The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-31 00:00:00

Naval am

;elligence.

THE NAVY.
Yesterday the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty paid an official visit to Chatham for the pur-
pose of making their annual inspection of the
dockyard and other naval establishments at that
port. The members of the Board present com-
prised his Grace the Duke of Somerset, K.G., First
Lord; Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir F. W. Grey,
K.C.8., Rear-Admiral C. Eden, C. 8., Capt. the Hon.
J. R. Drummond, C. 8., and Mr. J. Stansfeld, M,P.,
Junior Lords; Rear-Admiral the Right Hon. Lord
Clarence Paget, C. 8., M,P., First Secretary ; Rear-
Admiral R. S. Robinson, Controller of the navy ;
Col. G. T. Greene, director of Admiralty engineer-
ing works; Mr. E. J. Reed, chief constructor of the
navy ; Capt. R. Hall, private secretary to the Duke
of Somerset, and other officials. The members of
the Board arrived at the dockyard shortly before
noon, and alighting at the officia residence of the
Capt.-Superintendent were received by Capt. E, G.
Fanshawe, Sir R. Mayne, Mr. Superintendent Mal-
lalieu, Mr. Lang, master-shipbuilder ; Mr. Moore
and Mr. Hutchens, assistant-master shipwrights;
Mr. Churchward, store receiver; Mr. Uhatworthy,
accountant; Mr. Rivers, clerk of works, and the
other heads of departments. The members of the
Board repeired in the first instance to the office of
the Captain Superintendent, and were occupied for
about half an hour in the transaction of official busi-
ness, after which they commenced the tour of the
yard for the purpose of inspecting the various ves-
sels under construction and repair. The large
iron frigate Achilles, 6,000 tons, 1,250 horse-
power, was the first vessel visited. Confi-
dent hopes are now entertained that she will
be afloat some time before the close of the
present year. Although her first armour-plate
was only fixed in its place on the sth of Febru-
ary last, no fewer than 238 plates had been bolted
to her broadsides up to yesterday afternoon, leav-
ing only about 100 more to be affixed to render the
whole exterior surface,down to sft. below her water-
line, as nearly as possible invulnerable. When it
is remembered that the whole of the iron work on
board the Achilles has, for the last 12 months, been
performed exclusively by the dockyard shipwrights,
who previously possessed HO knowledge whatever
of iron shipbuilding, the progress made in the con-
struction of the iron vessel is without a parallel at
any of the Royal dockyards. Their lordships
ascended the upper deck of the frigate, over which
they were conducted by Mr. Lang and his subordi-
nates, and they afterwards went below to the main
deck, where a short time we spent in inspecting the
progress made in the work. Leaving the shipbuild-
ing department of the establishment the members
of the Board visited the ropery, in which nearly
the whole work of preparing the largest descrip-
tion of cables used in the navy is performed by
steam machinery, It will be necessary, however, to
erect other machinery to keep pace with the require-
ments of the increasing demands of the establish-
ment, which will involve an outlay of about 110,000.
After deciding on the additional machinery to be
provided, the members of the Board resumed their
inspection of the naval portion of the dockyard, and
visited the Anchor-wharf, on which it is intended
to erect steam machinery for loading and unloading
the various vessels at the dockyard, thus doing away
with the great demand for manual labour for that
purpose. After inspecting No. 1 slip, which is at
present unoccupied, their lordships proceeded to the
second building shed, where the 17-gun screw frigate
Reindeer is in the frame, but on which not a single
hand has been employed for several years. They next
visited the factory, in which the iron slabs as well as
the whole of the iron required in the construction
of the Achilles is prepared. Shortly before their
arrival the fine iron screw frigate Tamar, 2,800
tons, 500 horse power, steamed into the harbour
from Millwall, where she has been constructed for
the Admiralty by a private firm. This vessel will
be placed in the first dock which becomes
vacant for the purpose of being surveyed,
previous to her being taken over from her
builders. Their lordships partook of luncheon at
the official residence of Captain Superintendent
Fanshawe, and afterwards proceeded to inspect the
various wooden vessels lying on the several slips,
including the line-of-battle ship Bulwark, 91, the
Belvidere, 51. the 'Vlenai, 22, and the Myrmidon, 4,
on neither of which is a single hand employed. The
last slip inspected was that on which the blocks for
the new iron clad frigate the Lord Warden, the
first of the squadron of that class of vessel to be
constructed on Mr. Reed's plan, will be built.
Their lordships gave directions for some addi-
tional machinery to be erected on this slip to
facilitate the building operation, and, after inspect-
ing the stock of timber, left the dockyard. They
were then conducted over the block of buildings
recently erected by Messrs. Foord and Sons, Ro-
chester, adjoining the dockyard, for the married
officers and men of the Metropolitan police doing
duty at Chatham. At 3 o'clock their lordships
arrived at the Royal Marine Barracks, and were
received by Major-General A. B. Stransham, In-
spector-General; Colonel T. Lemon, C. 8., Com-
mandant, and the entire staff of the division. The
battalion, which now numbers nearly 2,000 officers
and men, was drawn up on the ground parade.
After the division had defiled past their lordships
proceeded over the barracks, and afterwards made
a lengthened inspection of the additional barrack
buildings, now nearly completed. As soon as ready
for occupation, they will afford accommodation
for about 800 more men than can be crowded
into the present barracks, in addition to which
there will be commodious quarters erected for the
field officers and subalterns, and a parade-ground
double the size of the existing one provided. At
4 o'clock their lordships visited Melville Naval
Hospital, over which they were conducted by
Deputy-Inepeetor Kinnear, M.D., and the medical
staff of the establishment. The Lords of the Ad-
miralty afterwards returned to the dockyards to
visit the works at the eastern end of the establish-
ment, on St. Mary's Island, for the enlargement and
extension of the dockyard. They efterwa,ds went
on board the Enchantress, Admiralty yacht in the
harbour, where they dined, and on board which
they slept last night, in readiness to resume their
inspection this morning.
'The Channel fleet, under the command of Ad-
miral Dares, which left Sunderland on Tuesday
morning, arrived in Leith roads on Wednesday
afternoon at 4 o'clock. The Edgar, 71, led the van
in coming up the Firth, and was followed by the
Emerald, Liverpool, Defence, Black Prince, War-
rior, Royal Oak, and Resistance. The anchorage
selected is a mile to the west of Inchkeith, and
about three miles from Leith harbour. The fleet
will remain for about a week in Leith roads. The
Channel fleet is expected to visit the Mersey before
completing its present cruise. Its appearance there
is not anticipated before the middle or end of next

