The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-01 00:00:00

IV AV AL INTELLIGENCE.

THE CHANNEL FLEET.
All the divisions of the fleet are by this time clear of
the English Channel, and are engaged in trial sailings
and exercise. Both Admiral Corry's and Commodore
Martin's squadrons will touch at Bantry Bay occasionally,
and anchor for a day or night ; but, as we stated at first,
the fleet will rendezvous at Queenstown on the 17th
instant, to meet the Admiralty. The other screw
frigate Tribune, 31, Captain the Hon. S. T. Carnegie,
will join Commodore Martin's squadron after her escort
Attendance on the Royal yacht squadron.

PORTSMOUTH, AUG. 31.
The London, 90, Captain Eden, was paid wages at
pithead to-day by Rear-Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8., and
the clerks of the pay-office. She sails to-morrow to join
Rear-Admiral Corry's division of the Channel fleet.

The Daedalus, 20, Captain Wellesley, arrived— at Spit-
head this morning from the South Pacific, last from
Plymouth, where she landed her news. She is now dis-
charging the freight, $1,400,000, which she brought
home on mc;hants' account, which will he landed at
the dockyard by the Sprightly steam-vessel, Mr. G.
Allen, acting-master, commanding, and conveyed thence
to the Bank of England to-morrow by Messrs. Casher,
freight agents and wine-merchants of Portsmouth, by
special train on the London and Brighton Railway.
The Rhadamanthus steam-transport, Master-Com-
mander Belam, which arrived last evening from the east-
ward, proceeded on her voyage to the Channel Islands
with Royal Artillery.
Rear-Admiral Corry's squadron passed down Channel.
Seven of them were seen from the heights at 6.30 on
Monday evening.
Eighty-six seamen riggers are to be sent from this port
to Pembroke, to assist in navigating the Cesar, 90, to
Portsmouth, and are to be there by the 29th September.
Mariner, 12, is to be brought forward for commission
at this port. Artificers are to be placed on her as soon
as more important works will admit.
The Fire Queen, tender to Victory, Master Com-
mander T. W. Paul, conveyed Rear-Admiral Superin-
tendent Fanshawe (commander-in-chief pro tens.), with
the Treasury clerks, on board the London, 90, Captain
Charles Eden, to pay wages.
Antelope, 3, iron paddle brig, Lieut. Commander
Young, hauled out of the steam basin to-day into the
stream to ascertain the deviation of her compass.
Harpy, 1, iron steam paddle, one of the notorious
" half dozen," has moved out of the steam basin—we
hope to be placed up Porchester Lake, as a target for
the Excellent, in the room of the old York.
The Prince of Wales, India,man, arrived at Spithead
this evening from London, to embark passengers and
stores from Lloyds' agents at this port, the Messrs. Gar-
ratt and Gibbon.

PLYMOUTH, AUGUST 31.

TRIAL TRIP OF THE ST. JEAN D'ACRE. —ln accord-
ance with the arrangements previously made by the
master attendant, Mr. Mills, the St. Jean d'Acre, 101,
screw steam line-of-battle ship, Captain the Hon. H.
Keppel, made her first trial trip yesterday afternoon. A
distinguished party of officers of the navy proccederl in
her, including Commodore Michael Seymour, superin-
tendent of the dockyard; Captain William Sand em,
superintendent of the victualling-yard and hospital ;
Captain Quin, of the Ajax, 58 ; Captain Kingcome, of
the St. George, 120 ; Mr. Edye, master shipwright ;
Mr. Mills, master attendant ; Mr. Brown, assistant
master attendant ; Mr. Biddlecombe, master of the St.
George ; Captain Mends, Mr. John Dinnen, Govern-
ment inspector of machinery, &c. The St. Jean d'Acre
slipped her moorings from off the dockyard at half-past
twelve o'clock, and proceeded under easy steam out of
Hamoaze under the charge of Mr. Brown, of the dock-
yard, after which Mr. Odgers, harbour-master, took
charge. The orders to proceed were communicated from
the poop by Captain Crispin's telegraph, with which
both sides are fitted, and all subsequent orders were
readily complied with from its indications.
The navigation of the very critical portion of this har-
bour from off the dockyard to beyond Drake's Island
was effected without check, and to the admiration of all
the naval officers on board ; for, to use a nautical phrase,
she steered like a top, and was perfectly under command
of her helm at a very easy speed.
When clear of the island orders were given for full
speed, and the engines were then placed in the hands of
the contractors, Messrs. John Penn and Son, the emi-
nent engineers of Greenwich, who were represented on
the occasion by William Hartree, Esq., of that firm.
From this time until casting anchor in the Sound,
bout five p.m., the course was variously steered, and
her engines for some time reached a velocity of 53 to 55
revolutions, and without any casualty or hot bearings.
In consequence of this being the contractor's trial, and
from apprehension of the boilers priming from the waters
of the Tamar, the usual run between the Breakwater
and the Eddystone was not made, still some notes of
speed were made during the trip, especially when going
hard to a stiffish breeze, when she made eight knots, and
this without the engines being at full power, for the
steam was not well kept up by the stokers. To-day,
however, better things are expected, when the measured
ground will be gone over, and the rate of speed tried,
for the engines and boilers are exact counterparts of the
Agamemnon's which keep steam easily at 201 b. per
square inch, at which pressure the boilers of the St.
Jean d'Acre are loaded.

