The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-10 00:00:00

IHE NAVY

The Board of Admiralty made their annual in-
spection of the works in connection with the Port-
land Harbour on Tuesday afternoon. The members
present were the Duke of Somerset, Admiral Sir R.
Dundas, Capt. Pelham, R.N., tend Capt. Eden, R.N.
The Secretary-at-War, Mr. S. Herbert, accompanied
by Gen. Sir J. Burgoyne, R.E., also arrived at Port-
land on Tuesday to examine the progress of the for-
tification works. They were attended over the works
by Mr. Coode, engineer-in-chief, and Mr. Leather,
contractor, of the breakwater, &c., and Major
Nugent, the Commanding Royal Engineer of the
district. The inspection lasted until dusk, when their
lordships embarked on board the Osborne and Black
Eagle steam yachts, which left the harbour on Wed-
nesday morning for the Channel Islands.
The Defence Commission, consisting of Gen. Sir
H. D. Jones, Sir F. Abbot, Gen. Cameron, Col.
Lefroy, Capt. Key, R.N., and Mr. Ferguson—re-
cently appointed by the House of Commons to in-
quire into the state of the national defences—were
at Portland on Thursday, and made a long inspec-
tion of the fortification works now in progress for
the defence of the harbour ; and also witnessed
some interesting experiments for the practical test-
ing of the relative shot-resisting merits of the Port-
land roach stone and Cornish granite. A massive
piece of masonry, representing a section of the cir-
cular batteries' about to be erected on the break-
water, was built at the foot of the cliff on the north
shore of the island, and was subjected to a close and
well-directed fire from a 68-lb. gun from her Ma-
jesty's ship Blenheim, which had taken up uposi-
tion about 500 yards distant. The result of the firing
was satisfactory, and will afford valuable data to the
War-office as to the relative strength of the different
stones, one half of the section being roach and the
other granite.
The Defence Commission will probably continue
their investigations some time longer, as the works
to be examined and those in contemplation are of
a most formidable character, and will doubtless
make the island and harbour Of Portland the most
secure of any we possess, not excepting Gibraltar
or Malta. The breakwater is making rapid pro-
gress, and has already advanced about 2,400 yards
from the north-eastern extremity of the island, and
shelters an anchorage of upwards of 1,200 acres.
The number of men employed in the construction
of these great works is over 700, in addition to
1,000 convicts, and is augmenting daily.
The following ships are now
.in Portland har-
bour :—The screw line-of-battle ships Edgar, 91 ;
Neptune, 91; Blenheim, 60; and the steam frigate
Imperieuse, 50.
Several coal vessels have arrived for the supply
of the Great Eastern steamship, which is expected
at Portland on Sunday morning. Special trains
are to run on all the railways to Weymouth, and
the town is expected to be crowded to excess by
sight-seers, who will doubtless flock in great num-
bers to see the noble ship at anchor in this harbour.
The screw frigate Ariadne, 32, and 800 horse-
power, nominal, which was launched a short time
since at Deptford, is ordered to be brought to Cha-
tham Dockyard to be made ready for sea, in conse-
quence of there being no dock at either Woolwich,
Deptford, or Sheerness large enough to receive her.
She will be docked in the dock now occupied by
the screw frigate Charybdis, 21.
The Louisa, victualling ship, has stale'', from
Chatham with a large quantity of stores for Dept-
ford dockyard.

Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam sloop Gorgon,
6 guns, Com. Bedford C. T. Pim, has just put into
Cork harbour for repairs. She left Devonport on
Tuesday week for the North American stition, but
in a few days afterwards she encountered a heavy
gale, by which she received much damage, her top-
masts and topgallant masts being carried away and
portions of her rigging being injured. Five of her
crew were at the same time swept overboard.
Every exertion was made to save them, but unhap-
pily with only partial success. Two of the men
were picked up much exhausted, but the other three
perished. The vessel after that bore up for Cork
harbour, and she is now alongside the quay at
Haulbowline undergoing the repairs necessary to
enable her to proceed to her destination, which she
will perhaps be able to do by the close of the week.