month.
The Wye, iron screw storeship, 700 tons, 100
horse-power, Master Commanding Valentine G.
Roberts, which has recently received extensive
repairs, and been fitted with new boilers built by
Messrs Denney Brothers, at the hands of the ope-
ratives of Sheerness Dockyard, was taken out for
trial at the measured mile off Maplin Sands on
Wednesday. The vessel was in charge of Capt. W.
K. Hall, C. 8., of her Majesty's ship Cumberland,
guardship of the Sheerness steam reserve, and
the engines were under the superintendence
' of Mr. W. Rumble, inspector of machinery afloat,
and Mr. G. Blaxland, chief engineer of Sheerness
dockyard. The average speed attained was 9.591
knots, vacuum 27in. ; revolutions, maximum 71,
mean 70.16 per minute; pressure of steam, 151 b.
draught of water—forward, loft. 4in., aft, l2ft. 6in.
The vessel is fitted with Griffith's ecrew, pitch 16ft.,
diameter, 12ft. 6iu.; arid the indicated horse-power
of her engines is 540. The trial was considered
very successful, and the vessel will shortly leave
this harbour for the west coast of Africa as a store-
ship.

the whole under the command of Major-Gen. Rus-
sell, C. 8., will march from Aldershott on Saturday
the Ist pros. for Wuolmer Forest, halting there on
Sunday and Monday, returning to Beacon-hill on
Tuesday, halting there on Wednesday, marching on
Thursday to Sandhurst, halting on Friday, and re-
turning to camp on Saturday, the Bth inst.
The 12th Lancers, after a stay of nearly two years
at the camp at Aldershott, are under orders to be
held in readiness to move on the 6th pros. is fol-
lows :—Headquarters and 6 troops to Hounslow ;
1 troop to Hampton-court; and 1 troop to Kensing-

The 18th Hussars, now on the North Camp,
Aldershott, are under orders to move as follows :
Headquarters and 3 troops to Norwich, 3 troops to
Ipswich, and 2 troops to NJahampton, to proceed
early in September.

