The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-18 00:00:00

THE NAVE

Rear-Admiral Smart and the members compos-
ing the committee appointed to inquire into the
general economy of the dockyards, have continued
their sittings in the Assistant-Master-Shipwright's
room, at Woolwich, each day during the past
week without intermission. They have made a
thorough inspection of the departments generally
throughout the yard, and have passed under ex-
amination and inquiry some of the superior officers
of the yard—namely, Mr. Macdonald, Master-At-
tendant ; Mr. Rice and Mr. Peake, Master Ship-
wrights; Mr. Aslett, timber inspector ; as well as
various subordinates.

The gunboat Leveret, Liout -Commander Den-
ham, tender to the Arrogant, at Southampton, left
Woolwich dockyard yesterday, after repairs, and,
having received her powder from the Arsenal,
sailed for Southampton. The newly-constructed
steamsloop Icarus, having received her boilers and
machinery yesterday, left the basin at Woolwich,
and commenced coaling in readiness to try her
engines down the river this morning.
Her Majesty's screw steamvessel Rifleman was
yesterday hauled out of the basin at Woolwich to
enter the dry dock No. 2, for a continuation of
repairs.
The iron screw storeship Supply, under orders to
be refitted, at Woolwich, for a second expedition to
Bondroun Bay, has undergone a casual survey by
the shipwright department. She will require new
decks and thorough repair, new foremast, mizen-
mast, and topsail yards, one new boiler, and a com-
plete overhaul of her engines. The cases containing
the marble antiquities, 170 in number, have been
conveyed to the British Museum, in charge of Sig-
nor A. Panizzi, secretary. There were likewise
several waggon loads of heavy oblong blocks of
marble, which formed the eastern wall of the Mau-
soleum, and will compose a rare and valuable'collec-
tion, the result of ten months' research and labour
of the crew of the Supply at Halicarnassus.
In consequence of the representations made in the
columns of The Sun relative to the washing away
of the banks of the Medway, near Chatham dock-
yard, which if allowed to proceed at the present rate
would at no distant date seriously imperil that naval
establishment, 200 convicts, from the convict prison
at Chatham, are now employed in embanking the
river, constructing a river wall, and levelling the
marshes at St. Mary's Island near Chatham dockyard
and opposite the powder magazines of Upnor Castle.
As the requirements of the work may demand, the
number of convicts employed is •to be increased.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :
Lieutenant John Moresby has been promoted to the rank
of Commander.

Master—Edward Mourilyan (additional) to the Indus.
Assistant Surgeons—John L. Palmer (additional), to the

Impregnable; Leonard Lucas confirmed in the Calypso.

TILE ARMY.

The following circular memorandum, dated the
Bth inst., in reference to officers' baggage, has been
issued by order of the Duke of Cambridge :

" Hia Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-
Chief directs that for the convenience of stowage on board
ship the size of the packages of officers' baggage shall not
exceed three feet six inches in length, two feet in width,
and two feet three inchelin depth.
" G. A. WETHERALL, Adjutant-General."
With reference to the above order, the outfitters
and contractors supplying the officers joining the
army are required to furnish the officers with
boxes and trunks of the regulation size, in order
that the officers may not be put to the inconve-
nience and expense of having them cut down when
too large.
In addition to thonumerous improvements which
are now in progress at the garrison at Chatham
with the view to the comfort aad convenience of
the troops, Colonel W. Williams, the Commanding
Royal Engineer of the Medway district, has re-
ceived orders from the War Department to remove
the whole of the asphalt from the sleepinc, apart-
ments of the troops in barracks, and to substitute
wooden flooring in its place, in order that the sol-
diers occupying the barrack-rooms may derive more
warmth and comfort during the
-winter months.

General Williams, Commandant of Woolwich,
yesterday announced his intention, in garrison
orders, of passing his half-yearly inspection of the
troops and barrack quarters as follows :—On Mon-
day, the 20th, a general inspection on Woolwich-
common of the troops of the Royal Horse Artil-
lery, on Tuesday the field batteries, on Wednesday
the battalions of Artillery, and on Thursday and
following days the battalion officers' and men's
quarters, schools, hospital, &c. Brigade Major
Shaw has been granted. 14 days' leave of absence.