After displaying her number to and chasing the
channel squadron (supposed to be Commiidore Martin's),
observed in the offing, for some time, her head was
turned towards the Breakwater, she having been five
miles westward of the Eddystone, and she ran back to
the Sound before the wind.

The St. Jean d'Acre is the largest line-of-battle ship
of two idecks in the world, and with, we believe, the
heaviest armament, and her efficiency, contrasted with
other liners carrying 100 guns, is rendered complete
from the superior advantage of being fitted with steam
power. It is only about twelve months since we wit-
nessed the departure from this port of the first screw
line of-battle ship constructed for our navy, the Sans-
pareil, 70, 350-horse power—for the Blenheim and her
class of screws are simply conversions. We have now
to express our astonishment at this most recent sample
of the giant growth of our steam navy, which, at a like
rate of progression, will shortly bid defiance to the whole
world.

The St. Jean d'Acre was designed by Sir Baldwin
Walker, K.C.8., surveyor of the navy, and Messrs.
Edye and Watts, assistants. She left the Sound at nine
o'clock this morning on her second trial, when she will
be timed and observations made thereon.

The Nautilus, apprentices' exercise brig, Lieutenant
Dolling, master, sailed yesterday for a cruise in the
Channel.

CHATHAM, AUG. :jl.

CONTINUATION OF THE ADMIRALTY INSPECTION.

The Right Hon. Sir James Graham, First Lord of
the Admiralty, and the members of the board who
visited Chatham dockyard yesterday, left Rochester
this morning iu the Captain Superintendent's barge, in
charge of Lieutenant Whipple, First Lieutenant of the
Boscawen, 70, guard-ship of ordinary, and carrying the
pendant of Captain Superintendent Peter Richards,
C.B. Their lordships arrived at the landing place at
the dockyard at half-past 10 o'clock, and were re-
ceived by the Captain Superintendent and the heads of
the various departments, and then proceeded with Capt.
Richards on board the Boscawen, at moorings in
the Medway. The crew of the ship manned the yards
to receive their lordship; who, on going on board, had
the crew mustered and each man and boy's name called
over by the Paymaster, as they passed for inspection.
Their lordships remained upwards of an hour on hoard
to inspect the books and documents connected with the
.s_ervice afloat at this dockyard. On landing from the
B?seawen, they proceeded, accompanied by Captain
Richards, Lieut. Wise, R.N., Director of Police, and
the heads of the departments, to the metal mills, where
they witnessed the entire process of making sheet cop-
per
avyfo, sheathingrobatbatn
at all her Majest ' dockyard producing all that is required
dockyards. They then witnessed
the casting of copper Ys
to the bottoms of for attaching the sheathing
:rainlsd for other purposes, Chatham
dockyard supplying all the other yards and the royal
naval service with thata great quantity
The mills are worked by
steam, and produce quantity of manufactured
articles, the machinery'bei'n„ a most perfect descrip-
tzirdier Mr. Laurie, the
tiou and admirably arraw,eao
enteredb the drilling
chief engineer. Their lordships
.ove the drilling
department, and in a large room
machine for
machines inspected a new and inanpansievu.s.
sbni.itieed the saw-
fiaishing oars. When their lordships
operation
timbe
mills yesterday, they witnessed a very
circular,tha
for giving the outline shape to the pieciL
intended to be made into oars, by the manner in
the timber is run along a rapidly revolvinc, nwhiell
saw. The piece of timber, after being cut to the
of the oar by the circular saw, is still square-sided
but it is then taken to the room above the drilling
:
machines and passed through the finishing machine,
which, by closing and expanding while it is cuttir'r and
bevelling the blade of the oar from the centre of the front
part, tapers it to the required form of the most perfect
oar used for men-of-war's gunboats and others. The
slight bend of the blade and the fine curve on the back
are accomplished with great nicety ; and, on passing the
round part of the oar through another finishing machine,
with the necessary description of cutting and fli • hing
tools, the hand end is produced, and the oar ready for
use after about six inches in length of the hand end is
reduced to about two inches in diameter. One man can
rivike two oars per day by the usual plan of making them
by hand labour, but the machine invented by Mr. Laurie
will make 100 oars in one day of the full size used in the
service. On leaving the metal mills their lordships pro-
ceeded to the south-west end of the yard, passing the
slip from which the Cressy, 80, screw steam-ship, was
recently launched, the roof of which is now being stript
of the copper with which it was covered, and a covering
of galvanised iron is in progress of being substituted in
its place. They then visited the extensive range of build-
ings recently used for th holding
metal mills and store adjoining enew iron until the
were completed.d The store
building was erect
45 foet in breadth, and in
and is 666 feet in length by
inexcellent condition. At the
rear of these stores thereare others of still greater
length, which their lordships entered,. the laying-room,
in which the ropes for theand cables are manu-
factured being 170 fathomsn,gogr,o2o feet in length. On
a floor above of equal length,
of 7th,men
hemp is hackled or carded.
and spun by four g
au
in each gang ; and as the hemp lnsd boy
state, and
El, 24 being
through troughs of Stockholm tar in a boiling it
passes
immediately after it passes through is cleansed of the
SU )erfluous tar and rolled on large iron pir
nB* The men
all walk backwards while spinning, and the great length--
of the floor renders it requisite for each gang to shame
their their spinning wheel and work walking
back, instead of e
forward so great a distance. By that arrangement no
time is lost from their labours. When the hemp has

