The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-15 00:00:00

7HE NAVY.

The difficulty hitherto experienced in converting
the ordinary cast iron gnus into breech loaders has
at length been surmounted by Mr. Warny, the in-
ventor of the new breech loading percussion can-
non, which during some recent trials at Chatham
discharged 20 shots per minutes, who has just suc-
ceeded in attaching a wrought iron breech to a cast
iron gun, the first attempt of the kind which has as
yet proved successful. The gun experimented upon
consisted of the ordinary cast iron barrel, weighing
about 401 b., which having been rifled, Mr. Warny
attached his breech loading invention to it ; this
gun being also fired by percussion, as is the case
with Mr. Warny's ordinary breech loading cannon.
The breech is provided with a lever fixed at the
end, which by one movement lubricates the cham-
ber, primes the nipple, and closes the breech. By
an exceedingly simple contrivance the breech can
be almost instantaneously detached from the other
portion of the gun, so that in the case of a sudden
surprise by an enemy, these guns can have their
breeches removed and be rendered entirely unser-
viceable. During the trials made at Chatham yes-
terday to test the newly finished cannon it was
ascertained that with a small charge of gunpowder
the shot could be thrown 4,000 yards, or upwards
of two miles, while by slightly increasing the charge
a range of 5,000 yards was obtained, the gun throw-
fstg a shower of balls at the rate of 10 per minute,
a i-apidity of firing which the inventor is able to
malt -stain as long as the ammunition lasts, the cur-
rent Of air admitted each time the breech is opened
the gun becoming heated and expand-
prevem,ing
rug. Mr.
Warny has expressed his readiness to take
any ordincry metal or cast iron gun now in use, and
to convert it into a breech loader which shall be
capable of thcscharging from 10 to 20 shots per
minute a distance of at least three miles, the barrel
being previously rifled.
The screw frigate Ariadne, 32, with engines
of 800-horse power, has arrived in harbour at
Chatham, from Deptford, in tow of the Wid-
geon and Bustler, paddle-wheel steamers, to be com-
pleted and prepared for sea. She was yesterday
taken alongside the sheer hulk, for the purpose of
having her masts put on board, and, as soon as this
operation has been completed, she will be taken
into the large new stone dock to be rigged and
brought forward for commission with all possible
despatch.
In consequence of the serious intelligence just
received from China and the recommencement of
hostilities in that country, the Government have
decided on despatching several additional steam-
frigates and corvettes, together with a :sufficient
number of sailing frigates, to augment the squa-
dron now in the Chinese waters. It is also ex-
pected that a force of 1,000 • additional Marines
will be despatched to China, the divisions at Chat-
ham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Woolwich being
able to give that number of men. The names of the
ships that are to be ordered to China from the
several stations are expected to be announced in a
few days.
The Duke of Somerset and the other Lords of
the Admiralty left the Osborne yacht in Hamoaze
at 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and went at
once to the office of Admiral Superintendent Sir
Thomas Pasley, in Devonport Dockyard, where
they continued some time, and then, accompanied
by Sir Thomas Pasley, Mr. Brown, master attend-
ant, Mr. Elliott, storekeeper, Mr. Peake, master
shipwright, and the various officers of the estab-
lishment, proceeded to inspect the building slips,
boathouses, smithery, enginehouse, shops, &c. No.
1 slip is occupied by the new screw steamsloop
Phoebe, 10 guns, which is about one quarter built :
there are no men on her now. No. 2 is unoccu-
pied. No. 3 has the Narcissus, 50 (same class as
the Liffey) ; she is planked and partly caulked,
and preparations are making for her launch, which
is intended to take place this year. No. 4, the
Jason, 20, half built and planked, will also be
launched this year. No. 5, the Gibraltar, 101
(same class as Conqueror), in frame; one-fifth
built ; will be finished in 1860. Special atten-
tion was paid to this ship by their Lordships.
Alongside the jetty is the Lion, 80, and
Revenge, 91, both fitting for the third
division, steam ordinary. In dock No. 4,
the Royal William, 120, recently cut down and
altering to a 90-gun screw; her stern frame is up,
she is almost ready for planking, and may be
finished in February next. No. 5 contains the
sailing frigate Phoebe, 50, pulled apart for a screw,
to carry 50 guns ; she will be lengthened altogether
