THE WARRIOR.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1612, 27 August 1861, Page 4

THE WARRIOR.

(From the Times ) This noble frigate is now jointly in the hands of the builders and the workmen • of the Admiralty, both of whom are doing their best to push her forward so as to have her ready for commission by the end of July. .Since her launch a great deal has been done, and from the present date almost as much remains to be done before she will be ready to receive her pennant. All the armour plates except the upper row on the star- • board side, have been bolted on, and this pariial completion of her sea-going equipment has made a most material difference iv her appearance. She is considerably deeper in the water, and has rather a marked list to port, in consequence of more of the plates being iv their places on that side than on the starboard. Quiet as are the waters of the Victoria Dock, the Warrior has nevertheless already given several unmistakeable indications of being top-heavy in her trim, and an armour plate more or less affixed to either side makes an important alterationin her seat on the water. Of course, when ballasted, with all her coals, stores, and water iv, her crankneas will be reduced to the minimum for a ship of her class. But on the other hand, if ever the Warrior burns all her ooals out, and has to return to port in heavy weather, she is likely to be, to say the least, almost top-heavy. Captain Ford, of the Thames Ironworks, when building the vessel, proposed a plan to the Admiralty to diminish this tendenoy to rolling, by filling in between the hollow skins oi the ship with water as the coals were consumod. The plan was rejected for the Warrior, b.U has since been adopted by ' the new surveyor of (he navy for the mythical Achilles, which rumour says is ' ulways about to be built at Chatham, but with which as yet no manner of progress | ' has yetjoeen made. The lower masts, | top-masts, and top gallant masts of the Warrior are already up. Viewed from J outside the vessel, where the eye can take in Ihe whole o( her colossal though fine proportions, these spars appear ridiculously disproportioued to the vast bulk ' of the ship. They are the masts of a 90-gun vessel notwithstanding, though it is difficult to credit it till the visitor stands close alongside them. The tradition three masts, however, will do much for her under sail, and, if it is oontemplated that she will ever have to depend on her sailing qualities, she should have ! been given four. Most of the lower ' deck arrangements, as far as the hulk is ' concerned, are now nearly completed, and ono can form a pretty fair idea of j what sort of ship she will be for internal accommodation when at sea. She is, ot course, of the most roomy dimensions, ] though we doubt that in times of peaoe she will ever be a populur vessel with j either officers or men, as compared with frigates like the Ariadne or Galatea. In ! the Warrior, even the little scuttles \ through which in fair weather officers on ]

