The Times of Friday contains a rather alarmist communication from
its Portland correspondent, founded on a rumour that the Admiralty have been advised to trust the Devastation no further -westward than Portland, for fear of serious rni, ehancebefalli ng her. The Devastation has now been at Portland since the 20th of last month, and has repeatedly steamed out to sea, but without on any occasion, as it happened, finding weather of the kind desired, —that is to say, tolerably rough weather. It is seldom that the British seas disappoint those who go down to them, in this par- tieular ; and it is easy to understand that the many enemies whom the ship has unhappily made, should blame her for what is really the fault of the winds and the waves. It is suggested that she ought to be taken right off to Bantry and tried against Atlantic rollers straightway. It is to be hoped that the Admi- ralty will listen to no such advice, but will proceed in the same cautions, steady, tentative course of experiment that has been the characteristic note of the history of the ship from the selection of its design by Mr. Childers.
Previous page