/43
Cat rtAGM E Clunk

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, July 30.
The Queen and Princess of Wales drove out
yesterday.
Earl Russell arrived at Osborne and had an
audience of her Majesty.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat
yesterday. Two appeals from the Admiralty Court
in the case of the Carrier Dove were heard. Judg-
ment was given in the first by Lord Justice Knight
Bruce, and in the second by Lord Chelmsford. Both
were dismissed with costs. The Lords present were
Lord Chelmsford, Lord Kingsdown, and Lord Jus-
tice Knight Bruce.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colo-
nial•office from the Governors of the West India
Islands. Despatches were sent to the Governor of
Canada and to the Lord High Commissioner of the
lonian Islands.

The Emperor of Russia and the Six Points.

On the 23d of June a despatch from St. Peters-
burg informed the Grand Duke Constantine of the
propositions of the Western Powers, and the Grand
Duke acquainted the Marquis Wielopolski with the
The latter on the next day addressed the
'ollowing letter to the Emperor ; •

" Palace of the Castle, June 13,

" Sire,—His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Con-
stantine has been good enough to communicate to me the
purport of the propositions of the Powers, and asked my
opinion on the subject, expressing also a wish that I should
give the same to your Imperial Majesty.
I repeat, then, to your Imperial Majesty that which I
have already had the honour to say to his Imperial High-
ness the Grand Duke. It is, that I am pleased that the
overtures of the Powers manifest a spirit so amicable and
moderate, and that, as Ministers of your Imperial Majesty,
I cannot but give them nay assent.
" I am, Sire, with respect, the very loyal subject of your
Imperial Majesty,
66 ALEXANDER, MARQUIS WIELOPOLSRI."
On the 27th a telegram from tit. Petersburg made
it kno mu that the Council of the Emperor was not of
this opinion, and that the reply agreed upon would
not be without demanding certain modifications.
I'he following day the Marquis wrote again to
the Emperor in the following terms :
" Warsaw, June 28.
" Sire,—Events succeed one another too rapidly to render
it possible to prevent anything, or even to foresee any.
thing. At all events, your Imperial Majesty will render me
the justice that up to the present time my predictions have
been verified to the latter. _ _

"It is painful to me to recur to a subject which I had
imagined already exhausted,— to intentions which appeared
to be unanimously entertained. However, your Imperial
Majesty will allow me to observe that if my actions are com-
pared with the propositions which I have had the honour to
submit to your Majesty, I shall be held free from all re-
proach. I will add but one word. The propositions of the
Cabinets are so wise and so moderate, the honour of the
Empire has been so scrupulously preserved in all circum-
stances which have occurred, they would produce a change
and relative claim so advantageous, that I cannot imagine
anything more practical, or that would more conduce to the
true interests of the Empire, than the unqualified accept-
ance of them, without discussion and without alteration.
" Should the contrary be the case, I should experience the
grief of finding myself compelled to withdraw myself entirely
from a line of policy which I cannot but consider hurtfu
and fraught with danger, and I shall abandon all hope:that
my presence will be beneficial to the welfare of my country,
or to the service of your Imperial Majesty.
"I am, Sire, with respect, your Imperial Majesty's loyal
subject,