tho lower deck receive their small modi* ouui of fresh air and hazy daylight are omitted. An armour plate a'Jmits of no scuttle or aperture uf any kind, so that all within the iron casing below the main deck is as dark as pitch, [11 times of peace living always by candlelight in a ship that will surely roll awfully will, not unnaturally, be regarded as uncomfortable, though in war time the reflection that all on boavd are quite sheltered from shot and shell will more than counterbalance these little drawbacks. Even tho main deck of the Warrior is now very din?, since the admiralty have wisely determined to uarrow the width of the portholos to 30 inches, instead of 50. The armamonl- of the vessel has at last been definitely fixed, and wo think our naval readers will hear with surprise that it has been determined to give her only six Armstrong gnns, viz., two 100-pouuder pivot guns and four light 40-poundors, two for each broadside. The rest of the armament consist of 36 common 68-pounder guns of 95 cwt, each. Strange to say, also, all the Armstrong! ordnance are on the spar deck, and therefore entirely unprotected by armour plating of any kind, while the common guns are under cover. If the whole vessel was armed with breach-loading 100-pounders, thexarmameut would then be lighter than the present comparatively inefficient guns by nearly 50 tons, ' The fore and aft bulkheads which are to shut off the stem and stern, not coated with armour are now also finished. An examination of theiri will give the visitor the best idea of tho vessel's sides, of which they are the counterparts, except in having only ten inches of teack backing instead of twenty, They shut in the whole extent of the midships portion of the ship, from the keel to the upper deck. Both on the main and lower deck small doors of communication are cut through these bulkheads on (he port and starboard sides. These, when necessary, can be closed by doors covered with 4^ inch armour plates, turning on the most massive hinges, and filling in the doorway so as to be perfectly watertight. In the engine room everything is complete and in perfect order. All that now remains to be done there is the erection of a cupola furnace for meltirig iron and filling the hollow shells with the liquid metal. 3or 4 such shells sent against a wooden adversary would set her in a blaze from stem to stern in ten minutes ; whereas supposing such a projectile to get down a hatchway on to the main deck of the Warrior, it would be as harmless as on a stone pavement, for the decks are of wrought iron. With all the haste that may be made by the Admiralty (and the long delay in completing this vessel is due only to the Admiralty and not to the contractors), it is likely to be well on to the end of the year before the Warrior can rank among our available defences. By that time the Emperor of the French will have at least 10, if not 12, iron frigates afloat, of which five, it is expected, will be actually in commission. The apparent supineness of the Admiralty, therefore, in not building more ships of the Warrior class seems quite inexplicable, aud their antipathy becomes almost a subject for alarm when we recollect that France is such a long way ahead, and that, even with 'all our manufacturing resources, it is almost impossible to build one of these iron frigates in less thsn 18 months. With the most lavish expenditure, and with all the aids our private yards could give the Government, ii would be impossible, even supposing them to build no more, to be on an equality with our neighbours iv this matter in less than two years. The excuse of the Admirality is, that they must wait till they have tried the Warrior and Black Prince. But how can the real efficiency of these ships even be tested, except by actual warfare 1 In all else they are known, as far as our present knowledge of such matters goes, to be as near perfection as they well can be. No doubt future vessels will be built a 1000 tons larger, to enable them . to carry armpur plates from end to end, and 500 tons more coal. Beyond this slight developement of principle, evon the private builders can suggest no improvement, yec tho Admiralty still wait and wait, and loose their present and only opportunity day by day. Our navy may be said to possess only two efficient iron frigates, for tho Resistance and Defence were a oompromise. The expeuse of vessels like, the Warrior was thought too great, and so, as the Admiralty wanted to have more to show for their money, they determined on building two cheap and inefficient vessels insteld of one good and dear one. Then, the Warrior aud Black Prinoe are never to be used as steam rams, though they will have great speed, while the two steam rams are so deficient on this vital point that it is said they will not, be able to run down a sand barge if they have first to overtake her. In all we have actually four iron ships launched, two frigates and two steam rams, with two more building, which are neither one thing or the other. So completely does the prestige of suooess in this class of shipbuilding now attach to France that the Russions are having two large iron frigates built there. So also are two building for the King of Italy and two for Spain. The latter power is also having a sister' ship to the Ariadne built in England^ and likewise a sister vessel, to our, Orlando. The Aohilles, which it is always said is about to be commenced at Chatham, has been put off so often that eveu the two new vessels just ordered at Glasgow and Millwall are likely; to beafloat beforetshe is well begun. ■ ' ; . '^ ;i " w

