The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-16 00:00:00

2.11 E NAVY.

An inquiry was commenced at Portsmouth on
Saturday relative to the disturbance on board her

Iklrdesty's ship Edgar during the past week at
Shithead. It is understood that proceedings will
be resumed this morning.
The screw gun-vessel Torch, 5, recently com-
pleted at Chatham, has proceeded on a trial trip for
the purpose of testing her engines and machinery,
under the direction of Mr. T. Baker, chief engineer,
and inspector of machinery at Chatham dockyard,
and the officers connected with the master ship-
wright's department. The course taken was
round the Nore, to about five miles below the
Nore light. The machinery was found to work
exceedingly satisfactory and smoothly, the speed
attained under a moderate pressure being ten
knots an hour. The Torch returned into Chatham
harbour at the termination of the trip, and will take
up her place with the steam reserve.
The Firebrand, 6, paddle, Commander James M.
Bruce, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday at 7 30
a.m., from Jersey, with Royal Artillery from Jersey,
under the command of Major M'Crea. They were
disembarked at the dockyard, and were marched
into quarters at the Gunwharf Barracks. The fol-
lowing officers and troops of the Royal Artillery
afterwards embarked on board the Firebrand,
which sailed for Plymouth during the afternoon :
Major :dye, in command; Capts. Vernon and
Stocker ; Lieuts. earning, Webber
Lewis, Goodenough, and Deshon ; 11 sergeants, 11
corporals, 199 gunners, 4 trumpeters, 81 women,
and 50 children.
Her Majesty's steam storeship Rhadamanthus,
Master-Commander Sturdee, having undergone a
thorough overhaul of machinery and boilers at
Woolwich, will leave the river this morning for
Portsmouth on her first trial trip, in preparation
for being fitted with the Hon. John Wethered's
improved apparatus for superheating and mixing
steam. After a prolonged trial of Mr. Wethered's
original method on board the Admiralty yacht
Black Eagle, and the steam storeship Dee, the
Board of Admiralty has ordered the apparatus,
under its improved system, to be fitted on board
the sister ship Rhadamanthus. The Rhadamanthus
has embarked 100 ,novices and 40; supernumerary
seamen for the fleet, from the receiving-ship Fis-
gard at Woolwich, and will perform the present
trip with a light draught of water—namely, 14
feet. The second trip will be performed laden with
boilers and machinery and a draught of 16ft. 7in.
of water, to ascertain the precise rate of speed and
consumption or fuel in shallow and deep water, im-
mediately after which she will be fitted with the
apparatus, under the supervision and direction of
Mr. Wethered, and at the cost of the Admiralty,
estimated at about £9OO.

A large number of shipwrights, caulkers, pain-
ters, &c., were on Saturday discharged from the
shipwright's department in Woolwich dockyard,
and about 600 artificers and labourers left the Royal
carriage and laboratory departments of the Arsenal.
On account of the reduction ordered to be effected
in the two latter named departments of the Royal
Arsenal a much greater number had been furnished
with notices of dismissal, but numbers of them,
considered the most persevering and efficient, and
belonging to the various branches required, were
transferred to the service of the superintendent of
the Royal Gun Factories.

Parties of shipwrights at Chatham Dockyard
have commenced converting and preparing the tim-
bers for three of the new screw steamers ordered to
be constructed at that establishment—viz., the
Royal Oak, 91, the Belvedere, 91, and the Rein-
deer, 17.

A further discharge of 60 shipwrights, smiths,
j oiners, and sawyers took place at Chatham Dock-
yard on Saturday afternoon.
The detachments of the 9th Lancers stationed at
Taunton and Trowbridge, and consisting of 5 offi-
cers, 126 men, and 111 horses, are under orders to
hold themselves in readiness to proceed to Dor-
chester.

The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—John L. Palmer, surg.,
additional, to the Chesapeake ; Robert Atkinson,
assist.-surg., to the Jackal; Arthur B. Johnson,
assist-surg., acting, to the Cornwallis ; W. H.
Thompson, payikaaster, to the jaskaki Peter Greet-,
ram,.second,elass,aisiAt,-Ongineer, ;to, the Fisgard,
for charge of maaltinery of the Dart; Thos.Siietie4,.
acting thrd-c1e,,,! 4ssistcepgi9efT, tt3 the Suilki,
Horace IL Small; acting third-class assist-engineer,
to the Cumberland, as supernumerary.