The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-29 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The steam-transport Orinoco embarked yesterday at 1
_Portsmouth dockyard 849 men, 13 officers, 10 horses,
and 7 servants of the Land Transport Corps for the
Crimea, with whom she will leave this morning, The
following were the officers ;—Lieut.-Col. Seagrave, of
the 17th Regiment ; Brevet-Major Warren, Rifle
Brigade ; Brevet-Major Ambrose, 3d Regiment ; Cap-
tains Butt, 72d ; Floyd, 3d ; Kirk, Ist Royals; Biddle,
28th ; and Sanderson, 62d ; Lieutenants Traherne, 7th ;
Butts, 77th ; Campbell, 48th ; and Johnson, 33d ;
Ensigns O'Brien of the 7th ; Bussell, 23d ; Presgrave,
17th ; Adams, 77th ; Seagrave, 4th ; and Lieutenant
the Hon. J. C. Dormer, 13th, Adjutant of the corp.
The Orinoco also carries out to Malta Lieutenant
Duffin and Ensign Burne, of the 30th ; and Ensigns
Macnea and Pearson, of the 95th ; for Constanti-
nople—Staff-Surgeon Langley ; Assistant Staff-Sur-
geon Jackson ; Messrs. Wallis, Strickland, M`Carthy,
and Sadlier, Hospital Dressers, of the Osmanli
Irregular Cavalry ; and for the Crimea—Colonel Law-
rence, Rifle Brigade ; Capt. Gerester, 4th Dragoons ;
Lieut. Poore, Bth Hussars ; Lieut. Sawbridge and Cor-
net Haynes, ditto ; Messrs. W. Snow and C. H. O'Meara,
temporary commissariat clerks ; 15 tons of powder, 12
tons of warm clothing for troops, &c.
Rear-Admiral the Right Hon. Sir Maurice F. F. Ber-
keley, K.C.8., M.P., Senior Sea Lord of the Admiralty,
visited Portsmouth dockyard yesterday, and inspected
the progress making in the refit of the steam gun-boats
and the mortar-boats, and especially examined the newly-
constructed iron mortar-boat lately sent to that yard by
Mr. Laird, of Birkenhead.
Her Majesty's steam frigate Sampson, 6, Commander
Hand, went out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead yes-
terday, to prove and try her engines.
The steam-sloop Salamander, 6, Commander Meoham,
is ordered to leave Portsmouth for the Coast of Africa
station on the sth of December. On arriving out she
will turn her officers and crew over to the Scourge (it
present the Commodore's ship), and that vessel will
come home.

The iron steam troop-ship Perseverance was commis-
sioned yesterday at Portsmouth, and taken into the naval
service, by Commander Crang and officers.
The steam transport tender Rhadamanthus, Master
Commander Belam, left Portsmouth yesterday on her
return to the eastward, to ship more machinery for the
ships fitting for commission.
The artisans of Devonport dockyard are now engaged
upon her Majesty's screw steam-ship Sanspareil, 71,
Captain Woodford J. Williams, with a view to diminish
a very serious defect in the accommodation of the cap-
tain of marines, the first lieutenant of the ship, the
chaplain, surgeon, and paymaster, whose cabins are on
the orlop deck, which is separated only about four
inches from the two new boilers introduced at Keyham
in the spring of the year. In consequence of this dis-
agreeable contiguity, the entire orlop deck is frequently
filled with steam, and the nearest cabins are subject
to a heat varying between 94 and 110 degrees Fah-
renheit ; from the proximity of the scuttles to the level of
the sea, these cabins can seldom be opened fcr ventilation,
and never in heavy weather. The Sanspareil has not been
very profitable to the nation. She was designed after the
lines of a prize which was celebrated for her excellent
sailing qualities, but, unlike her, she was fitted with a
screw, and she differs from every other British ship of the
line in having her funnel abaft the mainmast. The ma-
chinery is thus brought near the stern, and interferes
with the space allotted to the officers, who also by this
arrangement come into more frequent contact with the
engineers, stokers, &c. On trial it was found that the
Sanspareil was not successful, Her 84 guns were there-
fore reduced to 71, and about two years and a-half
since, her masts were taken out, and those of a ship of
a much smaller class introduced. With these alterations
she served in the Black Sea in 1854, when little more
than three or four knots could be got out of her under
steam, and on one occasion during heavy weather it was
found necessary that she should be abandoned by the re st
of the squadron to the mercy of the storm and the
Queen's enemies. Having given several other proofs of
incapacity she was sent to Keyham to be supplied with
new machinery, where her power was increased from that
of 300 horses to 350, and the stew boilers added. At the
same time some of the metal fittings were replaced with
iron, which is said to throw the compasses eight points
out. Since the last alteration her progress under steam
has been greatly improved. In smooth water, with no
wind, she makes 9 knots; with contrary winds, 5 knots';
the average rate is computed at 7to 7i knots. But the
Sanspareil, unfortunately, retains the reputation of a
rolling ship. The first experimental cruise to Lisbon
clearly developed this disagreeable feature; after the re-
duction of her masts she is said to have rolled very
much in the Black Sea ; and after the alteration in her
machinery, when crossing the Bay of Biscay some three
or • four weeks since, she inclined over to 35 degrees,
and the muzzles of her guns are said to have touched
the water. The present officers and crew have, within
four months, been three times foiled in their ardent
desire to partake of the dangers and honours of the war.