struggles which unhappily took place here during several years just concluded, Mr. Flyger e-inced a heartiness in the Constitutional cause which by its stimulating effects on younger men, greatly contributed to the successful result which eventually ensued. Tl.e late fire, by wMc'i be was a heavy loser, and considsrable ill fortune on his sheep station on the East Coast, no donbt greatly contended to increase the disease of the heart of which Mr. Flyger never would more than slightly complain. "For many yeais he was suhject to gout in his limbs, often being confined to his bed for weeks continuously, and it was from an illness of this kind he was .just getting well when he died. Mr. Flyger leaves behind him a widow and large family for whom the utmost sympathy is felt. The funeral took place yesterday and was numerously attended, but less so than would have been the case had not the pitiless South East storm of the last few days rendered it highly imprudent for some of Mr. Flyger's warmest friends to act out the desire to pay~his remains this last outward mark of respect. LECTURE ON " Joiim Bunyan."— On Thursday evening the Rev. H. W. Scott, delivered a I>c ilia at this Institute on John Bunyan, to a very good audience. The lecturer narrated the priucipal points in the life of the "mighty dreamer," rendering the narration all the more effective by constant reference to personal observations made during a lengthened visit at Bedford. The suhject was used as the means of enforcing lessons of practical utility, 1 particularly on the attention of the younger portion of the audience, and who, hy the example of this great man, were specially taught the truth of Pope's immortal lines. — Honor and shame from no condition rise ; Act well your part— there all the honor lies. The subject of the next lecture was announced to be " Curiosity" by ihe Rev. Mr-. Moir. The Wonga Wonga. — This vessel is laid on for Otago, on her return from Wanganui and Taranaki, and will leave Wellington on or about Saturday, the 7lh Sept. We hear that a number of persons have already engaged their passages at Wanganni and Taranaki, and pro bably a number will be brought from Napier by the Storm Bird, en route for the new El Dorado. Hollo way's Ointment and Pills. — Shortness of Breath, Colds, Coughs, — Thousands of Testimonials can be produced to prove the power possessed by these corrective remedies in asthma, incipient consumption, and all disorders of the chest and lungs. The Ointment well rubbed upon the chest and back, penetrating the skin, is absorbed and carried directly to the lungs, where in immediate contact with the whole mass of circulating blood, it neutralises or expels any impurities which are the foundation of consumption ; asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and nil pulmonary complaints nre thus easily cued. The asthmatic chest, tightened to suffocation in foggy damp weather, is liberated by Holloway's Ointment and Pills, which alike cure the short dry consumptive cough and the heavy expectoratiou attending bronchitis. The late heavy isam. c . — During Saturday night, Sunday, and yesterday, we have experienced very lieavy rains from the South-east, but we are happy to say that the damage done is very considerably less than we might reasonably have expected. There are several small slips on the Petorn Road, and two heavy ones at the Gorges. A small Bridge beyond the Silver Stream has been carried away. On the Mungaroa ihere gare a few trifling slips, and one large oneg on the other side of the Rernutaka, these necessitate the closing of the Wairarapa and Upper Hutt Roads for Cart traffic fora few days. Measures have been taken by the Government to effect the necessary clearings, and the roads will be again open by the end of ifce week. There was a high flood in the Hutt ; but it has not affected the bridge. In the town there bas been considerate damage to the works going on in the neighbourhood of Courtenay place, Te Aro, which we regret to say will, we fear, fall heavily on Mr. Compton the Contractor. The only other noticeable effect of the late rains, in the town district, is the completion of (the breach made in the Hawkstone street, sometime since, by the stream running across the road. Public Works.— We call attention to the several advertisements which relate to Public Works, relating both to skilled and unskilled labour. They comprise repairs to the Hutt Breastwork; formation of Ingestre street; reconstructing a poitior. of the Wimgahau Bridge; brick culvert in Hawkeston street; formation of road at foot of the Hill, Featherston ;and formation of the Swamp road, Taratahi plains, near to Rays, many of these works "will afford ample employment to such as are only waiting the breaking up of the present severe weather, to proceed Southward, and enable them to leave their wives and families in the possession of fnnds, without which we cannot but feel they will in many instances experience discomfort, if not positive distress. The certaiutyofa large number of our population leaving in the spring, as the Otago Gold Fields are now unquestionably a great fact, will, we trust induce the Government to push on every neccessary work for which funds were voted at the last session of the Council. Entertainment to the Detachment op the 2nd Bait. 14th Regt.— We understand that it is intended on Thursday next, to give an entertainment to the men of this detachment stationed here, in acknowledgement of their praiseworthy exertions, on the occasion of the late fire. The entertainment is to take place at Mount Cook Barracks, and Mr. P. J.aing superintends the arrangements, which is a guasantee that they will be perfect. On the followrng day, a Dinner will be given to Ihe noniCommissioned officers, at the same place, and with the same object.

