The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-17 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

ADMIRALTY, MARCH 15.—Peter Leonard, Surgeon,
to the Poictiers; William Baikie, Acting Assis-
tant-Surgeon, to the Victory; William G. Silverlock,
Naval Cadet, to the St. Vincent.
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—A fleet of steamers in
ordinary, to be ready at an hour's notice for any ser-
vice, was an object which we, amongst others of our
contemporaries, hailed as a move in the right direction
towards judicious preparation for any emergency when
we reported the orders of the Admiralty to have steam
flotillas stationed at every port, whose motive power
was always to be at command; but the experience of
yesterday and to-day shows how futile such intentions
of the Government must be. No sooner did the order
arrive yesterday afternoon for the immediate equipment
of the Birkenhead and Gorgon steam-frigates than it
was put in execution; but what was the result? It was
found that steamers whose machinery had been reported
in good working order, and whose paddle-wheels had
been whirled round once a month (as per order) and
worked well in the smooth water of this harbour, yet
needed some other accessories to their utility as vessels
for war, dispatch, or other " particular service." Men
there were at once from the Excellent gunnery-ship—and
right good men too (all A B's), and officers to command
them ready for transhipment on tho order being given,
but the men and officers must live, and so provisions
had to be looked for. These, by dint of all-night work,
were furnished by the indefatigable officers of the Royal
Clarence Victualling Establishment, and then came the
coaling—but where were the stokers ? Alas ! there
were no stokers at hand hut the Growler's, and there-
fore their Lordships' gracious permission was asked to
take the stokers out of the Royal yacht Victoria and
Albert, and put them into the Gorgon, which was
granted, and so the steamers are now progressing, as
well as all these drawbacks will permit, towards readi-
ness for sea. If these vessels are wanted to go to Ire-
land, it is clear they will not be there on St. Patrick's-
day, and if their "particular service" is merely a demon-
stration, it is a very poor one, and all for the lack of the
exercise of the commonest foresight. These steamers
ought to have been victualled, stored, armed, and in
ecynotice; their stores, coals,
any orders sent down
and provisions would have been quite as safe, and much
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more handy and available, on board than in hulks and
storehouses elsewhere, and would have caused no
expense for stowage; stokers, too, it is clear there must
be a supply of, or the steamers, after all, w ill be worse
than useless. As usual in such cases, the ships selected
for service are the least forward in their advancement,
whereas the Centaur and Growler could have been en
their way at least to Cork by this time. The former
only needs the necessaries above enumerated, and the
latter is ready at a moment's notice, being already
manned, &c. (having arrived from Bermuda only on
officers
Sunday). The following and men have been
drafted from the Excellent for these ships:—For the Bir-
kenhead—Com. llswlett, Lieut. Branch, Mates A tkin-
son and Graves, 60 seamen, and 20 boys; Lieut. Ireland, 1
sergeant, one corporal, one bombardier, one trumpeter,
and 35 gunners of the Royal Marine Artillery. For the
Gorgon, Commander Grenfell, of the Blenheim; Lieute-
nant St. John, Mates Reilly and Burgess, 60 mon, and
20 boys, of the Excellent; and Lieutenant Draffen and a
similar detachment of Marine Artillery as supplied to
the Birkenhead.