THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7487, 27 May 1885, Page 4

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

A correspondent with the Channel Squadron writes:—“The Minotaur, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Algernon de Horsey, commanding the Channel Squadron, arrived at Gibraltar on March 3. She made an exceptionally long passage, caused by the prevalence of persistent head winds and very heavy seas. On one or two days she hardly made any progress at all. She left Spithead on the 21st ulfc,, after a successful full-power trial of her machinery, when she attained a mean speed of over thirteen knots. One of her crank bearings, however, got heated, and this, although adjusted before leaving England, was a constant source of more or less anxiety during the whole of her voyage out. Her boilers, which have been repaired at a cost of more than £2OOO, are estimated to last for another eighteen months. Considerable surprise has been caused by the announcement that a set of new boilers has been ordered to be ready at the expiration of this period of a precisely similar class to those at present in the ship. Six of these are to be constructed at Portsmouth Dockyard and four at Sheerness. When a short time ago it was proposed, and all but decided, to fit compound engines to the Minotaur, thereby increasing her speed to sixteen knots and practically doubling her coalcarrying capacity, while some grudged the expenditure of so large a sum as £IBO,OOO on an experiment, yet many thought it an experiment worth trying. And this the more, because it was understood that her useless masts were to be done away with and she was to carry on her upper deck the most formidable armament of torpedo boats of any ship in the world. Had she proved a success, the Agincourt, Northumberland, and Achilles were to have been treated the same. Now* however, in naval circles there is but one opinion, and that is, that putting new lowpressure boilers into her of the antique type, to last for a probable ten years, is simply a mistake and waste of money. When they are ready the ship herself will also be ready to have much money expended on her for new breech-loading guns in place ef her present obsolete armament, and new decks, which ( will be absolutely necessary at the same time. She will still, however, have obsolete engines, still burn 4 lbs. of coal per still carry only 3£ days’ consumption at full speed. The Minotaur is considered utterly out of date as a fighting ship now. What will she be in ten years’ time, before her new boilers are worn out? Another reason against keeping ship* of this class going with their present equipment of masts and guns is the disproportion between the number" of men required to man them and the serv ce these exaggerated crews could possibly render on board such ships. Each vessel of the Minotaur class has usually over 900 souls on board. Before leaving England this time a new instrument, called the Oompteur Valessy, was fitted, to be tried and reported on. Tliis is an apparatus for indicating on deck that the engines are working at the prescribed speed, and is also supposed to possess special advantages when a fleet is manoeuvring at steam evolutions. It appears to answer the former object well enough, but no opinion as to its utility in steam tactics can be formed till it has been tried in company with the Sultan and Neptune, which are both ordered to be supplied with it. It is the invention of a commander in the French navy, is used in all their important ships, and costs when fitted over £2OO. An unusual case of insubordination occurred on board the Minotaur a few days ago. A boy, about sixteen years old, was brought before Captain Britten, charged with being incorrigibly uncleanly in his habits. While he was being interrogated he made a sudden rush at the captain, and, aided by the roll of the ship, succeeded in knocking him backwards on to the ward-room skylight. Had this been unshipped, as is usually the case, the consequences would probably have been very serious. The boy was made a prisoner of and will be tried by court-martial, of course. It is not desirable to retain such as he in the service. The Channel Squadron, according to the original programme, was to have proceeded to Cagliari and Palma, returning to Gibraltar for orders. By latest instructions, however, the ships are to go to Cadiz on the oth iust., and the fleet will probably act as guard of honour to the Prince and Princess of Wales during their projected Irish tour. The health of the squadron is excellent.’'—Public Opinion, March 13.