The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-07 00:00:00

711 E NAVY.

The Duke of Somerset and the other members of
the Board of Admiralty who arrived at Portsmouth
from London on Tuesday landed from the Royal
yacht Osborne, lying in the harbour, at 10 a.m.
yesterday. Their Lordships first proceeded to the
office of the Hon. Geo. Grey, Admiral Superinten-
dent, where they were met by Rear-Admiral Robin-
son, Controller of the Navy, and Rear-Admiral Lord
C.Paget,Secretary to the Board,who had arrived from
London to join their colleagues. After transacting
the ordinary routine business at the Admiral Super-
intendent's office, their lordships proceeded, at
11.30 a.m., to make their annual perambulation and
inspection of the dockyard, They first visited the
ropery and new boathouse; thence they proceeded
to the watering island, where a cursory inspection
was made of the new dining-rooms, erected for the
accommodation of the workmen of the yard. The
new jetty here, with its 600 ft. length, fitted with
powerful hydraulic machinery, but minus depth of
water for ships to lie alongside, did not, however,
attract much of their lordships' attention. From
the watering island the Board next paid a hurried
visit to the Sultan target ship, lying alongside the
south jetty of the yard, and receiving 4,i- inch
plates from three of the most famous manufacturers
of armour-plates in England—the Thames Iron
Shipbuilding Company, Messrs. Brown, of Sheffield,
and Messrs. Beale, of Parkgate Works—for future
experimental firing under Capt. Hewlett's direc-
tion. The Royal Sovereign shield ship was next
visited, but their stay here, which was expected io
have been of some duration, from the magnitude of
the interests at stake, scarcely lasted 10 minutes.
From what passed, however, it was understood that
their lordships had determined to adopt the greater
part of the suggestions made by Capt_ Coles for
rendering the Royal Sovereign an efficient ship, and
that they had also determined to give her towers
and shields capable of mounting the largest descrip-
tion of gun which may be forged for her use. The
smithery was next visited, where some excellent
samples of iron forged in the dockyard were in-
spected by their lordships. The objects of the
forgings inspected by their lordships yesterday ap-
pears to have been to show that a better quality of
iron for armour-plate manufacture could be pro-
duced in the dockyards than could possibly be pro-
duced by private manufacturers. This, however, is
a question between the Admiralty and private firms,
and will be sure to find its proper level. The iron
exhibited yesterday was tested against Shropshire
cold-blast pigs, and proved to be of a very satis-
factory nature, exhibiting great strength and tough-
ness, From the smithery their lordships next pro-
ceeding along the line of building slips, giving a
hurried look at the Royal Alfred, now ready for
being set up on her blocks to receive her false keel,
and also ready to receive her lower tires of armour-
plates, as a plated 34-gun frigate. Passing along
the north end of the yard, the Psyche, paddle
yacht, said to be fitted for their Lordships' use,
with engines of 250-horse power, by Messrs. John
Penn and Son, and reported ready for her trial
trip to-morrow, was next visited, and here their
Lordships made the longest stay of any point in
the yard. No. 11 dock, the new dock now in course
of construction by Messrs. Smith, of Pimlico, was
next visited. There Mr. G. Smith, in answer to an
inquiry put to him by one of the members, stated
that the entire work would be accomplished in 20
months if the entire sum of money required for the
purpose of completing it was available. Suppos-
ing, however, the dock to be completed in the 20
months, and the bill of costs paid, an entrance to
the dock would then be required to be created, for
at present there is none. Leaving the dock, and
passing by the huge piles of timber at the north-
east part of the yard, their Lordships next ascended
the round tower of the Frederick Battery, whence
an extensive view was obtained of the mud lands
in the direction in which it is proposed to extend
the steam-basin, jetty, and dock accommodation of
the dockyard. The plans now before the Admiralty
for this purpose, by a gentleman connected with
the Board, we know to be comprehensive, and of
an economical character also, considering the
amount they will afford to our iron fleet. Return-
ing to the southern portion of the yard, their
Lordships next called on board the Himalaya
lying in No. 10 (the new double) dock, and on
board the Mersey, 40, screw, Capt. H. Caldwell,
C. 8., dismantling alongside the sheer jetty
and expected to pay out of commission on
Tuesday next. On leaving the Mersey their
Lordships proceeded on board the Osborne to
luncheon, at the conclusion of which they again
landed at the dockyard, visited the Black Prince,
and afterwards inspected, at the Admiral Super-
intendent's office, the plan proposed by Com-
mander Noddall, R.N., of the Royal Clarence
Victualling-yard, for economising the water space
of the harbour for the purpose of affording addi-
tional jetty room for berthing of ships in connection
'with the dockyard. The matter was argued pro and
el:' ill presence of the Board, and old customs and
ciate: were
efletian,t urged by many of the dockyard offi-
andthe adoption of this very economical
me ndation'T plan, which has also for its reeom-
vvauttts itican be at once made available to
will be g,„idteir
meet the
service. We trust the Admi-
ralty
ment in the mattes, by their own unbiassed judg-
Noddall's Plans the 8o ter inspecting Commander
a
embarked on board the
Vivid paddle yacht, and prose
the Western Channel, r -
eeelmi
eded on a cruise down
of the Arcona, Prussian sat, a salute from the
guns ,h . _ ee7 frigate in ass-
Spithead. 1 eir 1..„,1 . 1 P
in g through 'l"Ps returned to
the evening, and .„,
Portsmouth in .
"" enteil •
Admiral Sir R. 1,. - tuned
at dinner by Vice-- `fir, $r the
wards -Chief at the port ,r ,
Naval Commander-in
in . hey at.,
aid of Ler-
wards attended the ball given the Naas e
Orphan Schools and of
the Seamen and Marine Female
will inspect the
Home. To-day their Lordships
Barracks at East.
ma-
rines, the new Marine Artillery
ney, &c., and in the evening entertain the heads of
departments to dinner. During the visit of their
Lordships to the iron frigate Black prince, the
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerir, accompa-
nied
by Major-Gen. Lord W. Paulet, C. 8., Lieut.-
Governor of Portsmouth, also paid a visit on board,
and afterwards visited the Royal Sovereign, shield
ship, and other objects of interest in the dockyard.
The screw steam gunvessel Racehorse, 4, from
Sheerness for the East Indies, arrived at Fly mouth
on Tuesday, and proceeded into, tr
aaanaoaze to have
defects made good. _ ,
The following appointments Were made yesterday