The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-04 00:00:00

cian

THE NAVY.

Rear-Admiral the Hon. F. T. Pelham, C. 8., one
of the Lords of the Admiralty, arrived at Devon-
port on Monday morning, and in the afternoon, ac-
companied by Rear-Admiral Sir T. Pasley, Admi
ral-Superintendent of the DDekyard, went on board
the screw steamship Hero, 91, Capt. Seymour,
where a large party of ladies were assembled.
Shortly after steam was got up, and the Hero left
Hamoaze and proceeded into Plymouth Sound,
where she will probably remain until the I'rince of
Wales embarks. It is expected that the Channel
fleet will wait outside the port and escort the Hero
into the Atlantic.
Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam-sloop Fire-
brand, 6, Commander Bruce, yesterday arrived at
Greenhithe from the west, with orders to embark
a cargo of naval stores and provisions for the use
of the fleet about to convey his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales across the Atlantic. A couple
of lighters, already freighted, were yesterday towed
down to Greenhithe from Woolwich by the steam
tug Bustler, Second Master Draper. The rendez-
vous of the ships and the port whence his Royal
Highness will sail, as at present stated, has been
fixed for Devonport, where the Cornwall Volunteers
have solicited and have obtained- permission' to
be irregent'at the Prince's embarkation and form a
guard of honour, as representatives of the county
from which his Royal Highness derives his title of
Duke of Cornwall.
The Mars, 80, was delayed at Yarmouth on Mon
day by the loss of an anchor, and not the Centu•
rion, 81, as erroneously stated in The Sun of yester-
day.

The screw steam troopship Himalaya, Captain
Seccombe, continues in the Sound. A portion of
the Staff of the Astronomer Royal is expected to
embark on Friday, and the :remainder, with Pro-
fessor Airey, on Saturday, when she will probably
sail for the north coast of Spain.
Yesterday the Pembroke, 60, Capt. Charlewood,
left Harwich harbour to join the Channel fleet at
Great Yarmouth.
Nothing whatever has at present transpired from
official or other quarters in confirmation of the re-
port of an intended naval review at Spithead prior
to the departure of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales for
Canada.
The Ranger, 5, screw gunvessel, Commander H.
R. Wratislaw, sailed from Spithead yesterday, at
11.30 a.tx., for the West Coast of Africa, taking a
mail for Sierra Leone.
The Ariadne, 26, screw, Capt. E. W. Vansittart,
will sail from Spithead for Plymouth Sound to join
the Royal squadron for Canada on Thursday even-
ing. Four additional cabins have been fitted up on
her main deck for the accommodation of a portion
of the Royal suite.
The screw steam gunvessel Viper, 4, Commander
W. N. W. Hewett, from Ascension May 14, and
Fayal Jane 22, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Mon-
day evening. She left at Ascension her Majesty's
paddlewheel steamvessel Spitfire, 5, Lieut. and Com-
mander Constantine 0. D. Allingham, under re-
pairs; the Meander, 44, Capt. W. F. Barnett, and
the storeship Tortoise; and at Fayal, the American
bark Azor, of Boston, trading. The Viper was com-
missioned on the 12th Nov., 1857, and has been on
duty on the West Coast of Africa, principally on the
southern part of the station. She has captured five
prizes (three of which are payable), viz.:—June 20,
1858, off the Congo, the brigantine St. Andrew,
with valuable cargo and £1,200 in specie. Sept. 15,
1868, off Cologo, the fore and aft schooner Kate
Ellen, found at anchor deserted by the crew, sup-
posed to be Spaniards who had mutinied ; she was
sent to Sierra Leone. Oct. 11, 1858, off Banda
Point, a brigantine, supposed to be the Rufus Soule,
with American flag ; she was burnt. June 15,
1859, off the Island of Annabon, the brigantine
Rosa ; no papers or colours ; £3lO in specie ;
Spanish crew burnt. And Nov. 4, 1859, off Arekalo,
the brigantine Cavanier ; she had shipped 520
slaves the night before, and was sent to St. Helena,
The Viper brings two seamen and one marine,
invalids from the Fawn, and one marine, wife, and
family from Ascension. Mr. Charles Keys, gunner
of the Viper, died of fever Nov. 15. After leaving
Fayal she experienced light winds, principally
from the north-west, and spoke, May 21, in lat 1
25 N, long 23 31 W, the American brigantine
Ocean Eagle, bound for New York; 24th, in lat 5
38 N, long 23 38 W, communicated with the ship
Yanwith, bound for Valparaiso; 29th, in lat 12 36
N, long 24 18 W, exchanged colours with the Eng-
lish bark Snowdrop, standing to the southward ;
June 14th, in lat 34 36 N, picked up a small white
boat, bottom up ; 30th, in lat 48 7 N, long 9 6 W,
saw a large ship, painted green, with name on
ensign, supposed to be the Ethiope ; July 1, lat 48
5 N, long 6 48 W, passed her Majesty's screw steam
frigate Bacchante, 51, Capt. D. M'L. Mackenzie,
flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Maitland. The
Viper is rotten about the stern, and has a leak each
side of her sternpost, which has kept one pump
constantly going.

