The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-05 00:00:00

On Saturday Mr. S. Whitbread, M.P., one of
the Lords of the Admiralty, accompanied by Rear-
Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker, K.C.8., Controller
of the Navy, arrived at Chatham Dockyard on an
official visit to that establishment. He was re-
ceived by Captain G. Goldsmith, C. 8., Superinten-
dent of the Dockyard, and the other officers and
heads of departments of the establishment, who
conducted the members of the Board through the
yard to the several places they were desirous of
visiting. The chief object was to inspect the store
dock, in which the large new steel-plated iron
frigate is to be constructed, in order to ascertain
whether the basin presented adequate accommo
dation for building so large a ship, which is to be
constricted on a scale never yet attempted in
any of the Royal dockyards, her size being
twice the length of many of our line-of-battle ships.
The second dock, in which she is to be built, is
larger than any of the docks at either of the naval
establishments, being nearly 400 feet in length.
The new mail-clad vessel of war, however, is to be
420 feet in length, but it was ascertained by the
members of the board on Saturday that a consider-
able addition could be made in the length of the
dock by making some alterations to the entrance,
whereby the required length would he obtained.
The new vessel is to be 58 feet in breadth of beam,
and upwards of 6,000 tons burden. Her armament
will be the most powerful ever placed on board a
vessel of war, and will consist exclusively of the
long-range Armstrong guns. Mr. Whitbread spent
some time in inspecting the dock, which is now oc-
cupied by the screw corvette Orpheus, 21, 400-horse
power, being coppered, and various orders and direc-
tions were given relative to the commencement of the
new iron frigate, which is to be commenced as soon
as thewhole of the necessary preparations have been
completed. The members of the Board after leav-
ing the second dock proceeded to inspect the large
improved screw frigate Undaunted, 51, 600 horse
power, the first of the improved class of screw fri-
gates introduced into the British navy. Although
commenced but a comparatively short time since,
this fine frigate is just completed, and will, it is
understood, be launched on the first of January
next. The Belvidere, 51, another screw frigate,
exactly sitnilar to the Undaunted, about half built
on an adjoining slip, was also inspected by the
members of the Board, as were also the line•of-
battle screw steamers Bulwark, 91, and Royal
Oak, 91, building, and the screw corvette Rat-
tlesnake, 22, Reindeer, 17, and Myrmidon, 4, all
on the stocks. Mr. Whitbread and the Con-
troller of the Navy also inspected the Bombay,
81, and the Arethusa, 51, in dock, both of which
have been cut asunder and lengthened in order to
adapt them for screw steamers. After completing
their inspection and transacting business at the
office of the captain-superintendent, the members
of the Board quitted the dockyard in the afternoon
and returned to the Admiralty.
. _ _

The paddlewheel steamshiop Spiteful, 6, Com-
mander William F. C. Wilson, from Portsmouth,
arrived in Plymouth Sound on Friday. It is sup-
posed that she is on the lookout for his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, in the Hero.

The paddlewheel steamvessel Avon, 3, got up
steam on Friday
morning in Hamoaze, and pro-
ceeded into Plymouth Sound, where she will con-
tinue until the arrival of the Hero. _ _ _

The naval instruction brig Sealark, 8, Lieut.-
Commander M. Lowther, from Portsmouth, arrived
at Plymouth on Friday.
The crew of the screw steamship Royal Albert,
121, Capt. Henry D. Lacon, flag of Rear-Admiral
F. Stopford, in Plymouth Sound, will not, as first
intended, be paid wages. She is under orders to
go to Lisbon, but will probably return before the
close of the year. The Centurion, Conqueror, and
another ship may accompany her.
On the arrival of the paddlewheel steam-sloop
Gorgon, 6, Commander B. C. T. Pim, the brigan-
tine Swift, mooring vessel, will be consigned to her
care during the voyage to Cape of Good Hope.
The crew of the Swift will, temporarily, be borne
on the books of the Gorgon.
The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—Henry W. Inglis, master,
to the Icarus; Thomas H. Fraser, master, to the
Mersey ; Dr. David Ramsay, surgeon, to the Gor-
gon ; Henry Rickard, acting-assistant-surgeon, to
the Charybdis : jcshr, Hasiur, assistant-paymaster,
to the Ituyai Adelaide; A. G. Young, and William
Thorne, clerks to the Charybdis ; Robert Din_
widdie, assistant-clerk, to the Emerald.