The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-29 00:00:00

YILE NAVY.

Yesterday the Earl of Gifford, M.P., Sir H. P.
Willoughby, M.P., Mr. Dalgfish, M.P., Rear-Ad-
miral Spencer Robinson, and Mr. Arthur Price,
RN., the Royal Commissioners for inquiring into
the control and management of her Majesty's naval
establishments, arrived at Chatham dockyard for
the purpose of prosecuting their investigations at
that establishment. Immediately on their arrival
the Royal Commissioners proceeded to the office of
the superintendent of the dockyard, where they
will conduct their investigations during the period
they are occupied at Chatham. Capt. G. Gold-
smith, C. 8., superintendent of the establishment,
was in communication with the Commissioners
during the day, and the other officials were in at-
tendance in case their presence should be required.
From the great variety of subjects investigated by
the Royal Commissioners, and the extent of the
dockyard at Chatham, the investigation at that
establishment is expected to occupy several days.
Letters from the paddlewheel steam sloop Hydra,
6, Commander Richard V. Hamilton, dated at
Halifax, were received at Plymouth on Monday.
They state that the officers and crew have been
severely and fatally afflicted with fever, and that
two of the former and 14 of the latter have, unhap-
pily, died. No names are given. The Hydra
some three years since was employed in the sup-
pression of the slave trade on the West Coast of
Africa, where the condition of the crew became so
bad—there being 40 sick in a complement of 150—
that she was ordered to the Isle of Ascension, from
which she returned to England. Although she
had only been about 12 months in commission her
crew were paid off. Very extensive repairs and
alterations, occupying three or four months, were
made at that time with a view to her being made
seaworthy and to correct the unhealthy character
of the ship. She was then sent on the North
America and West India station, and while to
windward was free from sickness. She sailed to
Port Royal and Greytown, and, shortly after
arrival at the latter place, fever broke out as bad
as on board the screw steamship Icarus, 11, on the
same duty. Commander Hamilton determined, it
is presumed on his own responsibility, to leaire the
South, and he went accordingly to Halifax. Those
officers and men not afflicted, but almost worn out,
have had a painful and difficult task to work the
ship amidst the sick, the dying, and the dead. It
is to be hoped that this second and serious proof of
the impropriety of sending such a ship as the
Hydra on duty in a hot climate will for ever pre-
vent her being again employed in tropical latitudes.
Commander Hamilton's commission is dated June
4, 1858. A letter from a petty officer states that
the two officers referred to above are the
master's assistant and the mate, a son of

the late Admiral Austen ; both died in

Halifax Hospital. Mr. Poor, the boatswain, has
been doing duty as Second Lieut. The ship is
cleared out, and the crew are expecting orders from
Admiral Sir A. Milne to proceed home.

The screw steam corvette Charybdi2, 21, Captain
the Hon. G. D. Keane, has been towed from Key-
ham steamyard, and placed alongside the hulk
Endymion in Hamoaze.
The screw steam frigate Ariadne, 26, Captain E.
W. Vansittart, put into No. 3 dock in Keyham
steamyard on Tuesday evening. Yesterday morning
she was shored up and the water pumped out of the
dock, in order that she may be cleaned and over-
hauled. When she vacates the dock the Hero, 91,
will be admitted.

The screw steam gunboats Doterel and Heron
were hauled out yesterday from the north basin in
Keyham steamyard into the south basin, prepara-
tory to being placed at their moorings in the stream
in Hamoaze.

The screw steam troopship Himalaya, Captain J.
Seccombe, got up steam yesterday, and proceeded
from Plymouth Sound into Hamoaze, preparatory
to her going into dock in Keyham steamyard, to
have defects .made good.
The rigging has been placed over the foremast of
the screw steam frigate Narcissus, 51, at Devon-
port, and her topmasts are ready for pointing. She
is kept under the shears for the purpose of ship-
ping and unshipping her propeller.
The screw steam frigate Liverpool, 51, in the
north basin at Keyham steamyard, is receiving her
machinery.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. the Hon. J. T. Fitzmau-
rice, to the Edinburgh; and R. Green, acting third-
class assistant-engineer, to the Asia, as supernume-
rary.