The Locust, 3, paddlewheel steamvessel, 100-
horse power, Lieut. and Commander J. B. Field, is
ordered to be put out of commission without delay.
The Rodney, 500-horse power, recently converted
from a sailing to a 91 screw steamship at the
Chatham dockyard, left her moorings at Sheerness
harbour yesterday morning, and proceeded to the
Mapling Sands to test her engines at the measured
mile. The trial was most successful, the working
of the engines exceeding the most sanguine expecta-
tions of the builders, Messrs. Maudslay, Son, and
Field. The vessel attained an average speed of 111
knots ; average revolutions, 71; draught of water
aft, 21ft. 6in.; forward, 18ft. 9in. ; diameter of
screw, 18ft. ; pitch, 16ft. bin. ; length, 3ft. Gin. The
trial was under the superintendence of Captain
Schomberg, Commander Lloyd, Mr. W. Price (in-
spector of machinery afloat at Sheerness), Mr. T.
Baker (chief engineer, Chatham dockyard), and
Mr. Moore (assistant-master-shipwright of Chatham
dockyard), on the part of the Government ; and, on
the part of the contractors, Messrs. Field, Herbert
Maudslay, and Mr. Warren, manager. A remark-
able feature in the Rodney, which is worthy of
notice, is the admirable system of ventilation adopted
by Mr. Baker, by which a constant current of fresh
air is made to pass through the stokehole, thereby
rendering the vessel much cooler and more healthy
to the men employed than is the case in vessels as
ordinarily constructed.

one actual business of the Wimbledon meeting
commenced yesterday; the Volunteers began their
work at 9 o'clock, and continued till half-past five.
The little firing that took place after the departure
of the Queen on Monday was no more than an open-
ing essay, the preface to the volume, or the light
skirmish before the battle. The duties of the day had
also somewhat unfitted the competitors for the con-
test ; they had been under arms for many hours,
and engaged in keeping the ground. Yesterday
there was not only more firing, but it was much
better, as the returns prove. The number of volun-
teers who have entered themselves for the match is
331 ; on Monday afternoon 320 took part in the
firing, there being a few absentees. Only three
took honours, but yesterday has produced a much
longer list of the skilful.
The first prize contended for was one given by
the association-20 Whitworth rifles, one to each
of the best 20 shots, and a silver medal in addition
to the best shot of the 20. This band of victors
will be entitled to compete for the Queen's prize of
£250, and the honour of being admitted to the
same competition is also extended to the 20 next
best shots to those who win the rifles. The prize
weapons lie side by .side in a tent for inspection ;
they are fondly handled by amateurs, and curiously
eyed by the less appreciative. The shooting for
these prizes occupied the volunteers the whole of
the day. The conditions were that each competitor
was limited to five shots at each range, of 300, 500,
and 600 yards. The rifle used was the Enfield, of
the Government pattern of 1853. At the range A
(of 300 yards) the target was 6 feet by 4, with an
8-inch bull's-eye and 2 feet centre ;at ranges B
and C (500 and 600 yards) the target was an exact
square of 6 feet, with a two feet centre, and no
bull's eye. All ties in the competition at these three
ranges are decided by those who have scored equally
firing one shot each at the longest distance--600.
The following list of the volunteers who made the
greatest number of points for this prize and on
these conditions gives the result of the firing, which
did not close till past 5 o'clock, The number of
points include all that were made at all three
ranges :
)Baker—Bristol
Gibbs—Bristol
Lawley—Derby
Howard—Essex .. •
Blackburn—Edinburgh ..
Henry—Edinburgh
'Wood—Edinburgh
Russel—Edinburgh ..
Fielding-4th Flintshirc
Owen-2d Glamorganshire
Jenkins-sth Glamorganshire
Burgh-10th Gloucester
•
Tinley-2d Lancashire
Pant-sth Kent ..
Heaton-sth Manchester
•
Jackson-32d Kent ..
Caiger-2d Middlesex
Cowan—let Lanark . •
Wylie-Ist Lanark • •
Marshall-Ist Lanark •
Fenton-9th Middlesex
Cocks-11th Middlesex
Beard-4th Surrey
May-sth Sussex
Stearn-6th Suffolk
Sharp-9th Sussex
Phillips-Ist Shropshire
Collinson-6th North York
Ross-7th North York
Bainbrigge-Ist West York
Batey-9th Surrey
Potter-sth Surrey
Sanford—St. George's
Johnson—Victoria Rifles
Placket-21st Middlesex
GO
Williams—Bucks
Turpie—Derby
Coulbourn-Ist Lanark
••
Dear-9th Middlesex .. 12 Bridgeman-9th Middlesex
.. 12 ~
Cleaver-23d Middlesex ~
Gosnell—lst Norfolk .. .. 12 19
Cripps—Oxfordshire• 12 „
Murray—Perthshire• 12 1,
Lyster-9th Surrey .. • . .. 12 „
Brookes-12th Middlesex
.. .. 12 „
Marriott-4th West York .. .. 12 ~
Pipon-7th West Sussex .. .. 12 „
The ties in this list will "shoot off," according to
the above condition, to•day ; the highest ties are
safe, as far as the prize is concerned, but must de-
termine their place in the order of honour; five of
the 13 who have each scored 12 must be added to
the list of higher numbers to make up 40.
For "all corners of all nations" there are four
separate series of prizes, increasing in value from
£2O to £5O according to the distances, seven sums
of £2O for the best seven shots at 200 yards; £3O
each for the best seven shots at 300 yards ; £4O
each for the best seven at 500 yards ; and £5O each
for the best five at 600 yards, with the Army and
Navy Gazette prize of £2O, and rifle given by Mr.
Egan to the other two. Only the prizes of the first
two ranges, 200 and 300 yards, were decided yes-
terday. The Swiss were, of course, competitors in
this contest. Any rifle was used, provided it did
not exceed 101 b. in weight, and had not a hair
trigger.
The following were the highest scores made al
200 yards:—

