The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-13 00:00:00

THE JAPANESE PRINCE.

The Japanese Prince, Tokugawa Mitnbutaiho,
who arrived at Portsmouth on Wednesday, from
London, on a visit to the port and arsenal, made a
long inspection yesterday of the ships of war in the
harbour and of the dockyard.

The Prince, accompanied by Major Edwards,
R.E., and M. von Siebold, interpreter, and attended
by his suite, arrived at the dockyard entrance
shortly before 11 a.m., where he was received by
Admirals Sir T. Pasley and G. G. Wellesley, C. 8.,
Flag-Captain Hon. F. B. Seymour, C. 8., A.D.C.
to the Queen ; Flag-Lieut. Boger, and other officerS
the Japanese standard being at the same time run
up at the main royal masthead of the Port Admi-
ral's flagship, under Royal salutes from ber Ma-
jesty's ships Victory, Duke of Wellington, and St.
Vincent. The Serapis screw Indian troopship,
Capt. Soady, was the first object selected in the
yard for the Prince's inspection. The magnificent
proportions of this noble troop transport, and the
luxurious completeness of all her fittings, were
highly appreciated. On leaving the Serapie the
Prince proceeded to the King's-stairs of the dock-
yard, where, with Admiral Pasley and the attendant
officers, he embarked in the Victory's barge and was
conveyed on board the Royal Sovereign turret ship,
at her moorings up the harbour. Some time was
spent on board this vessel in exhibiting to the Prince
the mode of working the guns and turrets in action.
The third turret was manned and revolved to diffe-
rent angles of fire with bulwarks down, the loading
motions (in blank of course) and all parts of the
drill being gone through. On leaving the Royal
Sovereign the Prince was conveyed on board the
gunnery ships Excellent and Calcutta, C.iptain A.
Hood, C. 8., and here a stay was made of consider-
ably upwards of an hour, the Prince exhibiting
much interest as the various description of ship's
ordnance, from the 12-to•i rifle on its costly iro❑
carriage and slide, down to the latest converted
" Palliser," were explained to him by the officers of
the gunnery establishment. Batteries were manned,
and heavy guns were whirled about in drill to the
word of command in a wonderful and thoroughly
excellent manner. Some very effective shell firing
was made from the port broadside of the Excellent
at 1,200 yards range, in independent firing and in
volleys. In all cases the shells burst beautifully
right on the faces of the targets. The shells fired
in volleys from the big guns burst in clusters with
grand effect, sending up a vast cloud of gas, which
glittered and changed in prismatic hues under the
rays of a bright sun. A few rockets fired at a
target of 1,000 yards range with some shots from
light guns—in both cases from light rafts moored
under the ship's bows, and a small torpedo experi-
ment brought the Prince's visit to the Excellent's
gunnery establishment to a close. On leaving the
Excellent the Prince again lauded at the King's
Stairs, and proceeded to the Admiralty House, the
official residence of Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley,
where he partook of luncheon.

After luncheon the Prince, accompanied by the
same officials as during the forenoon, made a tour
of the dockyard, and went on board the armour-
plated hydraulic propelled gun vessel Waterwitch,
Commander P. Sharp, now under repairs in the
ship basin ; the armour-plated iron turret-3hip
Scorpion, preparing for commission, and other
vessels; afterwards visiting the woodmills, where
Brunei's wonderful block-making machinery was
seen at work in all its marvellous efficiency and ac-
curacy of motion. The steam factory with its noble
collection of machinery was visited, and thence to
the armour-plate workshop was but a natural
sequence. Here, with huge armour-plates gripped
by machines of immense power and novel form, the
whole process of drilling', bending, and otherwise
preparing the armour plates fur the sides of our
ships of war was fully illustrated and explained
by the aid of Major Edwards and M. Von Siebold.
From the armour-plate shop a walk round the north
side of the steam basin gave a view of her Majesty's
yacht Osborne clearing out for further survey and
repairs, of several gunboats now preparing for com-
mission, and of the iron frigate llector, 800-horse
power, in dock, and being brought forward also for
commission. The last part of the dockyard visited
by the Prince was the great iron foundry, and
there he stayed sufficiently long to see several lots
of molten iron drawn off from the cupola furnaces
and poured into a row of large moulds, which stood
in readiness for the operation.

On leaving the Serapis and the Excellent, and on
several other occasions through the day, the Prince
expressed, through M. von Siebold, his gratification
at the courtesy and attention shown to him. It
'nay also be observed here that every official who
came in personal contact with the young Prince on
board any of the ships or in the workshops of the
yard was much impressed by his evident keen intel-
ligence, and the shrewdness and pertinence of the
many inquiries made by him through his interpreter.
From the dockyard, after taking leave of Mini-
rats Sir Thomas Pasley and Wellesley, the Prince
returned to his hotel at. Southsea.

The Fire Queen, steam yacht, Staff Commander
Paul, is ordered to have her steam up in Portsmouth
harbour by 9 a.m. to-day for the service of the
Prince, if required. It was, however, understood to
be quite uncertain whether he would embark this
morning on board the Fire Queen, probably for a
short visit to Southampton-water, visit the camp at
Aldershott, or return direct to London.

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