The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-13 00:00:00

Vice-Admiral Sir C. Fremantle, K.C.8., struck
his flag on Wednesday at sunset on board the screw
steamship Royal Albert, 121, Capt. IL Lacon, in
Plymouth Sound, and resigned command of the
Channel Fleet. On Thursday morning his succes-
sor, Rear-Admiral R. F. Stopford, late Captain of
the Fleet, hoisted his flag with the customary
salute, on board the Royal Albert, which WAS an-
swered by the Impregnable, 104, Capt. Lord F.
Kerr, in Hamoaze.
Admiraltyy-orders have been_received at Chatham
Dockyard for building at that establishment a 22
gun screw corvette of 400 horse power and 1,857
tons burden, to be named the Falmouth; also a 17
gun steamer, of 200 horse power and 950 tons bur-
den, to be named the Tees ; and a screw despatch
gun vessel of 200 horse power and 695 tons, to be
named the Myrmidon, and to ,be furnished with
four of the Armstrong rifled guns. The last named
vessel has been commenced building.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Geyser, 6, Comman-
der G. F. Jackson, having completed with. coal
alongside the hulk iu-Plymouth Sound, was hailed
off on Thursday, and is appointed to go up Hamostze
-to be repaired.
Commander Hawker, R.N., acting in the absence
of Commodore the Hon. J. R. Drummond, C. 8., at
Woolwich, yesterday received information of the
successful issue of the course of trials on board the
flagship Royal Albert, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles
Fremantle, and other ships of the fleet, with Mr.
W. H. Ward's " ocean marine telegraph." During
the 22 days' cruise of the fleet, the ocean telegraph
was repeatedly tested from ship to ship in thick
and calm weather, and messages were transmitted
under the superintendence of the Admiral, which
were readily replied to over an ocean range as far
as the ships' lights were visible. The invention is
stated to have met with the entire approbation of
the Admiral, a report to that effect having been for-
warded to the Admiralty.
Another important addition to the Royal Navy
is to be made at Deptford dockyard on Tuesday
afternoon next by the launch of the screw steam
ship Newcastle, of 51 guns and 400-horse power
engines. The Newcastle was laid down about
two years since, under the superintendence of
Mr. Chatfield, late Master-Shipwright at this
yard, and is a fine specimen of modern naval
architecture, being 3,027 tons burden, 250 feet
length between perpendiculars, and 52 feet extreme
breadth. The Rosario screw steam vessel, 7 guns,
will also be launched at Deptford on Wednesday
next.

The Ariel, 9, screw, Commander Alexander, has
been undocked at Portsmouth on the completion of
her repairs to her port timbers. It is reported that
she goes to the Coast of Africa. Her want of stow-
age, however, renders her entirely unfit for any
other than the home or Mediterranean stations.
The Foxhound, 4, screw, Commander A. Mitchell,
was docked yesterday at Portsmouth to clean cop•
per, examine Kingston valves, &c. She will move
out of dock again this morning's tide. Her copper
was excessively foul.
The Diadem, 32, screw, Captain J. H. Cockburn,
will go into Portsmouth h,rhour on Tuesday, and
be placed in dock for the purpose of ascertaining
what damage she may have received to her stem, or
wooden ends, on the occasion of her late collision in
the Channel with H.M.S. Queen.

The water will be admitted to the ship basin at
I'ortsmouth Dockyard on Monday, and the new
cassions recently built for Nos. 3 and 4 docks will
be placed in their position, the basin then becom-
ing again available for the ordinary work in the
yard, which has been excluded from it now for

nearly 18 months in consequence of the lengthening
and repair of its docks.

n the article headed " Iron-plated Frigates" re-
'erence was made to the deck beams of the iron-
plated ram Defiance, at present under construction
by the contractors, Messrs. Palmer and Co., at Jar-
row, on the Tyne. The beams were stated to have
been made of Butterby's patent beam iron. Mr.
Bertram, of Woolwich, requests us to say that he is
the sole patentee of solid iron beams, and that the
Butterby Company are working under his license
for 1,000 tons of which they have already rendered
him an account as equivalent to 710 tons.
A naval court-martial assembled yesterday on
board the Formidable, 84, in the Medway, for the
trial of Private James Crosbie, Royal Marines,
serving on board the Formidable, on the following
charges :—" 1. For that he, the said James Crosbie,
being in actual service and full pay in her Ma-
jesty's fleet, and private Royal Marine serving on
board her Majesty's ship Formidable, was, about
the 2d day of October, 1860, drunk on board the
said ship while on guard. 2. For that he, the said
James Crosbie, did, on or about the 2d of October,
1860, make use of threatening language to Lieu-
tenant George Augustus Brine, of the said ship,
while in the execution of his duty, by saying, I'll
give it you, old Channel Fleet, directly,' or words
to that effect, at the same time attempting
to draw his bayonet. 3. For that he, the said Jas.
Crosbie, did, on or about the 2d Oct., 1860, on the
quarter-deck of tie said ship, strike Sergeant Wm.
Harney, Royal Marines, his superior officer."
The Court was composed of the following members,
viz. :—Vice-Admiral W. J. Hope Johnstone, Com-
mander-in-Chief at the Nore, president ; Capt. C,
Wise, Southampton, 50; Capt. C. F. Schomberg,
Cumberland, 70; Commander R. Studdert, Welles-
ley, 72 ; and Commander 0. M. C. Read, Cumber-
land, 70. Mr. G. H. Knight, of the firm of ETseil
Knight, and Arnold, solicitors, Rochester, officiated
as Deputy Judge-Advocate. The prisoner,in, who
bears the character of being one of the worst men
her Majesty's service, conducted hims
t hand-
that when before the Court he had to b
trial attempted
elefTep violently
cuffed the whole time, and during hoi,! ttrbe
master-at-
to break away from the custodvt
6 he first and third
arms. He pleaded " Guilty':
charges, and "Not guilty" to the second. The
-e examined in support
several witnesses having
prisoner was asked if he
wished any time all
of the prosecution, theed
him to prepare his defence,
but he sullenly repliedow
that he had no defence to
make. The court was then cleared to enable the
members to agree to their finding, in which they
were engaged nearly two hours. On the reopening
of the court the sentence was read by the Deputy
Judge-Advocate, the prisoner being found guilty of
all the charges,
with_it.lie exception of attempting to
draw his
bayonet. lho Court sentenced him to be
reduced to the seeondelass, to receive 50 lashes on
board the Formidable, and to be imprisoned in
Maidstone Gaol for six months, and at the end
of that period to be dismissed her *Majesty's service.
The prisoner has been tried by court-martial no less
than seven times.