The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-03 00:00:00

The Fairy Royal yacht, Master-Commander Welch,
was taken out on Friday for a trial of Griffiths's patent
screw. Mr. Baker, chief engineer and inspector of ma-
chinery of the Victoria and Albert, was on board direct-
ing the experiments. She made six runs along the mea-
sured mile, the mean return of which gave 12.463 knots
per hour, with scarcely any vibration, .being an increase
of three-tenths of a knot upon . the .last trial with the
same screw, but at a different pitch,. both blades being
at 9 feet 8i inches. This trial was to enable Mr. Grif-
fiths to determine which was the best pitch for this
Screw to be, worked with, and the result determined him
to fix it at that above given, as the best, considering the
power used for the speed obtained, with ease of motion.
Mr. Murray, the superintending engineer of Portsmouth
dockyard, will now cast a screw with these improve-
ments before his eyes, to compete with Mr. Griffiths's.
It is considered highly probable that a basin and an in-
creased number of docks will he formed, to add to the
efficiency of Chatham dockyard.
The Lords of the Admiralty have directed experiments
to be made in several of the dockyards on Mr. Burgess's
process for coating iron bolts and nails with copper and
brass. Should the result be favourably reported on, a
large saving in the expense of material will be effected
by using coated iron fastenings in lieu of copper in the
building of ships for the navy.
Mr. Chatfield, assistant-master shipwright of Chat-
hair, dockyard, is expected to be promoted to master
sMpwright of Deptford dockyard, vice Wilcox, super-
7.,nuated. This office has now been for some months filled
by a foreman, much to the surprise of the service.
The Banshee arrived at Spithead on Friday night
from Queenstown, and is ordered to Woolwich to be
paid off.
The Dauntless, 24, screw-frigate, is ordered to be
rigged and prepared for the first-class of the steam re-
serve at this port.

The Tribune, 30, screw, Capt. the Hon. S. T. Carnegie,
arrived at Spithead this morning to be docked, to have
a leak in her stern frame stopped.

FIVE P.M.

The Leopard, 12, Capt. Loring, has just arrived from
he fleet, which sailed from Queenstown on the morning
of Friday, about six o'clock. Adiniral Corry's division,
consisting of the Prince Regent, 90 (flag) ; Duke of
Wellington, 131 (pendant) • St. Jean d'Acre, 101; Lon-
d n. 90 ; Imperieuse, 51; Arrogant, 47; Amphion, 34 ;
Il ighflyer, 21, and Desperate 8, is ordered to cruise be-
tween Queenstown and Scilly until the 15th inst., then
to return to Spithea.d. The Cruiser, 14, is ordered to
join, him at the rendezvous. Besides the Tribune and
Leopard (already arrived), the Blenheim and Sidon are
ordered to Spithead. The Queen, Agamemnon, Hogue,
a.nd Valorous, are ordered to Plymouth. The whole
fleet was outside Queenstown harbour all day on Friday
in light winds. The Tribune and Leopard parted com-
pany with themi n the evening.
Seven p.m.—The Sidon is now corning up.

PLYMOUTH, OCT. 2.
The steam-vessel Avon arrived to-day from Queens.
town.

The ste..m•vessel Sprightly, with seamen and ma-
rines, arrived this morning from Portsmouth, and re-
turned again at two o'clock this afternoon.
This morning, about eight o'clock, a portion of the
Channel fleet entered the Sound. It consisted of her
Majesty's ship Queen, 110, Capt. Frederick T.Mitchell;
he Agamemnon screw steam-ship, 91, Capt. Sir Thomas
Maitland • the Imperieuse, screw frigate, 50, Captain
Rundle B. Watson ; La Hogue, screw block ship,
60, Captain William B. Ramsay ; the Valarous, paddle
frigate, 16, Captain Claud H. M. Buckle; and the Vul-
ture, paddle steam-frigate, 6, Captain Frederick H. H.
Glasse. The Agamemnon, the only stranger, saluted
the flag of Port Admiral Sir John A. Ommanney, and
♦vas replied to by the Impregnable, 104, Captain Arthur
Lowe, in Ilamoaze.

The Queen is to be placed in the new dock at Key-
ham to have her copper examined and repaired. The
Imperieuse is to receive a new foremast. The Valorous
having been struck by a sea, is to be repaired at the
Devonport dockyard.
The crews of the Agamemnon, Valorous, and Vul-
ture are to be paid wages up to the 31st of August.
The frigate Leander, 50, Captain G. St. Vincent
King, has had all her repairs completed, and is now
ready for sea. Her crew have gradually returned to
the ship, and there are now only three men, of indiffer-
ent character, akelt.

QLTEENSTOWN, SEPT. 29.

THE CHANNEL FLEET.

The Lords of the Admiralty, during their visit to
Queenstown, have promoted Lieutenant Hosken, late
of the Great Britain, and now commanding the Banshee
dispatch vessel, to the rank of Commander.
Their lordships got aground in 'the Banshee on the 24th,
while cru'ing round Cork harbour, but pho.„ floated off
in about two (lours, with no damage.' Boats of thefleet
were sent to her assistance.

