The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-08 00:00:00

211 E NAVY.

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The Lords of the Admiralty, in their cruise to the
westward, from Portsmouth, in the Vivid steam-
yacht, on Wednesday evening steamed into Cowes
harbour. Disembarking from the yacht, they visited
Messrs. White's Medina dock and building yard, in-
specting her Majesty's ship Egmont, in dock and
undergoing conversion by Messrs. White for the
Admiralty ; and also the lifeboats being built by
Messrs. White for the use of her Majesty's ships on
the west coast of Africa, and the other work in pro-
gress in the yard. Their Lordships, who were ac-
companied by Rear-Admiral Robinson, Controller 1
of the Navy, several times expressed their satisfac-
faction at the arraugements of this—as it may be
truly called—model private dockyard. On their re-
turn to Portsmouth in the evening their Lordships
dined with the naval commander-in-chief, and after-
wardsseveral of the members attended the ball
given
in aid of the funds of the Seamen's and Marines'
Orphans' School and Female Home. Yesterday
morning, on landing at the dockyard from the royal
yacht Osborne, their lordships, accompanied by
Iklajor-Gen. Stransham, Inspector-Gen,
Col. Langley, Deputy-Adjt.-Gen Marines,
II- Marines, and Col.
Greene, R.E., entered carriages
Fort Cumberland, the headquartersand drove out to
Marine Artillery, at the of the Royal
month of Langston har-
bour, some four miles distant from Portsmouth, to
inspect the troops, and also the progress of the new
works in the fort, and of the new barracks building
for the corps at Eastney. The visit of the Board was
somewhat unexpected at the fort, owing to the pre-
valence of a violent W.S.W. gale, but everything
was found in a due state of preparation on the ar-
rival of their lordships, and the inspection at once
commenced. The covered battery representing a
section of a ship's broadside was first manned, and
six rounds fired from the guns with very good results
both as regarded the time and effects of the practice
Salvos of dead shell were next fired from the mortar
battery at the unusual angles of 16 and '75 degrees.
The next practice was with six 12-pounder Arm-
strongs at 1,400 yards' range, followed by naval shell
from 8-inch and 32 pounder guns from the walls of
the fort at the same range The
as the Armstrongs.
practice from the whole, but more particularly from
the Armstrongs, was exceedingly good, taking into
consideration the gale of wind which was blowing
across the range. The interior of the fort, barrack
rooms, library, reading rooms, and infirmary were

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nextanspeeted. In the infirmary building soty.,ls
very necessary alterations are about to be carried._
out. The visit to the fort concluded, their lord-
ships entered their carriages and proceeded to the
new barracks building for the Royal Marine Artil-
iery at Eastney, Messrs. George Smith and Co., of
Pimlico, being the contractors. Mr. Woods, Ad-
miralty superintending civil engineer,was in attend
once and conducted their lordships over the works,
which as yet have not extended beyond the base-
ment floors of the building, excepting the lofty
boundary wall of flints with brick dressing, which.
is nearly completed. The barracks will stand on an
extensive piece of ground, and in its front wilt have
a strong defensive work, consisting of a long ,enr-
tain, with a heavy work at either end, in line with
the sea beach, each containing two guns in cavalier
bastions, and seven guns in embrasures. The whole
is fronted and flanked by a deep dry ditch having
8 low wall next the escarp of the work for rifle
fire. The escarp of the work itself is revetted with
flints and concrelg.i. From Eastney the Board next
proceeded to Hilsei and there inspected,tbesite of
theienliiiied channel which is LOW ill course of for-
mation between the harbours of Langston and
Portsmouth, in"front of the partly completed lines
of defence at that place, and by which the island
of Portsea is separated from the mainland. The
onlaarrloinweschofandnefeel formerlyncewa sveerxyisshtianlg in
lowanfdrot of theanliogether
contracted. Through this channel, however, a
strong current ran into Portsmouth harbour from
the Langston and Chichester harbours for two
hours after the ebb tide bad fakly made from
Portsmouth harbour between The Blockhonse and
Point Spits. This added an immense volume
of water to the ebb of Portsmouth bar-
' boar, and the important question to solve now is,
—How can the new and enlarged channel between
the two harbours be best constructed to still further
increase this flow of additional tidal water in Ports..
mouth harbour, and thus add to the scouring proper-
ties of the ebb? No question of equal import-
ance to this has been brought before the Board
during their present visit to the port, and it will
without doubt receive the consideration its import-
ance deserves. From Hilsea their lordships drove
round the harbour, through the village of Fareham,
to the head-quarters of the Marine Light Infantry,
at Forron, where they were received with a guard
of honour at the entrance gates, and the division
drawn np under arms on the parade-ground under
the command of Col. Commandant Ayles. After
partaking of luncheon at the officers' mess their
lordships proceeded to inspect the division, which
consisted of eight companies of 32 file each, drawn
up in line. After the usual salute-the battalion
broke into open column, right in front, and marched
past in slow and quick time and quarter-distance
column, then wheeled to the left, deployed on the
centre company, advanced in review order and
saluted. This concluded the parade inspection,
after which the barrack-rooms, B:e., were visited,
and the Board took their departure,
utant - leaving
neGeneral
AdGeral to
Stransham and the Deputy j
conclude the inspection of the division at ship gun
drill, &c. Their lordships embarked in their barge
from the Royal Clarence-yard, and in crossing the
harbour called on board the Vindictive sailing
frigate, fitted as a bread and coal depot for Fen.
nando Po. On leaving the Vindictive their lord-
ships went on board the Osborne, where they, last
evening, entertained the heads of departments and
officers in commission at the port at an official dinner,
as is the custom on their annual visits. Rear-Aa-
miral Robinson did not accompany the Board in their
tour yesterday, being busily employed all day in
the dockyard on matters conneeted with the Royal
Alfred plated frigate, and other vessels_ Rear-
Admiral Eden, C. 13., joined the Board from
London, rand Capt. Drummond returned to
London in the room of Admiral Eden. His
Grace the Duke of Somerset will hold a levee at
the Royal Naval College at 10 a.m. to-day. It has
been suggested that the Lords Commissioners
might have an agreeable souvenir of their 1862
visit to Portsmouth by giving to the Postmaster..
General, who in turn could notify to the public,
the name of the port for the time being to which
letters for ships belonging to the Channel fleet
might be addressed. At present tile movements of
the fleet are kept a profound mystery, and, how-
ever urgent the contents of a letter may be, there
is at present no means of addressing one to any
ship in the fleet with a certainty of its ever reach

