The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-26 00:00:00

THE NAVE

The screw steamship Donegal, 99, Capt. Sherard
Osborn, C. 8., which left Gibraltar on .the 12th,
entered Plymouth Sound on the 23d current. She
went out under steam, and returned home under
steam and canvass. Fine weather prevailed until
Mon day last, when there sprang up a heavy gale
from the south-west and north-west. Daring the
storm, in lat 48 30 north, long. 6 6 west, Thomas
Woolf, able seaman, fell over, or was washed from
the fore chains. The life-buoy was dropped in-
stantly and a boat was promptly lowered and gal-
lantly manned, under Lieut. Edward G. Maddock.
After a prolonged absence, the sea running very
high and the weather hazy, a recall gun was fired,
when Thomas Southworth, ordinary seaman, was
unfortunately blown overboard. He drew out the
tompion and returned unobserved to the muzzle of
the gun, it is supposed for the purpose of taking
out some rags. It was with some danger that those
who were unsuccessful in rescuing Woolf were got
on board the ship. The Donegal brings 36 military
invalids from the garrison, three naval invalids from
the St. Jean d'Acre, 99, Capt. the Hon. B. Elliot.
C. 8., and six convicts from Gibraltar. She has 42
guns of various sizes from the Acre, in exchange for
others of modern construction, which she conveyed
to that ship. The Donegal left at Gibraltar the
Acre, the steam gunboat Procris, Lieut. and Com-
mander the Hon. John Carnegie, and the paddle-
wheel steam tug Redpole, 1, tender to the Hiber-
nia. Off Algesiras was the Spanish squadron, con-
sisting of one line-of-battle ship, two frigates, and
two gunboats. At 11 a.m. on Monday, in lat.
47 40 N., long. 7 W., the Donegal spoke the screw
steamship Marlborough, 131, Captain W. H.
Stewart, C. 8., beating to the westward, all
well ; and in the afternoon, during the gale,
she passed a line-of-battle ship, name un-
known. On entering the Channel the Done-
gal tried her rate of sailing with a clipper mer-
chant ship, which she distanced completely in a few
hours. The Donegal will probably go into Hamoaze
to exchange the Acre's old gun's, after which she
will, it is said, join the Channel fleet, to which she
belongs.
The Dragon, 6, paddlewheel steamer, which was
commissioned at Sheerness by Commander E.
Hardinge, has been found to be so rotten, and
altogether unfitted for service at sea, that the whole
of the officers and men have been turned over to
the screw corvette Cameleon, 17, 200 horse power,
now fitting at Sheerness. Since the Dragon has
been in dock a considerable portion of the planking
of her bottom, both fore and aft, has been removed,
in order that a careful survey of her timbers might
be made by the dockyard authorities. The result
of this examination, which was completed yester-
day, has been the discovery that the rot has pene-
trated so far into her timbers that there is little
chance of this fine steamer being again fit for sea,
notwithstanding any amount of repairs which may
be effected in her. A special report of the result of
the survey has been forwarded to the Board of Ad-
miralty, and the decision of their Lordships is now
awaited whether this steamer is to be broken up or
to be thoroughly repaired. The Dragon was built
at Pembroke about 16 years ago, and three years
since underwent a complete overhaul at Chatham
Dockyard. Yesterday a party of workmen com-
menced removing her rigging.

The Virago, 6, paddlewheel steam sloop, 300-
horse power, left Sheerness harbour on Wednesday
for a trial of her speed and machinery, the trial
being under the command of Capt. Schomberg, of
the steam reserve, assisted by Mr. Price, inspector
of machinery afloat, and Mr. Blaxland, chief engi-
neer of the Sheerness Dockyard. The following
results were arrived at :—Average speed, 8.631
revolutions, 181; pressure, 8; vacuum, 26 ; course
of wind, sto 6 S.W. After being tested at the
measured mile, the vessel was tried at the circle and
the half circle, the latter occupying 2 minutes an
35 seconds, and the former 5 minutes and 3 seconds,
it taking 200 yards to perform it in. Draught of
water forward, lift. 10in.; aft, lift. Sin. The
machinery worked admirably.
On the same day the Pylades, 21, screw steam
corvette, 350 horse-power, arrived at Sheerness from
the Pacific (Capt. M. De Courcy.) The vessel was
inspected by Vice. Admiral W. J. Hope Johnstone,
who spoke very favourably of her condition. After
this she proceeded to Chatham.

• On Wednesday the Griper, 60 horse-power, ten-
der to the Cornwallis, arrived at Chatham with con-
demned stores from Hull, and proceeded to Sheer-
ness to await further orders.

The Geyser, 6, paddle, Commander Wood, arrived
at Portsmouth yesterday, with supernumeraries,
&c., from Devonport.

