The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-15 00:00:00

THE NAVY,

j,

Rear-Admiral Erskine's division of the Channel
fleet, comprising the Edgar, 91, screw (flagship),
Capt. James Katon ; Trafalgar, 91, screw, Capt. E.
G. Fanshawe ; and Diadem, 32, screw, Capt. J. H.
Cockburn, arrived at Spithead at 1 p.m. on Satur-
day, under canvas, 14 days from Lisbon. Their
news has been anticipated by the arrival of the
Tagus, Peninsular and Oriental Mail Company's
steamer, at Southampton.
The Vixen, 6, paddle, Commander Frederick W.
Richards, arrived at Spithead on Saturday from the
Pacific. She sailed from Valparaiso on the 10th of
January last, and entered the Straits of Magellan
on the sth of February. Arrived at Rio de Janeiro
on the Ist of March and sailed again for England
on the sth of the same month. The last 10 days of
the passage calms and easterly winds were experi-
enced which may retard the arrival of the Ganges,
84, flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir R. L. Baynes, at
Spithead. Nothing had been seen of the ship on
the passage home. The Vixen brought home some
supernumeraries, who were landed, and immediately
afterwards she left Spithead on her way to Wool-
wich, where she will be put out of commission.
She is very defective.
The Royal paddle yacht Victoria and Albert,
Capt. Hon. J. Denman, sailed from Portsmouth on
Saturday morning for Madeira, calling in Cowes
Roads to take on board live stock, &c.
The Bulldog, 6, paddle, Commander H. F.
M'Killop, sailed from Portsmouth on Saturday for
the Chops of the Channel and Pembroke. On
reaching Pembroke she will assist in towing the
Defiance, screw liner, round to Devon port.
Rear-Admiral Wipff, commanding the Dutch
squadron lately lying at Spithead, with his suite,
accompanied by the Netherlands Consul, Chevalier
Vandenberg, were entertained at dinner on Satur-
day, by Vice-Admiral H. W. Bruce, commanding-
in-Chief at Portsmouth, at the Admiralty-house in
the dockyard, where a distinguished party was as-
sembled to do honour to the gallant Admiral.
Yesterday morning, at 9 o'clock, Admiral Wipff
embarked on board the Sprightly steam tender,
Master-Commander Allen, which conveyed him to
Spithead, where he embarked on board his flagship,
the Evertsen, 51, screw, Capt. Vreeland. Both ships
immediately got up steam, and by 11.30 a.m. the
Evertsen and her consort the Zeeland were steam-
ing out to the eastward on their way to the Texel.
Previous to Admiral Wipff's embarcation he ex-
pressed in the warmest terms, on behalf of himself
and his officers, their gratification at the courteous
reception they had received from all parties, the
military and naval authorities, and civilians, during
the stay of the squadron at Spithead.
Port Admiral Sir Houston Stewart went out on
Thursday afternoon in the screw steamship Hero,
91, Capt. A. P. Ryder, from Hamoaze to Plymouth
Sound, in company with the screw steamship Con-
queror, 101, Capt. E. S. Sotheby, C.B. The admiral
returned in the steam tender Avon to Mount Wise.
The iron paddlewheel steamvessel Weser, 6, Com-
mander Arthur H. J. Johnstone, from Woolwich,
which arrived on Friday afternoon in Plymouth
Sound, went on Saturday into Hamoaze to be re-
paired, having sprung a leak. She goes to .day into
No. 3 dock in Keyham steamyard. The Weser is
bound for the Danube.
The gunboats Hyena and Nightingale went on
Friday outside Plymouth breakwater to make a
trial of their engines. The trial is stated to have
been so satisfactory that the engines are fit for ser