The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-07 00:00:00

THE NA VI.

Two of the contract-built gun vessels, the Linnet
and Pigeon, having been surveyed at Chatham
dockyard, have had a few deficiencies made good at
the expense of the contractors. Both vessels have
been coppered and completed, and on Thursday
were put out of dock.
The Torch, 5, Commander F. Smith, screw gun-
ves,,el, fitting at Chatham for the coast of Africa,
will be out of the hands of the dockyard workmen
to-day, and as soon as she has received her sailing
orders will leave the port, probably on Tuesday
next.

By an Admiralty order, warrant officers in the
Royal navy may retire from active service at 60
years of age without survey or prejudice to their
rate of pension. Warrant officers' widows will also
be entitled to their annuity in the event of their
husbands' death after one year's service as a war-
rant officer, instead of 10 years' as heretofore. Sea-
men and Marines are also to be entitled to their
good conduct badges at the end of three years, in-
stead of five years as before.
The, Ariadne, 26, Capt. E. W. Vansittart, sailed
from Spithead for Plymouth Sound at 7.30 p.m. on
Thursday.
The Prince of Wales, 131, screw three-decker, at
Portsmouth, bas been placed in dock to have her
valves fitted and receive her copper.
The Osborne, Admiralty steam yacht, Master
Commander G. K. Bowers, according to present
orders, will sail from Portsmouth for Plymouth to-
morrow.

Seyed Mahommed el Shamee, the newly accredited.
Ambassador from the Emperor of Morocco, a Trea-
surer of the Imperial Palace, and one of the most
wealthy magnates of the empire, yesterday went
over the various departments of the Arsenal at
Woolwich.
Commander J. H. Brown, RN., registrar-general
of seamen and shipping, yesterday exhibited his
newly invented battle signals at Woolwich for the
approbation of the Board of Admiralty. They
were hoisted experimentally at the masthead of the
flagship Fisgard, Commander the Hon. J. R.
Drummond, and were pronounced a most im-
portant improvement on the present flag system of
battle signals, the flag being subject to flap and
twist, and thereby become unintelligible, whereas
Capt. Brown's system can be made oat under every
variation of weather. Mr. Thomas and other officers
attached to the Fisgard proceeded up the river as far
as the irregularity of the current permitted a sight
of the masthead, and reported that in the present
hazy state of the atmosphere the signals might be
seen with sufficient distinctness at a distance of four
miles or more. They are formed of strong iron
wire frames, covered with slight canvass painted
black, and distinguished by shape, regardless
of colour, but black is most discernible. Tey are
made to fold up when not in use, and weigh about
201 b. each. A second trial is ordered to take place
on the 10th inst. on the departure of the Prince of
Wales for Quebec, when the signals will he hoisted
to test the fact as stated by Captain Brown, that
the smoke from the funnel of the :ship and the guns
will not interfere with the reading of the signals.

An exquisitely formed model, on an unsually
large scale, of the attack, siege, and capture of a
strongly fortified town has just been completed at
the Royal Engineer establishment, Chatham, by
the sappers and miners, who have been occupied
about 12 months in the undertaking, under the
superintendence of Captain H. Schaw. The model,
which is unique of its kind, describes every incident
connected with a siege, the works being constructed
according to Vauban's theory of fortification, and
the whole worked nut with the utmost fidelity.
Since the work has been completed it has been in-
spected at Brompton barracks by a number of offi-
cers of all branches of the service, all of whom
concur in pronouncing it one of the most perfect as
well as interesting models of the kind
eveirJnited
structed. It has been forwarded to
Service Institution, where it will remainMeer of the
on exhibition, a non-commissioned.
part in its
Royal Engineers who took a leading t part in
time
from head-
construction having been specially
arrangement of the model.
quarters to superintend the putting togethcr and
'Thomas
st
Cann,
J. Barrett,
George J. Tomlin, second
day at the Admiralty .
The following appointments were made yestfr-
d'Acre ; W. J. Atkinso
master, to the St. e
seconddd
mmaasstteerr,,totto the Nile
acting Vie
llinctiNoTii.3l-e; ;Tith
assist.-surg., to the Geyser ; G. M. Eyles, acting
Agamemnon ; George E. Farr,
acting the Maolcienne ; John '
acting assist.-surg., B.
to the '''''
assist.-surg., to the Ag . .
Miall, acting assist.-sung., Centurion ; Henry
Rickard, acting assist.-surg , to the Impregnable;
John Mockridge, acting assist.-surg., additional, to
the Chesapeake ; Henry C. Jones, first-class assist.- i
.
engineer, to the St. George ; John Pittis' nay- 1
master, additional, to the Victory ; George Gran--
didier, paymaster, to be secretary to Rear-Admiral
Stopford; and F. H. Chown, assistant paymaster,
Ito be secretary's clerk to Rear-Admiral Stopford. I