The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-04 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 3.
The Duke of Wellington, 131, screw three-decker,
Captain H. B. Martin, C. 8., in the steam basin, got
her funnel up yesterday morning, and lighted her fires,
the machinery being ready for trial. It reflects no
small amount of credit on the engineer department of
this dockyard that the gigantic motive power of this
colossal ship should have been got ready for trial by the
very day intended—the commencement of the financial
year—considering the delays and trouble in getting her
machinery piecemeal from the Clyde, for the want of
efficient transport accommodation in the first instance.
No one who saw the engine-room of this ship a fortnight
ago would have imagined she could have had steam up
yesterday, but so ohe had, and, what is more creditable
to chronicle, there was no mishap, no scalding of the
engineers by escape of steam, &c., but all the mighty
parts worked well, and exhibited but the slightest symp-
toms of warm bearings from the newness of the gear.
Many officers and strangers assembled to witness the
first working of the screw in this famed ship, and among
them no less a personage than Captain S. Bourgeois,
the second captain of the celebrated screw line of battle
ship Napoleon, who attentively inspected, inside and
out, the "Duke of Wellington." Rehr-Admiral Fan-
shawe, and many others, were also present. The result
of the "steam-up" trial was deemed eminently satisfac-
tory, 20 revolutions having been attained, The next
highest spring tides are on the 9th and 10th, and it is
intended the Duke shall go out for public trial at Stokes
Bay on the former of those days, or on Monday, the
11th.

A deputation from the sawyers of this dockyard who
have struck, not for an advance of wages, but for a
remedy of hardships, waited upon the master shipwright
yesterday and stated their case, which in brief was—that
the amount of labour exacted of them was too great for
the wages given, which we believe to be 18s. and 21s.
per week ; that there was too great a difference between
the new scheme and the old—about one-fifth against the
workman. The master shipwright (Mr. Abethel) said
he could not alter the new scheme, but he thought they
worked hard, and that they were industrious men. He
instanced the dockyard at Pembroke (of which he was
lately master shipwright), saying the men there could
earn extra money on the new system ; to which the de-
putation rejoined that Pembroke Dockyard, from the
work being all new, was no criterion for other dock-
yards, where the work chiefly lay upon jobbing and sea-
soned timber. The master shipwright said they should
be allowed for loss of time for battalion drills (never al-
lowed before) or other necessary hinderances, and he
promised to present their memorial to the Admiral-Su-
perintendent.

The Sprightly steam-tender, Mr. G. Allen, Acting-
Master, R.N., embarked Colonel Sir Frederick Smith,
C. 8., commanding the Royal Engineers in this district,
and staff, yesterday morning and conveyed them to
Sconce-point to inspect the new works of defence there,
returning with them in the evening.
The Persian 12, Commander Thomas Mitchell, arrived
at Spithead this afternoon from the West India station,
to be paid off. By letters from the West India squad-
ron we learn (March 13th) that the Imaum, 72, Com-
modore 111`Quhae • Devastation, 6, steam-sloop, Com-
mander C. Campbell ; and the Geyser, 6, steam-sloop,
Commander Smith, were at Port Royal at the above
date. The Geyser had lately arrived from Greytown,
and was coaling preparatory to sailing for Bermuda and
England, her boilers being defective. The Devastation
had arrived about a week from Belize and the Bay Is-
lands, having on board his Excellency the Superintendent
of British Honduras. She had touched at Truxillo, and
had obliged the Honduras Government to withdraw a
force which had lately taken forcible possession of Limos,
in the territory of Mosquito. The Daring, 12, Com-
mander Napier, had returned from a cruize off Cuba,
and was likely to sail for the Spanish Main soon. The
Resistance troop-ship, Master Commander Bradshaw,
arrived at Port Royal on the 10th of March, after a
stormy passage from England, and was alongside the
dockyard refitting. The Vestal, 26, Captain C. B. Ha-
milton, was at Havannah, and had condemned two out
of three slavers she had captured, and the third it was
believed would be condemned also. The Buzzard, 6,
steam-sloop, Commander Dobbie, was cruizing off Cuba.
The Calypso, 18, Captain Forbes, was at Barbadoes,
where the Dauntless, 28, Captain Halsted, was preparing
to leave for England, the fever having nearly disappeared
in her. The squadron is now quite healthy.
The Spiteful, advanced steam-sloop, arrived at Spit-
head Izst night from Devonport, on her way--to Woolwich.
She brought seven boats for this -dockyard, and sent
them in from Spithead this morning.
The freight in -gold dust from Australia, brought by
the Vulcan steam-frigate, will be landed to-morrow, and
conveyed to London by Messrs. E. and E. Emanuel,
freight agents and bullion merchants of this port.

PLYMOUTH, APRIL 3,

Her Majesty's steam-transport Rhadamanthus, Mas-
ter-Commander Belam, which sailed with stores for Pem-
broke on Thursday, was compelled by the heavy weather
which prevailed in the Channel to return on Friday.
She went into harbour to have defects made good.
Hex Majesty's steam-sloop Spiteful, in charge of Mr.
Brown, left on Friday for Woolwich.
ham I,lllm week
undergone several trials with steam and canvas, which
have proved satisfactory. She is reported to be stiff
under canvas, and an excellent sea boat.