The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-18 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

Preparations are in active progress for launching
the 91 gunship Edgar at Woolwich. The bulk-
head of the building slip under which she was built
has been removed, her anchors shipped, and most
ample preparations have been carried out for the
accommodation of visitors. A platform has been
erected under the stern of the vessel, where the
ceremony of naming will take place, for the assem-
blage of about 1,000 persons. The launch is to
take place on the 31st instant.
The steam-vessels Locust, Lie atenant-Commander
J. B. Field; the Lizard, tender to the Waterloo,
Lieutenant-Commander Edward E. Mazmsell ; the
Myrtle, Master-Commander William S. Bourchier ;
and the Monkey, Second Master in command Reu-
ben Harvey, on Saturday morning embarked the
North Cork Rifle Militia at the ordnance camber
at Sheerness. There was a dense fog at the time,
and the vessels had not proceeded far, when a col-
lision tosk place between the Lizard and the Wild-
fire (Admiral's tender), by which both vessels
received damage. Neither of the vessels would
have left until the clearing up of the fog, had it not
been for the necessity of the Cork Rifles being at
Strood station in order to save the train for Alder-
shott that night. They succeeded in arriving at
the Strood station at about 11 a.m., when the
Rifles proceeded to Aldershott. The Monkey after-
wards brought 120 Royal Artillery from Woolwich
for duty at Sheerness garrison.
The gunboat Biter, I. Blair Grove, Lieutenant-
Commander, and the gunboat Leveret, Annesley
Denham Lieutenant in command, arrived at Sheer-
ness on Saturday at 7.30 p.m., last from Hull, both
these vessels having been cruising between St.
Abb's Head and Hull for the protection of the
British fisheries. We are informedthat the greatest
unanimity prevailed between the French and Eng-
lish fishermen, each party having held inviolate the
convention between her Majesty and the Emperor
of the French as it regarded their fishing grounds.
During the fishing season from 250 to 300 French
fishing vessels have been at work at the same time and
during the whole season onlytwoFrenchluggers have
been taken into a British port for violating the con-
vention. On the Biter and Leveret leaving the station
Lieutenant-Commander J. Blair Grove, senior in
command, received a letter in the name of the Eng-
lish masters and crews of the fishing vessels, thank-
ing him awl Lieutenant Denham, their officers and
crews, for the services they had rendered them
during the season. During their cruising these
vessels have experienced very severe weather.
The Prussian frigate Gefion, 44, Captain Donner,
from the eastward, arrived at Plymouth Sound on
Thursday, and was saluted by the Citadel and by
the flag-ship Impregnable, in Hamoaze. On Fri-
day, the birthday of his iajesty the King of Prus-
Ida, she hoisted the national flag at the main, a
compliment which was observed by Admiral Fre-
mantle's squadron and all ships in commission in
the port. At 12 o'clock they greeted the flag with
a -Royal salute.
Mr. James Ward, chief clerk in the Storekeeper's
office at Sheerness, has been superannuated on
£340 per annum, his full-pay being£4so as a first-
class clerk.
Her Majesty's steam-vessel Teazer, Lieutenant-
Commander Charles I. Wrey, from the West Coast
of Africa, was on Saturday inspected at Woolwich
by Commodore Shepherd, when the crew were put
through the usual exercise at civarters. The Coni-
modore expressed himself highly pleased with the'
neat and orderly state of the ship throughout. The
ship's company were in a tolerably healthy condi-
tion. A couple of men were removed to the Royal
Marine Infirmary, suffering from the fever peculiar
to that station. The Teazer is to be paid. off about
Friday next. During her three and a half-years'
commission on the coast of Africa she has hoisted
three pennants. The Teazer has captured three
valuable prizes in slavers.
In consequence of the disturbances at Sheerness,
the Bustler, Master-Commander Syndercombe, was
on Saturday ordered to drop down to the Royal
Arsenal Pier, at Woolwich, in readiness to embark
a company of the 12th battalion Royal Artillery for
the reinforcement of that garrison. The orders
were, however, subsequently countermanded.
The extraordinary perfection attained in locomo-
tive steam power, as evinced by the success of
Bray's traction engine, in daily operation in Wool-
wich Dockyard, has attracted a high degree of in-
terest. A number of five-horse power engines, pos-
sessing extra speed to the one new in use, are in
course of construction by Messrs. R. and F. Hughes,
of New Cross, for Beyham and other yards, as well
as one for Barcelona of 8-horse power, one of equal
power for Western Australia, one for agricultural
experiments in Leicestershire, one for a mercantile
firm in the city, and others for the Cape of Good
Hope, South America, &c.