Having formed part of the escort of her Majesty when
visiting France, the Sanspareil was on the 17th of Aug.
was blown out of the port of Boulogne to the Downs,
where sl a was ordered to Sheerness, where she shipped
13 mntars for service in the Baltic : on arriving at Kiel
the British consul came off with peremptory orders for
her to return to Sheerness, where she unshipped her
lower deck guns, and shipped more mortars, a quan-
tity of ammunition, and 200 supernumerary boys, with
instructions to proceed with all despatch for service in the
B ack Sea. She called at Lisbon, Gibraltar, and Alf,r;ers,
and when she reached Malta the Admiral countermanded
her previous orders, and sent her back to England. On
arriving at Portsmouth she was sent to Sheerness to
have her lower deck guns replaced, and calling at Srit-
head fora supernumerary fan, she returned to Plymouth.
To meet the application of the officers occupying the
orlop deck it is intended by the dockyard authorities
to supply additional scuttles, and to partition off the
cabin of Captain Foote, R. M., who appears to be the
principal sufferer.
The crew of the screw steam-ship Exmouth, 90, flag
of Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, at Plymouth,
housed lower yards and topmasts on Tuesday. She is
ordered into dock to have defects made good; and to be
got ready for sea by the 24th of December. Several of
her crew, who have been five years in the service, have
applied for their discharge, but their request has not
been granted by the Admiralty, as their services are fur-
ther required. It is reported that the officers and crew
of this ship will be transferred to the screw steam-ship
Conqueror, at Devonport.
The crew of La Hogue, 60, Captain Ramsay, were
paid wages at Devonport on Monday, and granted a
month's leave of absence.

The paddle-wheel steam-vessel Virago, 6, is ordered to
be fitted at Dec onport for commission.
The brass field-pieces, six in number, cast in Wool-
wiet. Arsenal to the order of the Government of Ha-
nover, and which were la-t week tested at the butt by
the officers of the proof department there, have been
shipped on board the screw steamer Lutcken, Captain
Dittman, for Harburg.
The officers of the proof department have been en-
raged for some clays past at the practising range in the
Royal Arsenal marshes, at Woolwich, in experimental
trials with a 6-pounder rifle gun. The result has not
turned out according to their expectations, consequently
the experiments are being continued.
Mr. Monsell, of the Royal Ordnance, yesterday morn-
ing paid an official visit to some of the departmentsin
the Arsenal at Woolwich. He also inspected
and
ap-
proved a house, which is to be converted a surgery,
an s y,
an arrangement long desired, as the present surgeryu ier
sill
adapted for the requirements of so large a body of men.
The following appointments were made yesterday at
the Admiralty:—Commander Wm. C. Forsyth, to be,
Inspecting Commander of the Coast Guard ; F. S. A.
Webber, Midshipman, to the Sampson.
The two depots of the Provisional Battalion, Chat-
ham, engaged in the practice of the rifle, under Captain
Wm. Nott, 83d Regiment, and Lieut. W. H. Ballingall,
35th Regiment, have been increased to 6 depots, all of
them being exempt from other duty until they are per-
fect in this branch of the service.
The council of the Royal Naval School, New Cross,
have resolved cn erecting a swimming-bath for the
in
struction of the pupils of that institution, as one of the
elements of instruction to be inculcated in future, and
the following handsome sums towards so laudable and
desirable an object have been contributed, but more are
needed :—The Hon. East India Company, 201. ; his
Grace the Duke of Northumberland, 101.; Admiral
Meynell, 101. ; Vice-Admiral Bowles, 101. ; Captain L.
B. Mackinnon, 101. ; the Marchioness of Thomond, 5/. ;
the Earl of Leven and Melville, 51. ; Admiral Sir C.
Ogle, 51. ; Captain A. S. Ilarnond, 51.