'The trial trips of the two gunboats for the Victorian Government built by Messrs. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co. at Walker-on-Tyne, were made on Friday, and were in every way satisfactory. The vessels are named the Victoria and the Albert, and are intended to augment the naval forces of our flourishing colony. The Victoria, which is the larger of the two, is a vessel of 530 tons, is 145 ft. long, and 26 ft. beam. She has been fitted by Messrs. R. and W. Hawthorn, of Newcastle, with 550 horse-power engines, and is propelled by twin screws. She carries three guns, which have been constructed at the famous works of Sir William Armstrong at Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne. There is a 10-in. 25-ton gun placed in the bows, and two thirteen-pounders, placed one on the port and the other on the starboard side. The Albert is of 350 tons, is 125 ft. in length, and 25 ft. beam. She also has been fitted with engines by Messrs. Hawthorn of 350 horse-power, and is propelled by twin screws. She is supplied with one 8-in. 12-ton gun, one 6-in. 4-ton gun, two 9-pounders, and two Nordenfelt machine guns. The 8 in. gun stands forward, the 6 in. aft, the two 9-pounders in the waist of the ship, and the Nordenfelts on the forecastle. The vessels will call at Portsmouth for stores, and will then proceed to Australia.'