The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-14 00:00:00

2.HE NAVY.

Her Majesty's screw steamship Himalaya, Capt.
J. Seecombe, left Spithead under steam yesterday
at 3.16 p.m., by the eastern passage, proceeding
down Channel in search of her Majesty's ship Hero,
in compliance with instructions to that effect re-
ceived from the Admiralty. A portion of the sea-
men and stokers belonging to the ship are away on
leave, but draughts of men from other ships in the
harbour were sent on board temporarily to fill their
berths. Immediately on the receipt of the ship's
orders she was taken in tow by two steam tugs, and
towed out of harbour to Spithead, getting up her
own steam on the way. The wind at the time of
her sailing was from the N.E., with thick weather,
the Mersey frigate, at anchor at Spithead, being
barely distinguishable from the shore during the
day.

The Osborne, paddle yacht, Master Commandant
G. K. Bower, sailed yesterday morning at daylight
from Portsmouth for Antwerp, at which port she
will embark the Empress of Austria and suite for
Madeira, calling at Plymouth on her way down
Channel to fill up coal.
The Commander-in-Chief at Sheerness, Vice-
Admiral J. Hope Johnstone, has received instruc-
tions from the Admiralty for the entry of 50 novices
and boys of the first-class for training on board her
Majesty's ship Formidable, 84 guns, flag ship at
Sheerness, and also for the entry of as many as 15
second-class boys from ashore for the same purpose.
The sailing transport Norwood has been chartered
by the War Department to embark Capt. Mercer's
battery for Auckland, New Zealand, and is expected
to arrive at Woolwich about the 15th inst. to em-
bark stores and prepare for the reception of the
battery. Mr. T. Ingram, an officer of the Military
Store Department at Woolwich, is under orders to
take passage in charge of the stores.
The following vessels have bun taken up by the
War Department to ship military stores from
Woolwich—namely, the John Henry, Celerity,
Ranger, Caroline, Renshaw, Elizabeth, Runny-
mede, Georgiana, Neptune, Victoria, and Gotten-
burg ; and the steamers Prompt and Cadiz, all for
foreign stations.

The newly constructed steam sloop Zebra was yes-
terday launched from Deptford Dockyard. The
ceremony of christening the Tessel was performed
by Miss Emily Schmidt, and her principal dimen-
sions are as follows :—Length over all, 212 ft. Bin. ;
ditto between perpendiculars, 1851 t. 4in. ; breadth,
extreme, 33f. 2in. ; depth in hold, 17f. sin. ; bur-
then in tons, 980 8-94. Her armament will consist
of 17 guns—namely, 16 32-pounders, 32 cwt., Oft.
6in. long, and one 32-pounder, 38 cwt., 9ft. Gin.
long. llsr engines will be nominally of 200-horse
power.

The screw t 3 tea in f,;11 i p Royal George, 91, at Ply-
mouth, is to be armed on her lower deck with 32
8-inch guns, 65 cwt. each and 9ft. long; on the
main deck 31 32-pounders, 55 cwt., 9ft. 6in. long ;
and on the upper deck 22 32-pounders, 42 cwt. Sft.,
and 2 68-pounders, pivot guns 95 cwt., 10ft. long.
The members of the Royal Commission of In-
quiry now sitting in the Devonport dockyard are...-.
Lord Gifford, Mr. Dalgleish, M.P., Admiral
Robinson, and Sir H. Willoughby; Mr. A. Price
is secretary.

liis Netherlands Majesty's steamship Retch,
Captain de Kock, from the Toxel on Saturday, put
into Plymouth Sounclyesterday (Tuesday) morning,
bound to Batavia.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. S. R. Huntley to the
Arrogant additional for disposal ; Lieut. Edward
L. Green and Lieut. H. Eden to the Bacchante
additional for disposal ; Lieut. R. Onslow and
Lieut. A. B. -Wodehouse to the Marlborough addi-
tional for disposal ; Lieut. George B. Evans to the
Nile additional for disposal ; Lieut. R. S. Hunt to
the Harrier additional for disposal ; Lieut. John
G. F. Leacock to the Chesapeake additional for
disposal; Frederick F. Flynn acting assistant-
surgeon to the Argus ; and Thomas O. Joynson,
assistant-paymaster in charge to the Caradoc,

Mr. Perry seconded the motion, which was carried.
Major Quarke moved the next resolution, as fol-
lows :—" That the volunteer movement is not in-
tended to menace any neighbouring Power, but is
established on the principles of defence,not defiance."
The motion having been seconded by Corporal Hal).
selem, was carried with great cheering. Sergeant
Moorhouse moved the third resolution—" That this
Western Central Company of the 20th Middlesex

Volunteer Rifles deserves the support of all persons

in the district, and this meeting resolve to promote
its efficiency by giving it all practical support, and
recommending the enrolment of all residents in its
ranks." Ensign Jeffery, in seconding the motiola,
said it seemed strange to Englishmen, living uudc
a golden rule, that other great nations allowed
themselves to be ruled over by despots, and go-
verned by one man, but it was so, and as long as
such things existed England hada duty to perform,
and that was self-preservation. We must be fully
prepared to encounter any foe daring enough to
place his foot upon the holy soil of Britain. Voo
many of our countrymen were of that opinion that
numbers had enrolled themselves in a noble band,
now known as the Volunteer Army of Old Ent,:-
land. He concluded by observing that the corps
possessed many special advantages. The uniform
was cheap and serviceable, and members could
p:my
for it by weekly or monthly instalments. The
tion was then agreed to. A great many names hex-
ing been enrolled, the meeting separated with a
cordial vote of thanks to the chairman. During the
evening the band of the regiment played with
good effect.
The members of No.l Company Ist Surrey Rigel
met at the Government Range, Plumstead, on tbe
3d inst. to fire for a steel barrelled rifle, given by
the captain of the company, and second and third
prizes of £6 and £3, firing five rounds a t 200 yards,
and five rounds at 300 yards. MI:Ay-nine members
entered for the competition, and the result was as
follows :—Mr. P. Jameson, 12 points; Mr. Gre-
gory, 12 points; Mr. J. W. Rouse (sergeant), 11
points. On the 10th inst. the ties were fired or,
and Mr. Jameson gained the first prize by one
point in three rounds fired, Mr. Gregory receiving
the second, and Mr. Rouse the third prize.
A strong company of 135 working men, in the
employ of the Messrs. Broadwood, pianoforte-
makers, have lately joined the Queen's.(Westmins-
ter) Rifle Volunteers, which now numbers upwards
of 1,640 effectives of all ranks.

At a meeting held on Monday night of the com-
mittee appointed to negotiate respecting a successor
to Major-General Downing, Major-Commandant of
the Paddington Rifle Volunteer Corps, Vice-Chan-
cellor Kindersley in the chair, it was considered.
extremely desirable to make it known that this
corps was in want of a commanding officer, but that
it was not desirable to do so by advertisement

A letter has been addressed by the Earl De Grey
and Ripon to Lieut.• Col. Briggs, Commander of the
Ist battalion of the West Riding Volunteers, ac-
cepting the colonelcy of the battalion.

In the account of the Norwich Rifle competition,
published in The Sun of Thursday, it was stated
that the number of competitors was 62—it should
have been 103. The number 62 referred to the first
day's proceedings only, 41 gentlemen entering the
lists on the second day.