The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-09 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

A deputation of the leading inhabitants of Cha-
tham have waited upon Mr. J. Budden, the high
constable of that borough, for the purpose of bring-
ing under his notice the present alarming state of
the river Medway in the vicinity of Chatham dock-
yard, with the view that the subject may be brought
under the attention of the Board of Admiralty.
From the stattments made by the gentlemen
forining the deputation,' it appears that the mud
has been. allowed to accumulate to such an
extent in the neighbourhood of the dock-
yard and gun wharf that only very small
-vessels can now float alongside the dockyard, where
a few years back a 74 could be moored. In addi-
tion to this it was also shown that, owing to the
embankments of the Medway having been neglected
the river Medway is fast becoming'so shallow that
in' a few 3-ears it will almost be impossible to take
a -.line-of-battle ship up to Chatham dockyard.
Even at the present time this difficulty has been
experienced, as the line-of-battle steamer Cressy,
80, which recently required some repairs, could not
be taken up to Chatham, where the largest stone
dock has just been completed, because, it was stated,
there was not sufficient water for her. Other state-
ments were also made by the deputation to show
. the urgent necessity which existed for a large body
Of the convicts now at Chatham to be employed in
improving and keeping open the navigation of the
Medway. The high constable informed the depu-
tation that, as the subject was one of national im-
portance, he should at once bring the matter before
the proper authorities.
• - 'The screw steam sloop Icarus, built at Deptford,
and destined for an armament of 11 guns, has been
towed down to Woolwich to be brought forward
for commission. She is to be fitted with a pair of
engines of 150-horse power, and is ordered to be
coppercd and completed without delay.
Her Majesty's steam store transport Dee, Master
Commander T. Pullen, arrived at Woolwich yester-
day from Devonport, and will reload with steam
gear for ships fitting out in the western yardS.
`The 51-gun screw steam frigate Forte, recently
constructed at Deptford, and fitted at Woolwich
with Messrs. Maudslay's engines of 400 horse
'power, yesterday got up steam in basin at Wool-
„wich, and proceeded to Sheerness to be laid up in
'the second class steam reserve.
The Meteor, 14-gun iron-cased screw steam bat-
. tery, 150 horse power, was yesterday submitted to
a test similar to that applied to the frigate Alfred
, and the iron battery Erebus, by the gunners of her
Majesty's ship Excellent, on board the Snapper
gunboat, which was moored at a range of 300 yards
from the Meteor in Porchester Lake. Admiral Sir
George Seymour, the commander-in-chief, was
.on board to witness the result. The spot on the
broadside of the battery selected to fire at was
under the gangway port, about 12 or 14 feet in
length, extending down to her water line ; this was
whitewashed and " checkered," the better to serve
as a target, as well as to show the effect of the
firing. The experiments were with the 68-pounder
broadside gun of the Snapper, from which four
shots were fired, and one from a long 32-pounder,
with the usual service charge, and by the impression
made it would appear that three out of the five
shots (variously wrought-iron and common) pene-
trated the iron, and one or more went completely
through the battery, and tore away the wood fram-
ing or lining of the hull, and did. other damage.
The experiments will be repeated to-day, for which
another space on the side of the Meteor, abaft the
gangway, has been whitewashed and checkered. A
large number of officers were interested spectators
of the firing. A sergeant's guard of Royal Marines
remains on board the battery, to take charge of her.
The Imperieuse, 51, screw frigate, and the Falcon,
17,-screw sloop, in the advanced steam ordinary at
Portsmouth, were inspected yesterday by Admiral
Sir G. Seymour, K.C.8., the Commander-in-Chief,
preparatory to his reporting them ready for com-
' mission.
Rear-Admiral t'Hooft's squadron of two frigates
and three corvettes had signals for sailing flying all
day yesterday, but at dark they had not weighed
from. Spithead.
The Neapolitan brig Eloisa put in at Portsmouth
yesterday with damage to her starboard bulwarks
and stanchions, from a collision with some vessel,
name unknown, at 10 p.m. on the sth inst., off
Beachy-head.
The Virago, 6, steam sloop, Commander Dunn,
was under orders to leave Spithead last evening for
the• westward.
A court-martial is ordered to be held this morn-
ing on board H.M.S. Victory, in Portsmouth har-
bour, to try Commander M'Donald, and Mr. Braund,
the master of H.M.S. Urgent, on a charge of negli-
gence in getting that vessel ashore off Chichester on
the night of Monday week, already reported.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :
Mate—Allan C. Adams, to the-Liffey.
Master—Samuel Sibley, to the Swallow.
Master's Assistant—Wm. Stowe, to the Liffey.
Surgeon—John Gray, to the Osprey.