The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

~.~~

Naval art.(l Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

VALE"na, Oct. 24.—Her Majesty's iron screw
tem-le:lip Orontes, Capt. NV. Hire, has made an-
othe r and third trip to Malta, from Gibraltar, which
she performe d in three days and a few hours, bring-
ing with her this time the 100th (Prince of Wales's)
Royal Canadians. She arrived here on the 17th
inst., and the same day the regiment disembarked
and took up their quarters in Fort Ricasoli, lately
vacated 'by the 15th Foot. The following is the
strengt,b of the 100th Regiment, as disembarked
from' this ship—Major W. Campbell, Major H.
Cook. -; Capts. H. G. Browne, T. W. W. Smythe, J.
Lee, R. L. Bayliff, J. Lamb, and H. E. Davidson ;
Lie ats. F. W. Benwell, H. W. Lawrell, C. A. Bol-
to'a, R. B. Dowling, G. U. Prior, and J. B. Kerste-
7:flan ; Ensigns W. Ritchie, W. Hudson, J. C. Shir-
ley, G. D. La Touche, D. S. D. Johnstone, G. P.
Lawry, and J. C. Jackson ; Surgeon J. S. Chartres,
Assist.-Surgeon J. T. Donaldson, and Quarter-
master W. Smith ; 106 non-commissioned officers
and men, 62 women,and 104 children; Mrs Browne,
Mr 2. Chartres, Mrs. Smythe, Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Lamb,
and Mrs. Smith. Col. Hallewell, Deputy Quarter-
Piaster-General, who left by the Orontes, also re-
turned by her. The 233 Royal Welsh Fusileers
embarked to-day on board this vessel for Gibraltar,
and on her arrival there she will have completed the
eereriee of transporting to Gibraltar and bringing to
Malta regiments comprising in all about 6,500 per -
sfens,'witheut, hitherto, a single casualty, and within
r
Her 'the short period of not more than seven weeks. H
11aj2sty's surveying tender Growler, under thteud
com-
mand of Staff-Commander Stokes, R
into port on the 17th inst. from surveying rtehaes
dis
M returned
dina Batik to the eastward of Malta.,
0.8., when
envered some time ago by Capt. tt
returning from the coast or Barbary,SPrl and called by
him after the name of the ship under his command.
i 9 to be broken U.
n, is on her way from
The Hydra, surveying vessel,
has been dismantled,
'England to the Medina, which
unexpected retirement
P,71/1
rvering service, of which
-nv ntpt- Snmtt from the u,
he was so distinguished a will cause a
change in her destination, and it is doubtful, under
present circumstances, whether two vessels will be
retained in the surveying service on this station.
We learn from Corfu that the other surveying yes-
:sel, Firefly, Commander A. Mansell, left on the 15th
inst. for the northward, to continue her hydrogra-
phi
cal operations in that neighbourhood. The O
r
-
lando, 46, Capt. G. R. Randolph, has also left Corfu
for the Piraeus, to await the arrival of the King of
the Hellenes, and at last date there were no Eng-
lish men-of-war at that island. A Turkish trans-
port, with troops from Montenegro for Constanti-
nople, had put in there to coal. Her Majesty's
screw sloop Icarus, 11, Commander N. Salmon,
which has been under orders for England for some
months past, has at last received positive orders to
proceed to Malta on her way home, and she is daily
expected here from the Piraeus. Nothing more is
said about the immediate return of the Marl-
borough, 121, Capt. C. Fellowes (flagship of Corn-
Mander-in•Chief), and it is believed that she will
not leave Athens until after the arrival of the King,
when the Revenge, 78, Capt. the Hon. F, A. Foley
(beeriug the flag of Rear-Admiral H. R. Yelverton,
C.E.), will take her place on the Athens station ;
and Vice-Admiral R. Smart, K. 11., will return to
Malta. Her Majesty's ship Gibraltar, 81, screw,
Captain J. C. Prevost, which left Plymouth
on the 7th inst. for Gibraltar and Malta, to re-
lieve the green, 74, Captain C. F. Hillyar,
ordered home, has not yet arrived here. Her
Majesty's despatch-boat Psyche, 2, Lieutenant-
Commander Sterne, moved round from the Slieme.
Creek yesterday to the Great Harbour, and left this
morning with the mail received last night from
Mirsei:les for the Commander-in-Chief."

The iron-cased frigate Prince Consort, Captain
Ve3t,y, left Plymouth Sound yesterday at noon for
the 'westward.

