The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-03 00:00:00

2HE NAVY.

A special report is to be made to the Admiralty
of the length of time it will take to complete the I
Conqueror, 86, 500-horse power, for tte first divi-
sion of the steam reserve in the Medway, that ves-
sel being intended to take the place of the line-of-
battle ship Meanee, 81, 400-horse power, just com-
missioned for sea Two other large steamers—viz.,
the Leander, 81, 400-horse power, and the Colum-
bine, 4, 669 tons, are also fitting for the first-class
steam reserve at Chatham, and both are nearly
completed.
The screw steamer Meanee, 81, Capt. G. Wode-
hcoaae (1854), having undergone a thorough over-
haul and examination in No. 1 doe's at Sheerness,
has been removed into the steam basin, where she
is being rapidly complete:l ior sea. About 500 of
her crew have already joined, and the remainder of
the complement are, expected to arrive in the course
of a few days. .114ecording to present orders she is to
be completed. and out of the dockyard's hands by
the 10th 'Ant., shortly after which she will take her
dePar`. ore for the Mediterranean, calling at Spit-
he-Ad for final orders,
11.1 r. Ward, of New York, United States of Ame-
rica, who has given his attention in England
during the past two years to the improvement
of our naval signals as employed at sea, has
returned from Liverpool, where he has been
engaged in lecturing on the subject of marine tele-
graphs before the Associated Shipowners' Assembly.
lie last night displayed his; improved signal tele-
graph, suspended on the flagstaff in Woolwich
dockyard, by special direction of the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty. Sir F. Nicolson, C. 8.,
the Commod.o-re,Snperintendent, and other officers
of the yard 17fere present. The improvement con-
sists of a different arrangement of the lanterns, and
in tte use of five lamps instead of four as formerly,
Which are provided with i ed lenses and dark shades,
'worked from the deck by means of small jack stays.
The lamps are triced up as fixtures and are arranged
at PAinal distances in a vertical line, and the opera-
tor stands on the deck beneath. The extra lantern
gives the advantage of using RA additional number
of white signals, the latter being distinguished at a
greater distance at sea than the red. The trials last
night commenced at half-past 4 p.m., and extended
over two hours, In order to test the superior bril-
liancy of the signals one of the old Admiralty lan-
terns was tukuled up the flagstaff, and was pro-
nounced a mere glimmer in comparison to the new
signal.s. The efficacy and speed with which the
messages were delivered was remarkable, no less
than 100 having been recorded under the lapse of
30 minutes. The lanterns were disconnected and
exhibited as steering lamps and ordinary signal
lanterns.

Sir F. Nicolson yesterday mustered the officers
and crew of the screw steam sloop Racer, arrived at
Woolwich from North America and the West Indies
to be paid off. Her war stores Were yesterday re-
turned to the Royal Arsenal, and the dismantling
will be commenced to-day in basin.
Commander A. M. Lyons, R.N., was promoted
yesterday to the 'tank of captain.
The follow3:0g appointments were made yesterday
at the Maniraity :--yjapt. A. W. A. Hood to the
Pyle&s; commissioned ; Lieut. the Hon. J. T. Fitz-
cla)::ence to the St. Vincent, for service in the Sea.
lark ; Lieut. Sackville W. H. Thompson to the
Majestic ; Robert J. C. Grant, master, to the Py-
lades ; William N. C. Gould, naval cadet, to the
Edgar; John Pooley, paymaster, to the Pylades;
C. A. Hobbs, chief engineer, to the Asia, for
the Algiers, when the latter is paid off; R. Samp-
son, chief engineer, to the Asia, for the Arrogant,
when the latter is paid off ; Frederick S. Turner,
acting second-class assist.-engineer, to the Indus,
for the Valorous; W. Vawdrey, acting second-class
astist-engineer, to the Cumberland, for the Con-
queror ; F. T. Fitzmauriee, assist-paymaster, to
the Pylades ; E. S. NI. Power, assist.-paymaster, to
the Cumberland ; W. T. Tregidgo, master's assis-
tant, to the Victory, as supernumerary ; R. H.
Warren, master's-assistant, to the Meeanee ; R.
Smyth, clerk, to the Pembroke; Alfred Clements,
clerk, to the Colossus ; and E. D. Green, clerk, to
the Pylades,