The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-18 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

• The screw line-of-battle ships Royal Albert, 121,
bearing the flag of Sir Charles Fremantle; James
Watt, 91; Algiers, 91; Hero, 91 ; the screw-
frigate Mersey, 40 ; and the despatch gunboat
Flying Fish, 6, arrived at Portland under steam
on Friday morning, after a few days' cruise in
the Channel. The othee.ships at anchor at Port-
land are the Agamemnon, 91 ; Aboukir, 91 ; Eme-
rald, 51 ; Blenheim, 60; and the gun-boats
Pioneer, 6, and Biter, 2.
Lord Ripon, Under Secretary of State for War,
paid the first official visit of the new Ministry to
the establishment of Woolwich Arsenal on Satur-
day. Col. Alexander Tulloh, Lieut.-Col. Maron
Eardley Wilmot, and Capt. Edward Mourrier
Boxer, representing the three manufacturing de-
partments, at present in full working order, re-
ceived his lordship on his arrival in the Dial-
square, and assisted him in his examination of the
Most important portions of the establishment under
their direction. The inspection occupying 'three
hours, and consequently extending beyond the
regulated time at which the week's labours usually
terminate, the whole of the machinery was con-
tinued in motion until two o'clock, and the men
were allowed the advantage of extra work. His
lordship expressed his desire to be informed upon
every subject relating to the establishment, and
entered into a minute examination of the duties
and emoluments required of and granted according
to present regulations to the artisans and operatives
employed in such vast numbers in the Arsenal, and
for whom he appeared to entertain a special in-
terest.

The new screw steam vessel Lord Panmure, in
the service of the Military Store Department of
Woolwich, has been new caulked, and on Saturday
commenced shipping 500 tons of shot and heavy
war stores.

The numerical return given by the officers of
her Majesty's receiving-ship Fisgard at Woolwich
states that the total amount of able seamen and
lads entered and received on board since the 3d of
May last amounts to 1,640; upwards of four times
that number, although selected, having failed to
pass the medical attestation, were consequently
rejected. On Friday, 52 lads and five able seamen
were entered and passed.
Mr. Taylor, R.N., has hoisted his pendant on
board her Majesty's ship Firefly at Woolwich, for
a two months' survey commission. It is stated that
Capt. Brock, many years eniployed with the late
Capt. Graves, will take the command of the Firefly
during the expedition.
The Belleisle, recently returned from China, left
Plymouth on the 3d of June, 1857, under the com-
mand of Commander J. R. Rodd (1849), with a
detachment of the 93d, Col. the Hon. Adrian Hope,
for China. On arriving at the Cape, the news of
the Indian mutiny caused the Belleisle's destination
to be changed. After a rapid passage, beating all
the steam transports, she landed her troops at Cal-
cutta in such a high state of efficiency and health
as to call forth the written approval of the General
Commander-in-Chief, Sir Colin Campbell. At Cal-
cutta the Belleisle's lower deck ports and rudder
were found to be in so damaged a state as to render
her detention for repairs absolutely necessary to
her safety, and, although every possible despatch
was made, she did not reach Canton until a few days
after the capture of that place. The Belleisle was
subsequently ordered to Pe-chile with provisions
'and stores for the fleet. After an excellent passage
of only 20 days, against the monsoon, she arrived
in time for the capture of the forts, aid received the
wounded. On the return of the ship to Hongkong
the failure of Commander Rodd's health obliged
him to invalid, the command of the ship being given
to her first lieutenant, Mr. Bingham, who has
brought her to England. Commander Rodd was
the senior of his rank on the East India and China
station during the whole of the operations, and, as
senior commander, was present at the signing of
the treaty at Tien-sing.
The screw steam-frigate Topaze, 51, Captain the
Hon. W. S. Spencer, received her powder at Ply-
mouth on Friday.

The screw steamsloop Donegal, 101, Capt. Glan-
ville, made an experimental trip outside Plymouth
Sound on Saturday. The extreme speed attained
was 12.8 ; average on a number of passages, 12
knots.

The Scout, 21, screw-corvette, is at present lying
in Great Yarmouth Roads, and is expected to re-
main off the coast for about a fortnight for the pur-
pose of entering volunteers for the naval service.
The French war steamer Galilee is, still in Yar-
mouth harbour, and her officers have fraternized
with those of the Scout.

At a meeting of the Great Yarmouth town council
last week it was resolved that a memorial should be
addressed to Government urging the necessity of
increased attention being given to the defence of
the coast and harbour. The views of the council
seem, however, to have been anticipated, as on the
following day the schooner Alma, from Woolwich,
arrived with ten 68-pounders, with carriages, &c.,
for the earthworks on the beach. As stated in The
Sun a few days since, the erection of a work for
five guns at Gorleston, a suburb of Yarmouth, is
also under consideration.

The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—Commander W. C. De
Vere to the Agamemnon ; Paul Storr, midshipman,
to the Topaze ; and W. J. Ellis, clerk, to the /111-
perieuse.