The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-07 00:00:00

AT PORTSMOUTH.

PORTSMOUTH, THUBSDAY.—The trial of shells was
resumed this day under the direction of Captain Chads,
en board the Excellent. The weather was favourable,
and in consequence there was a much larger attendance
of officers tnan yesterday. Rear-Admiral Berkeley,
Colonel the Honourable 11. Dundas, Captain Sir
Thomas Hastings, Colonel Lewis, Captain Hender-
son, C. 8., nearly all the captains of the navy
in commission, Captain Stopford, and all the
officers studying at the Royal Naval College were
present. The shells fired to-day were Capta n Moor-
sow's percussion, similar to those fired yesterday, and
their great accuracy in bursting on striking the object
was much admired. Yesterday nearly 100 shells were
fired, and we understood that out of that number 14 only
did not burst, and these struck the water only. Yester-
day also eight solid shot were fired at the iron butt
(section of the Simoom) for the purpose of showing their
ctfect to Admiral Berkeley and Sir Thomas Hastings.
The ahot on striking the iron broke in small pieces, the
splinters flying in all di.;eclions.
To-day the shell practice was at the short range and
medium range—the targets were perforated in all direc-
tions; about 70 in 80 shells were thrown with, the same
effect as to bursting as yesterday, and we have no doubt
but these percussion shells will be adopted and brought
into general use in the naval service. Being percussion
shells that burst on:the striking, there is no difficulty
about the fuse, and consequently there is little danger in
handling them, and no cutting for short range.
To-morrow some other shells are to be tried, we be-
lieve concussion, the invention of Mr. Moore, of Wool-
wich. These shells have before been tried with consi-
derable success, and are said to be very accurate also in
their bursting. This trial, we believe, is to decide which
are the best for, general use in the navy.
Fairy, Royal yacht-tender, went out to Spithead, and
along the measured mile, on Wednesday, having shipped
a screw of " two threads," with which she goes faster
and has less vibration than the one with three threads.
She has gone alongside the coal depot for fuel. We un-
derstand that ber services will be required either on
Saturday or Monday to convey her Majesty, Prince Al-
bert, and the Court, to Osborne.

Prince Regent, 92, Captain Harris, went into the angle
dock at Portsmouth yesterday. She has got her topsail
yards on deck, and struck her topmasts, and it is said
will have a new mainmast, which is said to be defective;
if the latter be the case, it would have been much better
that she should have been dismantled altogether before
paying off, as her crew were doing nothing for two days,
and could have done it with speed. With only a few
seamen, it is now a work of some difficulty.
A pollo,B, troop-ship, Commander Rawatorne, embarked
at Queenstown on Monday the 94th Highlanders, and
sailed for Corfu on Tuesday. _ _

Ferret, 8, and Express, 6, aro ready for commission at

Devonport.
PLYMOUTH, MARcri s.—Tier Majesty's steam•sloop
Styx sailed yesterday for Falmouth with a detachment
of the 4th Regiment, to relieve a detachment of the same
Regiment, for some time stationed at Pendennis Castle.
The Devon lighter arrived on Tuesday, with stores
from Falmouth.

Lieutenant Drury, Royal Marines, having, in compli-
ance with the wishos of the Lords of the Admiralty, sur-
rendered the ;Rice of Quartermaster, has resumed duty
as Lieutenant.

APPOINTMENTS.
WooLwICH, MARCH 6. Commanders Henry C.
Hawkins (1842), and George Kenyon (1843), to the
Coast Guard.
Lieutenant James B. Kinsman (1846), to the Coast
Guard.
Midshipmen S. W. May, A. H. Alston, C. T. Hill, W.
H. Goold, J. C. Tucker, Alexander Bulieu, and George
G. Duff, to the Prince Regent, 90, at Portsmouth.
Naval Cadcts W. A. K. Craven, Henry T. Davies, C.
C. Eden, C. W. Thackerey,. Alexander Murray, and A.
W. Inglis, to the Prince Regent. ,
REDUCTIONS IN lIER MAJESTY S DOCKYARDS.
The estimates required to be Toted for the year 1551-

[PRICE SD.

2, fur the wages of artificers in her Majesty's dockyards
will be 10,000/. less than they were last year 1850-51;
and the estimates for the wages of artificers and labour-
ers in the steam-factories at Woolwich dockyard will be
12,8331. lez,s for 1851-2 than they were in 1850.1. This
result arises from the less number of men employed in
tie month of January of the present year than were
voted fur in the estimates of 1850-1. The number now
employed at Deptford is 557 instead of 581, being a re-
duction of 24. The number at Woolwich 996 instead of
993, being a reduction (.1 2. The number at Chatham
1,597 instead of 1,607, being a reduction of 10. The
number at Sheens 1,031 instead of 1,046, being a
reduction of 15. The number at Portsmouth 2,333 in-
st,ad of 2,351, being a r.-Auction of 18. The number at
Plymouth 2,125 instead of 2,158, being a reduction of 33.
At Pembroke the number is 898 instead of 880, being
au increa'e of 18, making a total reduction of 84. The
number of men at the Woolwich steam -factory in Janu-
ary last was 600 instead of 668, being a reduction of 68;
and the numbcr at Portsmouth 464 instead of 487, being
a reducti:m of 23, or a total reduction of 91. The vote
to be tAer, for trair,i, g and exercising the dockyard ar-
tificers is 9,0001. fur 1851-2. The vote fur 1850-1 was
10,0001.