The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-26 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The screw steamship Donegal, 99, Capt. Sherard
Osborn, C. 8., which left Gibraltar on the 12th,

entered Plymouth Sound on the 23d current. She
went out under steam, and returned home under

steam and canvass. Fine weather prevailed until
Monday last, when there sprang up a heavy gale
from the south-west and north-west. During the

storm, in lat 48 30 north, long. 6 6 west, Thomas
Woolf, able seaman, fell over, or was washed from

the fore chains. The life-buoy was dropped in-
stantly and a boat was promptly lowered and gal-
lantly manned, under Lieut. Edward G. Maddock.

After a prolonged absence, the sea running very
high and the weather hazy, a recall gun was fired,
when Thomas Southworth, ordinary seaman, was

unfortunately blown overboard. He drew out the
tompion and returned unobserved to the muzzle of
the gun, if is supposed for the purpose of taking
out some rags. It was with some danger that those
who were unsuccessful in rescuing Woolf were got
on board the ship. The Donegal brings 36 military
invalids from the garrison, three naval invalids from
the St. Jean d'Acre, 99, Capt. the Hon. B. Elliot,
C. 8., and six convicts from Gibraltar. She has 42

guns of various sizes from the Acre, in exchange for
others of modern coestruction, which she conveyed
to that ship. The Donegal left at Gibraltar the

Acre, the steam gunboat Procris, Lieut. and Com-

mander the Hon. John Carnegie, and the paddle-
wheel steam tug Redpole, 1, tender to the Hiber-

nia. Off Algesiras was the Spanish squadron, eon-
_ _

sisting of one line-of-battle ship, two frigates, and
two gunboats. At 11 a.m. on Monday, in lat.
47 40 N., long. 7 W., the Donegal spoke the screw
steamship Marlborough, 131, Captain W. H.
Stewart, C. 8., beating to the westward, all

well ; and in the afternoon, during the gale,

she passed a line-of-battle ship, name un-
known. On entering the Channel the Done-
gal tried her rate of sailing with a clipper mer-
chant ship, which she distanced completely in a few
hours. The Donegal will probably go into Hamoaze
to exchange the Acre's old gun's, after which she
will, it is said, join the Channel fleet, to which she
belongs. _ _

The Dragon, 6, paddlewheel steamer, which was
commissioned at Sheerness by Commander E.
Harding°, has been found to be so rotten, and

altogether unfitted for service at sea, that the whole

of the officers and men have been turned over to
the screw corvette Cameleon, 17, 200 horse power,
now fitting at Sheerness. Since the Dragon tias

been in dock a considerable portion of the planking
of her bottom, both fore and aft, has been removed,
in order that a careful survey of her timbers might
be made by the dockyard authorities. The result
of this examination, which was completed yester-
day, has been the discovery that the rot has pene-
trated so far into her timbers that there is little
chance of this fine steamer being again fit for sea,
notwithstanding any amount of repairs which may
be effected in her. A special report of the result of
the survey has been forwarded to the Board of Ad-
miralty, and the decision of their Lordships is now
awaited whether this steamer is to be broken up or
to be thoroughly repaired. The Dragon was built
at Pembroke about 16 years ago, and three years
since underwent a complete overhaul at Chatham
Dockyard. Yesterday, a party of workmen com-
menced removing ber rigging.

The Virago, 6, paddlewheel steam sloop, 300-
horse power, left Sheerness harbour on Wednesday
for a trial of her speed and machinery, the trial
being under the command of Capt. Schomberg, of
the steam reserve, assisted by Mr. Price, inspector
of machinery afloat, and Mr. Blaxland, chief engi-
neer of the Sheerness Dockyard. The following
results were arrived at :—Average speed, 8.631 ;
revolutions, 181; pressure, 8; vacuum, 26 ; course
of wind, sto 6 S.W. After being tested at the

measured mile, the vessel was tried at the circle and.
the half circle, the latter occupying 2 minutes and
35 seconds, and the former 5 minutes and 3 seconds,
it taking 200 yards to perform it in. Draught of
water forward, lift. 10in.; aft, lift. 3in. The
machinery worked ttdmirably.
On the same day the Pylades, 21, screw steam
corvette, 350 horse-power, arrived at Sheerness from

he Pacific (Capt. M. De Courcy.) The vessel was

inspected by Vice-Admiral W. J. Hope JobnUonc,
who spoke very favourably of her condition. After

:his she proceeded to Chatham.

