The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-03 00:00:00

TILE NAVY.

VALETTA, Dee. 21.—The only addition to her
Majesty's ships in port since the departure of the
last mail is the Doris, 32, Capt. Sir F. L. M'Clin-
tock, which arrived to-day from the coast of Syria,
pursuant to orders from Malta. This fine frigate
is to proceed with all possible despatch to join the
squadron now in course of formation on the North
American and West Indian station. The gunboat
Foxhound, 4, Commander the Hon. A. C. Hobart,
left Malta harbour on the 16th inst. to exercise her
crew in the use of the Armstrong gun, and returned
next day. The James Watt, 89, Capt. Codd, left
port to-day for a similar purpose, and will, it is said,
proceed as far as Naples. The ships just now in
port are the Marlborough, 131, the Hibernia, re-
ceiving ship, the former bearing the flag of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, and the latter that of the Admiral
Superintendent ; Neptune, 89 ; Medina and Firefly,
surveying vessels, and Foxhound, 4, Wanderer, 4,
and Growler, 3, gunboats. The Growler is to be
paid off here on Tuesday. Intelligence of the death
of the Prince Consort was officially received here
on Sunday last. On the following day the Governor
issued a proclamation, desiring that the constituted
authorities, civil servants, and inhabitants gene-
rally, should put themselves in mourning, and that
all public places of business and amusement should
be closed for three days.
The iron screw steamer Resistance, 18, 3,668 tons,
600 horse power, was yesterday placed in No. 3
deck at Chatham, vacated the previous day by the
Defence. Apart from a slight hitch occurring at
the entrance to the dock, the operation was success-
fully performed under the direction of Mr. Lang,
master shipbuilder, and his subordinates. Her
draught of water forward was 19ft. 9in., and aft
just 22ft., leaving about a foot between her keel and
the blocks on the floor of the dock. She will proceed
with her fittings as fast as the present resources of
the establishment, taxed as they are to the utmost,
will admit. The operation of pumping the water
out of the dock after the iron ship had been shored
up occupied until late last evening. The bottom of
the Resistance is ordered to be payed over with
Peacock's composition, to prevent corrosion.
The screw steam sloop Zebra, 17, 9M tons, 200
horse power, having completed her necessary alter-
ations Land the trifling repairs ordered to be executed
has been removed out of the steam basin at Sheer-
ness, and now lies moored in the harbour. During
the time she was in dock an alteration was made in
her catheads, which were removed further aft, to
allow of the freer working of her Armstrong guns
at the bow, :and ratchet plates were fitted to her
stern-post. This fine steamer presents an exceed-
ingly smart and yacht-like appearance as she lies at
anchor, and is much admired by all nautical men.
She will be attached to the first division of the
steam reserve in the Medway for the present, and
being fully equipped with her armament on board,
will be ready to proceed to any part of the world at
a very few days' notice.
The War Department vessel Henry arrived at the
Ordnance Wharf, Chatham, yesterday, from Wool-
wich, with a full cargo of 100-pounder and 40-
pounder Armstrong solid shot and miscellaneous
stores, for the steamers fitting for commission.
Sails were drawn yesterday (Thursday) for the fleet
of gunboats fitting in the basin at the Devonport
dockyard ; several are already fit for the pennant.

In accordance with orders to that effect received
from the Admiralty, the various gunvessels ordered
to be fitted at Chatham and the other ports for home
service are to have their present smooth-bore guns
removed, and each to be fitted instead with a 100-
pounder and 40-pounder Armstrong.
Yesterday three /immense anchors for: the iron
screw frigate Defence, 18, Capt. Powell, C. 8., ar-
rived at Chatham from the establishment of Messrs.
Brown and Lennox, Cardiff, where they were
forged. The anchors are of the largest kind used
in the service, the sheet anchor weighing
95 cwt., and the two bower anchors 92 cwt. each.
They will be tested by the hydraulic engines before
they are placed on board the Defence. The cupola
furnace for heating the red hot shot having been
completed at the factory in the dockyard, it has
been shipped on board the Defence. The furnace
is as large as those used in line-of-battle ships, and
is capable of heating 10 inch shot as fast as re-
quired. Yesterday fires were lighted and steam got
up on board the Defence, for the purpose of testing
her boilers. The iron mainmast, weighing 16 tons,
was fixed in its place yesterday.
The deaths of the following officers have been
officially reported at the Admiralty since the 20th
of Sept. last :—Vice-Admiral G. Le Geyt, C. 8.;
Rear. Admiral W. P. Stanley; Capts. S. Morrish,
W. F. Leith, R. Hall, and 8.. H. Elliot ; Comman•
ders J. M. Cooke, P. C. C. M'Dougall, W. Thomp-
son, W. Pardoe, W. J. S. Clark, B. R. Robertson,
R. N. Kelly, R. Barclay, W. Welsh, A. Young, and
T. Read; Lieuts. S. H. Whitahed, S. Osborne,
W. J. Stevenson, J. W. H. Handley, R. Rea,
D. Moodie, W. Hooper, B. G. Bowies, and F.
Willoughby ; Masters W.
Byford, F. Prior, and
W. W. White; Inspector-General of Hospitals and
Fleets 0. Evans; Surgeons W. M`Dermott, M.D.,
D. Lewis, W.
\By.
aDts'oAnn, v
iNe
Dn e. Sri!.
RLamFosrabye,s, M.D.,
and 0. Fergusson,
M.D. ; Assist.-Sorg. F. J. Withers ; Chief Engineer
E. West ; Sub-Lieut. J. Tracey ; Paymasters S. B.
Moorman, J. Olive, W. Pritchard, W. G. Tomlin-
son, and W. G. Hopkins;
Assist.-Paymaster H. T.
West. Royal Marines. —Major-Gen. R. Mercer;
Captains G. Hookey and R. J. Little; Lieuts. L.
Roteley, R. Standish, and G. D. Lane.
On Wednesday a detachment of Royal Engineers,
consisting of 5 officers and 120 men, together with C
battery of the Royal Artillery, consisting of 7 officers
and 255 men, and No. 6 battery of the Royal Artil-.
lery (garrison), consisting of 5 officers and 117 men
accompanied by 12 men of the Army Hospital Corps,
arrived in Liverpool by the London and North-
Western Railway. They marched down to the
landing-stage, and were immediately conveyed on
board the Canadian mail steamer Hibernian, Yes-