The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-09 00:00:00

7HE NAVY.

We understand that, owing to continued ill-
health, Vice-Admiral Sir C. IL Fremantle, K.C.8.,
will not rehoist his flag as commander-in-chief of

the Channel fleet. According to present arrange-
ments the two divisions of the fleet will winter at

Portsmouth and Devonport, remaining under the
command of the Port Admirals at the respective
ports.

The Osborne paddle yacht, Master-Commander
G. K. Bower, has sailed from Portsmouth for
Gravesend and Antwerp.

The second dock at Chatham dockyard having
become vacant by the completion of the steam float•
ing battery Trusty, 14, 150. horse power, which was
some time under repair, preparations will be forth-

with commenced for laying down the large mail-clad,
steel-plated iron vessel, which the Admiralty have de-
cided on having constructed in that dock, The plans
and drawings of the imposed vessel have been for
some time past in preparation at the office of Admiral
Sir B. Walker, Controller of the Navy, and his
assistants at Somerset-house, from whose de-
signs the new frigate is to be constructed. The
dock in which this gigantic vessel is intended to
be built is one of the largest at either of the Royal
establishments, but, notwithstanding the great size,
means will have to be made to increase the length
before the new ship, which is to be upwards of 400
feet in length, can be commenced ; but after a sur-
vey of the dock by the assistant-surveyor of the
navy, who was specially sent down to Chatham by
the Admiralty for that purpose, it has been ascer-
tained that the additional length can be obtained
by extending the dock seaward by means of a tem-
porary dam. The whole of the ironwork required
in the construction of the vessel will be prepared at
Chatham dockyard, and in order to meet the In-
creased demand whichwillbe made on the smithery
department additional. furnaces will be required to
be erected contiguous:to the dock, and a number of
fresh hands taken on. As soon as the new vessel

has been fairly commenced the work is to proceed
without intermission. the authorities being anxious
that the first of the steel-plated shot-proof vessels
may be completed and afloat early in the ensuing
year, or, at all events, as soon as it is possible to
have her completed.
it appears from the last official list, recently pub-
lished, that there are at present being built in her
Majesty's various dockyards 42 vessels of war, car-
rying from 1 to 91 guns respectively, and each of
from 80 to 1,250 horse power—viz. :—Eight at
Pembroke—the Aurora, 51, Defiance, 51, Pandora,
1, Perseus, 17, Shearwater, 11, Triumph, 91, Tweed,
51, and Zealous, 91; seven at Deptford—the Colum-
bine, 11, :Favorite, 22, Newcastle, 51, Rapid, 11,
Rosario, 11, Speedwell, 5, and Zebra, 17 ; six at
Chatham—the belvidera, 51, the Bulwark, 91,
the Rattlesnake, 21, the Reindeer, 17, the Royal
Oak, 91, and the Undaunted, 51 ; four at Ports-
mouth—the Chanticleer, 17, the Dryad, 51, the
Glasgow, 51, and Royal Alfred, 91 ; three at Wool-
wich—the Bristol, 51, the Repulse, 91, and the
Wolverine, 21; three at Millwall—the Eclipse, 4,
the Lily, 4, and the Star, 4 ; four at Devonport—the
Liverpool, 51, the Ocean, 91, the Petrel, 11, and the
Robust, 91 ; at Glasgow—the Black Prince, 36 ; at
Jarrow, Newcastle-on-Tyne—the Defence, 16 ; at
Sheerness—the North Star, 22 ; at Poplar—the
Resistance, 16 ; at Blackwall—the Warrior, 36 ; at
Plymouth, the Trinculo gunboat; and at Newhaven
the Tyrian gunboat.
The Algiers, 91, screw, Capt. G, D. O'Callaghan,
took out powder and shell yesterday at Spithead, and
afterwards steamed into the harbour for repair and
refit.

The Megmra, screw troopship, Commander Hen-
derson, has completed her refit at Portsmouth, and
is again reported ready for further service.
The Satlej, 51, screw, converted from a sailing
frigate, steamed out of Portsmouth harbour on Sa-
turday, and proceeded to the trial ground in Stokes
Bay to test her speed at the measured mile, under
the official superintendence of Capt. G. T. Gordon,
commanding the steam reserve at the port. The
Sutlej has been fitted with engines of 500-horse
power (nominal) by Messrs. Maudslay, Field, and
Co. The ship drew only 17 feet 3 inches for ward and
20 feet 3 inches aft, consequently she was in very
light trim, and the immersion of her screw was in-
complete by 9 inches. A comparison of the results
of her trial with that of the Immortalite, tested at
Portsmouth on the sth ult., proves, as had been an-
ticipated from her graceful lines forvt and and aft, to
be highly favourable to the Sutlej, taking into con-
sideration the fact of her being 100 horse power less
than the Immortalite. The latter ship realised on
her trial trip a mean of 12.533 knots, at a draught
of water of 21 feet forward, and 21 feet 10 inches aft.
The Satlej. in her trial on Saturday. used Griffiths'
propeller, with a diameter of 17 feet 6 inches and a
pitch of 20 feet. The pressure of steam was 201 b.
on the gauge; vacuum, 23; revolutions of engines,
maximum, 72, mean 71. Six runs were made, the
mean of which gave the ship a speed of 13067
knots. The machinery and boilers worked per-
fectly, the latter furnishing an ample supply of
steam. There was an entire absence of any raised
body of water under the ship's bows when at full
speed, and the trial was altogether as satisfactory
as could be desired.
The screw steamships Centurion, 80, Capt. H. D.
Rogers, C. 8., and Aboukir, 90, Capt. D. Curry,
having discharged their powder, were brought yes-
terday from Plymouth Sound into Hamoaze, to have
defects made good. The crew of the Aboukir were
paid wages yesterday, and granted leave of absence.
The gunboats Spider and Delight were put into
Keyham steamyard yesterday to undergo repairs.
The Metropolitan Police Force will commence
duty on the 22d in st.,when the Devon port dockyard,
Keyham steamyard, and the Royal William Vic-
tualling yard will be placed under their protection.
The Lords of the Admiralty have given direc-
tions for an extension of the Royal Marine barracks
at Chatham towards the dockyard, in order that
additional quarters for the officers and men may be '
erected in that direction. The new buildings will
necessitate the taking in a portion of the dockyard,
including the official residence of the master rope-
maker, which will be required to be taken down,
and also a part of the private garden belonging to
the captain-superintendent.
The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. W. H. Elton to the
Miranda; J. IL C. Bishop, chief engineer, to the
Miranda; T. Edgar, 2d-class assist-engineer, to the
Miranda; D. H. Jenkyn, 2d-class assist,-engineer,
to the Indus, for charge of the Charon ; Mei:. Gil-
landers, acting 3d-class assist.-engineer to the Doi; e-
gal ; James Torkington and George Alexander,
acting 3d-class assist.-engineers, to the Indus, as
supernumeraries; George F. Goasage, acting 3d-
class assist.-engineer, to the Miranda ; R. Oliver,
third-class assist: engineer, to the Miranda ; Thos.
Lewis, third-class assist-engineer, to the Cumber-
land, for charge of the Cochin ; and Wm. Watson,
third-class assist.-engineer, to the Indus, as super-
numerary.