The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-06 00:00:00

711 E NAVY.

Letters received in Portsmouth yesterday morn-
ing, from Merchiston-hall, state that Admiral Sir
Charles Napier's illness took an unfavourable turn
on Saturday. Dysentery, in a severe form, has
been the cause of Sir Charles's illness.
Rear-Admiral Stopford returned from leave on
Saturday, and rehoisted his flag on board the screw
steamship Royal Albert, 121, Capt. H. Lacon,
which saluted the flag of Port Admiral Sir Hous-
ton Stewart, K.C.8., with 15 guns, the compliment
was returned by the Impregnable, 104, in Ha-
moaze, with 11 guns.
The screw steam sloop Desperate, 8, will be out
of the hands of the artisans of the Devonport
dockyard on Wednesday; she is to be stored for a
foreign station.
The recent trials of the engines and machinery
of the gunboats Ripple and Tilbury, at Plymouth,
gave great satisfaction.
The Swiftsure, Capt. Pryce, from Melbourne,
which put into Plymouth on Saturday, spoke off
Cape Horn the screw steam frigate Bacchante, 51,
Capt. Donald M'L. Mackenzie, flag of Rear-Ad-
miral Sir Thomas Maitland, K.C.8., bound to the
Pacific.
That portion of the Channel Squadron stationed
at Plymouth are reefing studding-sail gear, and
making other preparations for proceeding to Lis-
bon. It is reported that the flagship Royal Albert
may sail to-day.
The Centurion, 80, Capt. H. D. Rogers, received

her powder on Friday afternoon.
On Monday morning the riggers of the Devon-
port dockyard were admitted before the usual hour,
for the purpose of unmooring the screw steamship
Aboukir, 90, Capt. Douglas Curry, which will then
be taken from Hamoaze into the Sound ; she re-
ceived her powder when in the inner harbour.
The despatch of these ships to the Tagus was un-
expected at Plymouth.
The screw steam gun-vessel Landrail, 5, Com-
mander Martin, from Plymouth, under sail and
steam on the way to the West Indies, arrived at
Plymouth on Saturday. She will take supernu-
meraries for the screw steamship Nile, 90, Capt.
Edward K. Barnard, flag of Rear-Admiral Sir
Alexander Milne, K.C.8., on that station.

The Emerald 51, screw, Capt. A. Cumming,
sailed from Spithead early on Sunday morning, for
Plymouth Sound and Lisbon.

The Geyser, 6, paddle, Commander Brown, ar-
rived at Spithead on Sunday evening with super-
numeraries from Devonport. Those intended for
Portsmouth were landed by the; Sprightly steamer
yesterday morning, the Geyser sailing at 1 30 p.m.
with the remainder for Sheerness.

The Frederick William, 86, screw, got up steam
yesterday to prove machiner y in the steam-basin
at Portsmouth, on the comple Lion of the fitting of
her engines by the contracto rs, Messrs. Maudslay,
Field, and Sons. She has a p air of 250-horse power
nominal.

The Harier, 17, screw, Commander Sir Malcolm
M‘Gregor, commenced mat sting yesterday, in the
steam basin at Portsmouth .

At Portsmouth yesterdr in at 1 p.m., a national
salute of 21 guns was fired from her Majesty's ships
•Victory and Mersey, and also from the garrison
saluting battery on the Kii ag's Bastion, in honour of
the capture of the forts o• a the Peiho and the occu-
patien of Tien-tsin by Ole allied forces of England
and France. The firing of the guns, with the Royal
standard hoisted on th e garrison flag-staff, created
considerable exci teme nt throughout the town, a
report having spread that the Royal Squadron was
in sight from NO3rth America.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Adre tiralty :--Capt. G. Keane to the
Charybdis, vice (;apt. Parker, whose appointment
is cancelled ; Lieu t. James Grant, to the Desperate ;
Lieut. H. J. E. I Campbell, additional to the Marl-
borough; Lieut. I I. C. Burleigh, to the Charybdis;
Francis H. Donin neon, acting 3d class assist.-en-
gineer, to the India's, as supernumerary; and G. F.
Norman, paymaster to the Dasher.