The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-25 00:00:00

ST. THOMAS FLOATING DOCK.

The half-yearlymeeting of this company was held
yesterday at the offices, Moorgate-street ; Mr. Tuf-
nell in the chair.

Thereport stated that the dock, when completed,
would consist of six pontoons ; three of these had
been despatched from this country, and one of them
was in course of construction at St. Thomas. Ac-
cording to the terms of the concession granted by
the Danish Government the dock should be ready
to receive ships at St. Thomas on the 29th of April,
1866 ; but in order to prevent the possibility of dis-
appointment they had the gratification to report
that the period for completion had been extended
to the 31st of December, 1866.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said the amount of the contract for the con-
struction of the dock would not exceed the estimate
originally stated in the prospectus. Nothing could
be more satisfactory than the progress of the dock.
The execution of the work was everything that could
be desired. The accounts they continued to receive
from the West Indies showed the immense necessity
that existed for the dock at St. Thomas, and that
there was the certainty of full employment for it
when ready. _ _ _

•The report was adopted, and a vote of thanks to
the chairman concluded the proceedings.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Bristol, 39, 600 horse power, Commodore
G. T. Hornby, fitting for flag service on the West.
Coast of Africa, has been removed out of the steam
basin and has taken up moorings in the Medway,
near Garrison-point, where the work of fitting her
for sea will be completed. Yesterday the Marl-
borough, War Department transport, left the Ord-
nance-wharf, Chatham, with the naval rifles, re-
volvers, and other small arms and stores for the
frigate. The whole of her A.B.'s have joined, and
the officers appointed to her have taken up their
commissions.

The Zebra, 17, 200 horse power, Commander G.
C. Lindsay, from the West Coast of Africa, will,
according to orders received at Chatham, be put
out of commission and her crew paid off on Satur-
day next. The work of dismantling her is being
proceeded with by the hands from the dockyard
sent on board to assist her crew.

The Royal paddle yacht Osborne, Commander
John D'Arcy, sailed from Portsmouth yesterday
for Antwerp to embark the Crown Princess of
Prussia (Princess Royal) and suite for conveyance
to England on a visit to her Majesty and the Royal
family. _ . .

The Racoon, 22, screw corvette, Captain Count
Gleichen, steamed out of Portsmouth harbour yes-
terday, on the completion of her refit, and anchored
at Spitheaa to take in powder and shell. Lieut.
Prince Alfred is expected to rejoin the Racoon to-
day. The ship is under orders to sail on a short
cruise.

The Royal Sovereign, 5, turret ship, Capt. A.
Herbert, returned to Portsmouth Harbour yester-
day from Spithead, after having made some experi-
mental practice fram her foremost turret guns,
which are fitted with new winches.

The screw steam frigate Arcthusa, 35, Captain
Reginald J. J. G. Macdonald, which left Plymouth
on Saturday, September 30, at 5 p.m., returned to
the Sound yesterday (Tuesday) morning. It will
be remembered that the Arethusa, which measures
3,141 tons, was appointed to test her sea-going
qualities on a passage direct to Madeira with the
frigate Constance, Capt. Edward K. Barnard,
3,213 tons, and the Octavia, 39, Captain Charles
F. Hillyard, 3,161 tons. All three frigates have
engines of 500 horse power. After leaving the
Sound on Saturday afternoon they continued in
company until the Sunday evening, when the
Octavia was left astern. The Constance and the
Arethusa remained together until Tuesday morning,
October 3, when the Constance was only four or
five miles astern of the Arethusa ; they then parted
company. On Wednesday, October 4, a strong
breeze sprung up from south-east, variable, and
continued to freshen until Friday the 6th, when it
became a light gale from the same quarter. In
consequence of the heavy weather the Arethusa was
compelled to stop steaming, and to beat against
the wind. Through this she did not arrive at
Madeira until Tuesday the 11th inst., and then
found that the Constance had arrived on the pre-
vious Friday, and was followed by the Octavia on
Monday, the 10th. It is the opinion of the officers
of the Arethusa that under these circumstances the'
trial, as regards the comparative steam power of
each frigate, has been a failure, although the
Arethusa distanced the others while in company
under steam. The Constance left Madeira on
Saturday, the 15th inst., at six in the morning, for
the West Indies, and the Octavia at 10 the same
day, for Sierra Leone. The Arethusa left Madeira
the next day, Sunday, the 16th.
The paddle-wheel steam sloop Basilisk, 6, Capt.
William W. Hewitt, from Sheerness and Ports-
mouth, arrived in Plymouth Sound yesterday
(Tuesday) morning. After embarking supernu-
meraries she will sail for China.

The iron screw steam store ship Megtera, 6, Capt.
Montagu B. Dunn, will probably leave Plymouth
this (Wednesday) morning for the Mediterranean.
We have to record the death of the Hon. George
John Cavendish, Vice-Admiral on the reserved
half-pay list, which took place on the 23d inst., at
Lyne-grove, Surrey. The gallant gentleman was
the third son of Richard, second Lord Waterpark,
by Juliana, eldest daughter and co-heir of Mr.
Thomas Cooper, of Mullypart Castle, Kildare. He
married, on the 13th of August, 1838, Caroline,
youngest daughter of the late Rev. Chas. Prideaux
Brune, of Prideaux_place, Cornwall, by whom he
leaves a family of daughters. He entered the navy
in June, 1810, on board the Elizabeth, 74, as first-
class volunteer ; and in the Same year became mid-
shipman to the Poictiers, 74, Capt. Sir John P.
Beresford, and served in North America, where he
assisted at the capture, among other vessels, of the
ships of war Wasp and Frolic ; and when on board
the Leander, 66, Capt. Sir George R. Collier, he
aided in taking several American privateers.
afterwards served on board the Queen Charlotte,
flagship of Sir Edward Thornborough, and the New-
castle, bearing the flag of Sir Pultney Malcolm ;
subsequently he served in the Tees, 26, during a
part of the first Burmese war. For some time he
was second captain in the Winchester to Sir Edward
G. Colpoys, Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies.
In November, 1830, he obtained his commission as
captain, since which he has not been afloat. He
became a vice-admiral on the reserved half-pay on
the 22d of November, 1862.
Major-Gen. Russell, C. 8., having proceeded on
leave of absence, the command of the Ist brigade,
Aldershott, has devolved upon Col. Mackirdy, 69th
Regiment.

Two Palliser rifled guns were proved yesterday at
Woolwich butt with two rounds of 27f1b. of powder,
and shot of 1151 b. weight each. One of these guns
has fired 800 rounds, and the inner tube has been
replaced. The other gun formerly had a steel tube
inside the coil tube. The steel tube was a supposed