•41 .11

a . 14 points,

•II il•

.. 13 „
.. 13 „
.. 17 ~

.. 13 „
.. 14 „
.. 13 „
.. 14 „

.. 16 ~
.. 13 „
.. 14 „
.. 14 „

44 4 •

.. 13
.. 13

Newman—Royal Marines
Ross-7th West Riding, York ..
Peter—Switzerland ..
Chessex—Switzerland 11 „
Johnson—Sherwood Foresters .. 10 „
Mauler—Switzerlandlo ft
Collins—Victoria Rifles 10 ~
Prince—St. George's .. 10 „
Thorel—Switzerland
Thoman--Switzerland •• • • 10 ,/
:he following were the highest at 300 yards :
Ross—West Riding .. 9 points.
Nourisson—Switzerland • • • • 9 ft
Ingram—Glasgow 9
Sergeant Wilson—Hythe 9 f
Forbes-2d Derby .. .. S ~
Sergeant Dillon—llythe .• • • 8 If
Colonel Lindsay—St. George's.. .. 8 ~Captain Marriott—West York
• 8 ft
Heil—Switzerland 8
Jackson .. • • • • • -

.. 12 points.
.. 11 „

Knecht—Switzerland .. 8
The ties of the "all comers" will also be deter-
mined to-day.
The Swiss Deputation use the Enfield rifle, not
exactly from choice, but in consequence of an un-
toward accident that befell them when crossing
the French frontier on their way to England. The
French Custom-house officials seized and detained
the rifles of the travellers, though they had taken
the precaution to provide themselves with a certi-
ficate from the French Consul-General in Switzer-
land, stating the reason they were carried, and the
object of the journey. The French officials were
probably susiiieious of Swiss arms at the present
juncture, for no remonstrance availed anything,
time pressed, and the Swiss Deputation arrived
without their rifles. They believe that had this
rigorous seizure been made known to the Emperor
an immediate order would have been telegraphed
for the delivery of the rifles ; but the communica-
tion could not
be, or was not made, and the wea-
pons that should have
won renown at Wimbledon
are sleeping
ingloriously in the French Douane.
The reason why the Swiss appeared on the ground
on Monday with out arms is thus very sufficiently
explained. It is a general impression that the