The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-05 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

A letter from 3lalta, dated August 30, says:—
"Her Majesty's gunboat Intrepid, Commander Marryat,
which arrived on the 26th inst., with despatches from
Naples, left on return the following evening; and her Ma-
jesty's corvette Scylla, Capt. Lambert, which came in on
the 27th from Messina, with despatches from Rear-Admiral
Mundy, brought from Naples by the Renown, left on the
28th to resume her post at Messina. Her Majesty's ship
Cressy, Capt. the Hon. C. G. Elliot, left port to-day for
Naples. She took as passengers Capt. Trevor, Aide-de-
Camp to Major-Gen. Warren; Lieut. 'Thomas, 22d Regi-
ment; Lieut. G. Smith, 7th Fusiliers; and Mr. BourcLier.
Her Majesty's ship Jameß Watt, made her appearance off
the port—this morning under sail from the eastward, anal
entered port the same evening.

"Her Majesty's ship Queen, Capt. Hillyar, which left
port on Saturday, has been cruising in the Malta Channel
ever since, and communicated with the port to-day.
"The only foreign man-of-war in port is the Russian
screw steam frigate Grand Admiral, Capt. Shestakoff. This
splendid vessel arrived here on the 27th ipst. from Cronstadt
and Gibraltar, on her way to the coast of Syria, as announced
in my letter of that date.
"The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Alham-
bra, Capt. Steward, which has been chartered by the French
Government for the conveyance of troops, arrived here on
Monday last from Marseilles, with 171 French soldiers and
13 hospital nurses, in charge of Lieut. Lavergne. S tie left
a few hours afterwards for Alexandria. The troops she has
on board are bound for China. She is to return to France
for other troops for the same destination.
" The steamship Pera, Capt. Jamieson, of the same com-
pany, came in yesterday from Southampton and Gibraltar,
with the heavy portion of the outward Calcutta, China, and
Australian mails, and left, after coaling, for Alexandria.

" The P eninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Valetta
arrived this evening at 9.30, with the overland portion of
the homeward Bombay and Mauritius mails. Her Ma-
jesty's gunboat, Assurance, arrived at Alexandria at 9
a.m. on Sunday. There was no news of importance from
Syria. The French troops were encamping at Beyrout.
The Valetta leaves for Marseilles at 1 a.m."

Preparations are in a forward state for the launch
of her Majesty's screw steam-ship Anson at Wool-
wich, the first block of which was laid down to
commence her construction on the 15th February,
1858, under the superintendence of Mr. A. B.
Sturdee, acting master shipwright of the yard on
the occasion. The launch will take place under
direction of Mr. Turner on the 15th inst., when,
according to the arrangements made for visitors, a
very large number is anticipated, and tickets are
already in great request. The dimensions of the
ship are as follows :—Length between perpendicu-
lars, 244 ft. 9in, ; length of keel for tonnage, 210 ft. ;
breadth, extreme, 55ft. 4in. ; breadth for tonnage,
54ft. 6in. ; breadth moulded, 53ft. Bin. ; depth in
hold, 24ft. Gin. ; burden in tons, 3,317 78-94ths. Her
armament will be 91 guns :-34 8-in., 65 cwt., 9 ft.
in length ; 34 32-pounders, 56 cwt., 9 ft. 6 in. in
length; 22 32-pounders, 45 cwt., 8 ft. 6 in. in
length; 1 68-pounder, 95 cwt., 10 ft. in length.
The lighter Aid, Grundy master, from Ports-
mouth and Chatham, with stores, arrived at Ply-
mouth on Monday.
The paddlewheel steam vessel Pioneer, from the
eastward, is undergoing some trifling repairs in the
Devonport dockyard, prior to sailing for the coast
of Africa, where she will be engaged in the service
of the exploring expedition.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Geyser, 6, Com-
mander Jackson, has been filled up with fuel, and
is now waiting orders in Plymouth Sound.
The Ariel, 9, screw, Commander J. R. Alexander,
was towed down Portsmouth harbour yesterday,
and berthed alongside the dockyard, ready for
masting.
The Emerald, 51, screw, Capt. A. Cumming, in
No. 7 dock at Portsmouth, is found, on examination
of her bottom, to have her external damage con-
fined to some 40 or 50 feet of false keel, which is
expected to be repaired by to-morrow evening.
Orders have been received from the Admiralty to
make good her defects as speedily as possible, her
services being required.
His Danish Majesty's screw corvette Heindal,
Capt. Schultz. from Copenhagen for Brest and the
Mediterranean, arrived at Spithead on Monday
evening. Yesterday morning she exchanged the
customary salutes with the military and naval
authoritie4 of the port. Capt. Schultz, accom-
panied by Mr. A. L. Vandenbergli, Royal Danish
Vice-Consul, afterwards paid an official visit to
Major-General Lord W. Paulet, C. 8., Lieutenant-
Governor of the garrison, and Admiral H. W.
Bruce, the naval Commander-in-Chief. In the
evening Capt. Schultz was entertained by Lord W.
Paulet at the Government-house.

The Sirius target-ship has been towed down
Portsmouth harbour and berthed alongside the
dockyard sheer jetty, where shipwrights are em-
ployed upon her, working extra hours, affixing to
her side the three iron plates for shot experiments
referred to in The Sun of the 28th ult. An inspec-
tion of the interior of the Sirius affords abundant
evidence of the terrific shaking the vessel's frame
has received from the concussion caused by the shot
striking the iron plates during the recent experi-
ments in Porchester lake. Bolts are started along

the greater portion of the ship's side, and one iron
knee is broken clear through. At the back of the
plates where they are fractured, but not penetrated
by the shot, the broken plate has driven in timbers
and all in a shattered mass before it. As this is the
result of single shots on a frigate of the Sirius's
scantling, it may reasonably be contended that
concentrated firing from a frigate's 8-inch
guns, at the same range, will be likely to pro-
duce equally disastrous effects even on a vessel of
the solidity of the iron-cased frigates now con-
structing.. Such damage to a vessel's side is irre-
mediable at sea, and if near the water line with any
sea on there is nothing to prevent the iron-clad
ship from filling and going down.
The screw gunboat Hind, tender to the Russell,
60, at Falmouth, left Plymouth for that port on
Sunday.
The hired transport James Armstrong, having

embarked the remnant of building stores, &c., in-
tended for the erection of the hospitals and depen-
dencies at the Cape of Good Hope, was yesterday
towed down to Gravesend from Woolwich Arsenal,
and will proceed forthwith for her destination.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Capt. J. L. Stokes, to.tcti;
Impregnable, additional for surveying
Lieut. F. P. Doughty, to the Foxhound; ;lent. J.
_ the Colossus;
N. Croke, to the Spiteful; F. H. RoseasteisrtZu the
g,
to the Ajax; J. M. Sweatman, P
Foxhound; J. Ray, paymaster to
to paymaster to
i clerk
T.
Bradbridge, paymaster additioni
F. Sueter, clerk to the Tartar; ;vm•
to the Emerald; H. Langworthy, p clerk to the Cur-
lew;.--7-!—...--
and A. Hunter, clerk to the
s