The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-24 00:00:00

THE NA VY.

The Duke of Somerset, as First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, e
The
fittedeam e 1
with e n ,
rally, will hold a levee to-morrow at the Admiralty-.
r
.ml7a,
usedrslaewy steam sloop, 200 horse
vwnd Co:Co.'s direct acting
engines, and also with Matidslay's shifting pitch
screw (varying from 13ft. Gin. to 16ft. pitch), was
taken out of Sheerness Dockyard yesterday for the
trial of her engines and machinery at the measured
mile. The trial, so far as the engines and machinery
were concerned, was perfectly satisfactory, but
owing to the ship not having a sufficient draught
of water aft, in consequence of not having the neees.
sary stores and ammunition ou board, the screw wan
not sufficiently immersed in the water to propel the
vessel with the speed which it would otherwise
have attained.
The Worcester, 50, sailing vessel, was yesterday
taken into dock in the Sheerness Yard, for the pur.
pose of being converted into a screw steamship.
Her present length between perpendiculars is 174
feet, and it is purposed to increase her length to 219
feet, by cutting the vessel in • two amidships and.
inserting 45 feet additional, in a similar manner to
the Phaeton and the Leander.

Letters received from Cherbourg speak of a strong
Russian fleet being expected to arrive in that road-
stead early in June. They also state that it is under-
stood by the authorities there that the Emperor has
expressed his wish that by the same time France
should have 12 iron-cased vessels afloat and ready
for service. The Juno (iron-cased) was launched
about three weeks since at Brest.
Capt. Robert Harris and the ship's officers and
naval cadets on board her Majesty's steamer Bri-
tannia, at Portsmouth, have subscribed for and pur-
chased one of Messrs. Negretti and Zambra's best
patent sea-coast barometers, which, With the consent
of the pier directors, they have placed on the Vic-
toria Pier, Portsmouth, for the use of the public.
The Cruiser, 17, screw, Commander Bythesert,
V.C., was yesterday officially inspected at Spithead,
and her crew exercised at great guns, small arms,
cutlass drill, &c. She afterwards steamed into
Portsmouth harbour, and was berthed alongside the
dockyard, where she will dismantle and pay off.
The Wallace, steam tender, at Portsmouth, was
yesterday employed in conveying provisions and
stores to the ships composing Rear/Admiral
Erskine's division of the Channel fleet, lying at
Spithead. The ships also commenced filling up coal.
The Mersey, 40, screw, Capt. H. Caldwell, C. 8.,
refitting at Portsmouth, was yesterday removed
from alongside the dockyard to the Sultan hulk, on
the completion of repairs to her head by the ship-
wright department.

The Camperdown, three-decker, converted to a
coal depot at Portsmouth, was yesterday removed
from the fitting basin to her moorings in the har-
bour, off the Royal Clarence Yard.

The Marlborough, 131, screw, Capt. W. H.
Stewart, C. 8., commenced masting in Portsmouth_
Dockyard steam basin yesterday by shipping her
new mainmast, which weighed 22 tons.
The Duncan, 101, screw, was placed in No. 8
steam basin dock at Portsmouth yesterday, where
she will ship her three-bladed iron screw, and pre-
pare for her experimental trials.
The Fancy, 2, screw gunboat, has been undoeked
at Portsmouth, and will complete her repairs along-
side the yard and in the steam basin.
The Royal paddle yacht Fairy has completed her
temporary repairs at Portsmouth, and will go out
of harbour to-day to test her machinery, preparatory
to conveying her Majesty across the Solent to the
Royal Clarence Yard on her Majesty's departure
from Osborne for Richmond. After performing thia
service the Fairy will be taken in hand by the steam
factory department of Portsmouth Yard, and un-
dergo a thorough overhaul and repair.

The Flyingfish, 6, screw, despatch vessel, Com-
mander C. W. Hope, in Portsmouth harbour, was
yesterday gaily decorated with flowers and ever-
greens at her royal mastheads, and a goodly gar-
land on her main royal stay, in honour of the mar-
riage of her gallant commander.

The work of forming the junction between Nos.
7 and 10 docks at Portsmouth has been commenced,
and, if carried on uninterruptedly, could be com-
pleted in about a month's time.

Mr. W. J. Heflyer, Deputy-Judge-Advocate .to
the Fleet, died at his residence, St. George's square,
Portsea, yesterday: The patronage of the appoint-
ment is in the hands of the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty.

The Melbourne, screw steamship, Captain H. B.
Benson, late screw hospital ship in China, will sail
from Spithead to-day for Bristol, where she will be
placed in the hands of Mr. Patterson, the iron ship-
builder, for a thorough overhaul and repair.
The paddlewheel steamvessel Lucifer, 2, with
Commander James Tonkin, Queen's harbourmaster
at Portsmouth, left Plymouth yesterday morning
for Liverpool.

The screw steamship Princess Royal, 91, was put
out of No. 3 dock in Keyham Steamyard on Monday
evening, and placed under the sheers in the basin.
The screw steamship Revenge, 91, to which the
crew of the Princess Royal will shortly be trans-
ferred, was appointed to bo placed yesterday after-
noon in No. 3 dock to have her valves overhauled
and be cleaned.

The surveying steamvessel Bann, 3, will be put
out of No. 4 dock in the Devonport Dockyard to-
day.

To-day the artisans in the Devonport Dockyard
commence coppering the bottom of the Albion, 90.
A court-martial will assemble to-day on board th•
flagship Impregnable, 104, Capt. Lord F. Kerr, in
Hamoaze, Plymouth, to try Mr. John Rivers, Assist.-
Paymaster of the Magicienne, on a charge of drunk-
enness.