The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-28 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

VALETTA, April 19,—H.M.'s ship Himalaya,
Capt. J. Seccombe, arrived here on Monday even-
ing last from Toulon, having onboard Vice-Admiral
the Hon. Sir F. W. Grey, K.C.8., and Mr. S. Whit-
bread, M.P., Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
and Mr. H. Dundas, secretary to Admiral Grey.
Mr. Scamp, Admiralty engineer, arrived here the
same euening by the packet from Marseilles, for the
purpose of offering professional advice to their lord-
ships, whose principal object was to obtain infor-
mation on the subject of a proposed dock for the
repair of the large iron vessels now being intro-
duced into the navy, and fer the reception of which
the existing docks are unfit, owing to the great
draught of water of the new class of ships. Another
object was the examination of the great works now
in progress for the extension of the harbour, the re-
sponsibility of the construction of which is to be
borne by the Admiralty, although the exnense is
partly to be defrayed by the local treasury, Mr.
Gabriell, the contractor for the dredging, and Mr.
Tredwell, contractor for the wharves, also arrived
in the same packet from Marseilles. Sir F. Grey
and Mr. Whitbread landed from the Himalaya on

Tuesday morning. Immediately afterwards they
proceeded with the Governor and the naval autho-
rities (under salutes from Fort St. Angelo and the
flagship), on a tour of inspection of the Great Har-
bour, and examined the sites proposed for the pro-

jetted dock, about which some-difference of opinion
exists, and the harbour works. The local civil autho-
rities, it appears, are anxious that the dock should
be excavated in connection with the harbour works,
on a spot about a mile distant from the present
naval dock, while the dockyard authorities, on the
other hand, consider that the basin of the French
Creek, lying contiguous to the arsenal, and formed
by nature, as it were, for a dock, is the proper place
for this purpose. Greater facility and economy of
construction are urged by the friends of both
schemes for their own project. Without offering
an opinion on the relative merits of the twe propo-
sals, it is quite clear that, supposing other advan-
tages equal, it would be advantageous to have the
naval docks and arsenal as close together as possible.
On Wednesday their lordships witnessed the simul-
taneous firing of all the forts at two steamers which
had been ordered to steam into the harbours and
run past the batteries, and the afternoon visited the
naval hospital at Bighi, and the Marsamuscetto.
Thursday was devoted to an inspection of the naval
arsenals, dockyard, bakery, &c. Their lordships
re-embarked on Friday on board the Himalaya to
return home, via Gibraltar, where they intend pay-
ing a similar official visit. It was intended, if time
permitted, to disembark on the Malta coast to visit
the Castle of Selmone, to see if it would serve as a
prison for seamen, until the naval prison, about to
be built, is ready. Her Majesty's paddle-wheel
despatch boat Banshee, Commander Madden, having
on board his Excellency, Lord Canning, lately
Governor-General of India, who is ou his way to
England via France, arrived last night from Alex-
andria, and Her Majesty's screw ship Neptune, 86;
Captain Hornby, left this morning for Naples to
relieve the James Watt. The only line-of-battle
ship now in port is the Marlborough, 131. The
Medina, 4, the Trident, 3, Boxer, 3, and Growler,
3, are also here.
The Himalaya arrived yesterday (Sunday morn-
ing) in Plymouth Sound. She arrived at Gibraltar
at 830 p.m. on Monday, the 21st, and left that
place at 4 p.m. on the 23d, and arrived off the
Sound at 6 a.m. on the 27th. The Confederate war
steamer Sumter, the crew of which have been paid
off, remained in the bay in charge of six hands only.
Many of the crew of the Federal war steamer Tus-
carora were on leave at Gibraltar. She continued
at Algesiras, where there were also a Spanish line-
of-battle ship and three gunboats. The Himalaya
spoke on Thursday, the 24th, at 3 10 p.m. off Cape
Espechil, the Peninsular and Oriental mail steam-
ship Ripon, bound to Gibraltar ; and at 4 10 p.m.
off Cape Roca, the brig Constantine, beating to the
southward.
Admiral Grey, Mr. Whitbread, and Mr. Pandas
remain at Plymouth to inspect the Devonport dock-
yard and Keyham steamyard to-day. The Hima-
laya may be retained to convey their lordships to
Portsmouth.
The screw steamship Revenge, 73, Capt. Charles
Vellowes, flag of Rear %Admiral Robert Smart, hav-
ing all defects made good, went on Saturday from
Hamoaze into Plymouth Sound, where she re-
ceived her provisions.
~,She was ready to sail for
Ireland, where the Admiral will join her.
The artisans of Keyham steamyard have been
working extra hours on the iron -cased screw steam
ship Warrior, 40, Capt. the Hon. A. A. Cochrane,
at Plymouth. She has received a shorter bowsprit,
which does not extend beyond the figurehead. It is
probable that the foretopmast will be displaced by
a lighter spar. By decreasing the bowsprit and
foretopmast, and by placing her anchors further
aft, it is expected that the 'Warrior will not plunge
so much when at sea.
Excepting on the iron-plated ship Ocean, 50,
all shipbuilding is suspended at Devonport. There
are altogether 1,000 shipwrights employed in this
arsenal, and of these about 600 are engaged in com-
pleting, repairing, and making good defects on
various ships in Keyham Steamyard and in Ha-
moaze. The remaining 400 are occupied in finish-
ing the Ocean, which will probably be launched in
October. The ship was well forwarded when instruc-
tions were issued by the Admiralty to prepare her
for plating. Among other contingencies involved
by this order it became necessary to lengthen and
reconstruct her bow, for which purpose the dock
had to be made longer. The new bow protrudes
below the water line, and then risesperpendicularly
all the way. In consequence of the necessary fall iu
the building slip the stem appears now to retreat.
Four feet below the water line the planks of the
Ocean are 121 inches thick, thence they decrease
gradually down to the keel, where they are only
five inches thick. Upwards they commence at
eight inches and decrease to five inches. The iron
plates, which are uniformly 41 inches thick, com-
mence at 4 feet below the water-line, and continue
up the sides. The plates will be fitted in Keyham
steamyard, whither the Ocean will be towed imme-
diately after launching. She measures 4,045
tons, and will be supplied with engines of 1,000
horse power. According to present arrangements,
when the Ocean is launched, her shipwrights
will be placed for the same purpose on the Robust,
139, of 3,716 tons. She is well forward, but must
be ripped right down, cut in two, and lengthened
for plating. The steam-frigate Ister, 36, 2,478
tons, is merely in frame. The Ocean, Robust, and
later are the only ships on the stocks at Devonport.
The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—Stephen V. Bull, in the
Chanticleer, confirmed es second-class assist.-engi-
neer; and A., J. Tout, second-class assist.-engineer,
to the Asia, as supernumerary.