The iron screw steamship Black Prince, 41, Capt.
Slimes F. B. Wainright, one of the Channel squad-
ten, now in the new long dock at Devonport, has
become a most interesting object to the residents,
many of whom have visited her. Thu ship, not-
withstanding her great length, preserves nearly
the same level as when afloat. During the late trial,
-when her battoui was clean, she steamed over 14
kcots an 11,71ur. She is now re.ceiving new starboard
--pipcs, in consequence of the fracture of the
pires when dropping anchor. Her general
F,..re of no great extent. Naval men in the
reality suggest that the mainmast of the Black

how
for m

rzance ou4ht to be further forward, nearer her
Centre, if the position of her engines and
machinery
would permit it. Many consider that her great
length demands four masts. Like several other
ships or war, her main shrouds are made of iron
wire. If these are shot away in action there are no
ready means of repair, as with hemp. It is sub-
mitted that the wire should be shackled en in
lengths of 10 or 12 feet, and that spare lengths
should be kept in store so as to be ready for any
casualty. One of the principal objects of placing
the Black Prince in dock was to examine her bottom
in regard to its condition after the application of
two kinds of composition which were put on some
five months since. The starboard side received a
'coating supplied by Mr. M.lnnis ; that ou the port
side is from the laboratory of Mr. Hay, the Admi-
ralty chymist. It may be said, in the first place,
that neither of these inventions is a complete pre-
a-enti/e of the fouling of this ship's bottom, and in
the
second that it is difficult for an ordinary ob-
server to pronounce a faithful judgment on the
relative
merits case. of either as demonstrated in the pre-
sentprevails on Weed
both or grass, about eight inches long,
on the port side.a The aides,
more on the starboard than
growth is chiefly on the water
line, where it is
supposed to be encouraged by drop-
pings from the ship,hieh are naturally attracted
to the sides from t Which
theerface of the sea. Weed pre-
vails less below on
starboard side, which has
also less shellfish than
there is on the port side,
where there are a few
barnaclesth above. Below what
are called the "lands," on
of small mussels and coralin
:Ve
ermicular shellfish
are said to prevail. It is statedr that where they
so
exist the
floati bottom of the Bla
overp
ck
Whincich was chafed by
passed at
mefloating
sea. The quality of these applications"
tent in the estimation of naval men, most impor-
tant to be
referred to—viz., the presentation of rust. The
-starboard side is spotted with rust in
almost every
direction, whereas on the port side corrosion has
commenced only where the bows have been e
abraded
by the chain cables, or the sides chafed by
boats,
&c. It is therefore intended, after the bottom is
thoroughly cleaned, to pay her over entirely with a
coat of Hay's composition, that being considered
the bast suited for the purpose.
Admiralty instructions have been received by the
authorities at Sheerness to the effect that her Ma-
jesty's screw steam iron ship Valiant, 34 guns, 4,063
tons, 800 horse power, built by the eminent firm of
Messrs. Samaria, which was launched at Miliwall a
few days ago, and has since been taken into the
Victoria dock to receive her machinery, is to be
;taken to Chatham to be docked and surveyed, after
which she will be removed to Sheerness, to be fitted
for the first division of the steam reserve at that
place,

hZhee_F_awwn, 17, screw steam sloop, 751 tone, 100
now fitting for sea at Sheerness Dock-
Lainrloai
b 550
:w4:50 removed from No. 1 Dock into the
roasted. sebehe. was placed under the shears and
nission with i 8 being' brought forward for com-
pleted. It is all despatch, and will shortly be corn-
eated that the Fawn will take the
place of the or4h
the
17, screw steam sloop, or 1/3sperate, 8, „:und rew
steam sloop, both of which
vessels are emploved
(14 the North America and
West India stations,
The Clio, 22, screw
at
in
corvette, 1,472 tons,
400 horse power, belong;:
the first division of
the Sheerness steam reserve,
and. only placed out of
der ,
commission a few weeks a lo has d
agoalter been docked
a
orders of the Admiralty, to un by
repairs, after which she will be nd
gai
brought for-
ward for immediate commission.
The Tamar, 2, iron screw troopship, 2812 r
500 horse power, Capt. F. H. Stirling, i, -expected"on°
to be out of the hands of Sheerness dockyard
cials in about a fortnight, when she will bo taktn
to the measured mile off Maplin Sands for a /„,.e.