The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-09 00:00:00

IRE IV AVY .

t down three years since on the fourth slip, but for
the past two years not a single hand has been em-
ployed on her. She is completely in frame, but no
portion of her planking has yet been affixed. In
order to convert her into the armour cased vessel
Intended it will be necessary to take her to pieces
and reconstruct her on No. 7 slip, on which the
Royal Oak was built, the shed under which the
Belvidera at present lies not being sufficiently com-
modious to permit of her proposed alterations; in
addition to which the new slip is fitted with the
requisite machinery, travellers, cranes, Szc.,employed
in iron shipbuilding. In converting the Belvidera
into an iron clad frigate it will be necessary to
lengthen her amidships about 40ft., in addition to
which her breadth of beam will be increased 6ft.
In the reconstruction of the Belvidera it is not in-
tended to follow the plans and models on which the
Royal Oak and other armour plated frigates have
been built, until the sailing and other qualities of
our squadron of wooden iron cased steamers have
been tested by practical experience at sea.
The Hood, 89, screw steam line.of-battle ship,
3,308 tons, 600-horse power, has been taken into the
fitting basin at Sheerness, to be brought forward
for the first division of the Sheerness steam reserve.

• reLyserte, Dec. I.—The arrivals of English men
of war during the week are the Gannet, 11, Com-
%/Under the Hon. H. M. Nelson, on the 23d ult.,
from Constantinople and Syra; the Phoebe, 35, Capt.
the Hon. T. Fortescue, on the 24th, 18 days from
Plymouth and 5 from Gibraltar; and the Scylla, 22,
Capt. R. Lambert, this morning from Corfu. The
Gannet left on the 27th for England to be paid off,
and the Wcylla will leave to-morrow evening for
thepb are destination and for the same purpose. The
has come to join the Mediterranean fleet.
The°3 Alacrity, 4, Commander J. Baird, left harbour
on the 24th ult. for gun exercise, and returned on
tb,o 28th. The orders for the Defence, 18, iron-
'Q ated ship, to join the Mediterranean fleet have
been countermanded, and she has joined the Chan-
nel fleet instead. The Meeanee, 60, lately recom-
missioned, has been substituted for her, and will
shortly leave England to relieve the Mars, SO,
Capt. J. N. Strange, daily expected here from the
!neat of Syria, cn her wny home to be paid off. The
Firebrand, 6, Commander Piers, which has just
tome out of dock, is expected to be sent to Gibral-
tar, to be stationed there. Nothing appears to be
as yet decided regarding the destination of the Tra-
falgar, 10, Capt. the Hon. T. Baillie ; the Liffey, 35,
Capt. George Parker ; the Phoebe, 35, Capt. the
Ho-,r, T. Fortescue ; and the Chanticleer, 17, Cora-
nsander Stirling, which are still in port, as well as
The Marlborough, 131, Capt. W. H. Stewart, C. 8.,
flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, which is likely
to remain here for some time to come. The St.
George, 80, Capt. the Hon. F. Egerton, has left
Gihrs.itar for Algiers and Malta, and is expected at
this island about the 6th inst. The Trident, 3,
Commander Balfour, which conveyed Sir H. Bnlwer
to Alexandria, was still at that place on the 27th
nit., awaiting his excellency's orders. No change
has occurred in the squadron at the Pintails. The
Edgar, 89, Cast. the Hon. F. Foley, bearing the
flag of Rear-Admiral S. C. Dacres, C. 8., has ar-
a ived atrOarfu. from Malta, having relieved the Scylla
at the .ormer island. Besides the ships mentioned
above, as being still here, there are the Hibernia,
re_cfsiseng ship, Commander Harvey, bearing the
il g of Rear-Admiral H. J. Codrington, C. 8., and
her 4 tenders Boxer and Growler in port. By the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship
_
.uxine, which entered port this morning from
Marseilles,. the following military officers have ar-
limed here :—Capt. Ellis, Lieut. Galway, Lieut.
_Cooke, and Ensign Hunter. This morning the
French steam corvette Tenger, Capt. P. de Blanc,
arrived from Tunis and Gibraltar, having on board
the Duke of Brabant and suite. The Scylla, which
happened to be coming into port at the same time,
exchanged salutes with the corvette outside, and
the usual salutes were fired on the corvette anchor-
ing. The Duke himself, however, wishing to pre-
serve a strict incognito, declined to receive the
honours due to his rank. He accepted the Governor's
invitation of apartments in the palace, where he
will reside during his brief stay in the island, which
is not likely to be prolonged over to-morrow, when
he
will continue his route to Alexandria, probably
calling at Benghazi, on his way, for the purpose of
visiting the ruins of Cyrene. This, however, has
not yet 'oeen decided upon. To-morrow night the