.been spun as described, it is placed into store, and on
its being required to make ropes or cables a demand is
made on the storekeeper who supplies the quantity re-
quisite, and it is then worked by machinery into three
ply or five ply, and these again and again put toge-
ther, until of the required thickness. A fine cable, of
upwards of two inches in thickness, was in progress
of being made to-day during their lordships' inspection.
Some of the ropes made are from 400 to 500 fathoms
in length. The lead mills are in excellent working
order, and a sheet was rolled 30 feet long by 6 feet
wide. Adjoining the lead mills are the paint works,
where all the paint is ground and prepared for the
use of all the yards, and from 300 to 400 tons are
required annually for the use of the yards and ships in
the Royal navy.
Their lordships, after concluding their inspection of
the works, were shown the neat and commodious
chapel in the dockyard by the chaplain, the Rev.
Mr. Fielding, and they then went to the schoolrooms
where the apprentices of the dockyard are instructed
in mathematics and other branches of education
which would be useful to them in following
their profession ; and the first Lord appeared much
pleased with the manner in which one of the pupils
worked a difficult problem of Euclid. Their lordships
then returned to the Captain-Superintendent's offices,
where they remained about half an hour, and at a quar-
ter past 3 o'clock proceeded to the marine barracks,
where the men were drawn up in line, under the com-
mand of Colonel James Irwin Willes, Second
.Command-
ant, who received their lordships, Colonel Pilcher, Co-
lonel Commandant, being absent on leave. Their
lordships were saluted in the usual manner, the band
playing the National Anthem. Sir James Graham and
the members of the board, accompanied by Colonel
Willes, proceeded down the front of the line, and up the
centre of the open column, minutely inspecting the men
and their appointments. They also inspected about 300
young men (reel nits) recently joined. They then entered
the barrack rooms and minutely inspected them, and
also the non-commissioned officers' library, a most com-
modious and well-arranged room for study, and for per-
using the daily and other newspapers and publications
with which they are supplied. The sergeants' mess
room is spacious and very well kept, and is altogether
of a superior description. Their lordships also witnessed
the ship gun drill exercises, and concluded their inspec-
tion by going over the hospital.
The Vivid wail steam-paclzet, Captain Smithett, hav-
ing conveyed the Prince of Prussia to Ostend on Mon-
day night, came round to-day to attend on their lord-
ships, who will lea ie Rochester at an early hour
to-morrow in the Vivid, for Sheerness, on an official
visit to that port.

WOOLWICH, AUG. 30.
APPOINTMENTS.

Captain Edwaad Chappell (1888), and Captain John
Monday (1838), to be retired captains.
Mate William H. Ives (1852), to the Waterloo, 120,
at Sheerness.
Master Richard W. Ward (1850), to the Arab, 12, at
Chatham.