60 feet—viz., 33 feet 8 inches by the bow, and 26
feet 4 inches by the stern; the artisans are very
busy on her, and she may be finished in 1860. On
completing this portion of their duties the Lords
of the Admiralty, at half-past two, went on board
their yacht, and about an hour afterwards landed
again in the dockyard, and, walking through the
tunnel, entered the steam-yard at Keyham, where
they were received by Mr. Biddlecombe, Assistant-
\faster-Attendant ' • Mr. Trickett, chief engineer of
the factory ; Mr. Townsend, civil engineer ; Mr.
Foster, surgeon ; and Capt. Robinson, of the steam
reserve. Their Lordships sat in the board-room for
about an hour, and then went through the factory
and the buildings in course of erection. In Keyham
yard, fitting for the second division of steam ordi-
nary, are the Windsor Castle, 116 (which their
Lordships visited) •, the Sanspareil, 70 ; the En-
counter, 14 ; and the new steamsloop Greyhound,
17. The paddle-wheel steamsloop Centaur, 6, is
repairing for the third division. The paddle-wheel
steamvessel Prospero is shipping new boilers ; and
the screw steamsloop Curlew, 9, is under repair.
Last year about £50,000 was voted by Parliament
for the extension of the works ; of this £25,000
has been expended in the purchase of land. The
Government contemplates making a further pur-
chase, and Mr. Townsend has surveyed some con-
tiguous land belonging to the trustees of the late
Sir John St. Aubyn, with whom they are in treaty.
Their Lordships continued some time at this point.
In consequence of the comparative smallness of the
amount at command no very great progress has been
made in the works. The north storehouse, for a
rigging-house and store, is completed. New masting
shears, 110 feet high, made of wrought iron, and
capable of lifting 40 tons, have been erected on the
edge of the basin. The iron workshops constructing
between the docks for the carpenters and joiners are
progressing. Several weigh-bridges, two of which
are capable of weighing each 40 tons, have been
fixed ; some of Taylor's traction engines are being
tested in the yard ; and one of Armstrong's hydrau-
lic lifts will shortly be attached to the Cove stores.
The Lords of the Admiralty dined in the evening
with Admiral-Superintendent Sir Thomas Pasley,
at his official residence in the dockyard.
The Goliath, 80, line-of-battle screw steamer, has
been towed from Chatham to Sheerness by the
African and Adder steamers, and will be attached
to the second division of the steam reserves at that
port.
The Charybdis, 21, screw corvette, was undocked
at Chatham yesterday, and will be attached to the
second division of the steam reserve in the Medway,
The paddlewheel steam sloop Virago, 6, Com-
mander Dunn, got up steam on Tuesday morning
at Plymouth, and went to sea. It is reported that
she will communicate with the fleet either to de-
liver despatches, or to convey instructions for the
ships to repair to the Sound.
The screw steam gun vessel Pioneer, 6, Corn-
inander Reilly, has been removed from the basin in
Devonport Dockyard to her moorings in Hamoaze,
and has received her powder. It is reported that the
Pioneer, with seven others which are named, will
proceed at once to China.
Yesterday orders were received at the Royal
Naval Rendezvous, Tower-hill, to enter able and
ordinary seamen, landsmen, petty officers, and.
artisans for the ships now fitting for the reinforce-
ment of the fleet in China. In order that the ships
of war ordered on the China station may be manned
with all expedition the Coastguard are to be called
on to volunteer. Her Majesty's steamer Sea Mew,
Commander Broad, has gone round to Fleetwood
and the East coast to receive such men as will join.
' Yesterday a large draught of men arrived from
Greenock, at the receiving ship off the Tower,
whence they will be draughted to Portsmouth and
the stokers to Sheerness.
Great improvements are ordered to be made in
the fortifications at Dover Castle, the parapets of
tho Citadel are to
eboeverraeidsed;aay
be built, an
ro d.
ad constructed ; the new
dv magazine
z n militarye s to
fosses and ditches are
f to be widened and deepened, and a sum of .£150,000
'expended m. placing Dover Castle in an efficient
state of defence.
The Akbar troopship was yesterday towed into
Portsmouth harbour from Spithead, and berthed
alongside the Pitch-house jetty, in readiness to em-
bark her troops this morning.
The entering of seamen for the navy still proceeds
at a steady rate at Liverpool. A few days ago a
draught of 35 volunteers was forwarded to Sheer-

ness, and another batch of about 20 men was sent to
the same destination yesterday.
Mr. J. B. Ricards was yesterday appointed sur-
geon to her Majesty's ship Simoom.