The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-27 00:00:00

7HE IVAVI.

The Meeanee, 81, screw steam line-of-battle ship,
400 horse power, Capt. G. Woodhouse, has been
taken into the basin in Sheerness yard, previous to
being docked, to undergo a thorough external exa-
mination and have her bottom cleaned. The greater
number of her officers have taken up their commis-
sions. The detachmen of Royal Marines and Marine
Artillery, numbering 112 men of all ranks, under
the command of Capt. A. C. J. M'Meekan, and two
lieutenants, arrived on Monday from Chatham in
the Lizard, paddlewheel steamvessel, Lieut. and
Cora. W. Spratt, and took up their quarters in the
Naval Barracks, in the dockyard at Sheerness until
the vessel leaves the dock.
The Bullfrog gunboat, 60-horse power, was taken
out of dock on Monday, after having undergone ex-
tensive repairs in both hull and machinery. She
is fitted for and will be placed in the first class of
steam reserve gunboats at Sheerness.
The paddlewheel sceam sloop Geyser, 5, Com-
mander Colin Campbell, from Sheerness, arrived in
Plymouth Sound on Tuesday, and sailed on Wed-
nesday, with eur.rn,,mov.vio. for Quoonotown.

The paddlewheel steam sloop Spitfire, 5, from
Woolwich, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Tuesday,
and sailed on Wednesday for Bermuda.
His Prussian Majesty's frigate Gefion, 26, Capt.
Khatt, which left Dantzic Nov. 15, arrived in Ply-
mouth Sound on Tuesday afternoon, en route for
Lisbon and the West Indies.
A notification has been received at Chatham from
the Admiralty announcing it to be the intention of
their Lordships to supply to the Wellesley, 72,
training ship at Chatham, as well as to the training
ships at the other naval ports, the necessary magic
lanterns, and a large supply of suitable slides, to be
used for the amusement and instruction of the boys
and newly-raised men during the long winter
months. The slides and diagrams will be changed
from time to time, and circulated among the various
training ships, according to a plan arranged by
Commander Tremlett of the Impregnable, 78.
A court-martial was held yesterday on board the
Formidable, flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir W. J.
Hope-Johnstone, Commander-in-Chief at Sheerness,
for the trial of William H. Houghton, chief engi-
neer of her Majesty's ship Cumberland, guardship
of steam reserve at Sheerness, and doing duty in the
Horatio. The court consisted of Capt.W. G. Luard
(presiding), Commanders Crewe-Reade and Henry
Harvey, and Lieut. W. A. R. Lee. Mr. G. H.
Knight, Deputy Judge Advocate, conducted the
case. The charge against the prisoner was that on
the 12th Nov. last he was found drunk in his cabin
on board the Horatio. The evidence of Lieut.
Rogers, who had on that day charge of the division
of the steam reserve to which the Horatio belonged,
and who found the prisoner drunk when visiting
the ship in the course of his duty, was given, and
corroborated by Mr. J. Lewin, the gunner of the
Horatio. The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge,
but urged in extenuation that he had for some time
been suffering from rheumatism, and had been ad-
vised to take gin as a remedy for that complaint,
and that on the 12th Nov. the spirits he had taken
had overcame him. The prisoner put in several
certificates of sobriety and obedience to orders. The
court, having duly weighed the facts of the case,
considered the charge fully proved. In considera-
tion, however, of his baying been in the service 19
years, the sentence of the court was that he be dis-
missed from her Majesty's ship Cumberland, and
severely reprimanded.

The authorities of Woolwich dockyard are desir-
ous of correcting an error which appeared in The
i Sun on the 15th inst., to the effect that " the me-
chanics who had been employed in bending the
armour-plates for the Royal Oak were to be (Hs-
! patched to Woolwich to bend the slabs for coating
the Caledonia, and that the officers from Chatham
were to superintend the process." It may be stated
that the shipbuilders at Woolwich have had special
advantages beyond those of other yards to make
themselves acquainted with the process in all its
details, from their proximity to the Thames iron
factories,which they have been in the habit of visit-
ing. Many of them have likewise superintended and
assisted in the construction of iron ships, and have
studied the preparation of plates in the principal
manufactories throughout England and Scotland.
The plate-bending and fixing at Woolwich, it may
be added, is progressing in the most satisfactory
manner. About 30 of the slabs have been already
fitted to the Caledonia's sides, under the supervision
of the officers of the yard and by the mechanics be-
longing to that establishment only.

Mr. Gisborne, late commissioner for Newfound-
land in the International Exhibition, having ob-
tained a patent for the invention of a system of
ship's steering signals, has received instructions
from the Board of Admiralty to fit the apparatus in
her Majesty's ship Rhadamanthus, at Woolwich.
The apparatus consists of a couple of boxes, placed
respectively on the bridge and in front of the helms-
man, which are connected by means of a strong
electric cable. On the face of each box are four
metal flaps, under which are painted the words
g, port, starboard," &c. These are worked by the
simple touch of a knob or handle attached to
the box, and the orders are replied to in a simi-
lar manner, without the slightest risk or danger of
the order being misunderstood as at present, by
means of the voice. Master Commander Sturdee
and the officers of the Rhadamanthus, as well as
several naval men of experience who have visited
the ship since her return to Woolwich, and have
seen the instrument, all speak of the invention with
approbation.
Commander J. A. R. Dunlop has been appointed
by the Admiralty to command the Rinaldo, 17,
screw sloop, on the North American station, vice
Hewett, promoted.
On the occasion of paying off her Majesty's ship
Hero a very handsome and gratifying testimonial,
consisting of a pocket Communion Service, was pre-
sented by the captain and officers to the Rev. P. C.
Pratt, the chaplain of the ship.