The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-01 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

By direction of the Admiralty, the whole of the
screw gun-boats attached to the first division of the
Steam Reserve at Chatham are to be fitted with
Armstrong guns and ammunition, and the ordi-
nary cast-iron guns new on board taken out and
deposited in the Ordnance stores.
In order to provide additional space for the
Achilles, under construction at Chatham, an iron
eaisson is to be, constructed at the entrance to No.
2 dock, in which the Achilles is building, instead
of the present timber erection. The cost of the
new caisson will be about £4,000.
A number ofpainters have been hired at Chatham
dockyard, to be employed on the President, 51,
which is being fitted as a training ship for the
Naval Reserve, to be stationed in the Thames.

The Orestes, 21, screw, Capt. Allan 11. Gardner,
at Spithead, is under orders to proceed to the Cape
of Good Hope, conveying out to Sierra Leone the
Handy, screw gunboat, fitting out at Portsmouth
as tender to the Arrogant, flagship on the West
Coast of Africa. The Handy will transfer her ar
mament to the Orestes for the outward voyage.
The Stromboli and the Chanticleer are both
hourly expected,to be commissioned at Portsmouth,
to reinforce the West India squadron, with refe-
rence, most probably, to expected operations on the
coast of Mexico. Both vessels are masted, and are
being rigged and stored with the greatest possible
despatch.
A number of Armstrong and 40 pounder guns,
with their fittings, shot, shell, &c., have been
already set aside by the Ordnance authorities at
Portsmouth for the service of the North America
and West India squadron, and, according to pre-
sent arrangements, the Ernorald, 51, screw, Capt.
A. Cumming, will at once embark the guns and
stores apportioned to the Nile, St. George, and
Cadmus, and sail with them for Halifax.
The Medea, 6, paddle, fitting out at Portsmouth
for foreign service, is ordered to have a 100-pounder
Armstrong substituted for her present smooth-bore
pivot gun, and also to be supplied with two Arm-

strong 20 pounder boat guns.
The Balaklava and the Lord Panmure, Ordnance
steam transports, have arrived at Portsmouth from
Woolwich with cargoes of Armstrong guns-100
and 40 pounders, with their fittings, shot,•shell, 8:e.
The Warrior, 40, screw, Capt. the Hon. A. A.
Cochrane, will not be undocked at Portsmouth be-
fore Saturday next. Her crew are busily engaged
in overhauling her rigging, &c., while gangs of
artisans are employed on and between decks in
completing her fittings. Thousands of visitors thron g
into the dockyard to see the ship, and yesterday, at
times, her decks were all but impassable.
A portion of the Chanrel fleet is expected shortly
at Plymouth to make good defects. The screw
steamship Hero, 89, Capt. A. P. Ryder, has lost
eanvas, and some of the others are deficient of spars.
There is a dock vacant at Keyham steamyard
should any of the ships require docking.
The screw steamship Royal Albert, 121, which
has been several months in No. dock at Keyham
steamyard, will be removed thence during the pre-
sent week. While in dock there was some inten-
tion of making what is termed a " razee " of her,
and so converting her into a two-decker.

The Malacca, 17, steam sloop; 200-horse power,
Capt. G. J. Napier, recently commissioned at Sheer-
ness, was inspected on Friday by Vice-Admiral W,
J. IL Johnstone and staff, when the crew were ex•

ercised in making and shortening sail, and at great-
gun practice and small-arm exercise. The berths
and cabins were carefully inspected, and found to be
in a highly satisfactory condition. The vice-admiral
was particularly struck with the smartness of the
crew, who are a fine body of men draughted from
the continuous service seamen recently paid off from
other vessels. He expressed the highest admiration
of them in consequence, as well as of their practice.
Subsequently the v(ssel went out on a trial trip of
her engines. She answered her helm admirably, and
there was scarcely any vibration from her engines.
The trial resulted as follows :—Average revolutions,
84; speed, 81knots ; draught of water forward, 181
feet ; aft, 15 feet, 9 inches. The officers and crew
seemed much pleased with the ship. She left Sheer-
ness on Saturday for Portsmouth, where she will
await final orders. It is understood that her destina-
tion will be the Mediterranean station.
It being the intention of the Government to in-
troduce the Armstrong gun into use on the fortifica-
tions at Sheerness and the entrance to the Medway
as well as at the Isle of Grain, it has been found
necessary to erect new granite kerbs, racers, and
traversing platforms, for the purpose of supporting
the guns, as it is intended that they shall be of the

largest calibre. Tenders for the works have recently
been issued by the War Department, and Mr. T.
Twigg, builder and contractor at Sheerness, has
obtained the contract. The works will be commonesd
immediately.
The paddlewheel storeship Dee, Master-Corn. T.
C. Pullen, from Woolwich, with marine engine gear
for Keyham steamyard, arrived at Plymouth yes-
terday.
His Swedish Majesty's corvette Nornen, 20, Capt.
11. Smith, from Christiania for the West Indies,
put into Plymouth Sound yesterday morning.

The following appOintments were made onSatur-
day at the Admiralty :—G. L. 1). R. Keeling, engi.
neer, to the Racer ; L. Backler, first-class assistant-
engineei, to the Jason ; E. S. Young, acting stcond-
class assist.-engineer, to the Racer; J. Miller (c.),
acting second-class assist.-engincer. to the Jason ; J.
S. Snell, F. Rowlatt, and R. M. Bryant, masters'-
assists., to the Narcissus; J. 3. C. Smail, midship-
man, to the Edgar; 0, Churchill, midshipman, to
the Orestes.