spectescle of manning the batteries will be exhibited,
and. in the afternoon there will probably be a re-
view. A telegram was received to-day announcing
the departure of her Majesty's surveying ship Fire-
fly, Commander Mansell, this morning, from Alex-
andria for Malta. Since the 25th ult. communica-
tion by the submarine telegraph between Port Yen-
dres and Algiers has been interrupted. For some-
time past it has been determined by the Admiralty
to construct a naval prison at Malta for the deten-
tion of seamen and marines sentenced to imprison-
ment by the local courts or their own officers. The
estimated cost is £8,600, which I believe has al-
ready been voted. Orders have recently been re-
ceived to commence the work forthwith, under the
superintendence of Mr. Churcbward, civil engineer,
of this dockyard, who sent home a design so con-
ceived as to admit of the building being extended at
any tuts re time, if necessary, for the accommoda-
tion ¶4 military as well as naval offenders.
ni'he Sutlej, screw frigate, Captain M. Connoll7,
bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral J. Kingcombe,
sailed from Spithead at daylight yesterday morning
for the Pacific, to relieve the Bacchante, screw fri- A new royal warrant, signed by Sir G. C. Lewis,
gate, flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Thos. Maitland. Secretary of State for War, has just been issued
The Sutlej calls in at Plymouth Sound on her way from the War-office, laying down a new code of rules
down Channel to receive final orders, &c. and regulations for the supply of clothing and ne-
The Neptune, screw line-of-battle ship, Capt. G. cessaries for the army. The warrant directs that
P. F. Hornby, whose arrival at Spithead from the the regulations are to be invariably observed and
Mediterranean was announced in The Sun of Satur- strictly adhered to, except in cases of urgent and
day, reports having encountered a succession of unavoidable necessity, which, immediately on their
heavy gales from the northward and eastward occurring, are to be reported to the Commander-in-
since leaving Gibraltar on the 15th of Novem- Chief for her Majesty's consideration. No officer is
ber. On the 20th of November, in latitude to direct or knowingly permit any variation what-
-35.60 N., long. 13.25 W., numbers were ex- ever from the sealed patterns of clothing and neces-
changed with her Majesty's ship Barossa, run- series without special sanction communicated
ping before a fine north-west breeze, all well. through the Secretary of State for War.
On the 23d, she signalled the Morning Star, of In order to render those non-commissioned officers
Liverpool, in lat. 40.7 N., long. 16.52 W. and men of the Ist division of the Depot Brigade,
The Neptune is ordered into Portsmouth harbour Royal Artillery, who will be despatched to India
to strip, clear out armament and stores, and pay out in the approaching spring, thoroughly conversant
of commission. with their Artillery duties, prior to embarcation,
The Arrogant, screw frigate, Commodore W. Ed- practice is daily carried on with the 68 pounder, 10
=oilstone, was paid out of commission at Ports- inch, and 32 pounder guns, with solid shot and
mouth on Saturday. She had a healthy crew, and common shell. An officers' squad has also been
has been a pattern during her commission of com- formed, and the officers of the brigade are daily
fort, good order, and discipline. The official report drilled at heavy gun exercise, parbuckling, erecting
forwarded to the Admiralty by Rear-Admiral J. sheers, and in the management of heavy artillery
Xingcome, on his making an official inspection of generally, under the direction of Lieut. Phipps, in-
her state and discipline on her arrival at Spithead structor of gunnery to the Ist division.
from the West Coast of Africa, was so highly favour- An order has been received at the head-quarters
able that their lordships wrote a letter to the corn- of the Royal Engineer establishment, Chatham, di-
modore "on service," conveying their thanks for recting the reinforcements selected for the 28th and
the condition and discipline of the Arrogant and 31st companies at Malta, and the 28th and 30th
her craw at the termination of her period of foreign companies at Corfu, to hold themselves in readiness
service, and also especially conveying to the com- to embark for the Mediterranean on Saturday, the
modore their lordships' thanks for the successful and names of the non-commissioned officers and men
satisfactory manner in which he has conducted and selected having been approved by the Duke of
carried out his duties as senior officer on the West Cambridge.
Coast of Africa. Archibald Ballam, master-at- The Deputy Adjutant-Gen., Col. Chas. Bingham,
