The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-22 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The large vacant dock at Chatham in which the
ironclad frigate Bellerophon was completed and
equipped for sea is now being prepared for the re-
ception of the keel of the improved frigate Hercules,
which is to be laid down and completed in the some
dock. The heavy wooden caisson, which, like all
other caissons of that material, is a constant source
of expense, has undergone some necessary repairs
in one of the vacant docks, in readiness for its being
floated into its proper position as soon as the piling
works at the dock entrance are complete. Although
some delay has arisen in commencing the Hercules,
yet the time thus gained has been turned to good
account in the preparation of the large quantities of
angle an.l plate iron required in her construction.
A number of the armour plates for the Hercules
have also arrived from the contractors, Messrs. John
Brown and Co., the Atlas Works, Sheffield, the two
firms under contract with the Admiralty for manu-
facturing the armour for the new frigate.
Her Majesty's screw gun vessel Sylvia, 4, was
on Tuesday launched from her building slip in
Woolwich dockyard, The Sylvia has been on the
stocks since 1859, when she was set up in frame, and,
like many other ships then in progress, she was or-
dered to remain unfinished, and was set aside to
give way to the improved system introduced by Mr.
Reed. She is now intended to boprepared for sur-
veying purposes, and is constructed on designs
similar to those of the Nassau, launched last month
at Pembroke yard. Her principal dimensions are as
follows:—Length between perpendiculars, 185 ft. ;
length of keel for tonnage, 165 ft. 71 in. ; breadth,
extreme, 28ft. 4in.; breadth for tonnage, 28ft'. lin. ;
breadth moulded, 27ft. 6in. ; depth in hold, 14ft. ;
burden in tons, old measurment, 694 66-94ths. The
ceremony of christening the Sylvia was performed
by Miss Monteith, a neice of the superintendent of
the yard, Commodore Hugh Dunlop. The launch
was witnessed by the numerous naval and military
officers residing in the garrison and neighbourhood
and their families and a large assemblage of visi-
tors, who were admitted without restriction. The
launch took place at 4 o'clock precisely, after
which the work of the yard totally ceased for the
day, as usual at former launches.

On Tuesday the depot of the 54th Regiment,
which has been stationed at Colchester for more
than eight years, left that camp for Gosport to await
the arrival of the regiment from India. It is ex-
pected that the 11th Hussars will arrive at Col-
chester in the course of next week. The Royal ap-
proval has been given to the inclusion of the military
stations of Norwich and Ipswich in the Colchester
division ; the whole will be termed the Eastern dis-
trict. Col. M'Causland, Commandant of Royal
Engineers, and the whole of the officers on leave
from the Ist of January have rejoined their respec-
tive corps at Colchester.

Capt. A. J. Sykes, Ist Battalion 4th (King's
Own) Regiment, has been ordered to proceed from
Chatham to Bombay, to join the service companies ;
Capt. J. Hawley, of the same regiment, has received
orders to join the depot of his corps at Chatham
garrison.

The Gresham, East Indiaman, has been taken up
by the Government for the conveyance of troops to
China and Japan, and in accordance with orders
received yesterday at Chatham garrison will embark
at Gravesend on Saturday 37 non-commissioned
officers and men of the 2d battalion of the 9th
Regiment, together with one barrack-sergeant and
wife, for. Japan. The following officers will also
embark in the Gresham, viz. •—Capt. G. 11. French
and Ensign -C. 11. Shepherd, 2d battalion, 9tk
Regiment ; and Capt. A. N. Adams, 2d battalion,
20th Regiment.