The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-15 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Lieutenant—John Gwynne (1848), to the Penelope
flag-ship, on the coast of Africa station.
Clerk—R. H. Lowcay, to the Amphion screw steam-
frigate, at Spithead.
Midshipman—John Davey, to the Pilot sloop, fitting
at Portsmouth.

Naval Cadets—W. C. Symonds, to the Pilot; E. H.
Hickman, to the Ranger brig, fitting at Chatham.
C!erk's Assistant—Edward Hayton, to the San Josef
flag-ship, at Davenport.
The following is a copy of the " Minute of the Board
of Admiralty respecting the Reconstruction of the Office
of the Surveyor of the Navy":—
" Admiralty, June 2, 1848.
" My Lords have had under their consideration the
necessity of such a reconstruction of the office of the
Surveyor of the Navy as may render it more adequate
to the duties which it has to perform.
The importance of these duties it is impossible to
overrate, for upon the Surveyor's department mainly
depends the proper application of the large sums voted
by Parliament annually for maintaining the naval
strength of the country, and the establishment of such
general principles, with regard to the building and fitting
of ships, as may prevent rash experiments and wasteful
expenditure in alterations and repairs, while they re-
gulate and systematise the whole labours of the dock-
yards. _ _

" My Lords are, therefore, of opinion, that the prin-
cipal duties of the Surveyor of the Navy are rather to
take the general superintendence of the ' materiel' of the
navy; to prepare and submit to the board the pro-
gramme of works for the year, and to fix the yards in
which, with reference to the establishment of artificers
and stores in each, it can best be executed, than actually
to prepare in detail the lines of the ships and vessels or-
dered to be built.

" For this purpose, you will visit the dockyards fre-
quently, with the sanction of the Board, and inform
yourself upon all points connected with the duties of the
several shipwright officers, and in what manner they are
executed ; and also as to the distribution of the work-
men. and their division into gangs.
" You will submit any alteration which may appear to
you advisable in the number of artificers and workmen

in the several dockyards ; you will report those who,
from age or infirmity, are incapable of performing a
proper day's work, with their ages and time of servitude.
" You will examine and report to the board what
ships are worn out, and what ship-building stores are so
deteriorated as to make it advisable to put both up to
public sale, or to take the ship to pieces.
" The reports of all survey's of her Majesty's ships by
the officers of the yards will be laid be!ore you, and you
will take care that a correct account of the forwardness
of all her Majesty's ships building, and under repair,
with the names and conditions of all those lying up in
ordinary, be at all times kept in your office.
" When projects for building ships, or other proposals
having relation to any of her Majesty's ships or vessels,
are submitted to you, it will be your duty to communi-
cate the same in writing, with your reasons for approv-
ing or objecting to such proposals.
In all professiosal details of matters connected with
your duties, in requiring information or explanation on
professional points, you will be at liberty to correspond
with the officers of the yards; but you are not to issue
any orders of a general nature, or to enter upon any
part of the general correspondence with the superin-
tendents of the yards.
In all matters connected with the duties of your
situation, you will advise with and consult the Lord of
the Admiralty who shall be appointed to superintend the
duties with which you are charged; and you will be pre-
pared also, on all occasions, with regard to the selection
and preparation of ships for commission, to give all the
information that may be required by the first sea lord.
" For the performance of these duties, and for the
efficient conduct of your office, you will, in addition to
your present assistant, be allowed the services, as second
assistant, of one of the most experienced and eminent of
the present master shipwrights, from whose assistance
and advice it is hoped that in all matters of construction
you will derive the greatest benefit.
" My Lords have been pleased to select Mr. Isaac
Watts, master shipwright of Sheerness yard, to fill this
situation. _ _

" It is further proposed that a committee shall be con-
stituted, consisting of two or more master shipwrights or
others, who shall, whenever called upon, be a ' Council
of Science," whenever referred to for advice, either by
their Lordships or yourself.
" The board will expect that all plans of new ships be
laid before them by the superintending Lord and your-
self; and if the opinion of this council shall not have been
previously taken, it will be for their Lordships to deter-
mine whether reference shall not be made to it; and you
will bear in mind that it is not only to the good con-
struction of particular ships that in such consultations
you are to look, but to tha clear establishment of prin-
ciples by which the building of ships is permanently to
be governed.

"Lastly, in the construction and repair of steam-
vessels, you will consider your department as absolutely
identified with that of the Comptroller of Steam Machi-
nery; and it will be your study to establish with that
officer a practice of general information and co-operation
in all that regards the two departments.
" My Lords are convinced, that by a strict adherence
to these principles, most important reductions may be
effected in the expenditure of the navy, and in selecting
you as successor to Sir William Symonds, they have
consequently, looked more to sound practical knowledge
and ability as a seaman, than to your qualifications as a
shipbuilder.

" They wish you to bring a free and unbiassed judg-
ment to bear upon the plans of others, and they think
it necessary to give you such additional assistance at
Somerset-house, as will enable you to undertake, per-
sonally, those duties of general regulation and super-
vision, to which they look for the attainment of the ad-
vantages adverted to in this communication.

" Iu order to ensure the most searching examination
of all drawings for the construction of ships, such draw..
ings are in future to be prepared by the two assistant-
surveyors, and submitted by you to the Board, with your
own remarks in writing, and referred by the Board to
the committee of master shipwrights, should any doubt
be entertained as to the expediency of your recommen-
dations. . _ _

" My Lords conceive that by this process every pre-
caution will be taken that past experience can suggest
against ill-considered expenditure, while no useful change
can long escape the notice of so many practical men,
whose time and attention will be devoted to the con-
sideration of all matters connected with her Majesty's
naval service.
The following will be the future establishment of the
Surveyor's-office—