"ALEXANDER, MARQUIS WIELOEOLSKI

PRINCE Louis of HESSE has bought the arsenal
at Mayence to convert it into a palace. Theviewfrom it over
the Rhine is most beautiful.
FATAL OCCURRENCE IN DUCKETT'S CANAL,
VICTORIA•PARK.--TWO LIVES LOST.—Last even-
ing, about seven o'clock, a melancholy accident, resulting
in the loss of two fine youths, took place in Sir George
Duckett's Canal, Victoria-park, near the Old French-bridge•
It appears that, as usual in the summer months, there were
a large number of lads bathing in the canal, and two unfor-
tunate youths, named John Davis, aged 14, and Edward
Gray, aged 15, living in the vicinity of Old Gravel-lane,
Wapping, had been amusing themselves with corks, learn-
ing to swim. It seeme that the number of boys increasing
they had abandoned the corks, and one of the deceased lads
ventured too far from the bank, and the bottom of that part
of the canal being steep, the poor fellow, after a few faint
cries for help, disappeared under the water. The other un-
fortunate lad, who could swim a little, seeing what had
happened to his companion, bounded in after him and made
an effort to save him, but unhappily the drowning lad clung
so fast to his would-be preserver that the latter was power -
less, and before assistance could be rendered them they both
perished. The police of the K division were soon in attend-
ance, and the drags being used the bodies were recovered,
but life was quite extinct. The painful scene was witnessed
by a number of persons who were passing to and from the
park. The bodies were removed to Bow dead-house, and
are in charge of Mr. Philpot, the coroner's officer. It is
stated ihat the police have no power to prevent the bathing
in the canal, which is a most dangerous place, and every
summer is the scene of a sad loss of life.

DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH IN ENGLAND.—Thert
are just 519,971 houses in Eng►and and Wales as-
sessed to the house duty over £2O a-year, of which 375,448
are not above £5O a-year, 101,948 between that and £lOO
year, and the remainder, 42,695, above £lOO a•year. This
gives us a fair notion of the number of the opulent families
and of the well-to-do middle class families. Of the former
there must be somewhere about £50,000 in England and
Wales—for their income in houses of £lOO a year and up-
wards must vary from £1,600 a year upwards; of the latter
with incomes varying, say trom £5OO to £l,OOO a year, there
must be just double the number of families—about 100,000
The lower middle class (in wealth), with incomes between
£2OO a year and £5OO, nunabet again much more than
double both the others.—Spectator.

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL is at length likely to
have its embellishment completed according to the
original design of Sir Christopher Wren. The proposal,
according to the Reader, consists primarily in filling eleven
windows at the ends of the choir, nave, and transepts with
painted glass of the highest quality, uniform in style, de-
sign, and execution, in filling the sprandrels of the dome,
vaults, and other suitable compartments, and ultimately the
dome itself, with paintings in mosaic; and generally in
gilding and incrusting with coloured marbles such parts of
the architecture as require it to complete the decorative
framework. It is also intended to finish the great organ in
the south transept, and to complete the stall-work of the
choir, and other works which have been left incomplete.
The funeral service for Madlle. Emma Livry
took place at 10 on Wednesday morning at the
church of Notre Dame do Loretto. Long before that hour
the church was filled with persons provided with tickets
and hundreds remained outside to see the cortege pass. The
entire corps of the Opera were waiting at the church to
receive the remains, together with M. Perrin, Director of
the Opera-house, Prince Poniatowski, and several distin-
guished literary characters. On leaving the church the
corners of the pall were held by four young persons dressed
in white, followed by the pupils of the Conservatoire du
Musique. The cortege proceded to the churchyard of Mont-
martre, where an oration was delivered over the grave by
M. Petipa, ballet master of the Opera.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.—Abont one o'clock on
Wednesday a fire, which threatened fatal results to several
persons, happened in the premises belonging to Mr. E.
Colterett, French wine importer, No. 157, Bermondsey-
street. The discovery was made by a police cons able, who,
noticing smoke pouring out of the lower part of the building
with some difficulty succeeded in arousing the inmates, who
escaped just in time to avoia being burnt to death. The
premises were nearly burnt out, and the roof partially de-
stroyed. The building was insured in the Sun Fire-office.
About half-past 4 a re., a the commenced in the premises of
Mr. W. West, a laundry proprietor, . situate at No. 8,
Queen's-road, Chelsea. The laundry and wash-house were
nearly consumed, and the back part of the d welling severely
. damaged. The contents were insured in the Globe office