On Wednesday the Griper, 60 horse-power, ten-
der to the Cornwallis, arrived at Chatham with con-
demned stores from Hull, and proceeded to Sheer-
ness to await further orders.

The Geyser, 6, paddle, Commander Wood, arrived
at Portsmouth yesterday, with supernumeraries,
&c., from Devonport.
The Iris, sailing frigate, left Spithead on Wed-
nesday evening for the Medway, where she will be
dismantled and put out of commission.
The AEsaye paddle frigate, Commander G. N.
Adams (her Majesty's Indian Navy), arrived at
Spithead yesterday from India with troops, time-
expired men, and invalids ; she awaits orders at
Spithead. She sailed from Bombay on the 30th
of March, and St. Helena on the 7th of June. Her
passengers and troops comprise—Capt. Anderson,
wife, and child, 6th Dragoons ; Mrs. Frazer and
three children, Lieut. Seagrim and wife, Ist
Royals ; Lieut. Bradford, 3d Madras Europeans; 3
warrant officers, 139 non-commissioned officers and
men, various regiments, 11 women, 9 children, and
6 naval invalids. Off the Cape the Assaye expe-
rienced heavy weather, but afterwards had a fine
passage,calms. ; itthhe preponderancealBth gwiwndesstearnlya
winds, accompanied with thick weather, rendering
shefe
iin
woift
with strong
it necessary to watch the approach to land with ex-
treme caution. _ The
_Assaye's wheel floats were

taken off in India, and the passage home has been

made under canvass. It is expected that she will
proceed to the Thames and undergo repairs and
alterations similar to those made on the Punjab.
The Nimrod,6,screw despatch vessel, Commander
Arthur, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning
from China and the East Indies, and is ordered
into Portsmouth harbour to dismantle, and to be
put out of commission. She sailed from Singapore
on the 4th of April, from the Cape of Good Hope
on the 25th of May, from St. Helena on the 9th of
Stine, and from Fayal on the 12th instant. Fine
weather was experienced until on nearing the
Channel the recent gale was encountered. The
Nimrod has brought home a few supernumeraries
from the station and the Cape.
The Norwegian corvette Ellida, from
Wednesday
Norway, put into Plymouth Sound on
of cadets,
evening. She has on board a number
who are on a cruise of instruction.
yesterday
The following appointments were made
Field, addi-
tional, the Admiralty :—Commander J. B.
Coast Guard ;
tional, to the Hawke, for service in. the Cadiz for
Coast Guard; Lieut. S.
the Ajax, for service in the
Lieut. George G.
W. Armstrong, to the Diadem;
H. Adlam, Second Master,
Commander Sidmouth S. Skipwith,additional, to
James Harry, Second Mas-
otothtehelnEdxucsetrlyler,
W.
.
;John N. De Vries, paymaster, to
to the Sanspareil .
the Warrior ; Thomas Pidcock, paymaster, to the
tDe ra,ff;
Fisgard ;T. M. . m Jenkins and Edward Roe, assistant-
to the Fisgard.
paymaster,
A part of the Gillingham Volunteer Corps,
numbering 30 non-commissioned officers and men
and four superior officers, under the command of
Capt. Beveridge, arrived at Sheerness on Thurs-
day, and practised at gun-firing from the 68 and
32-pounders on the centre bastion of the garrison.
e t
The practice Was
excellent, the flagstaff being car-
ried away and the target riddled through. After
the 50th shot it was observed that the target was
adrift, owinaf.
to a shot which had separated it from
the buoy.

The potato diseas• has made its appearance in tho
neighbourhood of Southampton and Durham.

A HEN IN A CHINA SHOP.—On Saturday, a
hen, in the course of a leisurely peregrination, strutted into
a shop in Wick, and after a brief survey of the premises,
mounted the counter, jumping them:* into a corner where
a large quantity of brittle Ware Was deposited. Here chuckle
contrived to upset and destroy various valuable articles of
crockery, and having thus far succeeded she flew in the
direction of the window, urdsetling and smashing bottle, Brc.
and threatening to coma-;it greater destruction. Here, how-
ever, she was secured, and,
she was then and there,
11Ter
without the benefit of a trial, sum-
marily decapitated a
,ad thrown into the street.—Vert
Ensign, as a warning to all intruder!,