The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-20 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

We understand that the Admiralty are about to
take a lease of Lord Ashburton's mansion and
grounds, on the shore of Stokes Bay, which have
been recently purchased by the War Department.
It is the intention of the Admiralty when the
house and !grounds are handed over to them, to fit
the mansion up as a college, to which we presume
sea-going tenders will be attached. It is situated at
the western end of Stokes Bay, immediately oppo-
site the Palace of Osborne, and the lawn extends
to within 50 yards of high water mark. The ap-
proach to the house is by a handsome drive with
Gothic lodges :and entrance gates. A flight of
steps lead to the porch, which gives entry to a
noble hall, right and left of which are rooms of
unusual size and height, admirably adapted
for mess and school rooms, lecture-hall, and
library. The upper story contains 30 bed-
rooms, capable of giving accommodation at
once to 100 cadets. A large garden, which extends
from the back of the house, would be amply suffi-
cient to supply the establishment all the year round
with fruit and vegetables, while a ten-acre field
adjacent to the lawn would furnish a capital play-
ground. Forty acres of land altogether imme-
diately surround the house. The shingly beach in
front of the mansion affords a capital spot for the
cadets to haul up and stow their light pulling gigs,
while beyond low-water mark the nature of the
ground will afford an anchorage where large sailing
boats can be moored. The sleeping accommodation
being at present limited to 100 boys, would, of
course, not be sufficient for a naval college where
there is an average of 200 cadets ; but a wing could
be added at little expense, and this addition would
leave nothing to be desired in the mansion and
estate. It would be contiguous to a Government
dockyard ; would be sufficiently distant, being two
miles from Gosport, from any town to protect the
pupils from the temptations thrown in the way of
youths in a populous neighbourhood; and would be
situate on a dry gravelly soil, with a southerly aspect,
and near enough to the beach to have ready access to
boats and sea-going tenders. We trust the nego-
tiation will be closed as speedily as possible for the
sake of all concerned. It takes upwards of 200
officers and men on board the Britannia to look after
200 cadets. This could not be the case iu a college,
and therefore on this point alone much expense
might and would be saved. Again, we can see no
reason why a college should not be mainly self-sup-
porting. By the regulations, each cadet pays, on join-
ing the Britannia, £l6 for mess expenses, and £lO
per quarter afterwards. This, at £56 per annum for
each cadet, gives a revenue of £11,200 per annum.
Each cadet, however, according to the present rules,
receives back a balance at the end of the year,
which averages about £l2, and this reduces the
actual income to some £B,BOO per annum—a very
handsome sum, and one which really ought to go
a long way to make the establishment independent
of Government assistance.
The official trial of the engines and machinery
of the screw steam-sloop Royalist took place a few
days ago at Plymouth. She was launched last
year at Devonport, measures 686 tons, and was
prepared for carrying 11 guns, but, in consequence
of the recent Admiralty regulations, will not carry
so many. The place of those forward will be occu-
pied by a traversing Armstrong, to fire over either
bow. The African, a sister ship, building at Devon-
port, will have four Armstrongs ; her completion
has been delayed by the necessary alterations. Two
other sloops of the same class are to be laid down,
to carry four Armstrongs only. The engines of the
Royalist, a pair 0f.150 horse power collectively, are
from the Greenock Foundry, which was represented
by Mr. Lemon e. They are horizontal direct acting;
cylinders, 38 inches ; stroke, 2 feet ; and can be
worked up to about 650 horses. The shaft is 65
feet long, and the propeller, Griffiths's, is of 10 feet
diameter, with a pitch of 13 feet. The trial was
superintended by Commander Risk, Mr. Steil, of
the Steam Reserve, and Mr. Ward, from Keyhavi
Steamyard. The Royalist, which is not masted,
draws 9 feet 8 inches forward and 12 feet 4 inches
aft. The wind was strong from the eastward. Six
runs at the measured mile, under full power, pro-
duced an average speed of a little more than 11
knots ; revolutions per minute, 106 ; pressure, over
201 b, ; vacuum, 26,4 inches. There were no hot
bearings, and the trial seemed to give entire satis-
faction to the Government officers.
The undernamed have been nominated to naval
cadetships J. Wodehouse, G. B. Long, 11. C.
Bloomfield, and Horatio Nelson Budding.

The following appointments were made on Mon-
day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. F. S. Thompson and
Lieut. David Boyle, to the Tribune ; Lieut. J. H.
Vidal, to the Excellent ; E. G. Hulton, midshipman
to the Tribune ; R. J. Wilson, chief engineer, to the
Magicienne ; T. E. Buckle, engineer, to the Cum-
for the Mullet ; J. T. Harris, engineer
brland,
the Magicienne; James A. Wilson, enp;-

to
„Leer, to the
._..gist. engineer, to the
~.p, first class assist. engineer

Lee ; C. H. Pillar, first class a.--
Magicienne ;H. Peter -