The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-15 00:00:00

Naval and Military Inteilieyce.:.:-1-1)-ER
• -P I: cat---÷--t! 1-Tu---'Ai:\
THE NA:VY., s' . i -------=" ' --- 3i4..47.,
-\\
The required alterations *aviitg-been are a - ~. „. atqa
the inner stern-post for•the si!iiirillrigate A
building at Chatham Dockyariaßihe opefatKite.),Al
lowering it into the dock and' iliti:ng itain peliitioan,„, .
was accomplished yesterday, under the superintett4,
dance of Mr. Lang, master shipwright, and his
assistants. It wos necessary- to trxercise the utmost
care in handling and lowering tbe formidable nvss,
owing to its unwieldy shape and great weight. The
after-piece of the keel, the weight of which is 14
tons 4 cwt. 3 qrs. 41b., was successfully fixed thc.f.l;;
previous day, when a number of 'mechanics imme---
diately commenced preparing it for receiving the
outer and inner stern-posts. The inner stern pest
weighs 12 tons 4 cwt., and the outer post 13
tons 12 cwt., botn pieces having been forged
for the Admiralty at the private ,foundry at
Glasgow, their manufuelare , ccupying scvrraf
months, owing to the diffieultes connvoted with
the operation. The value 'ht'- ilea , ate'riqols4.- 1
is Estimated ?it £6,000. The ship'wrights' S'ci4;rr;
day commenced ti.e seecnd course of 10-ii,ch feiAi " '
planking on the bioadsides of the Aehi;les, ea-----
which the 41-ineh armour-plates will be fixed, thu/3- '!
givieg a thickness of just 24 inches of timber and •
iron. -
The plan of ventilat:on which is now being car-
ried out on board the iron-cased frigate Royal Olk
at Chatham, under the direction of Cu pt. Fanshawe,
ione koeyvaerrda, i wr h,
sop
ei is
specie
ter: iotmi -
the Superintendent odfititsd
ventor of the system,
the method hitherto adopted for securing proper
ventilation for our large line .of-battle and other
ships. As applied to the Royal Oak and other
armour-plated vessels of the same class, it promises
to be exceedingly effective. In securing a prOper
ventilation of the main deck comparatively little
difficulty will be experienced; it is therefore in the
lower deck that the method recommended by Capt.
Fanshawe will be more particularly adopted. The
masts of the Royal Oak being of iron, and -all _..
hollow, advantage is taken of this to make them
air-shafts for carrying off the vitiated air fr. In each
deck. An aperture is rccurdingly made in each
mast, which, being opened and closed at pleasure,
permits the foul air of all the decks to be carried
upwards. The different berths, stores, and com-
partment on the decks, instead of being cl,sed up, as
in ordinary vessels, are supplied with gratings by
which the foul air may escape. The essential point
' iu Capt. Fanshawe's system is that there shall be a
constant current of air circulating in every portion
of the vessel, approximating as closely as possible
to the upward and downward currents of a mine.
In order to lessen as much as possible the almost
total darkness of the lower deck, the main deck be-
ing at the same time rendered very dark from the
narrowness of the ports, the coverings of the coal-
bunkers, on the weather deck, will be of thick
1 glass, which will admit of a strong ray of light into
the decks beneath, where it will be distributed by
the aid of moveable reflectors. With the exception
of about five armour-plates remaining to be fixed
at the stem and about 20 at the stern portion of
the vessel, the plating of the Royal Oak is com-
plete, and the efforts of the mechanics em-
ployed on board are now principally di-
rected to the completion of the interior fitments.
The framing of the turret, or pilot-house, to
be erected on the upper deck, and the mainmast,
is now being fixed. The frame consists of stout
12-inch teak planking, over which will be laid the
ordinary 4 inch armour plates. Its d:mensions
will be about 9ft. 6in. by ift. bin. In the case of
the Royal Oak, the spare steering wheel will be
placed before the mizenmast. The hull is to be
sheathed, instead of copper, with Muntz's patent
metal, which has recently been applied with satis-
factory results to several other ships fitted at
Chatham.
Admiralty instructions have been received at
Chatham directing the repairs to the Formidable,
84, flagship of Vice-Admiral Johnstone, Com-
mander-in-Chief at the Nore, to be deferred until
\ the Cossack, 20, and the other ships which are pre-
paring for foreign sei vice, are further advanced.
A notification has been received at Chatham from
the Admiralty, directing the line-of-battle screw
steamer Mars, 80, 400 horse power, Captain J. N.
Strange, which is daily expected from the Medi-
terranean, to be paid (ff at-the Nore. The Mars_
has been in commission three years and a half, and
on being paid off will be placed in the third division
of the Chatham steam reserve.

A letter received at Plymouth from an officer on
board the iron screw steamship Black Prince says
that the Admiral left the Tagus before Christmu-
day, to avoid the irregularity usually committed
by the seamen there on that anniversary. The ships
arrived at Madeira on the 29th of December, and
left on the 3d of January. During their stay visi-
tors came off in flocks to the Black Prince, and
were disposed to show great hospitality if the ship
had remained longer. While returning, five dep
were devoted to experimental sailing, steaming, &c.,
which, according to the writer, " proved more and
more that these iron ships were great successes!'
The paddlewheel yacht Black Eagle, Master
Thomas J. `hillier, at Plymouth, was expected to
sail yesterday for Woolwich.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Richard Sampson, chief en-
gineer to the Sampson, for the Prince Consort;
John Ashley, chief engineer to the Asia, for the
Arrogant ; John Barr, supernumerary to the Asia,
is promoted to the rank of first class assistant en-
gineer; George Christie, second master, to the Cara-
doe ; and Hugh B. Edwards, clerk to the Hastings.
The following appointments have been made in
the Royal Naval Reserve :—To be Licut.— John
Henderson Smith; to be Sub-Lieut.—William Wil-
liams.