The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-20 00:00:00

IHE NAVY.

Admiralty orders were yesterday received at
Chatham for the Minotaur, old 74 gun sailing ship,
attached to the reserve, to take the place of the
Duncan, lazaret ship, employed on the quarantine
service at Standgate Creek, Chatham, the latter
having been ordered to be broken up.
Intelligence having been received by Vice-Admi-
ral Johnstone, Commander-in-Chief at the Nore,
that the wreekers on the Essex coast were busily
engaged plundering an English merchant brig,
which was driven ashore on the Swin Middle dur-
ing the late gales, a party of Royal Marines were at
once despatched to the neighbourhood of Colchester
for the protection of the stranded vessel. Informa-
tion was, however, yesterday received by the Admi-
ral that the ship had broken up. She was bound
from Cronstadt for London with tallow. The mas-
ter, his wife, and nine children, with the crew, wero
landed at Harwich.

The whole of the fittings of the Comus, 13 gun
sailing sloop, were yesterday removed by the joiners
at Chatham dockyard, preparatory to the vessel
being handed over to the convicts to be broken up.
The Comus, although a very old ship, is still sound,
but she is a class of vessel not adapted for the pre-
sent requirements of the navy. She was one of the
vessels composing the blockading squadron under
Admiral Gambier in the expedition against Copen-
hagen, and the capture of the Danish fleet in 1807.
The screw despatch gun vessel Dart, 4, 220 horse
power, attached to the second division of the steam
reserve at Chatham, was placed alongside the dock-
yard yesterday, and took on board her boats, spars,
masts, rigging, and other gear, orders having been
received for her to proceed to Portsmouth, there to
be attached to the first-class steam reserve.
The Luther and the Almuth Catherina arrived at
Chatham dockyard yesterday from Riga, with hemp
for that establishment. Owing to the Russian ports
being now closed by the ice these are the last vessels
which will arrive this winter.

The steam frigate Leander, 51 guns, 2,760 tons,
recently converted from a 50 gun sailing frigate,
and lengthened amidships 44 feet, in the dockyard
at Sheerness, and fitted with Messrs. Boulton and
Watts's horizontal engines, with expansion gear,
400 horse power, left Sheerness harbour on Mon-
day, the 18th inst., and proceeded to the measured
mile of Maplin Sands for the trial of her machinery,
previously to its being passed over to the Govern-
ment authorities. The trial was very successful, and
the results far exceeded the expectations of the
builders. They were as follows :—Average speed,
with full boiler power, 11.633 knots per hour; re-
volutions, 61; pressure of steam, 201 b ; vacuum, 26 ;
the diameter of screw (Griffiths) being 17 feet ;
pitch, 24 feet; draught of water aft, 20 feet; for-
ward, 16 feet 3 inches. The half circle was accom-
plished in 4 minutes, and full circle in 6 minutes
and 45 seconds, The ship Ns as in charge of Com-
mander 0. M. Crewe-Reed, of the Cumberland, 24,
guardship of the steam ordinary at Sheerness.
Messrs. W. Price, Inspector of Machinery Afloat,
and G. Blaxland, Chief Engineer, Sheerness Dock-
yard, were in attendance on the part of the Govern-
ment, Mr.W. Langdon representing the firm. The
engines were in charge of Mr. H. Beckwith, the
foreman of Messrs. Boulton and Watts.

The Lee, gun vessel (5 guns, 80 horse power), has
been taken to the measured mile to test her machi-
nery previous to being placed in the first division
of the steam reserve. Her machinery worked well.
The vessel attained a speed of 8 knots, although a
fresh breeze and rough sea prevailed at the time.
Her diameter of screw is 9 and her pitch 12 feet.
She makes 97 revolutions.

The Hero, 89, screw, Capt. Ryder, steamed out
of Portsmouth harbour yesterday, and anchored at
Spithead. The Edgar follows to-day.
The 03tavia, 51, screw, steamed out of Ports-
mouth harbour yesterday, and tested her engines
preparatory to her trial this day.
The screw steam sloop Icarus, 11, Commander N.
Salmon, from Queenstown, arrived at Plymouth on
Monday, and yesterday went into Hamoaze to have
defects made good.

The officers and crew of the paddlewheel steam
tender Advice, M. Raymond, second master, com-
manding, were transferred on Monday to the gun-
boat Lark, which left Plymouth Sound yesterday
(Tuesday) for Queenstown.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. P. P. Luxmoore to
the Britannia, additional for service of naval cadets;
Henry R. Harris, master, to the Swallow; W. H.
Sloggett, surgeon, to the Edgar; T. E. Cosker, IL
T. Guneon, and Abraham Hamilton, master's assist-
ants, to the Swallow; T. Goodman, assist.-pay-
master, to the Excellent; and W. Wallace, assist.-
paymaster in charge, to the Swallow.