arms ; Josiah Barling and Michael Quin, chief has issued a general regimental order, dated from
boatswain's mates ; and R. Clarke, boatswain's the Horse Guards the sth inst., wherein the sub-
mate, were, on paying off, recommended by joined information regarding the Royal Artillery is
tho commodore to the Admiralty for the given. The following exchanges have been sane-
silver medal and gratuity granted for long tioned—viz., between Lieut.-Col. and Brevet Col.
service and good conduct. The Arrogant A. Benn, of the 7th, and Lieut.-Col. A. P. S. Green,
was commissioned by Commodore Edmonstone of the 10th brigade; between Second Capt. J. S.
in August, 1859. Her then senior lieutenant Stirling, No. 1 battery, 13th brigade, and Second
('irabbe) received his promotion for his gallantry Capt. C. F. Roberts, A battery, 4th brigade; be-
in storming the stockade in front of Sabba, on the tween Lieut. W. H. King Harman, of No. 7, and
river Gambia, Commodore Edmonstone on that Lieut. D. N. Allan, No. 4 battery, 10th brigade.
Occasion leading the storming party, composed of The exchange of batteries between Lient. Cameron,
the seamen and marines of the ship, the latter under of the 15th, and Lieut. Budges, of the 19th, is can-
CaPt. M'Arthur. In April of the same year Lieut. celled, and the former officer will be posted to a bri-
Cay became senior lieutenant of the ship, when her gade in India. The officers commanding Royal
mens Were again actively employed, under the pro- Artillery at stations concerned will obtain the sane-
;l'l command of the commodore, in destroying tion of officers commanding troops to the following
rt,,NT
1 '`"To, a large native town and depot on the removals of officers—viz., Capt. Rowley from Alder-
agee„,
the loss et Lagos. While serving up ti e Gambia shot to Leith Fort ; Second Capt. Hunter from New
one ofaceastir g the Arrogant's officers and crew was Zealand ; Lieut. Reit from Woolwich to New Zea-
22'ad three men killed, and two officers and land; Lieut. Burnett from Ballincollig to Gibraltar;
men vioundea _
on board from boon after the party returned Lieut. Poole from Woolwich to Ballincollig. The
broke out, resulting in 10
the Porto Novo expedition fever undermentioned officers are posted to batteries as
deaths. With this ex- tollow, viz.--Lieut. W. Mallins, to No. 7 battery,
ception the cruise of the Arrogant has been a par- 13th brigade; Lieut. E. Johnson, to No. 7 battery,
titularly healthy one for
Arrogant will be placed iest Coast service. The 7th brigade; Lieut. G. Montgomery, to No. 2 bae.
n
reserve. Her hull and th e third class steam tery, 12th brigade; Lieut. N. M. Burt, to No. 7 bat -
extensive repairs. machinery require very tery, 6th brigade; Lieut. W. P. Platt, to No. 8 bat-
tery, 13th brigade ; Lient. T. H. Geary, to No. 8
Orders from the Lords of the Admiralty, were re- battery, 14th brigade ; Lieut. T. H. Lloyd, to No. 3
ceived on Saturday at Devonport to put -
into corn- battery, 7th brigade. Those posted to batteries
mission the screw steam sloop Shearwater, ii, now serving in England will join them at once, but those
in the first division of the steam reserve
in liamoaz
She
will have a complement of 130 officers and e, abroad will remain with the depot brigade for the
moved this week from her moorings ' ' Increased Pay"—
have her bottom cleaned. Lieut. J. R. Hezler, 3d brigade,
into dock to
vice Hunter, promoted; Lieut. G. H. French, 10th
The screw steam frigate Doris, 32, Capt. Sir F. L.
brigade, vice J. D. Strange, deceased. The follow-
ng transfers have been ordered—viz., Capt. and
M.Clintock, from the N lediterranean, may be ex_ i
Brevet and
petted shortly at Ply MOW 11 .
89 has been made with , battery, oth b •
Lieut.• Col. Le Mesurier, C. 8., from A
As soon as sufficient p.rogre .
and the i Capt. R
brigade; Pa
bpatatyemrya,slt4erthLbireiugta.d-ce,otlo.
D.
rigade, to A battery, 14th brigade ;
‘ owley fro
proportion i battery, the
iftr,ofinriobmtrhi
the iron plated steam frigate Royal 0ak,50,
eNlosthttoieutht.eß7uthrnebtrtigfardoem; Lient.
G b atat-
which .
iron steamer Achilles, 50, to allow of a
of the hands employed on those vessels
mternaenesd- '
A. J.
Jw.aitrta,
ferred to the other ships which have been
brigade.;
7 battery,. 13th brigade, to C
battery let brigade
at Chatham, the works connected with the whole of battery, 4th
tery, Bth brigade, to Ns. 4 batt
which have been suspended for several months past,
it is intended to proceed with the conversion of the Lieut. Barker, from No. 4 battery, let brig
the depot brigade; Lieut. jade, to
600. horse Poole, from the 7th to U
50 gun frigate Belvidere, 3,030 tons,
power, now on the stocks, to an iron plated Bth
frigate battery, brigade.
Saturday detachments of invalid
of the Roy al Oak class. The Belvidere was laid On troops and

