The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-02 00:00:00

.MAPAZ

PORTSIVIO,
An examination of candidates for the si
man has been held to-day at the Central _
School in this dockyard. The report will be forwarded
forthwith to the Admiralty for consideration.
Mr. Wood, C.E., clerk of the works in this port, has
been ordered to become a resident officer in this dock-
yard, and will occupy the house late in the possession
of Capt. Mould, R.E., who has been removed to Lon-
donderry.
The Princess Royal, 91, screw, Capt. Lord Clarence
Paget, has entered some excellent seamen during the
past week, and is now nearly completed and ready
for sea.

The Simoom 18, iron troop-ship, Capt. Ilingcorne,
has been completed in repairs by the shipwright depart-
ment of the dockyard, and is having her bottom re-coated
with Hay's composition.
The Dragon, 6, paddle frigate, Capt. Willcox, will be
brought down the harbour to-morrow. She has entered
a few good seamen already, and we hear of others about
to volunteer for her.
The Porcupine, 3, paddle steam-vessel, Lieut. Com-
mander Jackson, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning
from the coast of Scotland, and discharged her powder
to-day and came into harbour.
The crew of the steam troop-ship Vulcan, Commander
Von Donop, were paid down to-day and granted 14
days' leave.

The Dauntless, 24, screw, Capt. Ryder, bent mizen-
topsail to-day, and exercised her newly-entered men.
Capt. Peter Fisher, of the Royal Naval Coast Volun-
teer Corps, came to this port yesterday, and held a meet-
ing in the evening at the Sailors' Home, where a large
number of seafaring men attended to hear his address on
the advantages of volunteering to serve in the navy, in
preference to compulsory service. There were about
600 present, and the sentiments of Capt. Fisher seemed
thoroughly understood, and were received with general
approbation. To-day the gallant captain commenced
enrolling the volunteers.

ble flag- PLYMOUTH, FEB. 1.
A court-martial will assemble on board the Impregna-
Ward, clerk's assistant of the Ajax, on a charge of
theft. The prisoner was brought from Queenstown byp,
ship, on Saturday next, for the trial of Mr. W.
the Wizard, sloop, which arrived here on Friday last.
Orders have been received to stop further entry of
seamen for the Jane Watt, 90, screw, Capt. the Hon.
G. Elliot, until the number of hands entered at the ren-
dezvous for the ship at the several ports are knowt. At
least a half of the crew of the Thetis have volunteered
for her. The Hon. G. Elliot is very .popular at this
port.
Seamen are entering very fast at this port. The
Bulldog, 6, Capt. Hall, only commissioned on Saturday,
has already two-thirds of her complement.
Rear-Admiral Dundas is hourly expected at this port
on an official visit. . . . . .

illeVVl;;;d,6-,--was towed into harbour yesterday by
the Confiance, steam tug, to be refitted.
The Thetis, Capt. Kuper, which recently arrived from
the Pacific station, will be paid down on Friday next.
The Magicienne, 16, paddle, Capt. Fisher, will also be
paid down this week.
The Nile, 90, was taken out of dock on Monday after-
noon, and the Bulldog taken in. The Nile had her masts
and engines, &c.. on board. Riggers and labourers went
into the yard at four a.m. The Bulldog was taken out
of dock again yesterday.

The Prometbeus, 5, paddle (reserved steamer), arrived
here on Monday night from Woolwich, to refit. She
came into harbour yesterday.

A remarkable scene was exhibited at Devonport yes-
terday, where in the forenoon there was a large number
of landsmen at the rendezvous, near the dock gates. The
motley group comprised agricultural labourers, masons'
labourers, butchers' boys, &c., all of whom appeared de-
sirous to get themselves booked for service in her
Majesty's navy.

WOOLWICH, FEB. 1.

The Cyclops steam-frigate, Master-Commander Ro-
berts, having reported ready for service, the detachments
of the Royal Artillery under orders to proceed to Gib-
raltar, Malta, and Corfu, numbering 190 officers and
men, were marched from the garrison at seven o'clock
a.m., beaded by the band and drums and flutes of the
regiment, under the superintendence of Brigade-Major
Bingham and Captain Riddell, Deputy Ass.stant Quar-
termaster-General of Artillery, to the dockyard, and
embarked in the Cyclops, at half past seven, for convey-
ance to their destinations. The baggage was put on
board during the day, and the Cyclops will leave Wool-
wich at the earliest possible moment.
The Hannibal, 90, screw steam-ship, launched yester-
day at Deptford, was towed down to Woolwich by the
Monkey and Zephyr steam-vessels, and was immediately
taken into the basin to have her engines put on board.
The James, hired convict ship, arrived yesterday at
Woolwich, with 35 invalid convicts from Bermuda on
board, and they were sent to the prison at Pentonville
to-day. The James left Bermuda on the 19th December,
with 100 convicts, whose period of service had expired,
or whose health was not sufficiently strong to allow of
their being employed on the public works, and 63 of
these were left at Cork, two.having died on the passage.
There are an additional number of convicts at Bermuda
in readiness for a return passage to this country.
The Bermudien, of the 21st December, says :—" We
have heard of no case of yellow fever during the past
week. We are assured that the troops are now in excel-
lent health. There may be isolated cases of a febrile
nature, but these islands are at present free from any
epidemic."

