The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-10 00:00:00

TILE NAVY.

The fine screw frigate Arethuse, 51, 500 horse
power, having had her engines and machinery fixed
on board, got up steam in the basin at Sheerness
yesterday, for the purpose of trying her condensers,
The screw frigate Rosario, 11, 150 horse power,
fitting at Sheerness for commission, will require to
be supplied with new valves before she can proceed
to sea. Her present valves are so defective that
only about 61b. pressure of steam could be kept up
on the occasion of her last trial.
The screw corvette Racoon, 22 guns, 1,467 tons,
400 horse power, Capt. W. C. Chamberlain, which
has just returned from the Mediterranean, arrived
at Gillingham Reach, a short distance below Chat-
ham Dockyard, on Wednesday evening, in tow of
the Adder and African steamers. She has been in
commission upwards of four years. An Admiralty
order reached Chatham, directing her to be exa-
mined by the dockyard officials to ascertain the
length of time it would take to refit her for tem-
porary service. Her powder and shell were landed
yesterday at the powder magazine, Upnor Castle.
The Defence, 18, 600 horse power, Capt. Powell,
C. 8., got her topmasts on end yesterday, and has
nearly completed rigging. In consequence of the
Defence taking. the ground at ley tides, in. oang,

.natian beeiii**-10VN411$4110
factory to know that she has sustained no injury
whatever, and that no anxiety need be experienced
on that head, as the spot whore she grounded is
soft mud. No date has yet been fixed for her to
leave Chatham. Yesterday her immense anchors,
weighing about 95 cwt. each, which were a few
days since received from the Government contrac-
tors, Messrs. Brown and Lennox, of Cardiff, have
been subjected to the usual severe tests, to ascer-
tain that no blemishes either in the quality of the
material or workmanship existed in them, after
which a number of shipwrights were set to
work to fit them with stocks as soon as pos-
sible. A new tiller-yoke, upon a new
and improved principle, is being forged for
her at the smithy in this yard, the one with
which she was originally fitted not being considerd
suitable. The new yoke will weigh when completed
about 30 cwt., and in order that it may be finished
as early as possible workmen are employed upon it
night and day.

The naval department transport, Dove, Mr.
Burtenshaw, master, is ordered to proceed to Black-
wall for the purpose of conveying to this dockyard
the iron tubular bowsprit for the Resistance, 18,
which is being completed in No. 3 dock. The bow-
sprit has been made by the eminent iron ship-build-
ing firm, Messrs; Samuda and Co., who are likewise
to supply the ship with masts of the same con-
struction.