fhe Meeanee, 60, screw steamship, 2,951 tons,
400-horse power, Capt. George Wodehouse (Oct. 19,
1854), has been removed from the fitting basin to
moorings in the harbour at Sheerness, and is re-
ceiving her provisions, stores, &c. She will be
out of the hands of the dockyard authorities
about the 12th, and be ready for sea on the 16th,
when she will proceed to the Mediterranean to re-
lieve the London, 86, screw steamship, Captain
Chads, which is to be paid off.
The Conqueror (late Waterloo), 86, screw steam
ship, 2,845 tons, 500-horse power, is bring fitted at
her moorings in the harbour for the first-class
steam reserve at Sheerness, and is to take the place
of the Meanee, 60, recently commissioned by Capt.
G. Wodehouse.

Orders have been received by the authorities at
Sheerness dockyard that the greatest despatch is to
be used in repairing and refitting her Majesty's
ship Vigilant, 4, screw steam gunvessel, for re-
commission.

In accordance with instructions from the Admi-
ralty, Captain C. Wise, Captain Superintendent of
Sheerness dockyard, accompanied by several offi-
cers of the yard, had inspected the Ganges, 84,
sailing ship, and other vessels in the harbour, to
ascertain their fitness for the reception of dispos-
sable seamen on their return from leave after hav-
ing been paid off. The reason is that the flagship
Formidable and the steam reserve guardship Cum-
berland are not capable of accommodating the num-
ber of men who will shortly be for disposal.
The report of the Registrar-General of Seamen
and Shipping on the Royal Naval Reserve for the
month of November last states that 16,091 appli-
cations had been received, and 14,166 volunteers
enrolled on the 29th ult.

The following appointments were made yes-
turday at the Admiralty :—Commander R. G.
Douglas, to the Shearwater; Lieut. J. H. Vidal, to
the Excellent ; Lieut. E. L. Trafford, and Lieut. Sir
F. Blackwood, to the Shearwater : J. D. Switzer,
master, to the Russell, for the Satellite ; E. H.
Evans, surg., to the Shearwater ; Mark A. Harte,
1 assist.-surg., confirmed in the Satellite ; Dr. A.
i Yule, acting assist.-surg., to the Shearwater; A.
1 Grenfell, midshipman, to the Majestic ; T. T.
Hodgson and Eustice Rooke, midshipmen, to the
Pyludes ; C. E. Stewart and Arthur W. Massy,
midshipmen, to the Meeanee; Harry C. Owen,
master's assist. supernumerary, to the Pylades ; J.
1 M'Farlane, master's assist. supernumerary, to the
Meeanee ; and Arthur Hodson, clerk, to Formidable
for secretary's clerk. Commander E. Scott to be
inspecting commander of the Coastguard ; .Lieut.
P. H. Colomb, of the Indus, to be flag-lieut. to Real
Admiral Symonds, C. 8.; G. Raymond, master in
command, to the Rhadamanthus ; Edward C. T.
Youel, master in command, to the Fox; J. Lang-
lands, engineer, to the Shearwater ; J. B. Liddell,
first-class assist.-engineer, to the Shearwater ; T.
Murray, acting first-class assist.-engineer, to the
Indus for the Clinker; and J. Connolly, second-
class assist.-engineer, to the Shearwater.

7HE ARMY.