The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-15 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Capt. Rodger, R.N., has been informed by noti-
fication from the Board of Admiralty that his
anchors are now to be adopted in general use
throughout the service. He was yesterday invited
by special request from their Lordships to be in at-
tendance at Woolwich to witness the testing of one
of the old Admiralty anchors, weighing 111
cwt., which was contrasted with one of his own
patent indented small-palmed anchors, weighing 74
cwt. 2 qrs. 181 b. His anchor was tested on the
18th Sent. The Admiralty proof, 55 tons 9-32, with
55 9-32, deflected half an inch each arm; with 82
59-64 deflected ; permanent set, nil. 'I he Admi-
ralty anchor tested yesterday was put to a similar
strain—viz., 71i tons deflected 1 3-16 ; 73, 1 5-16;
75 tons, l ; 77 tons, li ; 80 tons 41-64, 1 9-10;
82 tons 59-64 deflected lf ; permanent set, of an
inch. Thus it will be seen that Capt. Rodger's patent
anchor, weighing 74 tons 2-18, with a strain of 82
59-64 tons, deflected of an inch ; permanent set,
nil; while the Admiralty established old anchor,
weighing 111 cwt., or exceeding by one-half the
weight of the Rodger anchor, deflected double the
amount, viz., 1 inch more, and the permanent set
was registered at a perceptible of an inch. Capt.
Rodger, according to an Admiralty order received at
Woolwich, has been directed to provide 12 of his
patent iron stocks to be applied to an equal number
of 62 cwt. anchors, to be delivered as follows—three
at Portsmouth, and nine at Devonport. One of the
number is to be deposited at Woolwich in advance,
to undergo Capt. Rodger's inspection as a sample,
preparatory to their being issued for service. They
are intended to supersede the old wooden stock so
well known in the service, and now about to be abo-
lished. The manufacturing contraztor is to supply the
whole of the stock, a part of the shank on which it
is to be fitted; also the stock-key and key guide,
anchor shackle, and bending shackle. One of Capt.
Rodger's anchors, on the principle of the patent in-
dented small palm, has been used on board her Ma-
jesty's steam storeship Fox, Com. Moriarty, now in
basin at Woolwich, during the last twelve months,
and havingundergone the most severe test, as ordered
by the Admiralty, was yesterday reported to have
done the work of the old Admiralty anchor weighing
49 cwt., the Rodger anchor weighing only 301 cwt.
Her Majesty's ship Spiteful, commissioned at
Woolwich for the coast of Brazil, according to
rumour yesterday, may probably be despatched to]
Jamaica, to assist in quelling the insurrection.
The screw frigate Arethusa, 35, 3,041 tons, 500-
horse power, Capt. R. J. J. G. Macdonald, lately
attached to the experimental steam squadron, has
been placed in dock, where she is undergoing a
thorough examination and overhaul at the hands of
the mechanics and engineers. The chief defects,
however, appear to be in her machinery and engines,
and as these are stated to be of such a character as
to require her detention in dock for some time, it is
announced at Chatham that her officers and crew
will in all probability be turned over to one of the
frigates now attached to the Steam Reserve, which
will be at once brought forward for commission.
The Arethusa was fitted out for her special service
with the experimental steam squadron, at very
great expense, only a few months ago, and, unless
the defects are found to be very serious, and such
as cannot be easily remedied, it would be very un-
desirable to dismantle and put her out of commis-
sion. The Arethusa was the last of the wooden
sailing frigates converted at Chatham Dockyard to
screw steamers, and the present is the first time
she has been commissioned since her alterations.

The Ariadne, 26, 3,214 tons, 800-horse power,
attached to the third division of the Steam Reserve,
has been brought up to Chatham Dockyard, for the
purpose of being placed in one of the available
docks and brought forward for commission. She
will require some extensive repairs, extending over
a period of some time. She is fitted with engines
of 800-horse power, manufactured by Maudslay,
Son, and Field.

