The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-13 00:00:00

211 E NAVY.

The two gunboats Linnet and Pigeon, now being
built by private contract for the Admiralty, at
Liverpool, are ordered to be fitted for sea at
Chatham Dockyard, and each to be supplied with
one 68-pounder, 95ewt., 10 feet long; one 32-
pounder, 56cwt., 2 feet 6 inches long; and two
24-pounder howitzers.

On Friday Major-Gen. Hutchinson, Command-
ing the western district, with his staff, Col. Pester,
and officers of the Royal Artillery, Col. Wright,
Major White, and officers of Royal Engineers, Cap-
tain Stewart, C. 8., her Majesty's ship Impregnable,
Captain Caldwell, C. 8., her Majesty's frigate Mer-
sey, Captain Cockburn, her Majesty's frigate Dia-
dem, Mr. Biddlecombe, Master Attendant of Key-
ham Steamyard, and a large number of officers from
the services, attended on board her Majesty's gun-
nery ship Cambridge, in llamoaze, Plymouth, to
witness some experiments of firing shot with lines
attached from 10-inch, 8 -inch, and 32-pounder guns,
at various elevations. This practice was in accord-
ance with some suggestions of Captain Jerning-
ham, of that ship, which arose through experiments
made by him several years since with Manby's
mortar. The results were very favourable. The
ranges averaged between 250 and 400 yards, accord-
ing to the respective elevations, which were of course
more restricted when fired from the 'tweet: decks,
through the portholes, than from the upper deck.
Ose of the gnus, a 32-pounder, was slung between
the foremast and mainmast, at an elevation of 33
degrees; with 10 ounces of p9wder a range of over
400 yards was obtained. With a pound of powder
the 10-inch gun, at 25 degrees, carried a shot filled
with lead, weighing 1561 b., having attached to it
an inch and a quarter line, a range of 360 yards.
Successful trials were also made with 12-pounder
rockets, havingone-inch lines attached. These trials
will probably be resumed.
The Osprey, 4, screw steam sloop, Commander
H. J. Blomfield, arrived at Spithead yesterday
morning from the Mediterranean.
The Osprey was commissioned in March, 1856,
since which time she has been employed on the
Mediterranean station. She sailed for the east-
ward at 5 p.m.
The Firebrand, 6 paddle, Commander James M.
Bruce, steamed out of Portsmouth Harbour yester-
day to test her machinery. In leaving the harbour
she fouled the S prightly paddle tender, Master
Commander Allen, carrying away her own jibboom
and was compelled to drop her anchor for a short
time in the middle of the harbour. She afterwards
proceeded to Spithead, and after testing the work-
ing of her machinery returned into hai hour.
The Fire Queen paddle, Master Commander Paul,
has been undocked from No. 1 dock at Portsmouth,
and berthed alongside the south harbour jetty, to
complete for service. The Hornet, 17, screw, was
afterwards placed in the same dock to make good
some defects to her hull below the water-line.

- -
The Royal paddle yacht Victoria and Albert was
yesterday taken into the steam basin at Portsmouth
to receive her superheating steam gear, Sze.
The Prince of Wales, 131, screw, at Portsmouth,
was yesterday undocked from No. 7 Dock and
placed in the steam basin. The Euryalus, 51,
screw, Capt. J. W. Tarleton, C. 8., was afterwards
placed in the same dock for the purpose of overhaal
and repair.
The Megwra iron screw troopship has been un-
docked from No. 8 Dock at Portsmoath, and berthed
alongside the harbour sheer jetty, in readiness for
commission by Commander James Hunt,
The following young gentlemen received certifi-
cater yesterday morning at the Royal Naval College,
Portsmouth, as having qualified themselves
at the
examinations commenced on the 7th inst.
For Naval Cadets :—A. A. Lee, A. St. J. L a
cock, J. N. Callander, *C. Ho.EdWarren,)-C. Her-
bert, bert, *G. F. Trollope, ward Payne, F. D.
E
Radcliffe, *A. C. Loveridge, Cooper, *F. T.
W. Passy g
, *F. H. Hay arth, Joseph.A.
Swan, *C. H.
Horne, H. W. A. Lit.tledale, tA. Kingscote, J. H.
Lee, S. A. K. Hamilton, B. W. Vernon, W. H.
Monckton, E F. Jeffrey s, Hon. C. J. Cadogan,
Arthur Malkin Williams, Hon. G. J. Lambart, G.
S. M. Thomas, It. A. Brock, F. A Huston,
ston, F. G. do
Lisle, E. A. llolbeck, tL. F. Wells, A. Savage,
tH. A. Baring, G. C. Cheather, A. Schomberg, G.
S. Parker, *R. F. Orton, G. P. C. Gray, *J. G. W.
Harrison, *G. C. Higgins, H. A. P. Probyn, L.
Napier, E. C. L. Sturt, and Arthur P. Williams.
For Second Masters—H. Smith, F. Darbishire,
R. F. Bellis, F. C. Forte, A. G. St. G. Ponsonby,
til. A. Easther, G. Browner, W. L. Bennett, R.
W. Stephens, and J. F. G. St. John.
The Rolla naval apprentices' brig, Lieutenant-
Commander Nelson, and the Sealark novices train-
ing brig, Lieutenant-Commander Johnson, both at
Portsmouth, are nearly complete in their outfit for
their summer cruising.
The Bulfinch screw gunboat, Lieut.-Commander
James, is expected to make trial to-day of a form of
screw the invention of a gentleman in Australia.
This vessel is almost constantly engaged in screw
trials, the inventions of vari us ingenious gentle-
men and of every conceivable form and shape.
The following appointments Were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. James G. Mead and
Lieut. Arthur H. Olington, to the Megiera ; David
Moore, master, to the Mega ra ; Vernon Jones,
second master, to the Royal Albert; Matthew
Inmann, assistant clerk, to the Mutinc ; Thomas
Booth, promoted to acting second-class assistant
engineer to the Haughty ;William M‘Laurin, pro-
moted to acting second-class assistant engineer to
the Medina; and Eyrc Miles, promoted to acting
second-class assistant engineer to the Cyclops.
The proposed augmentation of the corps of Royal
Engineers will take place on the Ist of April, when
the companies at head-quarters will be increased
several hundred men. As *soon as the augmenta-
tion has been effected, it is understood that the
Adjutant-General's Department of the Royal En-
gineers will be removed from Brompton Barracks
to London.

4, Passed from North-grove House Academy, Southsea.
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