The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-09 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The Duke of Somerset will hold his third levee
to-morrow afternoon at the Admiralty, Whitehall.
The Board of Admiralty, composed of the Duke
of Somerset, Vice-Admiral the lion. Sir F. Grey,
K.C.D., Capt. Charles Frederick., Capt. the Hon.
S. 31. Drummond, C. 8., and
Rear-Admiral Lord
Clarence Paget, C. 8., the Secretary,
went yester-
day morning to witness some experiments with
large guns at Shoeburyuess.
In addition to the iron frigate Achilles, 50, 6,079
tons, 1,250 horse-power, building at Chatham dock-
yard,
the following squadron of iron vessels are now
under construction by private firms for the Admi-
ralty, several of which are in a very advanced state
—viz., the Agincourt, 50, 6,621 tons, 1,250-horse
power, building at Birkenhead; the Northumber-
land, 50, 6,621 tons, 1,250-horse power, and the Va-
liant, 32, 4,063: tons, 850-horse power, building at
Milwatl ; the Minotaur, 50, 6,621 tens, 1,250-horse
power, and the Orontes, 3, 2,812 tons, 500-horse
power, building at Blaekwall ; and the Hector, 32,
4,063 tons, 800-horse power, building at Glasgow.
The following iron-plated frigates are now build-
ing at the several Royal dockyards, the whole of
which are intended to be afloat during the present
year—viz., the Caledonia, 50, 4,045 tons, 800-horse
power, at -Woolwich ; the Ocean, 50, 4,045 tons,
1,000 horse-power, at Devonport ; the Prince Con-
sort, 50, 4,045 tons, 1,000-horse power, at Pem-
broke ; the Royal Oak, 50, 3,716 tons, 1,000-horse
power, at Chatham ; and the Royal Alfred, 50,
3,716 tons, 800-horse power, at Portsmouth. In
addition to the above there are no fewer than 31
line-of-battle ships and other screw-steamers now
on the stocks at the several dockyards, most of
which are admirably adapted for conversion into
shield ships, on Captain Coles's principle. Of
these the Bulwark, 91, at Chatham ; the Re-
pulse, 91, at Woolwich ; the Robust, 91, at Devon-
port ; and the Zealous, 91, at Pembroke, are all in
a very advanced state, requiring only a compara-
tively small outlay to plate them with iron. There
are also three first-clam 51-gun frigates also build-
ing—viz., the Belvidera at Chatham, the Tweed at
Pembroke, and the Dryad at Portsmouth—which
are admirably adapted for conversion into armour-
plated ships. They would not require the removal
of any decks, as would be the case with line-of-battle
ships, but would only have to be lengthened and
strengthened to enable them to bear the increased
weight which would be placed on them. Of the
other vessels in progress several are intended to
carry 22 guns and upwards. If completed as iron-
eased steamers they would be larger and of greater
tonnage than either the Monitor or Merrimac. The
whole of the hands have been removed from the
wooden ships building at the several dockyards, and
are now employed on the iron-cased frigates under
construction, five of which will be afloat by the end
of tho present year.

The Resistance, 18, 3,668 tons, 600 horse-power,
iron steamer, fitting at Chatham for particular ser-
vice, is ordered to be supplied with 700 68 pounder
solid shot, instead of 480, as previously di-
rected. In addition to her deck broadside
Armstrong and 10-inch guns, she is to be furnished
with two 20-pounder Armstrong guns, each of 13
cwt., and 5 feet 6 inches in length, and one 9-pounder
5 cwt. Armstrong for boat service. Her field guns
will consist of one 12-pounder Armstrong, with field
carriage and limber, and one 6-pounder brass smooth
bore, 6 cwt. gun, for short practice, with elevating
carriage. She will also take on board one field
carriage and limber to mount a 20-pounder Arm-
strong boat gun.
The Revenge, screw line-of-battle ship, Capain C.
Fellowes, sailed from Spithead yesterday for Ply-
mouth Sound and Queenstown.

The Tribune, 23, screw frigate, Captain Viscount
Gilford, went out of Portsmouth harbour yesterday
to Spithead, on the completion of her outfit for fo-
reign service. Before anchoring at Spithead she
tested her machinery for some time under steam.
Everything was found to work in the most satis-
factory manner.
The Defence, 18, iron frigate, Capt. R. A. Powell,
C. 8., it is expected will go into Portsmouth harbour
to-morrow. She is to be placed in No. 10 dock, on
its vacation by the Black Prince, iron frigate, to
ascertain the effects of the recent grounding on
Soutsea beach when returning into harbour from
her trial trip at the measured mile in Stokes Bay.
The officers of this ship speak in the most enthu-
siastic terms of her recent performances under sail
and steam, and further declare that her steering
qualities have turned out good. As a general rule
in the service, however, officers belonging to a ship
are not the most impartial judges of her good or bad
qualities, and we trust that the Defence's steering
apparatus will be made as perfect as possible before
she is again sent to sea. On her trial of speed in
Stokes Bay the ship did not steer at all well, she
answered her helm at different times, and no rea-
son was discovered, that we are aware of, to account
satisfactorily for this defect. To end her day's
work she grounded twice on Southsea beach, broke
the tip of one of her propeller blades to pieces, and
may, when she is in dock, be ascertained to have
sustained other damage.l
The paddle steamer Vivid, tender to the Fisgard
at Woolwich, was yesterday taken into basin to be
fitted with a saloon on deck, abaft the mainmast,
for the accommodation of their Royal Highnesses
Prince Leopold and Prince Alfred, who are about to
proceed on a cruise around the south-west coast of
Ireland.

