The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-30 00:00:00

21-1 E NAVY.

The screw steam frigate Phoebe, 51, Capt. For-
tescue, at Plymouth, was swung yesterday for the
adjustment of her compasses. She is under orders
to sails for the Mediterranean.

The screw steam frigate Galatea, 26, Capt. Ma-
guire, from Spithead on Sunday, arrived in Ply-
mouth Sound on Tuesday afternoon. She has re-
ceived supernumeraries for ships on the West India
station, and will leave shortly for Bermuda.
The defects of the paddlewheel steamsloop Virago,
6, Commander Hope Johnstone, will be completed
at Devonport by Nov. 2.
An Admiralty order has been received at Chatham
explanatory of the 27th article of the " Admiralty
Instructions" relative to the transmission of the re-
turns of the sailing qualities of ships of war. In
future, when an officer is superseded in command of
a ship, he will rot be required to send in the report
of the sailing qualities of such ship for any broken
period of a ye 4r, but the return, being annual, is to
be made out at the expiration of the year by the
officer then in command.

The improved night signals for the navy, invented
by Mr. E. Hawthorne, of Sheerness dockyard, hav-
ing been most favourably reported upon by the
offieers of the various ships into which they have
been introduced, a notification was yesterday re-
ceived at Chatham that the Lords of the Admiralty
have awarded the inventor the sum of £25 for the
invention. The invention has been adopted on board
several vessels belonging to the Danish navy, the
officers of which have favourably reported upon it.
Mr. W. Roberts, of Milwall, having received the
sanction of the Lords of the Admiralty for an offi-
cial trial of his newly-invented steam traction fire-
engine, yesterday attended in Woolwich dockyard,
and exhibited the properties and capabilities of the
' apparatus in the presence of the whole of the local
authorities. The trials commenced soon after ten
o'clock, and concluded at four. The fire having been
lighted at 10 o'clock under the boiler (Benson's pa-
tent), steam was raised in 24 minutes to 1401 b.
The engine was put in motion at the western extre •
mity of the dockyard, and rundown to the open space
fronting the building shed from which the Caledonia
was launched on Friday last. The hose and a 11 in.
mozzle having been applied, a solid body of water
was thrown over the roof to the height of about
120 feet. After working the engine with various
sized deliveries, and throwing a larger and smaller
jet of water, a double hose was affixed and the effect
was highly satisfactory, and on being worked in
competition with the force from the hydraulic main
in the dockyard the effect of the engine was pro-
nounced one-fourth superior to the dockyard hose,

The machine then steamed down to the new sheds
erected for bending and preparing the armour plates
for the Caledonia, and, having been connected with
the hydraulic press, worked as a driving engine and
propelled the travelling crane in lifting and remov-
ing the iron slabs. The engine, having a single
guiding wheel in front, is enabled to turn without
difficulty and inconvenience. At the conclusion of
the trial the engine steamed off to its destination,
proceeding over London-bridge, after 10 at night.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. A. G. Wootton and Lieut.
G. J. Anstruther, to the Leopard ; Sub.-Lieut. H.

L. Pearson and Sub.-Lieut. Cecil S. W. Willis, to
the St. George; F. D. Radcliffe, midshipman, to
the Marlborough ; T. S. Houghton, midshipman, to
the St. George; A. Boys, paymaster, additional to
the President; F. J. Putman, assist.-paymaster to
the Hastings ; M. S. S. Bree, master's-assist., to
the Revenge ; J. R. Stewart, of the Odin, W. H.
Kent, of Magicienne, and R. Hall, of the Asia, for
the Stork, confirmed as second-class assist-en-
gineers.