The screw frigate Bristol, 30, Captain Somerset,
flagship of Commodore G. T. P. Hornby, is ordered
to make a trial of her machinery and speed at the
measured mile in Stokes Bay, near Portsmouth, to-
morrow, the recent trial off the Maplin Sands being
considered not altogether satisfactory. Should the
weather permit of the trial being made according to
these arrangements, and the trial itself prove satis-
factory, the frigate will sail on the next or the fol-
low•ing day for her station, the west coast of Africa.

The Malacca, screw corvette, 1,034 tons, 200
horse power, has been commissioned at Portsmouth

by Captain Oldfield, for service on the south-east
coast of America, and has received her full comple-

went of officers and men. if er armament is but

light, and her measured mile speed will not exceed
nine knots. She will, however, doubtless prove a
useful vessel for general service on her appointed
station.

Portsmouth Dockyard now presents, with two
exceptions, but little of general public interest
worthy of remark. The two exceptions alluded to
are the Royal Alfred iron-cased ship converting in
No. 3 dock, and the Simoom screw troopship fitting
out for service in the steam basin. In the docks.

the Warrior iron frigate in No. 11 is refitting for
commission, her greatest delay being at the hands of
the dilatory shipwrights' department. In No. 9 the
Bacchante wooden frigate is lying, having been
brought down from harbour moorings to examine
and repair the copper on her bottom. In No. 5
dock is the Rinaldo, wooden corvette, screw, stripped
of her planking, &c., above the water line, and in
fact being about to have her hull rebuilt. Her ma-
chinery is in the hands of the steam factory depart-
ment. In No. 3 dock is, as stated, the iron-cased
frigate Royal Alfred. The interest attached to this
vessel is due to the peculiar arrangement of the ship's
armour and the weight of her armament, to which
we shall refer on a future occasion, and to the great
pains taken with the work by all engaged upon it,
from the supervising assistant master shipwrights
downwards. This latter, indeed, is astonishing.
No ship in the world was ever yet turned out in such
style as the Royal Alfred will be. No piece of
marble was ever yet tooled and polished more care-
fully by a sculptor. The cost of all this need not
be considered, for the shipwright department of the
yard has had but little, else to do since the last
amount was voted to it in the Naval Estimates for
1864-5. There have been no ships building and
but very few under repairs, and so advantage of the
opportunity has been taken to teach the worker in
wood equal proficiency in the working of iron. The
time at present fixed for floating the Royal Alfred
out of dock, on the completion of her armour-plat-
ing, is the 19th proximo. In the steam basin lies
the Simoom screw frigate, one of the two vessels
referred to, on board of which an unusual degree of
activity is shown by the mechanics, under the vigi-
lant supervision of her future captain. She has now
approached that period in her outfit when, with a
little extra pressure by the master shipwright, she
might be ready for service in a month, and her ser-
vices are just now urgently required by the Admiralty
sad Horse Guards. Astern of the Simoom are
berthed the wooden frigate Mersey, with her 1,000
horse Power (nominal) engines, her rigging com-
plete, and the ship otherwise well forward in her
equipment for re-commission but with the final
completion of the work being done in the custo-
mary style. The Enchantress, Admiralty yacht,
refitting, and the Nimrod, screw gun-vessel landing
i
her machinery, and intended for breaking up in
her hull, complete the list of
the steam
basin. Alongside the jetties vessels
se
in
n-ard lie the
Geyser, paddle sloop, condemned to be broken up
the Malacca
and now landing her to
;
commissioned by Capt. Oldfield; the Minpoteariutur,ein.rtolin'
frigate, taking in monster guns for ex
trials ; the Helicon, paddle despatch boat, refitting
and awaiting orders as to her future movements ; the
Tamar, screw troopship, refitting and ordered to be
docked on the 17th inst. ; and thefamous turret ships,
or rather sloops, Wivern and Scorpion, the officers
and crew of which are engaged in preparing gene_

In the old ship basin of
rally for Admiralty orders.
the yard there is nothing beyond a tiny gunboat, the
Biter,
a coal hulk, and a washing hulk for the use of
the crews of ships alongside the dockyard. Off in
the stream lies the paddle despatch vessel Salamis,
like her rival the Helicon generally refitting and
awaiting Admiralty orders,
,
the stationary flag, and the royal yachts, with
of the
guard, and training ships