The new naval prison at Lewes was opened for
the reception of prisoners on Monday. The first
instalment received was a batch of seven seamen
from Portsmouth under sentences of court-martial.
Admiralty instructions were yesterday received
at Wool wich, ordering the whole of the shipwrights
and others employed in the construction of the
Wolvercne,Dartmouth, and Sylvia to be withdrawn,
and the building of those vessels to be discontinued
for the present. The Dartmouth was commenced in
Sept., 1860, and the Wolverene was ordered to be
launched on the 7th prem. The whole of the hands
are consequently hastening the progress of the
Caledonia, about to be armour-plated, and, as stated,
to be additionally provided with a formidable iron
prow.
The Lieut.-Governor of Greenwich Hospital,
Rear-Admiral Sir W. Fairbrother Carroll, K.C.8.,
died at his residence there yesterday afternoon. He
was born in 1784, and entered the navy as midship-
man on board the Diamond, commanded by Sir
Sidney Smith,in 1796, with whom he was the same
year made prisoner. In 1800 he was severely
wounded in attacking a French sloop under Havre
Ile Grace. He was flag-lieut. to Sir Sidney Smith,
in the Pompee, in 1806, at the sieges of Gaeta and
Scylla, and storming of Capri ; and in 1807 com-
manded the seamen and marines at the destruction
of the battery and guns on Point Pesquies, and the
in the wrecks of the Turkish ships. In 1811
his vessel
was sunk at the attack upon Fort Cata-
lina.
Ilwerisis commander of the Volcano, he co-ope-
rated it
His
name
Spanish patriots on the coast of Cata-
lonia.
(Aar was twice honourably mentioned by
the Duke
ttiellit(l4gton in despatches, and officially
recorded in
ae in 1805, twice in 1806,
and repeatedly
afterwards up to 1814, In
April, 1852, he .3
mander of the Bath. ...rninated a Knight Corn-
, 1 July, 1853, he was ap-
pointed Commander-in-Chief at
when h©
Queenstown, and
remained there till 1833
.was appointed
Lieut.-Governor of Greenvid,„lale
n vital His com-
missions bore dates as follows •
Lieut. May 15,
lon ; Commander, March 4,
, Capt. Dec. 6, 1813 ; and Rear-Admiral, Jan. 21, 1849. ,
The foil yaing appointments were made
day at the Admiralty lent. W • H. /NI yester-
azwell, to
the Coquette ; N. C. • Hatherly, surgeon, to the
Coquette; Daniel A. Cochrane and W •E • Shingle_
ton, second-class assist..o4.7,ineers, to the Asia, as.
supernumeraries; W. H. Fitzpatrick, assist,-pay.
master to t he Marlborough, as supernumerary; and
Francis E. James is nominated to a naval cadetship.
On the re-distribution of the Royal Marine corps,
and the separation of the Light Infantry from the
Marine Artillery, a number of officers belenr„ving to
the latter corps were promoted over the heads of
those of the Light Infantry, although seniors in the
service. In consequence of this a memorial was
I°Twarded through the Lords of the Admiralty
to her
Majesty. In reply a communication was
yesterday received at Woolwich from the Royal

Marine-office, which states that the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty have approved
the commissions promoting Captains W. P. Dodson,
C. F. Short, Francis Lean, G. B. Colwell, and
Henry Swale, officers of Marines, to the rank of
Captain, being dated the 27th instead of the 28th
March, 1862, the former being th? date of the
vacancies on which such promotions took place.

THE ARMY.

A revised edition of the "Field Exercise and
Evolutions of Infantry" having been published under
the authority of the Horse Guards, a general order
has been issued by the Duke of Cambridge, direct-
ing all general officers in command of troops to give
the most scrupulous adherence to the system pro-
mulgated.
Yesterday, Major-General A. J. Lawrence, C.D.,
Inspector-General of Infantry, accompanied by
Lieut.-Col. A. Alison, C. 8., Assistant Adjutant-
General, paid a visit to Colchester Camp, and com-
menced and inspection of the Indian depots quar-
tered at that station. The 9th, which is by far the
strongest of the two battalions, was mustered in the
barrack-square, and the inspection in companies
having been completed it marched to the extensive
grounds of the Abbey Farm, upon a portion of
which the new cavalry barracks are now in course
of erection. There it was put through a variety of
evolutions, all of which were executed in the most
satisfactory manner. Col. Guy, the Commandant
of the Garrison, and Brigade-Major Cooch, accom-
panied Major-Gen; Lawrence in his inspection. In
the absence of Col. Dixon, C. 8., through protracted
illness, the command of the battalion was assumed
by Lieut.-Col. Laye, with Major Swaffield as his
subordinate. The troops, who appeared in their
new clothing, presented a very smart appearance.
Major-General Lawrence subsequently examined
the books of the battalion. lie will this day pro-
cece with a similar inspection of the 10th depot
battalion under the command of Lieut.-Col. Street,
C.B.