The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-22 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 19.—The Penelope steam-frigate,
Captain Gifford, bad the adjustment of her compasses
completed yesterday. She has bent sails, and is now
nearly ready for sea.
The Royal yacht Victoria and Albert was hauled down
from her moorings alongside the jetty yesterday, prepara-
tory to being docked to-morrow. In consequence of the
frequent and long excursions which her Majesty now
every season takes to sea, and the increase of the Royal
Family, the accommodations of the yacht, as originally con-
structed, have been found insufficient for the Royal Family;
her present docking is, therefore, not from any break
down in her machinery or steerage apparatus, nor from
any of those other causes or ills which ships of a certain
construction are alleged to be heir to, but merely for the
purpose of having the nursery and store-rooms, and such
other offices as may contribute to good lodging and living,
enlarged.
The Resistance troop-ship, Commander Lowe, will be
ready for sea about the 30th inst.
The Cyclops steam-frigate, Captain Lapidge, left
yesterday at 3 P.M., for Sheerness, with supernumera-
ries. If her defects are found considerable, she will be
paid off.
A plan, which was laid before the late Board of
Admiralty, and which, having been submitted to and
approved by the present Board for organizing all the
workmen in Plymouth, Chatham, Pembroke, Sheerness,
and this dockyard, into brigades, to be drilled a certain
number of days in each year to the exercise of great
guns and small arms, will be submitted to Parliament
next session. The artisans will be instructed in the
naval great gun exercise (we are told) in ships to be
brought alongside the several dockyards, armed with
guns of the largest calibre, and in the land artillery
practice in the various batteries contiguous to each port.
The first instructions will be given by gunnery lieu
tenants and naval gunners, the second course of instruc-
tion by artillery officers and men connected with the
corps. The drill is not to interfere with the works in
progress in the dockyards, but take place in the summer
months for an hour or so before or after the working
hours in the dockyard. Each man to be paid extra when
on drill. By these means it is expected that an avail-
able force of 5,000 men will be raised for the defence of
the different arsenals in the event of an emergency. We
are also informed that there is to be an increase, of the
Royal Marine force, to the extent of about 1,500 men,
or about ten additional companies. The number of
Royal Marine cadets in the Excellent are also to be in-
creased from 15 to 20, at the commencement of the en-
suing year. Orders have already been received by the
Colonel Commanding the Royal Artillery in this garri-
son to exercise the dockyard artisans in the great gun
practice.
The committee appointed to examine the fortifications
and defences of the naval arsenals, consisting of Captain
Sir Thomas Hastings, R.N., the late Colonel Sir George
Hoste, R.E., and Lieutenant-Colonel Mercer, R.A.,
among other reforms in the defences of the island of
Portsea, recommend that the works at Hilsea should be
put in a proper defensive condition, and that an officer
and detachment of artillery should be placed therein to
keep them so. In pursuance of this recommendation
the clearance of lines; ditches, &e., has been commenced,
and a formidable redoubt and barracks are being con-
structed on the south-east end of the glacis, close to the
Brighton and Chichester Extension Railway. This bat-
tery wall be constructed so as to sweep the greater part
of the harbour of Langston, and the streams which flow
into it from Emsworth, and entirely protect the entrance
into Portsmouth harbour from Post-bridge. Lieutenant
Tylden, R.A., is the officer who has been appointed to
superintend the construction of this fort.
WooLwitca, DEC. 19.—The Rhadamanthus steam-
vessel, Master Commander Aylen, having had her de-
fects made good, will leave Woolwich for Greenhithe on
Monday next, to have her compasses adjusted, and then
proceed to Plymouth for further orders.

The Centau-r steam-frigate has her steam up today,
for the purpose of being taken round to Portsmouth to be
made ready for sea, and commissioned at the port.

PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—The Palestine freight ship
arrived last evening with the remaining portion of the
crew of her Majesty's late brig Osprey, from New Zen.
land. The men were removed from her to the Victory
this afternoon by the Echo.
The Mercury returned to-day with volunteers from
Poole and the neighbourhood.