The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-26 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 25.

The utmost activity prevails in every department of
this dockyard and its dependencies, and the Royal
Clarence victualling establishment, Gosport, under the
superintendence of Captain Courtenay, is in full work,
baking and storing provisions for the fleet.
The Caesar, 91, screw, Captain John Robb, hoisted
his pendant on a spar, this day, at three p.m., and hung
it over the taffrail.

Tne repairs of the Geyser, 6, paddle-wheel steam-
sloop, are suspended for the present, hands being wanted
upon the Colossus, 80, to be docked in her room to-
morrow. The Geyser's timbers have been found so de-
fective in many important places, it is questionable
whether she will be refitted. _ _

The Simoom, troop-ship, will be out of the hands of
the shipwrights in a few days ; the engineer department
will require a longer period, as her boilers are being
strengthened, and she is undergoing an extensive repair
in her steam machinery.
Everything is being done to hasten the equipment of
the Ciesar, 91. Her machinery is for the most part
fitted, her fore and mizen masts are ready, and ship-
wrights are busy on her external fitments.
The Basilisk, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Commander
the Hon. F. Egerton, is nearly completed in her machi-
nery by the engineer department of the dockyard, and
will be removed in a few days from the factory basin.
The Frolic, 16, Commander Nolloth, sails this evening
for Australia.

PLYMOUTH, JAN. 25.

Her Majesty's ship Nile, 90, having been fitted with
a screw propeller, will be taken out of dock on Monday,
the 30th inst.

The steam-vessel Magicienne, having had her defects
made good, will go out of harbour on Thursday.

PEMBROKE, JAN. 25.

The new steam-yacht the Windsor Castle is to be com-
pleted in 6 months from the present time, and in order
to accomplish this, a large force will constantly be em-
ployed upon her. She is from 20 to 30 feet longer than
the largest three-decker in the navy—viz., the Duke of
Wellington.
Six apprentices have been ordered to be entered at
the commencement of the year ; and the new clothing
about to be issued to the Royal Dockyard battalion will
in future only be issued to those who are between the
ages of 18 and 45, as orders have been issued for a re-
turn of all such in the brigade between those ages.
This measure is to render the battalion more effective,
by enabling those beyond the age of 45 to retire, leav-
ing their places to be filled by junior, and perhaps more
active men.

Mr. George Chiles, from Chatham, has been appointed
storekeeper, vice the late Mr. Lawes.
Speculation has been busy respecting the probably
successor to the captain-superintendent, Sir Thomas
Pasley, Bart., whose period of office expires in a few
months.

WOOLWICH, JAIL 25.
APPOINTMENTS.

Lieutenants—Thomas L. Ward (1853), recently pro-
moted from mate of the Excellent gunnery-ship at
Portsmouth, is re-appointed to his rank of Lieutenant
to that ship. The Hon. Frederick 0. B. Fitzmaurice
(1852), recently serving in the Magicienne, 16, paddle-
wheel steam-frigate, to the Bulldog paddle-wheel steam-
sloop, at Portsmouth.
Master's-Assistant—Richard N. Tarraway, to the
Blenheim, 60, screw steam-guard ship, at Portsmouth.
The Promethus steam-sloop, now ready for sea at this
port, is placed under orders to be taken round to Devon-
port, where she is to remain as an advanced war steamer
at that naval station. Lieut. Robert Robertson, of the
steam reserve here, will take the charge of her to Devon-
port, and she will be navigated by Master-Commander
Henry William Allan, of the Lightning, with a portion
of the crew of that vessel, and others from the Fisgard
flag-ship, and Medea steam-sloop, the services of the
whole of the seamen-riggers that can be spared from this
dockyard being required to assist at the launch of the
Hannibal, 90, screw steam-ship, at Deptford Dockyard,
on the 31st inst. _ _ _

The Lightning steam-vessel has been taken into dock
to have some necessary alterations made to convert her
into a tug vessel, for service on the West India station,
for which destination she is being fitted.
It has been communicated to the young men in the
factory at this dockyard, that any of them desirous of
entering the Royal Navy as third-class assistant-engi-
neers will be accepted, if under 28 years of age, on their
passing the necessary examination as to their qualifica-
tions for that service.
THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE NAVY.—Five ships
have been commissioned within the last five or six days,
five of them line-of-battle ships, but no medical officer
has yet been appointed to either of them. There are 320
surgeons on the active list of the Royal Navy, of whom
about 186 are employed in ships and steamers, or in dock-
yards, victualling-yards, and convict stations ; but surely
there can be no difficulty in obtaining candidates of that
rank out of the remaining 133 now on half-pay. There
is less reason for surprise that no assistant-surgeons have
been appointed to these ships and war steamers, as, on
referring to the active list of that rank in the Royal
Navy, there are none available. Every assistant-surgeon
fit for service, is actually employed, and there are very
few, if any, candidates.