The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-17 00:00:00

IRE NAVY.

Our Portsmouth correspondent has renewed his
inquiries into the condition of the naval cadets on
board the Britannia training ship at Portsmouth,
and also of those who have been admitted into
Haslar Hospital. At the date of our last report on
this subject (the 10th inst.) no deaths had occurred ;
but since then two have taken place, one from measles
and the other (Mr. Kirwin, son of the Dean of
Limerick) from fever. 22 cadets remain in Haslar
Hospital, 18 of whom are, or have been, suffering
from measles, and the remaining four from low fever.

The chief medical authorities at Haslar have held a
medical survey on board the ship, and strictly ex-
amined her in every part, even to analysing the
water from her pump•well. They report that no
local cause exists on board to account for the dis-

eases which have exhibited themselves, and that
they must have been imported into the ship. The
ieport also states that no ship could be in a more
perfectly sanitary condition, every part being clean,
well v.e.ntilated, and dry. The report concludes by
declining to recommend that the cadets and boys
on beard should be dispersed at an earlier period

than usual, unless the sickness takes a more decided

turn, there being every appearance of its strength
being subdued. Since this report has been forwarded
the sickness has considerably abated, the last fever
case admitted into Hasler Hospital from the ship
being 14 days since. As-will be seen, however, the
cases of measles have been more numerous, and the
death of Mr. Kirwin from fever only took place yes-
terday. We are assured, however, on the best medical
authority at the port, that both measles and fever
are daily diminishing. There are now only two boys
on board the Britannia who have not already, at
some period of their lives, had the measles. Three
only of the novices belonging to the ship are in hos-
pital. Both measles and fever have, as we before
stated, been to some extent of late prevalent in
Portsmouth and its neighbourhood, and doubtless,
but for the sanitary state of the Britannia and her
cleanly, well-ventilated decks, referred to in the
medical report, and for which all credit is due to her
officers, the sickness on board might have spread to
a much greater extent. It may be necessary to state
that the Britannia is not only a "cadet," but also a
" novice" training ship, and that while there are
only about 180 of the former class at present on
board, there are 300 of the latter class. The number
of cadets on board in the spring will be greatly in-
creased, and it has now become a serious question,
and one which doubtless has received due attention
from the Admiralty, whether it is not imperatively
necessary at once to separate the two classes, which
ought never to have been placed in any numbers on
board any one vessel. The two most urgent points
bearing on this cadet and novice question are—first,
the question in a sanitary view ; and secondly, in a
scholastic one. The first few will doubt; the second
will be more seriously battled for, but any person
who has been on board the Britannia during study
hours aft and gun-drill forward, will readily endorse
the opinion now shared in by many, that the rough
drill of the novices ought not to be carried on in the
same ship with the study of the naval cadet.
The Gorgon, 6, paddle, Commander B. C, Pim,
has returned to Portsmouth from the westward.
The Immortalite, 51, screw, in the first-class steam
reserve at Portsmouth, will be commissioned at that
port this morning by Capt. George Hancock.
The Euryalus, 51, screw, Capt. Tarleton, C. 8., is
discharging stores alongside Portsmouth yard, and
is expected to pay off on Monday. She will after-
wards be taken into the ship basin. Capt. Tarleton
is spoken of as likely to succeed to the command of
the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert on Captain
Denman obtaining his flag.
The screw despatch gunvessels Cormorant, 5, and
Linnet, 5, 200-horse power, fitting in the basin at
Chatham for the second-class steam reserve, will be
undocked this day, and proceed to join the reserve
steam ordinary.
The hired transport Norwood, taken up for the
embarkation of Capt. Mercer's Battery for New
Zealand, yesterday went down to Woolwieh, and
commenced shipping the cases of Armstrong guns
(carefully packed two in each case and well se-
cured), as well as the cases of shot, shell, waggons,
gun-carriages, and stores.
Tho Himalaya, screw steamship, Captain J. Sec-
combo, returned to Spithead during the night of
Thursday, from her successful search for the Royal
squadron, again justifying the motto inscribed on
her binnacle, " Facta non verbs." She will embark
the following troops at Portsmouth on the 20th inst.,
for conveyance to Kingstown—viz., 2d Battalion
17th Foot, 2 officers and 141 men ; 2d Battalion, 21st
Foot, 4 officers and 150 men ; 96th Foot, 45 men ;
City of Dublin Militia Artillery, for disembodi-
ment, 16 officers, 403 men, 2 officers' wives, 19 sol-
diers' wives, 62 children, and 2 horses.
Tho Sultana, intended for the transport of the
military train to Hong Kong, still lies off in the
stream awaiting further instructions. The cases of
hospital stores shipped at Woolwich on her arrival
were yesterday disembarked and returned to the
dispensary. Her cargo, consisting of 700 tons of
war materials will, it is stated, likewise be returned
to store.