It is now generally understood that the resources for
refitting and victualling ships of war at Queenstown are
to be materially increased, and that the naval establish-
ment at Haulbowline Island is to be remodelled and
placed on a more permanent footing.
Lieutenant Fegen, of the Agamemnon, has been tried
by court-martial on charges of disobedience of orders,
neglect of duty, and contempt towards his captain. The
latter charge only was proved, after a trial of two days,
and the prisoner was sentenced to be dismissed his ship
and placed at the bottom of the list of lieutenants.
Rear-Admiral Corry, with the Prince Regent, St.
Jean d'Acre, Arrogant, Ampllion, Highflyer, Duke of
Wellington, London, Imperieuse, and Desperate, were
under weigh to-day at 3 p.m., for a cruise, to return to
Spithead by the 15th of October.
The paddle steamers are to be distributed to the horn e
ports. The Leopard was to go direct to Portsmouth.
Rear-Admiral Corry put to sea with sealed orders,
which he was commanded not to open until he made
the signal to Commodore Martin's division to part com-
pany. At 5 p.m. to-day, the weather having become
thick and threatening, the order for proceeding to sea
was annulled, but the fleet was ordered at the same time
to be ready by 5 a.m. to-morrow morning
One of the second assistant-engineers of the Duke of
Wellington has " run" since her stay at Queenstown, and
a reward has been offered for his apprehension.
A sad accident has happened to Lieut. Fitzgerald, of
Marines, belonging to the Terrible, by the want of
thought of some midshipman, whom- he met returning
from shooting. It appears he asked the youngster some
question, upon which the latter answered, " I will let
you know who I am," firing off his gun in the marine
officer's face. Happily it was not loaded with shot,
although the force of the powder has destroyed the sight
of one eye, if not both. How it was done or by whom
is at present unknown.

SHEERNESS, OCT. 1.
The President, 50, Captain Richard BuiTidge.—The
officers and crew of this frigate were inspected and mus-
tered yesterday by Vice-Admiral the Hon. Jocelyn
Percy, Commander-in-Chief. She proceeded to the Great
Noire this morning, and at 10.30 saluted the admiral's
flag, which was returned by the Waterloo, 120 guns.
The President is ordered to proceed direct for Plymouth
to complete her complement of seamen, many of whom
are waiting at that port for her arrival.
The Arab 12-gun sloop, Commander Graham Ogle,
Was towed down from Chatham yesterday, and is now
riding off Blackstakes, taking in ammunition, shell, &c.
OCT. 2.
The Tyne, 4, store-ship, Master-Commander Peter
Wellington, from the westward, brought up at the
Nore this morning. The steam tender .(to Waterloo)
Wildfire has been sent out from here and taken in tow
for Deptford and Woolwich.
The Betsy—A fatal accident occurred on board this
vessel, delivering coals into the Ocean Coal Depot for
the steam navy. Wm. Goulder, a seaman belonging to
the Pleiades, on Thursday night last, after leaving the
forecastle of the Betsy, where he had been sitting for
some time with some old shipmates, on crossing the
deck, the fore hatches being left open, fell into the hold,
by which he fractured his skull and broke several of his
ribs. The unfortunate fellow was brought on shore and
taken to the Ship Inn. Mr. T. L. Ridley, a surgeon,
was in immediate attendance, and on the following morn-
ing it was found necessary to trepan the skull, when
several pieces were taken off that bad penetrated the
'Drain. He was insensible and never rallied, but died
yesterday morning. Mr. T. Hill, coroner, held an in-
quest on the body. The jury, on the suggestion of the
foreman, Mr. W. E .I.gcombe, ship agent, &c., urged on
the masters of the Pleiades and Betsy the necessity of
taking more care in future that the hatches are put on
before dark ; had that been done, in all human prJba-
• bility, a fellow-creature's life might have been saved.
Deceased has this day been burred in Trinity-church-
yard, Bank's-town. The masters and crews of all the
merchant vessels discharging here followed and carried
the deceased to his grave, all of them declaring it would
be a warning to them for life never under any circum-
stances to leave hatchways open after dark. It is right
'to add, positive proof was given that deceased and all
the other seamen were perfectly sober. The colours are
all lowered to half-mast on board the merchant vessels.
Goulder was a fine young man, and much respected. He
was a native of Scarborough, in Yorkshire.

WOOLWICH, OCT. 1.
APPOINTMENTS.
Lieutenants—John F. C. Mackenzie (1846), additional
In the Ajax, 53, !screw steam-;hip, for service in the
WizGard, brig, tender to the flag-ship at Cork, to the
St. eorge, 120, guard-ship of ordinary at Devonpott ;
John Cartwright (1846), to the Ajax ; Henry B. Hankey
(1845), of the Victory flag-ship at Portsmouth, to be flag-
lieutenant to Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas J. Cochrane,
Commander-in-Chi4 at Portsmouth ; T. H.
Lyon to the Victory, at Portsmouth.
(Captain G. H. P. White (1846), Captain H. Edgell
1846), Captain Henry Broadhead (1346), Commander
Benjamin H. Bunca (1848), and Comm: n ler Hen.
Arthur Cochrane (1851), officers who studied sterm,
aided by Mr. Roughton, of the steam department at the
factory at Woolwich Dockyard, and the first examined
uzyder the new arrangement of printed questions and
Written answers, which have to be sent to Portsmouth,
yi,assed their recent examination on the 15th and 16th of
September, satisfactorily, and yesterday received their
certificates accordingly.
Captain Qeorge Edwin Patcy (1'551), who was so
severely hr falling of a block from one of the
masts when in command of the Amphion at Port ;mouth,
now quite well, and has been appointed to stud y steam ,
at the factory at Woolwich dockyard. Captain B.