The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-25 00:00:00

THR NA I' Y.

The Plumper, 9, screw surveying vessel, Coin-
: mander A. Hoskins, the arrival of which at Spit-
! head from Vancouver's island was reported in The
Sun of yesterday, is ordered to proceed into Ports-
. mouth Harbour to strip and pay off. The ship has
made her passage home under canvas, sailing from
Vancouver's on the 28th of January ; Valparaiso,
3d of April ; and Rio de Janeiro on the 16th of May.
• At Rio were her Majesty's ships Curlew, Spy, and
' Madagascar. The Leopard paddle-frigate Was
cruising outside, waiting the arrival of the Ad-
miral's relief from England, but was to return into
the roadstead on the 23d of May. The passage home
has been generally fine. On the 15th of June, in
lat. 39 N., long. 35 W., the Plumper was spoken
by the schooner Mary and Elizabeth, steering west,
outward bound, which desired to he reported, all
well. Six men of the Royal Engineers, and one man
of the 15th Hussars, from the force under Colonel
Mundy at Victoria, have come to England in the
Plumper from Vancouver's. Among her passengers
from the Pacific and Rio are Lieut. Raul, and Mr.
Parks, master, from her Majesty's ship Curlew ;
Mr. Hoare, from the Naid storeship ; Mr. Roberts,
from the Madagascar; the Second Master of her
Majesty's ship Spy, &c., and 10 naval invalids. The
Plumper was commissioned on the 10th December,
1856, by Capt. G. H. Richards, for special survey-
ing service at Vancouver's Island, she has been
constantly employed since her arrival in the early
part of 1857. The Hecate, 6, paddle, left England
12 months since, under the command of Commander
Hoskins, for the purpose of relieving the Plumper
in her duties and enabling her to return to England
and pay off her crew. On the Hecate's arrival out
at Vancouver's Capt. Richards took over the Hecate
from Commander the-latter officer having
thus returned to England in command of the
Plumper. With the exception of Lieut. Moriarty,
senior Lieut., Mr. Croker, Assist-Paymaster, and
three Engineers, the officers of the Plumper have
turned over with Capt. Richards to the Hecate, for
the purpose of carrying out the surveys they have
been so long employed upon at Vancouver's Island.
The Megrera screw troopship, Commander Hen-
derson, embarked at Portsmouth yesterday the

troops enumerated in The Sun of yesterday, and
will sail this morning for Queenstown and the
Mediterranean.

Orders have been issued for the testing at Shoe-
buryness on Thursday next of five armour plates
that have been forged with the large steam hammer
in the smiths' shop of her Majesty's dockyard at
Portsmouth, under the superintendence of Mr.
Wells, the master smith of the dockyard. These
plates have been expressly manufactured for the
trial with the best scrap iron, and the hammer with
which they have been forged was erected in Ports-
mouth Dockyard about four years since. It has a
five.ton head, exclusive of its face, a seven-foot
stroke, with an hydraulic crank of 50 ton lift, and
is on all points fully equal to the manufacture of
the largest-sized armour plates that are yet recom-
mended for the sides of our iron-cased ships.
Yesterday, in accordance with orders received
from the Admiralty, preparations were commenced
at Chatham Dockyard for lengthening and altering
the 91-gun screw steamer Royal Oak, building
under the seventh shed, to a 50-gun iron-plated.
steamer. At present the steamer is about one-third
in frame, so that the required alterations can be
effected in a comparatively easy manner. Accord-
ing to present orders, she is to be lengthened
amidships 18 feet, which will be accomplished by
taking down the fore part of her frame and moving
it the required length. The Royal Oak will be
about a year building, unless Admiralty orders
should be received to suspend her construction.
She will be the first of the squadron of iron-cased
wooden steamers to be built for the British navy.
Her Majesty's gunboat Griper, Lieut. and Com-
mander John S. Keats, arrived on Saturday at
Sheerness from Hull, and proceeded to Chatham,
to take in ammunition and gunners' stores for the
use of the Naval Coast Volunteers in the Cromer
district.

The Dragon, 6, paddlewheel steam sloop, 560-
horse power, Commander Edward Hardinge, in No.
1 Dock at Sheerness, is being fitted for the North
American and West India station. The Dragon
will not be ready for sea for some time, as con-
siderable devastation to the timbers has been dis-
covered through the ravages of the dry rot.
Rear-Admiral the Hon. F. T. Pelham, C. 8., who
recently resigned his office as one of the Lords of
the Admiralty, died at Brighton on the 21st inst.
in his 52d year. He was born in 1808, and was the
second son of the second Earl of Chichester, by a
daughter of the sth Duke of Leeds. He entered
the navy in June, 1823, and while attached to the
Sybille, Capt. S. J.. Peehell, was present in 1826 in
an attack on the pirates in the Archiepelago. On
his promotion to the rank of commander he was
employed on the north coast of Spain. He attained
post rank in 1840.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Reginald F. H. Henderson,
naval cadet, to the London ; William Crump, as-
sistant-paymaster, to the Greyhound ; and Edwin
Theakston, assistant-paymaster, to the Hannibal.

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.—
C. F. HANCOCK, Jeweller and Silversmith to the
Queen, 39, Bruton-street, Bond-street, having been selected
by the Committee to make the " BADGE" to be worn by
the Members of the " National Rifle Association," begs
respectfully to inform them that it may be procured at his
Establishment, in SILVER, price 7s. 6d., and in GOLD
iNA3IELLED, price Three Guineas.

re REATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Backatone.
Tins EVENING, the performances
THE. TIAPPIEST DAY OF MY LlFE.will oommenae with
After which THE OVERLAND ROUTE. Messrs. Chas.
Mathews, Buckstone, E. Villiers, Rogers, dm ; Mrs. Wilkins,
Mrs. C. Mathews, and Miss E. Weekes.
Followed by PATTER VERSUS CLATTER.
And THE GALICIAN FETE.
Commence at 7.

.R 0 YAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris.

rms EVENING, A.S.S. Mr. E. Matthews, Mr. Cathcart,
Miss R. Leclercq. c.
Followed by WERNER. Mr. Phelps, Mr. Ryder, Mr.
E. Phelps, Miss Atkinson, Miss R. Leclercq,
After which, a new comic drama, called A lIOMESTEAD
STORY, Messrs. Ryder, Shore, and Miss M. Harris.

NEW THRATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI.-
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
Reproduction of "The Colleen Bawn. " The Adelphi
"Census" every Eveninz.
THIS EVENING, the successful new Farce, entitled A
TURKISH BATH. Mr. J. L, Toole. Mr. P. Bedford.
After which (215th time), THE COLLEEN BAWN. Mr.
D. Boucicault, D. Fisher, Billington, Falconer, Stephenson,
C. J. Smith, Romer, Howard, Ward ; Mrs. Boucicault, Miss
Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Chatterley.
To be followed by a new apropos Sketch, THE CENSUS.
Messrs. J. t,. Toole, Eburne, Romer, C. J. Smith ; Miss
Kate Kelly, Miss E. Thorne, and Mrs. Chatterley.
Doors open at half past 6—Commence at 7.