The War Department transport Baltic completed
landing at the Ordnance-wharf, Chatham, yester-
day, upwards of 600 cases of the 100-pounder Arm-
strong solid shot, together with a miscellaneous
assortment of stores, from Woolwich. The Thames,
War Department transport, also landed at Chatham
several hundred boxes of Armstrong shot and shell,
as well as gun carriages and other stores.
The steam transport St. Andrew, laden with war
stores for Canada, yesterday hauled off to the buoy
from Woolwich pier, and received the following
passengers, in readiness to sail this morning by
the early tide :—Mr. Jenner, belonging to the
storekeeper's department from Aldershot; Mrs.
Greig and five children, to join Mr. Greig, of the
abovenamed department, who proceeded in tha
Melbourne ; 10 sergeants of the 15th Hussars, six of
the Ist Dragoon Guards, one of the sth Lancers, one
of the 9th Lancers ; one of the 16th Lancers, one of
the 12th Lancers, one of the 13th Light Dragoons,
one of the 16th Lancers, and one of the 18th Hus-
sars, to drill the Canadian Militia Regiments ; one
first-class and two second-class sergeants, and 17
privates of the Army Hospital Corps. Notwith-
standing the conciliatory intelligence brought yes-
terday by the City of Washington from America, no
relaxation has been considered necessary in the war-
like preparations in progress at Woolwich Arsenal.
On the contrary, increased diligence was observable
throughout the departments yesterday. The ship-
ment of stores, forming a heavy cargo, was yester-
day commenced on board the fine new screw steamers
Spartan and Ajax for Halifax and Jamaica, arrived
alongside yesterday. They consist of upwards of
2,000 tons, principally shot and shell and other heavy
stores. Huge piles and pyramids of cased Armstrong
and loos© common shot and shell, which have been
stacked and stored during the past year, were yes-
terday cleared out and hoisted on board in readiness
for the earliest possible departure. The following
war transports were yesterday berthed in front of
the T pier, and were loading ;with the greatest ex-
pedition :—The St. Andrew, the Parthenon, the
Ajax, the Spartan, and the Brunette, besides smaller
craft and barges at the wharf receiving cargoes for
conveyance to the London Docks for Kingston and
other North American ports.
A gross piece of negligence, which but for its timely
discovery must have caused a most serious loss of
life, occurred in Sheerness Dockyard on Wednesday
afternoon. The boilers for driving the powerful
machinery used in the engineers' factory are situate
in a separate building at the north end of the shop,
immediately over which are rooms appropriated as
offices for the chief engineer and his staff. It appears
that Mr. Townsend, the principal foreman of the
factory, on going his rounds in the afternoon,
made the alarming discovery that the water
in one of the boilers was almost if not en-
tirely exhausted, the result of which was that
the tubes had actually fallen in upon the furnace
bars. The discovery was happily made not a
secondsstop
thee boilerd
there
would isno
db et
mo-
ment too soon, for had the steam not instantly been
tu
machinery
three
have collapsed, and a fearful sacrifice of life and
orun off
atan in d
two the
o r

property been the result, as the factory and the

offices above were filled with workmeu and officials.
An investigation has boen ordered into the circum-
stances in order to ascertain who is responsible for
such gross carelessness.
The following appointments were made at the Admi-
ralty last evening :

Commander—Peter A. Scott to the Nile (additional), for
surveying service.
Lieutenant—John C. Drew to the Atedißa (additional).

THE AR.

The followitg officers have joined the depots of
their respective regiments at Chatham garrison, in
addition to those of whom a list has already been
given in The Sun—Lieutenant Mars M. Poble, 35th
Regiment ; Lieutenant F. B. Morris, 75th Regi-
ment ; and Ensign J. HumphreyBs 94th Regiment.

THE AMERICAN DIFFIctri,TY.—NEWCABTLE-ON-
-The intelligence brought by
TYNE, Thursday afternoon.
the City of Washington, that Mason and Slidell will be set
free by the Federal Government, has caused great satisfac-
tion here; for, while the feeling was general here that if
the question had to be submitted to the arbitrament of war
it was the duty of all classes of Englishmen to sustain the
Government, yet the sacrifice to trade would have been
great. The intelligence has been a great relief to the ship-
owners. Nottingham.—The news of the surrender of Slidell
and Mason was received in Nottingham by telegraph on
Wednesday evening, and spread with lightning rapidity
throughout the town. The intelligence was posted up in
the Commercial Exchange, and read aloud to the persons
present. The liveliest satisfaction is expressed throughout
all commercial circles, and the town generally, that war has
been averted. The receipt of this gratifying news will
doubtless influence the demand for both lace and hosiery
goods. Norwich, can. 9.—The intelligence that the Wash-
ington Government had at last determined •to " swaller
down their pride," and remit Messrs. Slidell and Mason to
the protection of the flag from which they had been un-
righteously torn, arrived here about 6 p.m. last evening,
and was received with great satisfaction. Throughout the
evening and late into the night the fine bells of theochurch
of St. Peter, Maneroft, rang joyous peals, and thiglOriOus
news was the theme of general conversation, all classes
appearing to consider that Lord Palmeraton, has again
preyed himself a truly Dritiolz