock, Captain Hudson; Vincennes, Captain Wilkes; Porpoise, Capt. Ringold; Flying Fish, Captain Pinkney; were at Sydney on the 4th December, having been cruising among the South Sea Islands.

CAPT. SCOTT, R.N.-A handsome chased silver tankard and stand has been presented by the Gunroom Officers of H.M.S. Rodney, to their late Commander, Capt. Edward Hinton Scott, in testimony of their estimation of his character as a British Officer.

NAVAL COMMISSION.--The Government, it seems intend to carry into effect, immediately, the recommendations of the Naval and Military Commission, the Chancellor of the Exchequer having, last night, included, in his estimated expenditure for the ensuing year, the sum of 75,000. for that specific purpose.-Shipping Gazette..

SOUTHAMPTON.--The workmen employed on the Southampton Docks are making great progress in the work; and no doubts are entertained of the completion of one dock, within the stipulated period.

COAST OF NORWAY.-Hydrography.-We perceive that the three first charts of the coast of Norway have been just published, resulting from the survey ordered by the Storthing to be made of the coast of Norway and Finmark from Drontheim to the Russian Frontier.

NELSON'S MONUMENT.-We understand that a new account of the action of Cape St. Vincent, between the British and French Fleets is in the press, and that it contains some highly interesting anecdotes of Lord Nelson, which are quite new. As the author Colonel Drinkwater Bethune, intends the proceeds from it to be added to the funds of the Nelson Monument, it will have additional claim to the attention of our readers.

LIGHT ON THE SEVEN STONES.-Meetings have been held in the west, for the purpose of establishing a floating light on these dangerous rocks off the Scilly Islands.

THE ARCHIMIDES.-Experiments recently made with this vessel have been spoken favorably of.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT.-AS customary with the Reigning Sovereigns of this country signed his name in the book kept for that purpose at the rooms of the Royal Society, as a member of that learned body, of which Sir Isaac Newton was the founder. The page containing it beautifully embossed and formed of vellum, had already received the signature of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

ADMIRAL KLINT.-We understand that this veteran officer of the Swedish Navy, known to our readers by his valuable labours in charts of his own coast, died at Stockholm, on the 30th of April, leaving a wife and 13 children to lament their loss, in circumstances not far removed from penury.

CHINA. The entrance to the port of Chinchew is to be put into a better state of defence by building an additional fort, in order to expel foreign ships.-Canton Press.

FRENCH SURVEY OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.-We read in the Journal des Debats of the 7th May, that the Minister of Marine stated that for the completion of the great work performed by the celebrated hydrographer, M. Beautemps Beaupre on, the French coast, a steam boat would be required to take the soundings in deep water, in order to construct an entirely new chart of the English Channel. On the proposal of Adiniral Halgan, director of the H. Depôt this work has been entrusted to M. Lesaulnier de Vauhello, Capitain de Corvette, and it will be the first time such operations have been conducted by steam." The first time we may add that France has followed the example set by England long since in employing steam for such operations. This work is indeed something new and we shall be glad to see the work commenced..