inq its destination.
Letters received from her Majesty's screw sloop
Coquette announce her arrival at Rio de Janeiro
from England on the Ist of July. She had called
in at Madeira on the 26th of May on her passage
out from England, and sailed thence on the 2d of
June. She was under orders to sail from Rio for
the Cape of Good Hope on the 12th of July. Rear-
Admiral Warren had sailed in his flagship, accom-
panied by the Tribune screw frigate, Capt. Visount
Gilford, for the Rio de la Plata.
An announcement was yesterday issued from the
Admiralty that their Lordships had approved the
officers composing the Royal Marine battalions in
Mexico being paid, while serving on shore, the
colonial, or double-rate pay, in addition to such
staff-pay and field allowances as may have already
been received.
The Racoon, 22, 400-horse power, which has
been fitted at Chatham to convey his Royal High-
ness Prince Alfred on a visit to several foreign
ports, is under orders to proceed to-morrow from
Chatham harbour to the Nore, taking her place in
the first-class steam reserve. During yesterday
and the previous day a considerable quantity of her
stores were placed on board, but, from the circum-
stance of no officer having yet been appointed to
command her, and the order for her to be placed in
the steam reserve, it is understood that the pro -
posed departure of the Prince has been postponed;
at least for the present.
The screw steam troopship Megmra, 6, Ce annan,_
der H. Henderson, from Ireland, arrived in Ply-
mouth Sound on Wednesday afternoon, and, having
disembarked supernumeraries for the Roy al Ade-
laide, flagship, proceeded shortly after for Wool-
wich.

The new screw corvette Cossack, 20, Capt. Moor-
man, arrived from the Cape at Plymouth on Wed-
nesday, and having received somefo supernumeraries,
morning proceeded yesterday
her crew will be paid sher Sheerness,
will be
the third division of the steamreserve.
placed wherei
off,
and
In addition to the reoent diminution of the esta-
blishment of Woolwich Arsenal, when upwards of
3,000 artisans and labourers were discharged, in-
structions have been received by the heads of de-
partments,
requiring a second reduction to meet
the deficiency in the estimates for the present year.
The manufacture of ball cartridge is ordered to be
reduced 100,000 per week. This implies the dis-
missal of a large proportion of the boys and girls
employed in the filling-houses, who have already
received notice to that effect.
The number of visitors admitted to view the de-
partments of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich yes-
terday, in spite of the tempestuous weather,
amounted to upwards of 1,300 persons, about 300
of whom were foreigners, and on Tuesday the rush
for admission after the arrival of the various trains
from London was so great that the gates had to be
partially closed, and a line of police-constables
drawn across the entrance to prevent accident. On
the other days of the week the visitors admitted by
special ticket averaged about 200 each day.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :_Commander L. J. Moore to the.
Argus ; J. J. Conway, confirmed as second-class
assist.-engineer in the Plover ; J. Miller (c), con-
firmed as second-class assist.-engineer in the Jason ;
A. T. W. Forster, confirmed as second-class assist.-
engineer in the Pin eton ; F. Le B. Bed well, assist.-
paymaster, ter to the Pembroke ; and F. M. Jeunes,
assist.-clerk to the Forte.
The following appointments have been made in
the Royal Naval ReseLrvieeu:
t- —. , Tv%
ro
ibl
lei
aLmi e
Hu te. ,n Gr
y.
PI loapme -;
tl
oi n
be; tos übhe.
L ie u Honoraryts. ,
William Curtis Mann Coulcher,
Robert Pearce, and Henry Thomas Gibson.

Major-General Bloomfield, Inspector-General of
from Artillery, returned to town yesterday
a tour of inspection of Jersey and the Channel
Islands.