LAUNCH OF THE 91-GUN SCRE W LINE-OF-
BATTLE-SHIP HANNIBAL.
The steadily-increasing power of our screw navy was
again augmented at the Royal Dockyard, Deptford, on
Tuesday, by the launch of another screw liner, called the
Hannibal, named after the celqbrated Carthagenian
general. Notwithstanding the unfavourable appearance
of the weather, so, irresistible are the attractions of a
ship launch still, that an immense number of persons
assembled to witness the interesting event.
As soon as the water had risen sufficiently high, Miss
Martin, the amiable and accomplished daughter of the
gallant captain superintendent, was led to the bow, and
taking the bottle of champagne suspended therefrom,
performed the usual ceremony of christening in a most
graceful manner, by dashing the bottle against the bow.
The ribbons were then severed, the dog-shores were
knocked away, and the formidable engine of war glided
beautifully into her future element about 3.30, amidst
the enthusiastic cheers of the assembled thousands. The
Hannibal ran up the river, and was brought to just off
the Victualling-yard. Not any of the Lords of the
Admiralty, and not many navy or army officers, were
present. Three cheers were given for the captain super-
intendent by the artisans and other workmen employed
on the launch, and the vast assemblage then dispersed.
It was first intended the Hannibal should be a 90-
gun sailing-ship, and built at Woolwich yard, and her
keel was laid down there jiist after the memorable launch
of that' noble three-decker, the Trafalgar, 120, and in
the same slip from which that ship was launched ; but
it was subsequently removed to Deptford yard, and again
laid down on the 12th Dec.' 1848, on No. 1 slip, and
immediately proceeded with ; and it was not until she
was in a very advanced state of completion that the
superior advantages of the screw propeller became
known, and it was deemed expedient to convert her into
a screw-ship of 91-guns. Her conversion was com-
menced in September, 1852, by lengthening her nearly
10 feet by the stern.
Her dimensions are as follows :
Length from fore part of figure-head to the aft ft. in.
side of taffrail
Length on the upper deck
Length of the keel for tonnage 179
Breadth, extreme 5B fl
Breadth for tonnage
56 57 3
Breadth, moulded 5
Depth in the hold 23 11
Depth from the upper side of taff-rail to the 57 0
under side of false keel
Depth' from the upper side of the figure-head
51 6
to the under side of the false keel ...
* ********* No. Tons.
Burden in tons, old measurement ............. 2658 39-94
Burden in tons, new measurement ...
*** 1112
Burden in engine-room ........... • . *********** * 1546
** Register tonnage ************************************
And her armament :
No. 28 8-inch
ak:e
r shipwrightwhere
to
will
launchher
65 cwt. 9 feet
havethe
with
38 32-pounders 56 cwt. 9 ft. 6 in.
24 32-pounders 42 cwt. 8 feet
1 68-pounder 95 cwt. 10, pivot.
The Hannibal was towed to Woolwich by, two steam-
tugs yesterday
nervousness afternoon,
of the
master
that was fitted to her before shei was
launched, but was unshipped in consequence of some
it on board, refitted, and then proceed to Sheerness, to
receive her armament and be fitted for commission.

INCREASE TO THE NAVY AND MARINES.—We under-
stand that the active forces of the Royal navy are to be
increased by an additiOn of 10,000 seamen and 3,000
marines.
PRIZE-MONEY TO THE CYGNET.—Messrs. Chard have
given notice to the officers and crew of her Majesty's
ship Cygnet, Commander Henry Layton, that the pro-
portions arising from the bounty money on the tonnage
of 'the Brazilian polacre brig, name unknown, destroyed
on the 17th November, 1845, after abating the expenses
incurred by the detention of the Aquila Brazilian slave
vessel restored, will be paid those who were actually on
board at the time of the destruction, or to their repre-
sentatives duly authorised to receive the same, on the
15th of February next, at No. 3, Clifford's inn, and the
shares not then claimed will be re-called every Wednes-
day and Thursday for three months to come. Propor-
tions due to each class :—Commander, 1171. 13s. Bd. ;
first class, 421. 3s. 4,1. ; second class, 251. 6s. ; third
class. 121. 13s. ; fourth class, Si. Bs. Bd. ; fifth class,
41. 4s. 4d. ; sixth class, 21. 16s. 2d. ; seventh class,
1/. Bs. ld.

ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH BRITISH RAILIVAY.=—...I.II
accident took place on the North British Railway on
Thursday evening last. The train which left Dalkeith
at 8.30 p.m. had only proceeded to about Ittillerhill,
when, from some unascertained cause, the engine and
tender ran off the line and stuck fast in a bank. For-
tunately none of the passengers were seriously injured,
but they had to make their way as they best could, in
the dark, to Niddrie and Portobello, not without some
danger and difficulty, the greater part of the road hav-
ing been newly opened up and under repair. A gentle-
man seated in a first-class carriage had a narrow
escape ; he was thrown by the force of the concussion
to the further end of the carriage, when almost instantly
that part on which he had been sitting was smashed to
pieces.—Scotsman.