ORIGINAL COULtESPONDENCE. (To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Sin,— l hope you will find space to insert for the information of your readers the accompanying statement made by Mr. Julius llaast, the Geologist, at a public meeting- held lately ut Christen nreb, on a subject now engrossing so much of public attention — the search after gold diggings. A vague impression prevails amongst many Lere that gold diggings are as likely to be discovered in this Province as in Otago, let those who hold this opinion read and study what Haast and Sir R. Murchison say about the geological constants, the existence of which have nevei yet been discovered in this pan of New Zealand. The ge6logy oi ihe explored part of this Province shews the exister.ee of a developement of the lower silurian rocks in certain slaty, gritty and silecious beds, much contorted and partially altered hy heat (forming the gie)waeke, or transition rocks of the old geologists). They are surrounded on the east and west coasts by various deposits of a tertiary age. These deposits have been all upheaved during a comparatively recent period, they form the terrace-like flats that skirt our coast and the valleys that run into the interior,- such as the Wairarapa, which is all of a recent tertiary formation. But nowhere are the silurian rocks

3 seen transmuted, broken up or traversed by r granitic porphyritic, or other primitive rocks. 5 "No country of the worKl," says Sir Roderick , Murchisou 4 "furnishes a clearer example than t Russia, of the dependence of gold on certain r geological and mineral relations. Her chief > European territories are occupied by silurian [ deposits, under such conditions and with a ; total absence of any chrystalline rocks, whether • of intrusive or of sedimentary and metatnorphic 1 characters, not a particle of gold has been dis , covered in them over an area larger thun the rest of Europe. But where the same formations have been thrown up iuto inclined and broken positions in the Ural Chain, and have there been pierced by numerous eruptive rucks of porphyry greenstone, syenite and granite, in association with huge masses of serpentine, the very same deposits, so soft in European Russia, j 1 have been hardened, crystallized, veined and I tendered highly melaliferous. Some even of the igneous rocks being also auriferous." Murcheson's " Silura," page 436. I may add that the unexpluicd part of this Province is the high range of the Tararua towards its junction with the Taupo country. W.L. J / Observations by Mn, J. Haast. He had great pleasure in offering a short j outline of his observations on this important] question, and would state shortly in what rocks., gold is generally found. The circusmstanees. under which gold occurs, called by Sir Roderick Murchisou " Geological coustauts," have been 'found to' be invariably trustworthy, because when rocks of certain similar appearances, and of the age, have not leen met with, gold has never been delected -in payable quantities. Gold has occasionally been found in trachytic rocks; but, as in Transylvania, in such small quantities, that even with tie cheapest labour, and the most perfect machinery, it has barely paid. A little gold is perhaps also diffused in quartoze trachytes bounding our plains, and in the deposits of quarts amongst them, but it would be only interesting in a geolocal point of view and not practically workable. Gold occurs in fvo different manners, it is found in partly transmuted sedimentary rocks of great age (silurian), which are traversed by quartz veins, commonly called reefs, forming" the matrix of gold. They consist of grey, black, or bluish slates, sometimes also pink or purple, often very rotten, of grey limestones, and semi crytalline sandstones. They are only auriferous when they are traversed, transmuted, or bioken up by granites, so that only al those spots gold will be found where rivers come from, or flow over ground composed of boih rocks,_silurian, schises, and granites. Gold occurs also in grains disseminate amidst the constituents of peculiar granites called talcose and hornblende granites, very abundant in this island. This gold is the small grain gold (gunpowder gold), and is generally in. th.c rotteu surface of these granites, which has very often quite a greasy touch. This surface is, of course, continually washed away and formed anew. Ha would repeat that gold is only found when rivers and creeks drain hills composed of these peculiar granites, and of those sedimentary beds called silurian rocks, traversed and transmuted by granites. He had seen planes in this Province where people had prospected for gold, near the inouutaius and up the rivers, -where there was not the least chance to find it, because the geological constants are missing. For instance, on the Malvern Hills, at the Selwyn, which con-, •sist of dome shaped trachytic hills of tertiary age ; also in the mountains of the same formation on the left bank of the Ashburton, the surface of which is in many places strewed over with quartz, calcedony, &c. It is very probable that the rivers Hurunui, Waipara, Ashley, and perhaps the. northern branches of the Waimakiriri flow over gold bearing rocks. He would principally reconacommend the Hurunui for a trial. But the most important part of the Province would no doubt be the Wuitaki, where great masses of igneous rocks will be found. He proposes to start himself in spring for this promising region, and has every hope that very soon good news can be sent to Cbristchurch.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT; Port Chalmers, 22nd August, 1361. ON MTROAD TO THE GOLD FIELDS. As I promised to write you my progress, doings and observations to and on the gold fields. I commence by staling we have had a most delightful tiip to the above Pert doing the distance most pleasantly in less than 60 hours. The Wonga Wouga is too well known to require any remarks upon her, further than the officers on board her cannot be too highly spoken of, particulary the table and attention shewn by the steward. I am happy to say the news awaiting us is most encourging and highly satisfactory, the only drawback being the state of the roads in consequence of such increase of traffic. The field is growing in importance daily. The brigLallah Rookh has just arrived with horses and American waggons from Newcastle for the Gold Fields, and goods are offered to be con veyed from Dunedin to the fields at £35 pc ton, but I need not say the trouble, Bee., to yet the drays along rhe road, there is every probability of h'ne weather, when this to a certain extent will be obviated. , I will write to yon ; again by the next opportunity from Dunedin. P. ■

RES [DENT MAGISTATB'S COURT WELLINGTON. Before B. A. Ferabd, Esq., R.M. ' Hermin Stapleton charged with drunkenness. Fined 10s. and costs ss. 6d. Patrick McCafferty charged with drunken, ness. Reprimanded and discharged. Hart v. Pickering. Debt £o 16s. 3d. Adj. to the 26th inst ut request of plaintiif. Bowler v. Sim. Debt £16 Bs. Id. Judgment by consent for amount and costs. G. H. Luxford v. E. White. Debt £12 17s, s£di Judgment by consent for amount and oosts. Mary Ann Monaghau charged with drunkenness. Fined lOs. ov forty eight hours imprisonment. Saturday, 24th August. Before 11. S. Wabdell, Esq., R.M, James Palmer charged with drunkenness. Fined 20s. and 2 weeks imprisonment. Monday, 26th August. Bkfobe H. S. Wabdrli, Esq. Barry v. Aston. Debt 9s. 6d. Amount paid into Court, It. Hart v. Pickering. Debt £5 16s. 3d. for professional services. Judgment for £5 Us. 3d. Austin -v. Cole. Debt £3 17k. Bd. Judgment by consent for amount. Fairball v. Stephens. Debt £4. Stands over to tie 28th inst. Moore v. Sherlock. Debt £2. Stands over to the 27th. Margaret Smith charged with drunkenness Fined 10s. in default to be imprisoned 48 hou rs

f James Reid charged with being' of unsoun . state of mind. Committed to Lunatic Asylur c for safe custody. i __«»