The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-24 00:00:00

TILE NAVY.

Yesterday the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty paid their first official visit to Chatham
Dockyard for the purpose of making an in-
spection of that establishment. The members of
the Board, on arriving off the Commissioners' stairs,
proceeded at once down the river for the purpose
of inspecting the works which are now being
carried on at the extreme east of the dockyard,
at St. Mary's Island. These works are of great
magnitude, and will be in progress for several
years, the plan proposed, and which there is every
probability will be carried into effect, being the
construction of a large steam basin for the reception
of a reserve fleet of steamers. Several hundred
convicts have been employed on the island for some
time past on the construction of a river wall, and
in making preparations for commencing the foun-
dations and excavations for the basin. Their lord-
ships spent some time in inspecting the progress
made with the works, over which they were con-
ducted by Colonel Greene and Mr. Macdonnell, the
latter gentleman having the superintendence of the
undertaking. After inspecting the other works,
which are also in progress at the eastern end of the
yard, for improving and deepening the harbour,
and extending the dockyard, their Lordships re-
turned t 3 the yard by the eastern entrance, and
commenced their tour by inspecting the gunboats
which are now laid up, and various line-of-battle
and other ships under construction and in various
stages of progress. They first visited the Severn,
51, which is in dock, being converted from a sailing
into a screw steam frigate. Their Lordships went
on board this vessel, over which they were con-
ducted by Mr. 0. W. Lang, the master ship-
wright. This vessel was built at Chatham a few
years ago from the designs of Sir Baldwin Walker,
but never left the harbour, and has recently
been docked, cut asunder, lengthened, and other
alterations effected to adapt her for a screw
steamer. After spending some time in going over
the Severn, their Lordships inspected the Atlas,
91, screw steamer; the Bulwark, 91, screw
steamer, recently commenced ; and the Irresistible,
80, screw steamer, which is finished and waiting
to be launched, that ceremony being fixed for the
29th 2f October. The other vessels on the stocks
whicE were inspected were the Undaunted, 51,
screw frigate ; the Orpheus, 21, and the Rattle-
snake, 20, screw corvettes. Their Lordships also
inspected the sailing ship Rodney, 91, in dock,
undergoing the process of being converted into a
screw steam steam-ship and fitted with engines of
500 horse-power. The shipbuilding department is
now in active operation, and their lordships were
evidently much satisfied with this portion of their
inspection. At 2 o'clock the members of the Board
adjourned to the residejice of Captain-Superinten-
dent Goldsmith, in the yard, and partook of lun-
cheon, after which they continued their tour of
inspection by visiting the ropery, where they wit-
nessed the process of making the large ship cables.
From the rope-house they continued their inspection
of the various factories and workshops, but were
unable to go through the whole of them, and were
therefore compelled to defer their visit to some of
the establishments until this morning, when the
inspection will be resumed. The battalion of Royal
Marine Light Infantry were drawn up in the bar-
rack square, expecting that their lordships would
inspect them, but an intimation was given to Col.
Rea, the commandant, that the inspection would
take place this day. Their lordships were several
hours in the dockyard, the inspection being a very
close one. The men being absent at their dinner
at the time their lordships arrived the usual mus-
ter and half-holiday did not take place, but
it is understood that the holiday will be
granted this afternoon. Their lordships were
to sleep on board their steam yacht, the
Black Eagle, last night, the steamer being moored
close to the dockyard for their accommodation.
Previously to their L mdships leaving the dockyard
they transacted some Admiralty business at the
office of the Captain-Superintendent.
Sir William Armstrong, Superintendent of the
Rifled Ordnance Department at Woolwich, has suc-
ceeded in accomplishing the method of rifling the
whole or any requisite number of the guns employed
in the service which present a surface at the bore
fit to secure and maintain the grooves, and which
possess a body of sufficient tensile strength to resist
the explosive power required to expel, with safety,
the heavy shot now in use. Some experiments
have be2.,n carried out at Shoeburyness in the most
successful manner with some of the guns whicb
have undergone the metamorphosis or transforma-
tion from the smooth to the rifled bore, hitherto
.considered impracticable. The first gun snbmitted
to trial was an 80-pounder on Sir William's original
plan; the second an ordinary 32-pounder, service
gun, rifled on a plan of Sir William Armstrong,
adapted fer elongated cast iron shot or shell.
They were transported from the department in