His Netherlands Majesty's frigate, Admiral Was-
senaar, 45 guns, Capt. Van Voss, from Malts and
Lisbon for Holland, put into Plymouth Sound on
Thursday. On the night of the 12th inst., about
8 p.m., she came into collision with a barque,which
struck her bows and carried away her bowsprit.
The frigate was at the time under can-
vas only, all sails being reefed. The acci-
dent occurred in lat. 49 50 N., long. 12 43 E.,
about 60 Dutch miles S.E. of Scilly ; and the barque
is supposed to be Dutch. The Wasenaar experienced
strong winds from the south-east. Her rudder is
defective ; she was appointed to go up Hamoaze
yesterday, and be repaired in the Devonport dock-
yard. She has discharged. her powder for that
purpose.

Tha screw steamship Sanspareil, 70, Capt. A. P.
E. Wilmot, C. 8., which arrived in Plymouth Sound
on Thursday afternoon, left Queenstown on the Bth
inst., and experienced strong easterly winds during
the passage. She spoke on the 11th the Susan
Ann, of London, from Quebec, for London, short of
provisions, and supplied her with a cask of bread
and one of pork. The Sanspareil brought from the
hospital at Queenstown supernumeraries and boys
belonging to the fleet. She saluted the flag of the
Pert Admiral, which was acknowledged by the
ImPrer,nable.
The
screw steam gunvessel Violet, Lieut. and
Commander F,. mmander B.
Q. Batty, having been very suc-
cessful in raising men at Gloucester, returned on
Tuesdaytohead-qearters at Pembroke, where she
is likely to Make a short stay to receive entries for
the naval reserve-
The lighter sin
bad, J. Moore, master, sailed from
Plymouth yesterday for
Chatham and Woolwich,
and the lighter
' Tortoise,Pe IL 11 os k* Ing3, master, for mbroke.
It is reported at Plymouth that the screw steam-
ship Hero, 90, will be sent from
mender
Hamoaze, and that Commander the Sound to
on leave of absence. Seymour will go
The newly-formed corps of artillery volunteers
assembled yesterday in the Devonport Dockyard,
to pay their first instalment towards their uniform,'
which will cost £4 12s. each suit.
The provisions placed on board the screw steam
frigate Orlando, 50,a'fo/ temporary service in the
Channel, will be transferred to the screw steam
corvette Jason, 21, now preparing for commission
at Plymouth.
The ecrew steam sloop Petrel, 11, was placed in
No. 3 dock in Devonport Dockyard on Thursday
to be coppered.
ZA court-martial was to be held this day at Ply-
mouth, for trying a seaman belonging to the St.
George, who refused to holystone the deck of that
ship when required. Commander Seymour, of the
Hero, will preside.
The screw steam frigate Ariadne, Capt. E. W.
Vansittart, is under orders to leave Plymouth for
Portsmouth. •
The Royal Commissioners, assembled in the De-
vonport Dockyard on the subject of expenditure,
attended yesterday at the pay-table, and afterwards
went to the Keyham Steam yard.
The gunboats Steady and Delight were put out
of No. 3 dock in Keyham Steamiard y esterday.
The following appointments were mule yes tacitly

at the Admiralty A. T. Denham and
Lieut. S. MacDougall, to the Jason ; Lieut. A. E.
Dupuis, Lieut. R. Wells, Lieut. H. Austin, and

Lieut. E. Poulden, to the Immertalite ; Leut. H.
T. Boger, to the Algiers; Lieut. J. T. warm, to
the }farrier; C. G. Johnston, master, to the Im-
mortalite; J. Waye, master, to the Jason ; J. S.
Eaton, mate, to the Harrier ; C. J. rosat and C.
R. Smith, midshipmen, to the Immortalite ; J. E.
Petley, master's assistant, to the Immortalite ; A.
C. Dennys, master's assistant, to the Jason ; W,
Vincent, acting third class engineer, to the Cum-
berland, as supernumerary ; H. G. Barlow, pay-
master additional, to the Formidable ; George W.
Anderson, paymaster, to the Immortalite ; and R.
W. Warwick, paymaster, to the Jason.