The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBEII 28, sn:

THE NAVY.

The Warrior, 40, iron frigate, Capt. the Hon. A.
A. Cochrane, C. 8., bent sails yesterday at Ports-
mouth, and to-day will haul off from alongside the
dockyard to alongside her hulk in the stream,
where she will be kept in readiness pending the
solution of the American question. During her
stay at Portsmouth she has been suppled with a
small auxiliary steam engine, which will be made
use of in working the yard whips when coaling,
getting up her anchor, &c.
The Black Prince, 40, iron frigate, will be re-
moved from the steam basin to No. 10 dock on
Tuesday.
The Glasgow, 51, screw, new frigate, fitting out,
will be placed :;n No. 8 dock on Wednesday.
The Pandora, 5, screw, hoisted her pendant of
commission at Portsmouth yesterday by Lieut. Hon.
James T. Fitzmaurice, of her Majesty's ship Ma-
jestic, 80, screw, lying in the Mersey, to which
vessel the Pandora will be attached as tender,
Lieut. Fitzmaurice and a party of seamen having
arrived at Portsmouth from Liverpool yesterday
morning to navigate the Pandora round to the Mer-
sey. She took in her powder and shell last even-
ing, moved her position from alongside the north
wall of the steam-basin to a fairway buoy in the
harbour, and will sail for the Mersey this morning.
The gunboats Amelia, Lieut. Cheyne and Escort,
Lieut. Woodman, two of the advanced gnnbost flo-
tilla at Portsmouth, received sailing orders yester-
day for Liverpool. They will call at Plymouth
Sound, whence the Emerald, 51, screw, Captain A.
Cumming, will accompany them. Powder and shell
were hurried on board yesterday afternoon. After
dark they were taken to Spithead, where it was ex-
pected they would anchor for the night, resuming
their voyage at daylight this morning. The Mersey

was not the originally assigned destination of the

Amelia and Escort ; but the authorities, in order to
provide efficiently for the defence of the port, have
set aside previous. arrangements.
The Tribune, 31, screw, in the hands of the steam

factory and shipwright departments at Portsmouth
and fitting for service, got up steam yesterday to
. .

test her machinery.
The mooring-lighter was under the bows of the
flagship Impregnable, 104, Capt. C. Vesey, in
Hamoaze, yesterday morning, for the purpose of
taking in her moorings. The guns of the flagship
are to be removed (a party from the Revenge assist-
ing), and her crew are to be paid off on the 31st
inst. The crew of the reserve depot ship Royal
Adelaide, 104, Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., are to be
paid off on the 30th inst. ; after which the will be
re-commissioned, and removed from the upper part
of Hamoaze to the berth occupied by the Impreg-
nable, near Mount Edgecumbe, at the entrance to
the harbour. The Impregnable is said to possess
more ample accommodation for the novices than the
Royal Adelaide.
A trial of Hawthorn's night signals has just
taken place at Sheerness, in the presence of Capt.
G. Luard and a committee of naval officers ap-
pointed by the Admiralty for that purpose. The in-
ventor claims for his invention a superiority to
every other of the kind, and, so far as the tests
have gone, they have very much tended to con-
firm that opinion. The signals are produced
with only one lanthorn, and with the greatest

precision and correctness. During the trials the
simplicity of the invention was severely tested,
signals being give to ships of all classes, from a
three-decker to a smack, with the greatest ease and
promptness, without a mistake. The trials gave
every satisfaction, and received the strongest com-
mendation.
The Lee, 5, screw gun-vessel, 431 tons, 560 horse
power, one of the advance gun-vessels which are to

be stationed in the different harbours on the coast,
has had this day her compasses adjusted at Sheer-
ness, whence she will proceed to Liverpool, which
is her station. Her crew, consisting of one lieute-
nant and 21 seamen, have arrived from the Majestic,
80, Coastguard vessel at Liverpool, Capt. Edward
A. Inglefield, to navigate her to her destination.

About 120 seamen gunners from the Cambridge,
42, Capt. A. Jerningham, in Hamoaze, and other
ships at Plymouth, left on Thursday evening at
7.10 by mail train for Liverpool. It is supposed
that they will be placed on board the mail packets
.. .. ..

for purposes of defence.
The whole of the resources of the smitheries at
Chatham Dockyard are being taxed to their utmost
to provide the necessary ironwork, and to keep pace
with the progress of the several ships fitting for
commission at that port. In addition to the ordi-
nary work of the department, the workmen have
commenced forging the after-portion of the keel of
the iron screw frigate Achilles, 50, in consequence
of the delay experienced in obtaining the portions
of the heavy forgings for the vessels from the
several ironworks contracting to supply them, The
portion of the keel now being forged ,tt Chatham is
25 feet in length, and weighs upwards of eight tons.
The iron bowsprit for the Defence, 22, iron
steamer, has been received at Chatham from the
Thames Iron Company, and successfully fixed in
its place in that vessel. Its weight is rather less
than five tons. The iron masts have also arrived at
the dockyard from the Thames, but these cannot be
fixed until the vessel has been undocked. Every
day sees the steamer approaching nearer com-
pletion, and from the progress already made it
is believed she will be ready to proceed to sea
in about three weeks. The following
officers have taken up their commissions and
joined her:--Capt. 11. A. Powell, C. 8., Commander
P. Saumarez, Lieut. F. T. Thompson, Lieut. J. G.
Meade, Lieut. W. Lowther, Lieut. E. P. Pocock,
Master W. Mayes, Surg. C. F. A. Courtenay,
Assist.-Surg. I. Paterson, M.D., Paymaster G. H.
L. Wise, Assist.-Paymaster It. R. A. Richards; J.
Cox, clerk; J. M. 011 is, chief engineer; W. Collier,
engineer ; T. Hartley, S. T. Wallis, and T. Green,
first-class assist.-engineers ; W. Williams and T.
Stewart, acting second -class assist.-engineers.
Nearly the whole of her crew, consisting of 450 men,
have joined, most of them having been draughted
from the guardships at the several ports. During
theltime the Defence is fitting the officers and crew

_ ..
are accommodated on board the Glocester, 50, in
Chatham harbour.

