The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-03 00:00:00

°y SPAT'
The Japanese Ambassadors
—_. 'mulled by Mr. Macdonald, ye t L'' ...
4
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visit to Portsmouth Dockyard. 0.41.13, I' gg,Wu
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party arrived at the Landport tai44.l2*-b3ky
early morning train from London.—:ttireA*4.!
tion the Ambassadors proceeded to ilie dedityaar
and called upon Vice-Admiral Sir H. W. Bruce,
Naval Commander-in-Chief, at his residence at the
Admiralty-house. Leaving the Admiralty-house,
accompanied by Flag-Lieutenant Suttie, the Am-
bassadors visited the Royal Sovereign, now con-
verting to a shield ship on Capt. Coles's principle,
in which they appeared to take much interest,
taking copious notes, and spending some time is
looking over the vessel. The Black Prince, iron.
frigate, was next visited, and a considerable stay
made on board, every part of tie ship thing gone
through, and numberless queries put ti.romh the
interpreter to Mr. Tacker, the chief engineer of the
ship, and other officers who attended upon the
party in t:,cir visit round the ship. While the
Aurbas:faders \sere engaged in their inspection of
the frigate, Rear-A:lrnif al George Grey, the super-
intendent of the dockord, who had been engaged
in an official inspection aL4oat, arrived on board, and
was introduced by Mr. Mau;
nnald. Captain R. S.
Hewlett, C. 8., of her Majesty's .:R hip Excellent, and
Capt. A. Powell, C.B ~of her Defence,
~o Majest.T's ship
were also introduced at the same time* Thevisitto
the Black Prince being concluded, the s2lip basin
and No 1 dock were visited, as was the l'opery,
after which the party left the
dockyard and
proceeded to Dent's George Hotel, Portsmouth, to
luncheon. The 53d Regiment furnished a guaid of
honour, under the command of Major Hopkins, with.
the band snd colours of the regiment, the band
playing a selection of music during the time of their
stay at the hotel. Immediately after the Ambassa-
dors' arrival,
La
garrison and the south-uwestletC disl3iTictcommanding, accompa-
nied by his staff, called officially and was :introduced
to their excellencies by Mr. Macdonald. After
luncheon the party again proceeded to the dock yard
in carriages from Dent's hotel, and on arrival wOre
received by Rear-Admiral the Hon. G. Grey, and -
conducted to the Nortirwlll landing ateps to. em- ,
~ „...
bark for her Majesty's ship Excellent. Previous to
4,
embarking. however., their attention was called to
the hydraulic cranes ree:,;atly erected on the north
wall of the steam basin, one of which had been
tested on Saturday, and had sL
x tons of iron ballast
still attached to the chain. Wii.
h the working of
this beautiful piece of machinery, blind its prompt
and ready action in answer to the mo:.ien of the
lever, the whole party appeared delighted. Qn the
bed-plates being removed, exposing to view the
mechanism underneath, their interest was still raoro
excited, and one of the ambassadors observed that a
similar crane bad been shown to them in Liverpool
but its working and prit,ciple had not been so clearly
explained to them. After coucluding their inspec-
tion of the hydraulic crane, the ambassadors em-
barked in the Port Admiral's barpt the suite fol-
lowing in the flagship's boats, and 'cc?nt on board
were re-
the Excellent gunnery ship, where they
ceived by Capt. R. S. Hewlett, C. 8., Commander
Herbert, the officers of the ship, and a guard of
honour of the Royal Marine Light Infantry. After
inspecting the ship a portion of the crew were sent
to quarters, and practice was commenced at various
ranges with shot and shell with guns of various
calibres, both Armstrong and smooth bore. The
practice, as is always the case ;yhen this ship's best
men are at the guns, was admiraoe. At the con-
clusion of their visit to the Excellent, the ambassa-
dors returned to the dockyard under a sante of 21
guns, and proceeded to the railway station, f,eturn-
ing to London by the 4 15 p.m. train.
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