The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-20 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The weather at Portsmouth yesterday was ex-
ceedingly fine—wind N.E. ; at five p.m. a dense fog
set in. There was a hard frost on Thursday night,
and ice of considerable thickness.

Gorgon, 6, steam sloop, at Woolwich, was yester-
day removed from the basin No. 2 dock, to be over-
hauled and have her bottom covered with preserv-
ing varnish.
Imperieuse, 51, screw, and Falcon, 17, screw,
will very probably be commissioned next week, the
latter vessel hoisting the pendant of Commander
Hewett, of Crimean celebrity.
The slip from which the Edgar, screw man of war,
was recently launched has now been entirely cleared
and the blocks have been bolted together for laying
down the Anson, a vessel of the same class.
Bray's tooth traction wheel steam carriage hav-
ing been subjected to a series of experimental trials
for the removal of heavy timber, in the dock-
yard, has been favourably reported on, and will, it is
expected, be generally introduced into the service.
The paddle-wheel steam-frigate Valorous, 6, Com-
mander M. B. Dunn, from Portsmouth, with 41
supernumaries for the Liffey and 35 for the Im-
pregnable, arrived at Plymouth on Wednesday,
and on Thursday afternoon sailed for the chops of
the Channel to relieve the homeward-bound.

The crew of the paddle-wheel steam-frigate,
Centaur, 6, Captain W. J. C. Clifford, were paid off
at Plymouth on Wednesday, and she is placed in
the steam reserve. A portion of her crew left for
Portsmouth, on Thursday, in the paddle-wheel
steam-vessel Avon, 3, Second Master Palmer, com-
manding.
Her Majesty's ship Harpy. Lieut.-Commander
Brine, was yesterday admitted into basin at Wool-
wieh, and is ordered to be dismantled and paid off
about Wednesday next.
The freight ship Friends, laden with 500 tons of
military stores, for Gibraltar, sailed from Wool-
wich Arsenal on Thursday.
The erection of the edifice intended as the Royal
Marine Infirmary, under construction on the site of
the Old Kent Waterworks, Woolwich, now the pro-
perty of the Government, is progressing with ra-
pidity,and has already attained to the commencement
of the second story. About 300 haftds are employed
in the building, under the superintendence of Col.
Green, director of engineering and architectural
works to the Admiralty. The total length of the
new infirmary is 448 ft., breadth of wings 191 ft.,
and height of each story 16ft. 6in. In addition to
the wings there will be eight wards, extending
beyond the principal walls after the Italian style of
architecture known as the pavilion principle ; each
ward will contain space for the accommodation of
14 patients, at the rate of 600 cubic feet to each pa-
tient. There will be three stories above the base-
ment story, which latter will be appropriated as
offices. The windows and doors will afford facili-

ties for sunlight and ventilation, as well as a cheer-
ful prospect over an uninterrupted and wide extent
of river and landscape. The establishment will be
abundantly supplied with excellent water. The
floors and walls are being constructed of hard bricks
capable of being cleansed by washinglia
and
be not re-
taining any moisture. The windows Isl double
glazed, in order to check the severity Of the winter
and prevent an undue loss of heat. The windows
of the convalescent wards opening to the floors will
be furnished with verandah seats outside. These
wards will contain movable be
to place the patients without removal
sThe situation,
on castors, so as
in the open
air during suitable tempera
t
from its contiguity to the Marine
Barracks, the
dockyard, and its geological position on a dry and
healthy subsoil, is one of the most desirable which
could have been selected.
Her Majesty's steam sloop Argus, 6 guns, Com-
mander Ingram, got up steam at Spithead on
Thursday night and left early yesterday for the
west to relieve ships which have been detained in
the Channel through the long easterly winds. The
wind having come round northerly yesterday and
weather fine but hazy, with a rising barometer, a
large number of vessels of all classes, which had
been detained took shelter in the different road-
steads near the Wight, got under way and made
sail for their several destinations.
At Portsmouth the following ships are ready for
the pendant when required :—Royal Sovereign,l3l
guns, 800. horse power; the Duke of Wellingtcn.
131 guns, 800-horse power ; the Algiers, 91
guns, 600-horse power ; the Melpomene, 51
guns, GOO-horse power ; the Impericuse, 51 guns,
360-horse power ; the D..untless, 33 guns, SSO-hor e
power •, the Termagant, 25 guns, 310-horse power ;
the Falcon, 17 guns, 100-horse power ; the Flying
Fish, 6 guns, 350-horse power • and the Sidon, 22
guns, 560-horse power ; and ihe Sphynx, 6 guns,
500-horse power. Of the ships preparing for the
pendant the most attention seems to be paid to the
geptune, which has been lengthened 12 feet by the
Stein; to adapt it for the screw. She has had the
following armament prescribed for her :-25 68-
pounders, 96 cwt. each, 8 feet long, for the upper