The following appointments were made at the Admiralty
last evening :

Commander W. H. Phipps to be Inspecting Commander
of the Coastguard, vice Henry, appointed to the Stromboli.
Lieutenants—Edward Wilmot, to be commander; Rich.
H. Napier to the Bacchante (additional), for disposal.
Masters—Jabez Loone to the Cumberland, for the Me-
dusa; William Barrett to the Pembroke; Henry P. Ward
to the Ajax.

Master's Assistant--S. Bowden, to the Edgar.
James E. Fawcett promoted to surgeon.

THE ARMY.

No. 8 battery of the 10th Brigade Royal AlM-
lery left head 'quarters, Woolwich, by special train
for Liverpool last night to embark for British
North America. The battery was in command of
Major M'Crea, and consisted of the following offi-
cers and men :—Lieuts. 1). N. Taylor and J. S.
Rothwell, Assist.-Surg. Richards, and 117 ser-
geants and rank and file.

The sth company of Royal Engineers, in com-
mand of Capt. Gosset, arrived at Woolwich last
night from Chatham, per steamboat, and having
landed at the Royal Arsenal-pier, under the direc-
tion of Brigade-Major Milward, who awaited their
arrival, marched to the North London Railway
station, and proceeded to Liverpool for embarka-
tion to North America. The line of march both of
the Royal Artillery and Engineers was crowded
with people cheering. The men appeared to be in
excellent health and spirits.

Two batteries of the 15th Brigade Garrison Ar-
tillery, in command of Colonel Graydon, under
orders for Bermuda have arrived at Woolwich from
Pembroke; and two additional batteries of the same

brigade arrived last night from Ireland. The sth
battalion Military Train, in command of Major
Salis, have alsa arrived at the encampment, Wool-
wich, from Shorncliffe, to replace the Ist battalion,
embarked for British North America. The sth
battalion consists of Capt. Hunt, Capt. Corbett,
Lieut. Harley, Lieut. Pettigrew, Lieut. Murphy,
Ensign Forrest, Adjt. Hesketh, Paymaster Craig,
Quartermaster Luttrell, and 269 non-commissioned
officers and men.

Lieut. Collins, two sergeants, two corporals, and 36
privates, belonging to the Woolwich division Royal
Marine Light Infantry, yesterday left for Liverpool
to embark on board the Royal Mail steamship Peru
for the Pacific, for the protection of the mails.
Yesterday a detachment of 28 men of all ranks
of the Army Hospital Corps, left Fort Pitt Hospi-
tal, Chatham, for Woolwich, where they embark on
board the steamer Calcutta for Canada.

The following promotions and appointments in the
Royal Marine Corps were yesterday announced at
Woolwich :—First Lieut. W. A. Boyd to be Capt.,
and appointed to the Chatham Division, vice Hus-
kinson, retired on the half-pay list, and appointed
paymaster, vice Hookley, deceased ; Second Lieu-
tenant C. R. Brand, serving on board the Immor-
talite screw steam frigate, belonging to the Chan-
nel Squadron, to be First Lieutenant, and appointed
from the Woolwich Division to the Chatham
Division.

four months ; draught of water, 10ft ; displacement
tons ; speed per hour, 12 knots.
_ _

" John Westwood, Cincinnati, Ohio—Vessel of
wood, with iron armour; plan good enough, but the
breadth not enough to bear the armour. No de-
tailed specification. No price or time stated, only
a general drawing. Not recommended.

" Neafie and Levy, Philadelphia—No plans or
drawings, therefore not considered; neither price
nor time stated. Length of vessel, 200 ft ; breadth
of beam, 40ft ; depth of hold, 15ft ; draught of water,
13ft ; displacement, 1,748 tons; speed per hour, 10
knots.

" William Norris, Cedar-street, New York—lron
boat, without armour. Too small and not recom-
mended. Price, 32,000 dole ; length of vessel, 83ft;
breadth of beam, 25 ft; depth of hold, 14ft ; time,
60 to 75 days ; draught of water, 3ft ; displace-
ment, 90 tons ; speed not stated.

" William Kingsley, Washington, D.C., proposes
a rubber-clad vessel, which we cannot recommend.
No price or dimensions stated.

"A. Beebe, 82, Broadway, New York—Specifica-
tion and sketch defective ; plan not approved.
Price, 50,000 dole ; length of vessel, 120 ft ; breadth
of beam, 55ft ; depth not stated ; time, 100 days;
draught of water 6ft ; displacement, 1000 tons ;
speed per hour, 8 knots.

" These three propositions recommended—viz.,.
Bushnell and Co., Newhaven, Connecticut; Mciack
and Son, Philadelpllia and J. Ericsson, New York
—will absorb 1,290,250 dole of the appropriation of
1,500,000 dols, leaving 209,750 dole yet unexpended.
" The Board recommends that armour with
heavy guns be placed on one of our river craft, or if
none will bear it, to construct a scow which will

answer to plate and shield the guns for the river
service on the Potomac, to be constructed or pre-
pared by the Government at the navy-yard here for
immediate use.

"We would further recommend that the Depart-
ment ask of Congress at its next session an appro-
priation, for experimenting on iron plate of diffe-
rent kinds, 0f.10,000 dole.

" All of which is respectfully submitted.
"J. SMITH.
" H. PAULDING.
" C. H. DAVIS.
Hon. G. Welles, Secretary of the Navy, present."