The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-11 00:00:00

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The Frederick William, 84, screw steamship, of
3,240 tons end 500 horse power, has been brought
down Portsmouth harbour and placed alongside the
dockyard to complete her outfit from the first•cles3
reserve for immediate commission. It is rumoured
that the Princess Royal, screw line-of• battle ship,
the ship which has been named as the flagship of
the future Conamander-in-Chief on the East India
and Cape Station, Rear-Admiral St. Vincent King,
C. 13., has been found to be so defective that it was
necessary to substitute some other ship for the pur-
pose, and hence the present orders for the Frederick
William.
The Urgent, screw troopship, refitting in the old
ship basin, of Portsmouth dockyard for commission
by Capt. Henderson, late in command of the iron
screw troopship Megfera, is undergoing vary ex-
tensive repairs on tier hull, externally and inter-
nally. In addition to what is required to the iron
hull below the upper deck the woodwork of the
latter is being almost entirely renewed with new
work. The fastenings of her plating under water
were found very defective, owing to the want of
some protective composition covering the rivet-
heads on the ship's inner skin.

The Sharpshooter, 6, iron gunvessel, screw, in
No. 6 dock at Portsmouth, is under repair by tha
shipwright department, and is expected to be com-
missioned when completed in her refit, for home
and experimental service. This vessel is fitted with
Captain Warren's patent bow rudder, for steering
the ship when going astern, and iscoated internally
with Spence's patent cement.
The Sparrowhawk, 4 screw gun vessel, has a
large number of hands employed upon her, repair-
ing defects in dock at Portsmouth. She is in a very
dilapidated state, and the greater part of her bow
and stern will have to be entirely reconstructed.

The Calcutta, sailing line-of-battle ship, is fitting
by the shipwrights in No. 2 dock at Portsmouth,
to take the place of the Illustrious, as tender to the
Excellent, gunnery ship at Portsmouth, the former
ship having been condemned. The Calcutta's ports
are undergoing alterations to suit the different de-
scriptions of ordnance which she will carry for ex-
perimental purposes, as well as for ordinary prac-
tice and drill. She is also having a port'cut on each
side 7ft. by fift., through which to take in heavy
ordnance and carriages, in lieu of hoisting in over
all, as has hitherto been the case. This ship was
built in Bombay in the year 1831, of teak, and the
extraordinary soundness of her timbers at present
furnishes a strange commentary on the flimsy build
and rottenness of such vessels as the Sparrowhawk
and scores of others which have been constructed of
late years.

The undocking of the 21 gun corvette Wol-
verene at Woolwich, for the reception of the iron-
cased sloop Enterprise, is ordered to be deferred
until Saturday, by reason of the entrance and off-
ing abreast of the dock being encumbered with mud
and gravel, which it is difficult to remove earlier.
A couple of dredging-machines, employed in
cleaning out the inner basin, are engaged in the
work, and the refuse is removed in barges
to aid in extending the wharf, which is
in progress at the extremity of the arsenal. The
%%rolverene will be afterwards brought into the
inner basin, to be fitted for commission, and is
ordered to be ready by the c'ose of next month.
The paddlewheel sloop Gorgon, Commander Wil-
son, will be put out of commission this morning,
and the crew paid off at 10 o'clock at Woolwich,

Mr. Brain, appointed assistant-master shipwright
at Woolwich, has taken up his duties in succession
to Mr. Thornton, promoted to Chatham yard. Mr.
Brain has obtained experience in various positions
in most of her Majesty's dockyards. He has been
employed at Portsmouth during a consecutive
period of 16 years, and has there been engaged in
the building of the Victoria, Royal Sovereign, Prince
of Wales, Marlborough, Duncan, and other ships.
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
expressed their satisfaction with his services in a
letter of commendation and thanks.