The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-03 00:00:00

A FLOATING WORKSHOP.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,-It might, perhaps, interest some of your readers
to know of a very judicious step which the Admiralty
have taken to provide speedy means of effecting repairs
of the machinery of any of the engines of the Baltic fleet
by having determined on equipping the Volcano steam-
frigate as a complete engineers workshop, to attend
upon the fleet in the Baltic, and so carry the workshop
alongside of any ship requiring repairs of its machinery,
and so effecting such repairs then and there with all
promptness.
By the judicious arrangement of the Surveyor of the
Navy, the first deck of the Volcano has been fitted so
as to yield a most commodious workshop, 10 feet high
from floor to roof, 104 feet long, by 30 feet wide, in
which are placed most convenient arrangement a 12-
horse power independent steam engine and boiler to sup-
ply power and motion to the various machines and tools
forming the equipment of this floating workshop, which
tools and machinery consist of one very powerful turn-
ing lathe and three others of graduated capabilities, one
powerful and one smaller planing machine, two boiler-
plate punching and shearing machines, four drilling and
boring machines, one Nasmyth's patent steam hammer,
and four forges, one cupola capable of melting 30 cwt. of
iron or brass for the execution of any casting of that or
less weight, together with appropriate foundry appara-
tus and material ; one blowing fan to supply blast to the
forges and foundry cupola, besides grindstones,
vices, and all the minor implements, formingave anvils,eyeom
pleTtehearnedcaenffibcieennto engineerdoutbas
that
tistlahrais
most
eilt.
convenient
floating workshop will prove of the utmost value to the
I have h
t this vessel, had th e
for honour to be entrusted with the
service.equipment
which I have sent off the
whole of the above-named machinery, n
being fitted to the vessel in question, lyiangdfowrthhiaeth is
srpnooswe
isneathine
aroie-awl ddoacyksy. ard, Woolwich, and will be ready for
Should you think a notice of this most practical and
judicious proceeding
authentic, of the Admiralty worthy of your
attention, I shall feelthese
amuhch enpleasure in having thus sup-
pliedtylc, particulars.—Believe me
I am, yours most respectfully
JAMESA
Bridgewater Foundry, Patricroft,jES NABIIIITII.
near Manchester, May 31.

THE CIVIL SERVlCE.—Treasury, Whitehall.—Com-
missariat Department.—Deputy Commissary-General
Cowan, and Deputy-Assistant Commissary-General
Gardiner have proceeded to Turkey to act under the
Commissary-General. Mr. A. C. Colquhoun has been
appointed to a clerkship on the e4ablishtuent of the
Commissariat. 20 men fr ,n 1 the London police force
have volunteered for employment in subordinate capaci-
ties in the Commissariat Department in Turkey, and
will proceed thither without delay. General Post-office,
—The service in Turkey.—Mr. Thomas William Angell
has been selected to act as Assistant-Postmaster of her
Majesty's Forces in Turkey. Mr. Smith and Mr. ATI*
gell will take their departure on the 4th ilia. in the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Candle.
One of these officers will follow the army, and the other
will be stationed at Constantinople. Customs.—The
'Collectorship of Truro is vacant, vice Anson, deceased.
The Collectorship of Padstow is vacant, vice M'Leod,
deceased. Mr. J. Cleave has beei‘r.
niapG. appointed
hls
d clerk
at
Marshall
bSete.nKnaptphoairinnteed's
cDleorekke,atLotnhde Londonon Docks.
Robertson, Controller at Lowestoft, has
been . Mrpromol I'ed,
at the same salary, to the °face of Collector at that part.
—.Civil servios Ocedle.