The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-30 00:00:00

TILE NAVY.

Lord Palmerston arrived at the Portsmouth
station of the London and South-Western Railway

from London on Saturday afternoon. His lordship

on alighting from the train was received by Flag
Lieut. Loftus C. H. Robinson, who way in attend-

ance with the private carriage of Vice• Admiral H.
W. Bruce, Naval Commander-in-Chief at the port.
His lordship, entering the carriage, was conveyed
to the dockyard, and, embarking on board the Fire
Queen steam tender, Master Commander Paul, left
the harbour at 6.50 p.m. for Osborne on a visit to
her Majesty. The noble lord will return to town
by the same route this morning.
The whole of the steam vessels of war now lying
in harbour at the Royal dockyards are to be fitted
for the steam reserve :ordinary, the Government
having decided on every ship belonging to that
class being made ready for service, in case a sudden

emergency should arise for their immediate use.

-
The steam reserve in the Medway, under the com-
mand of Capt. C. F. Schomberg, now contains some
of the finest line-of-battle ships and other screw
steamers, all of which could be brought forward for
immediate service after a few days' notice. Among

the other steamers which are now being fitted for
the steam ordinary at Chatham are the Atlas, 91,
fitting at Sheerness with 800-horse-power engines ;
the Orpheus, 21, 400-horse power, and the Cormo-
rant, 4, and Racehorse, 4, each of 200-horse power.
The following is the armament of the Atlas, 91 :
Upper deck, one pivot 68-pounder, of 95 cwt. and
10ft. long, and 22 32-pounders, each 45 cwt. and
Bft. Gin. long ; maindeck, 34 32-pounders, each 58
cwt. and Oft. bin. long; lower deck, 34 8-inch guns,
each 65 cwt. and 9ft. long. The Orpheus, 21, is to
be supplied with one 68-pounder, 10ft. long, and 20
8-inch guns, each 60 cwt. and Bft. 10in. in length.
In consequence of the representations whicn have
been made to the Admiralty relative to the state of
the mortar-vessels laid up in ordinary at Yantlet
Creek, Chatham, many of which, if not the whole,
are rapidly falling into decay, such as to render
their fitness for further service exceedingly doubt-
ful, a party of shipwrights from Chatham dockyard
have been employed in opening the various boats
and removing the outer coverings for the purpose
of exposing the timbers to the atmosphere, in order
to arrest the progress of the dry rot, which is mak-
ing such serious havoc among them. It is evident,
however, that this remedy, even if it answer at all,
will only prove a partial one, and some other plan
must be devised for preserving the fleet of mortar
vessels now in the Medway, or the consequences
will inevitably be that when wanted on a sudden
emergency the whole of these useful vessels will be
discovered to be utterly unfit for service.
The Undaunted, improved 51-gun screw frigate,
building at Chatham, is ordered to be completed at
that dockyard with all despatch, in order that she
may be launched and fitted for the steam reserve.
-tier machinery will be:of 600 horse power (nominal)
and when completed she will be one of the finest
frigates in the British navy.
The Southampton, 50 guns, sailing ship, was on
Saturday taken into dock at Sheerness, to be fitted
for the pendant of Capt. Charles Wise (Superin-
tendent of Sheerness dockyard), and as guardship
of the ordinary.
The Wanderer, 4 guns, screw steam sloop, 200-
l3rse power, has been taken into No. 4 dock at
Sheerness, to undergo extensive repairs.
The Himalaya screw steamship, Capt. John Se-
combe, arrived at Spithead on Saturday, after a fine
passage of 46 ,hours from Santander, having on
board the Astronomer Royal and the gentlemen
composing the expedition which has visited Spain
for the purpose of observing the recent solar eclipse.
Shortly after the Himalaya's arrival the steam ten-
der Pigmy, Master-Commander Johnstone, was
despatched to her at Spithead, and having received
the distinguished party, with their luggage, on
board returned with them into the harbour, where
they were immediately landed, and proceeded by
the evening up-train to London. An landing from
the Himalaya several of the members of the expe-
dition expressed in the strongest terms their grati-
fication at the accommodation and the attention
they had received while on board that vessel. The
Himalaya is awaiting further orders at Spithead.
The Torch, screw gunvessel, Commander F. H.
Smith, arrived at Spithead on Sunday morning from
Sheerness, on her way to the West Coast of Africa.
His Excellency the Moorish Ambassador and
suite will leave town this morning for Portsmouth,
where apartments have been engaged for their ac-
commodation at Dent's George Hotel, it being the
intention of his Excellency to visit the dockyard
and other points of interest in the port before leav-
ing for Morocco. It is expected that his Excellency
will re-embark on board her Majesty's ship Melpo-
mene at Spithead to-morrow.
The steam storeship Rhadamanthus, 4, Master
Commander F. R. Sturdee, was taken from Key-
ham steam yard on Friday to the Royal William
victualling yard, where she received some provi-
sions, and, having embarked a few passengers, pro-
ceeded to Woolwich, touching at Portsmouth.
The War Department screw steamer Lord Pan-
mure, Mr. Moore master, having discharged some
powder at Bull Point, Plymouth, proceeded on Fri-
day for Ireland.
The screw steam frigate Emerald, 51, Capt. A.
Cumming, was taken out of No. 1 dock at Keyham
steam yard on Friday, and placed alongside the
south jetty. After coaling she was appointed to be
put out of the basin on Saturday.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Barracouta, 6, Com-
mander Wood, sailed from Plymouth on Saturday
• for Halifax.

Commander Paul, of the Devonport Dockyard, is
expected to leave Pembroke on the 3d of August
with the new screw steam sloop Pelican, 17, for
Plymouth.
The iron screw steam sloop Mewera, 6, Com-
mander J. Hunt, from Portsmouth, which arrived
in Plymouth Sound on Thursday with some sol-
diers, supernumerary seamen, and marines, left
again on Saturday for the Mediterranean.
The screw steamship Orion, 91, Capt. T. B. Frere,
has received a quantity of stores and provisions for
the Channel fleet.
The paddlewheel steam storeship Dee, 4, T. C.
Pullen, master, from Woolwich, arrived at Plymouth
on Saturday.
The
.following appointments were made on Sa-
turday at the Admiralty :—T. A. Hull, master ad-
ditional, to the Fisgard ; H. Duncan, third•class as-
sistant-engineer, to the Indus, as supernumerary;
and H. E. W. Roberts, clerk, to the Firebrand.