The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-30 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The whole of the extra mechanics and labourers
ordered to be hired at Chatham Dockyard have
now been entered, and the utmost activity prevails
in allthe departments and factories of that establish-
ment in hastening forward the completion of those
vessels now building. In addition to the four new
vessels of war recently ordered by the Admiralty to
be built at that dockyard, directions have just
been received by the heads of the establishment for
two more vessels to be immediately laid down on
the first slips that become vacant. One of these
vessels is to be a 91-gun line-of-battle screw steamer,
and the other a 51-gun steam frigate, but the names
have not yet been announced. The frames of the
four new vessels ordered to be built have been com-
menced ; they are the Bulwark, 91, the Undaunted,
51, the Rattlesnake, 21, and the Reindeer, 17,
L screw steamers.

The boilers for the Charybdis, 21, screw corvette,
which is to be launched at Chatham Dockyard at
nom/ on Wednesday, have arrived from the factory
of Messrs. Miller and Ravenb ill, the contractors, and
have be'n deposited on board the Albatross, 12, at
Chatham, until the Charybdis is read to receive
them.
The Rodney, 90, and Severn, 51, in dock at
Chatham, being converted into screw steamers, are
when completod to be attached to the second divi-
sion of the steam reserve at that port.
The Doris, 32, screw frigate, Capt. Heathcote,
made her second trial of Griffiths' patent propeller
nt the measured mile, in Stokes Bay, on Friday
evening, in charge of Capt. G. T. Gordon, com-
manding steam reserve, and under the superintend-
ence of Messrs. Dinnen Murdoch, and Miller, the
Government officials. Mr. Griffiths, the patentee of
the propeller, was also on boo.rd during the trial.
The Doris's trial with this propoller on the 25th
inst. was made at its coarsest pitch, 32 feet. The
present trial was made tit its finest pi; cll, 26 feet 5.
The mean of six runs; at the measured n'tile gave a
speed of rather over 12+ knots ; number revolu-
tions of engines maximum, 58.5, mean, 58.25 ; pres-
sure of steam, 211 b. ; vacuum, 25. Althou6h the
engines on this trial completed a revolution ni'arlY
every second of time, the amount of vibration `.vas
very small-indeed. The next trial with the Grine-.
fiths' propeller will be made with a "medium pitch.'
It is also intended to give the Admiralty screw
another trial. The greatest speed attained by the
screw has been with the " leading" corner of each
blade cut off. In the forthcoming trial the op-
posite, or " falling" corner of each blade, will be
cut off, the screw being restored to its usual form
in every other respect.
The beautiful manner in which the Doris's en-
gines have performed their work during these ex-
perimental trials has elicited the warmest admiration
from all who have had the opportunity of witness-
ing their action. *The Doris steamed into Portsmouth
harbour on Saturday morning and landed Griffiths'
propeller on the Sheer jetty in the Dockyard.
The Cressy, 80, screw steamship, Capt. Hon. C.
J. B. Elliott, sailed from Spithead for the westward
early on Saturday morning.
The Virago 6, paddle steamer, Com. M. B. Dunn,
sailed from Spithead for the westward on Saturday.
The Victoria and Albert royal steam yacht, Capt.
the Hon. J. Denman, is expected to leave Ports-
mouth early this morning for Gravesend, where she
will embark H.R.H. Princess Frederick William
and suite, on her Royal Highness's return from her
visit to this country to Berlin.
The lighter Hamoaze, J. Webber, master, from
Queenstown, arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday. The
lighter Devon, J. Rowett, master, from Pembroke,
and the lighter Tortoise, Lott, master, from Queens-
town, arrived on Wednesday.
The transport Diligence, E. Crook, master, with
provisions and stores, was towed out of Plymouth
Sound on Friday, and sailed for Pembroke. She has
a new patent gravity binnacle, invented by Mr. G.
Brown, of Deptford dockyard, the merits of
which are said to have been fully and satisfactorily
tested in some heavy gales which she encountered
on her passage from Deptford to Devonport.
The screw steam sloop Brisk, 16 guns, Capt. De
Horsey, was towed on Friday from Hamoaze into
Plymouth Sound, where she saluted the flag of
Port Admiral Sir B. Reynolds, K.C.8., with 15
guns.
The guardship in ordinary, Royal Adelaide, 104,
Capt. W. J. Williams, was taken out of the basin
at Keyham steamyard on Friday, and towed to the
sheer hulk. Her masts and bowsprit were stepped
on Saturday, and she was placed at her moorings
in Hamoaze.

The screw steam gunvessel Intrepid, 6, Com-
mander Marryat, steamed from Hamoaze into Ply-
mouth Sound on Saturday.
The paddlewheel surveying steamer Bann, Capt.
Williams, having had her bottom coated with com-
position, was out of dock at Devonport on Saturday.
The lighter Duck, J. Weal master, with stores
from Chatham, arrived at Plymouth on Saturday.
Rear-Admiral Sir H. J. Leeke, K.H., K.C.8.,
visited Devonport Dockyard at noon on Saturday.
Twenty seamen from Hull arrived at Plymouth
on Friday, and were sent to the flagship Impreg-
nable, 104, Capt. W. H. Stewart, C.B. ; 132 men
arrived by train on Saturday, to be entered in various
ships fitting at that port.
Fifty-three shipwrights were entered in flip De-
vonport Dockyard on Wednesday, and 10 joiners
on Saturday. The artisans employed on the screw
steamship St. George, 91, received orders on Friday
to work from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The convict ship Sultana was towed out of Ply-
mouth Sound on Saturday afternoon, and ' sailed i
for Fremantle.

The engines ordered by the Admiralty from
Messrs. John Penn and Son for the new steam ram
are to be of I,2soinominal horse power, and are ex-
pected to work up to nearly 6,000 horse power
indicated.

The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—D. M'Carthy, Acting
Assistant-Surgeon, to the Emerald.; Master's
Assistants C. E. E. Peale,-tee Emerald ; C. D.
Tretridge, to the Cadmus ; B. S. Bradley, to the
Intrepid ; E. Brock, to the Flying Fish ; F. T.
May, to the Mersey ; and F. W. Jarrard, to the
Pioneer.