The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-07 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The steam storeship Rhadamanthus, F. It. Sturdee
master commanding, having discharged machinery,
&c., was removed from Keyham steam yard on
Wednesday, when she steamed to the Royal Wil-
liam Victualling yard to load provisions for the fleet
at Milford. The Rhadamanthus was appointed to
sail yesterday (Thursday), and would take in tow
the lighter Hamoaze, also laden with provisions.
The Admiralty yacht Vivid yesterday steamed
down the river to Sheerness from Woolwick Dock-
yard, to try her machinery and to test the merits of
Mr. 'Lee Stevens's patent regulating air doors, one
of the numerous apparatus applied to her Majesty's
ships with a view of remedying the smoke nuisance.
The vessel left the offing of the dockyard at 10 a.m.
and returned about ;6. The result of the trial is
stated to be satisfactory as regards the consumption
of smoke—a slight vapour only being perceptible
from the chimney, except at the time of adding
fresh fuel, when smoke was seen to issue for a few
seconds only—and to leave no grounds for com-
plaint. It was also stated that a saving in fuel
was realised, but that the speed of the vessel is
somewhat impeded, which it was hoped might be
prevented on a future trial, with a greater amount
of caution on the part of the stokers. The atmos-
phere of ihe boiler room, it was stated, was consi-
derably improved, as a constant current of air ne-
cessarily passed through the perforations of the
doors.

Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam sloop Spiteful,
commissioned at Woolwich by Commander Wilson,
is in a forward state for service, and has received a
portion of her stores •for sea. The whole of the
officers have been appointed. Lieut. Croke, Lieut.
Lake, and Surg. Gray have joined the commander
at Woolwich. In consequence of the extraordinary
lack of seamen at the present moment, not a single
petty officer or man has joined, a circumstance ac-
counted for by the fact of large numbers of our men
having gone over, after being paid off from our
ships of war, to the American service, on account
of the superior rate of pay.
The new screw steam gun vessel Landrail, at
Woolwich, is still open for commission, Commander
Field, recently appointed and gazetted to that ship,
having obtained the permission of the Admiralty
to resign the appointment.
The Sirius, targetship, will be moved from along-
side Portsmouth Dockyard to-day, and placed up
Porchester Lake for shot practice on the three tar-
gets fixed on her side.
The Ariel, 9, screw, Commander Alexander, re-
ceived her masts under the shears in Portsmouth
Dockyard yesterday. Lower and topmasts, with
their standing rigging fitted on, were shipped at
one and the same time.

The Cygnet, 5, threemasted screw schooner, yes-
terday made her official trial of speed at the mea-
sured mile in Stokes Bay, in charge of Commander
Thorp, of her Majesty's ship Asia, and under the
supervision, in her engineering department, of Mr.
Murdoch, inspector of machinery afloat at Ports-
mouth: The vessel was tried at both full and half
power. Her draught of water was—forward, 7
feet 3 inches ; aft, 11 feet. The mean revolutions
of her engines were 110, with a pressure of steam
of 20; vacuum, 26. The average of the runs at
full power gave a speed in knots of 111, full. At
half power she realised 82- knots. Her engines are
of 80-horse power nominal, by Messrs. Napier, of
Glasgow. This is the eleventh vessel of the same
class and power which has been fitted with machi-
nery by Messrs. Napier, and is said to be the most
successful of the whole. The trial was very satis-
factory to all concerned.
The screw steam.sloop Hornet, 17, from Ports-
mouth, bound for the West Coast of Africa, arrived
in Plymouth Sound on Wednesday afternoon, and
saluted the flag of the Port Admiral. -
Commander J. Brown, of the Devonport Dock-
yard, from London, returned to his duties on Wed-
nesday. This officer has to act for the Admiral
Superintendent during Sir Thomas Pasley's absence.