The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-16 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The iron-cased screw steam frigate Prince Consort, 35,
Capt. George 0. Willis, at Devonport, which was pit into
permanent commission far the first time on Thursday, will
have a complement of 600 officers and men, of whom 65
will consist of Royal Marines—viz., two sergeants, two
corporals, a bugler, and 69 privates, under command of
Capt. Meheux and First Lieut. Younghusband. It will be
recollected that the Prince Consort left Plymouth on the
28th October last for Liverpool, and having encountered se-
vere weather, put into Kingstown on the 31st. Tn St. George's
Channel during the storm she rolled excessively and suffered
much from the quantity of water retained on board. To re-
medy this defect some alterations have been made in her
scuppers. The combings of the hatchways both on the upper
and main decks have also been raised from 101 to 19 inches.
Although the Prince Consort lay only in the comparatively
quiet waters of Hamoaze from the period of her completion
to last October, and was then but a few days absent, the
effects of galvanic action upon her iron plates, produced by
the proximity of the Muntz's metal below, had become mani-
fest. By the advice of Mr. Reed, Chief Constructor of the
Navy, and of Mr. Hay, Admiralty chemist, the Prince Con-
sort has now been furnished with a hand of zinc all round,
between the copper and iron, to protect the latter from in-
jury, and, like the Royal Oak, she is supplied with rubbing
pieces on her load lino, to sheath the iron casing from the
friction of boats or anything' else floating alongside.
The screw steamship Royal George, 78, was warped on
Thursday from the sheer hulk in Hamoaze to the north jetty
in r
e Ddockyard,forinthp
of the screw steam coast.
the purpose
Purpose of being rigged and
p r
guard ship Ajax, 60, Capt. Michael Do Courcy, stationed at
prepared
Devon port
foro r t a
commission,
Kingstown.

e•
His Portuguese Majesty's corvette Infanta Don Juan,
beensre s h
swungi
from the eastward, arrived on Thursday at Plymouth.
BAeianaljtvednseftliyh":ll:'etveeiamningpasses, yesterday left the river on her
P Supply, Master Comman-
der
adjustment
Cse
tr. m
way to Gibraltar and Malta, laden with victualling and
dockyard stores from Deptford mad Woolwich,
The paddlewheel steam sloop Hecate,
Capt. Richards,
under orders to pay
off on Monday next in the outer basin,
have
at Woolwich, has been dismantled and partially cleared of
her stores and fitment. Her masts, made at Portsmouth in
August, 1850, were yesterday examined and proved to be
unfit for future service. The °fofficersrs and men,
of whom
there are 126, have been exceedingly healthy during the
seven years which they have servedin
Portsmouththe inPluthmo former
rand
Hocate„
round
vessel,
thei
in
December,Siah
1. cr e they
1856, sailed
they from
Two of the Ship's company only died
Rowley, is ordered to be launched Enterprise, recently com-
missioned during that period—namely, the boatswain's mate at Van-
couver Island, and one sailor at sea.
at Mp re
p. t
forbyd Reed'so
Commanderi 1
iron-cased
of February
the
10th
next, with the whole
of her machinery on board. The armour-plates have all
been prepared in the bending department in Woolwich
dockyard, with the most complete success. The ship-
will complete the pro-
wrights
up to 9 o'clockengagedinthe a toperation of plating the ship are
working night,and
cess during the ensuing week. The Enterprise, after being
launched, will be towed down to Woolwich, and replace the
corvette Wolverine in dock, to be pushed forward for sea.
Brown, ,fre fromn and Ascension,eship Buffalo, Master-
will
or
Rio was yesterday docked at
Woolwich, to be refitted. The officers and crew will be
granted six weeks' leave of absence. Iler bottom, notwith-
standing the experimental composition proposed as an in-
fallible remedy against the adhesion of seaweed and barnacles
is clogged to excess, and will require to be coated anew.
Her Majesty's screw steam sloop Pawn, 17 guns, 751 tons,
100-horse power, Master in charge John J. Gravener, was
taken out of the fitting basin in Sheerness dockyard, where
she has been brought forward for the first division of the
steam reserve of that place, to moorings in the harbour, on
Tuesday, to adjust compasses preparatory to proceeding on
trial of the machinery at the measured mile off Maplin
Sands. The trial should have taken place on Wednesday,
but in consequence of the extreme haziness of the wea-
-1 ther it was postponed till the following day, when
she steamed out in charge of Captain W. K. Hall,
C. 8., commanding the steam reserve at Sheerness. Mr.
Rumble, inspector of machinery afloat, superinteded the
working of the machinery. The following were the re-
sults:—Average speed at full boiler power, 8.578 knots;
revolutions of engines, maximum 90, mean 91.8, pressure
of steam 20, load on safety-valve 20, vacuum 26, speed at
half-boiler power 6.830 knots, revolutions, maximum, 71,
means 64.5. The vessel wentround the circle at full boiler
power, helm at an angle of 37 deg port, in 4 min 28 sec, re-
volutions 77, diameter of circle 228 yards, at full boiler
power, helm starboard 35 5 deg, in 5 min 31 sec; revolutions
63, diameter 254 yards, She is fitted with a common pro-
peller, with leading corners cut off, diameter 10ft, pitch 12ft,
length 2ft, immersion Sin, draught of water, 13ft Tin for-
ward, 14ft ilin alt. There was no wind, and the sea smooth.
The vessel was full-rigged and had six months' stores on
board. The trial was considered very satisfactory, and the
Fawn returned to moorings in the harbour to await com-
mission, when it is expected she will proceed to relieve the
Greyhound, 17, screw steamsloop, 'Commander Henry D.
Mickley, on the North America and West Indies station.
The investigation ordered by the Lords of the Adm;ralty
into the whole of the circumstances connected with the
equipment, fitting out, and departure from Sheerness of the
Confederate privateer Rappahannock, late her Majesty's
nrcqf belt YVa§9l Yigt9r: 6: OQ bong, PiTer: Ydlicii wgil