The Iris, sailing frigate, left Spithead on Wed- •
nesday evening for the Medway, where she will be
dismantled and put out of commission.

The 21.saye paddle frigate, Commander G. N.
Adams (her Majesty's Indian Navy), arrived at
Spithead yesterday from India with troops, time-
expired men, and invalids ; she awaits orders at
Spithead. She sailed from Bombay on the 30th
of March, and St. Helena on the 7th of June. Her
passengers and troops comprise—Capt. Anderson,
wife, and child, 6th Dragoons; Mrs. Frazer and
three children, Lieut. Seagrim and wife, Ist
Royals ; Lieut. Bradford, 3d Madras Europeans ; 3
warrant officers, 139 non-commissioned officers and
men, various regiments, 11 women, q children, and
6 naval invalids. Off the Cape the Assaye expe-
rienced heavy weather, but afterwards had a fine
passage, with a preponderance of light winds and
calms. On the 18th she fell in with strong westerly
winds, accompanied with thick weather, rendering
ao
at
e with
weexr
tit cesronmeeesaaorytiotoo.waTtchhe landthAesaeapyper,osacwhhteoel
e
taken off in India, and the passage home has been
made under canvass.
ais n expected
othraetpashiree wanild
pre
ce ed to the Thames
alterations similar to those made on the Punjab.
The Nimrod, 6, screw despatch vessel, Commander
Arthur, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning
from China and the East Indies, and is ordered
into Portsmouth harbour to dismantle, and to be
put out of commission. She sailed from Singapore
on the 4th of April, from the Cape of Good Hope
on the 25th of May, from St. Helena on the 9th of
June, and from Fayal on the 12th instant. Fine
weather was experienced until on nearing the
Channel the recent gale was encountered. The
Nimrod has brought home a few supernumeraries
fromthe station and the Cape.
NoTrhweayN: porewteginiaton Ellida,pcolyrvmeototethsooodon Wednesday
from Cadiz for
evening.whoareo n
a She
cruise
number of cadets,
The following appointments were made yesterday
yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Commander J. B. Field,e fon
instruction. board
a
addi-
tional, to the Hawke, for service in the Coast Guard ;
Commander Sidmouth S. Skipwith, additional, to
the Ajax, for service in the Coast Guard; Lieut. 1.
s
W. Armstrong, to the Diadem ; Lieut. Georga G.
Doe r
h ff,
•
atothte
IndustryExcellent;he , W. H. Adlara
t ecoxid Master,
t
sanspareil ; John N. De Vries, paymaster, to
the Warrior; Thomas Pideock, paymaster, to the
Fisgard ; T. M. Jenkins and Edward Roe:, assistant-
paymaster, to the Fisgard.

A part of the Gillingham Volunteer Corps,
numbering 30 non-commissioned officer and men
and four superior officers,
under the command of
Capt. Beveridge, arrived at Sheerness on Thurs-
day, and practised at gun-firing frora the 68 and
32-pounders on the centre bastion of the garrison.
The practice was excellent, the flags taff' being car-
ried away and the target riddled ti 'rough. After
the 50th shot it was observed that the target was
adrift, owing to a shot which had se p arated it from
the buoy.

The potato disease has made its r cppf!arance in the
neighbourhood of Southampton and Du rha m.
A HEN IN A CHINA SHOP.— -0' a Saturday, a
hen, in the course of a leisurely peregrii let ion, strutted into
a shop in Wick, and after a brief survnif of the premises,
mounted the counter, jumping thence. inl o a corner where
a large quantity of brittle ware was dr.lposi ted. Here chuckle
contrived to upset and destroy various minable articles of
crockery, and having thus far succeed ed she flew in the
direction of the window, upsetting wad sr uashing bottle, &C.
and threatening to commit greater eiestra action. Hero, how-
ever, she was secured, and, as a -warms
she was then and there, without the IN en edt of a trial, sum-
marily decapitated and thrown into t 3 etreot.-•4orthern
Ensign,
ig to all intruders,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—YESTERDAY.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

BEERHO U SE S.
The Earl of DERBY presented a petition which was, he
said, most respectably signed, complaining of the abuses
arising from the present system of licensing beerhouses.
The petitioners proposed some schemes for remedying
these abuses, but with them he did not concur.
NEGLECTED CLAIMS.
viscount DUNGANNON presented a petition from a
Mr. Joseph Manle, complaining that, in 1849, he submitted
some plans for the drainage of the Metropolis to the Govern-
ment, which have since been used, but for which he has
received no remuneration. He prayed their lordships to
procure for him compensation from the Board of Works.

THE BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
The Earl of DERBY said he would to-morrow pat a
question to the noble earl opposite (Earl Granville) with
reference to the business now standing before the two
Houses of Parliament.