The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-16 00:00:00

2HE NA Vl'.

The screw frigate Ariadne, 26, Capt. E. W. Van-
sittart, will leave Folly Point, Chatham, this day
and proceed to Sheerness, where she will adjust her
compasses before proceeding to Portsmouth. Since
she has been at Chatham she has been fitted 'with
Clifford's patent apparatus for lowering boats; in
the use of which the crew have been frequently
exercised. The lighters have been alongside for
several days delivering her gunpowder from the
Magazine at Upnor Castle, the supply she has taken
on board being very large. It is reported that some
defects have been discovered in her gun-carriages
which will necessitate some alterations before she
proceeds to sea. She has obtained nearly the whole
of her complement of seamen, who are as smart a
body of blue-jackets as any in her Majesty's service.
The Charybdis, 21, screw corvette, in dock at
Chatham, rigging and fitting for the steam reserve,
ie very nearly completed, and will be ready to leave
dock at the end of the present month, when she will
join the first division of_the steam reserve. _

J- -
The Wellesley, 72, Capt. G. Goldsmith, C. 8.,
guardship in ordinary at Chatham, was paid down
on Wednesday last to six months.
The screw steam corvette Jason, 21, having been
coppered, was removed on Wednesday from No. 1
dock at Devonport to the steam yard at Keyham,
for the purpose of receiving her boilers and machi-
nery.
The crew of the screw steamship Conflict, Corn.
R. W. Courteuay, at Plymouth, were turned over
on Wednesday to the screw steam sloop Grey-
hound, 17.
The paddlewheel steam troopship Dee, 4, Com.
T. C. Pullen; hat; received the boilers of the Dee, at
Keyham steam yarci, for conveyance to Portsmouth.
The paddlewheel steam-tender Advice, M. Ray-
mond, second-master commanding; from Queens-
town, arrived at Plymouth on Wednesday, having
in tow the gunboat Shamriick: —r-
f tw
The Himalaya, screw tto fill t. J. Seccombe,
sailed from PortsmoutA ea a !WHalifax and
tilt' West Indies, calling' ta- I.fith and Queens-
town.
The Vigilant, 4, screw'siOWlTidoop, Commander
W. Armytage, has steamedlin—POrtsmonth har-
bour and berthed alongside the south jetty to strip,
and retarn stores, &T. _ ___ __ .

The Mutine, 17, screw, Commander IV. Graham,
in Portsmouth harbour, is having additional venti-
lation supplied to her fore stoke-hole.
The Bacchante, .51, screw, commenced masting
yesterday in the steam basin atPortsmouth.
The greatest possible activit vis visible in all parts
of Portsmouth dockyard. The two line-of-battle
ships nearly complete for launching—the Prince of
Wales, 131, three-decker, and the Royal Frederick,
91, two-decker—have every available hand ern,
ployed upon them to complete them within the
stipulated time ; the former vessel-will be launched
the latter end of next month. A number of work-
men are already engaged in laying down the keel of
the Royal Alfred, 91, two-decker, in the shed under
which the Victoria was built, and an improved 51
gun frigate (the Dryad) will be commenced at once
in the shed from which the Duncan, 101, was
launched on Tuesday last. The Sutlej, in No. 9 dock,
converting from a sailing to a steam frigate, is
nearly complete in her outside planking. The Rin-
aldo, 17, screw, building in' the easternmost dock, is
fast approaching completion, and has a large num-
ber of hands employed upon her. Tho Glasgow,
51, screw,' has also a large number of hands work-
ing upon her, and, having only been laid down
since the launch of the Bacchante frigate,
has made wonderful progress in that short
time. The Nelson, in. No.. 3 dock, is nearly
completed in her conversion from a sailing
three-decker to a ' two-decked screw steam-
ship. The Medea, 6, paddle, and the Bulldog, 6,
paddle, in the adjoining docks—the latter nearly
finished—will be almost rebuilt by the time they
are completed, employing a number of hands and
absorbing a large quantity of material. The steam
factory, with its present limited resources, is of
course fully employed in carrying out the different
repairs, &c., required. The Magt-era, iron screw
troopship, is at present in the hands of the factory
undergoing a thorough repair to hull and ma-
chinery. In addition to the Government depart-
ments, there are the different works in the hands of
the contractors :—The formation of the new entrance
to the steam basin from the harbour with the new
double dock ; the lengthening of the three docks in
the old ship basin, each from 50 to 60 feet; the new
foundry near the steam basin, the store-houses near
the "Present Use Store-house," and the commence-
ment of the new works already ordered to take
place—such as the new dock opening from the
north corner of the steam basin—the pier, or jetty
for coaling ships from the watering island, &c. It
is stated that the Government alone are paying
weekly at Portsmouth-yard *X7,000 sterling as
wages, &c.

The following is an extract from H.M.S. Beagle,
dated Teneriffe, Dec. 1 :—" We had a beautiful pas-
sage from Spithead until within 30 miles of this
place, when we ciught a strong south-east gale,
which blew, us off the land, and we had to lay to
for 30 hours. It blew excessively heavy, with vio-
lent squalls, accompanied by lightning and ram.
We called in at Lisbon and coaled, sailing again
from there on the 26th at 4 p.m., sighting Teneriffe
at 3.15 a.m. to-day. We leave here the day after to-
morrow for the Cape of Good Hope, on our way to
the Peiho. Our small craft behaved splendidly dur-
ing the gale, and every one feels proud to belong to
her, not only because of her qualities as a sea boat,
but because:every one on board feels that the ship
is well officered and manned. Plenty of discipline
to render our hands perfect in their duties, but
judiciously applied. Grumbling is unknown in the
ship, and from the good feeling existing on board,
and care taken in drilling our young crew, you may
depend upon it they will be heard of in her deal-
ings with John Chinaman."
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—George William Hancock,
acting third-class assistant engineer to the Asia as
supernumerary ; Edward Falkener, paymaster ad-
ditional to the Victoria ; Horatio Somerville, assist-
ant-paymaster to the Impregnable ; John H. Tully,
second master to the Edgar; James Harry, second
master to the Industry ; John S. Striven, clerk to
the Queen ; E. W. Jago, assistant clerk to the
Victory ; and I. W. Backwoll, assistant clerk to
the Fawn.