The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-26 00:00:00

2HE NAVY.

The launch of the Frederick William, screw' 86,
took place at Portsmouth Dockyard on Saturday,
under the superintendence of Mr. Abethell, the mas-
ter-builder, and was attended with perfect success.
The ceremony of naming the vessel was performed
by the Countess of Bernstorff, the wife of the Prus-
sian ambassador. A large number of people were
present, and among them were the Count and Coun-
tess of Bernstorff, Vice-Admiral Sir R. D. Dundas ;
Vice-Admiral Bruce, commander-in-chief at the
port; Rear-Admiral the Hon. George Grey, super-
intendent of the dockyard ; the Prussian Consul,
Mr. L. A. Vandenbergh ; and many military and
naval officers and ladies. The band of her
Majesty's ship Victory was in attendance. The
iron pigs of ballast which played so unobtrusive
but important a part in the proceedings
have marked upon them :—" Victoria, Novem-
ber 12, 1859 ;" " Duncan, December 13, 1859 ;"
" Prince of Wales, January 25, 1860 ;"
" Frederick William, March 24, 1860 ;" the
whole of which vessels, on the dates indicated, they
have assisted in launching from Portsmouth dock-
yard, and which represent an aggregate of tonnage,
15,036 ; horse-power (nominal) of engines, 3,100 ;
and 439 guns.
Admiralty instructipns have been received at
Chatham dockyard for a considerable reduction to
be made in the number of hands employed at that
establishment, the order applying to those men who
were hired during the last year. In accordance
with the order, the whole of the hired ship-
wrights who were entered to be employed in break-
ing up the old ships directed to be taken to pieces
received a notification on Saturday last that their
services were no longer required, and they were
accordingly discharged that afternoon. Notice was
also at the same time given that 40 hired ship-
wrights, with a proportionate number of the
mechanics belonging to other trades, would be dis-
charged on Saturday next, and a similar number
on each Saturday after, until the number of ship-
wrights and other persons employed at Chatham
dockyard has been reduced to that authorised for
the next financial year.
The sailing ship Collingwood, 80, at Chatham,
has been removed from that port to Sheerness,
where she is to be lengthened and otherwise altered,
and converted into a screw steamer of 80 guns.
The Bacchante, 51, screw, at Portsmouth, has
landed her propeller at the dockyard, for the purpose
of having its leading corners cut off, preparatory to
another trial at the measured mile in Stoke's Bay.
The screw steamship Hero, 91, Capt. Seymour,
steamed from Plymouth Sound on Friday into
Hamoaze, to have defects made good, and to be fitted
for the reception of his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales.
Commandant Le V. de Lavassire do Lavergne, of
the steam vessel Le Corse, 2, now at Plymouth
watching French fishing boats, called on Port Ad-
miral Sir .B. Reynolds, K.C.8., Admiralty-house,
Mount Wise, on Friday.
The screw steamship Conqueror, 101, Captain
Sotheby, C. 8., from Portland, which arrived at
Plymouth under canvas on Friday, will discharge
her powder in the Sound, and go into Hamoaze to
refit. She is reported to be ,very leaky when under
steam.
Her Majesty's ship Greyhound put into Harwich
in the course of last week. She sailed again on
Thursday.
The military store steam transport Lord Pan-
mure, H. T. Moore, commander, having been fitted
with a new screw propeller, and having had her
defects occasioned by the recent gale made good,
was on Saturday undocked and hauled alongside
the gun-wharf in Woolwich Arsenal, in prepara-
tion for shipping Armstrong guns and other war
stores for Milford, Pembroke, Cork, and Dublin.

In the Military and Naval Intelligence in 7lie
Sum of Friday, the name of Lieut. H. T. Boger, ap-
pointed to her Majesty's ship Excellent, was erro-
neously printed Rogers.
The following appointments were made on Satur-
-i ' day at the Admiralty :—J. H. Ryan, master, to the
Wellington, for the Orlando ; Wm. E. Fitzgerald,
midshipman, to the Trafalgar ; G. Bellamy, assist.-
surgeon, to Bermuda Hospital ; G. B. Beale, assist.-
surgeon, confirmed, to the Herald ; J. C. Grigg,
acting assist-surgeon, to the Hydra ; and Thos. 0,
Joynson, assist.-paymaster, to the Wellington.