The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-05 00:00:00

" Immediate.

" Sir,—l am commanded b " Admiralty, May 2, 1859.
Y my Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty to request that you will move the Lords
Commissioners of the Privy Council of Trade to urge upon
the Local Marine Boards to lend their cordial co-operation
to the Government in preparing to uphold our great inte-
rests, which may be jeopardised by the unfortunate state of
Europe. For this purpose it is desirable immediately to
increase the naval force of the kingdom, and in order to in-
duce sailors to enter the Royal Navy on the present occa-
sion, a bounty of £lO has b?en offered to able seamen and
£5 to ordinary seamen.
" My lords do not doubt but that this liberal coffer will be
accepted in that patriotic spirit which has always been ma-
nifested by British seamen in times of national emergency;
and they feel confident that when the necessity which
exists for their services is made known to them, it will in-
sure their cordial acceptance of the invitation.
" It is therefore with entire confidence that my lords
would call upon the merchants, shipowners, and others at
our commercial-ports to exert their influence for the public
and common good, by encouraging the seafaring population
to respond to the appeal which has been made to them.—l
am, sir, your most obedient servant, " H. CORRY.
" Sir J. E. Tennent, &c., Board of Trade." •
The replies to the appeal, so far as they have yet
been received, are. we understand, quite satifactory.
Mr. Duncan Dunbar, the chairman of the London
Local Marine Board, and Mr. Green, the owner of
the Sailors' Home and Shipping-office at Poplar,
have shown every disposition to co-operate and
have given prompt instructions to that effect.

THE CUTTING ASUNDER OF A FIFTY•GUN
FRIGATE.

This ingenious operation took place to-day at
Portsmouth. The subject of the operation was the
Sutlej, 50, sailing frigate (built at Pembroke), which
was cut through something more than one-third her
foreward body. The ribands had been previously
cut through, and the afterpart of the forebody of
the ship bulk-headed and made water-tight in the
inside lower department ; two purchases were at-
tached to the bow timbers ; the centre of gravity
was calculated to a fraction, and the water was let
into the dock. In a few minutes the fore part of
the vessel was afloat, was hauled ahead, and a gap
of some 48 feet appeared amidships. The whole per-
formance reflects the highest credit on the master
shipbuilder and his officers. The Sutlej will be also
lengthened by the bow some 12 feet, and by the
stern 13 feet, making her, when complete as a screw
frigate, about 260 feet in length.

LAUNCH OF THE HOOD.

According to previous announcement, her Ma-
jesty's ship Hood, of 3,232 45-94 tons burden, and
built to carry an armament of 91 guns, was wedded
with the ocean yesterday. The preparations were
on a grand scale, and the booths for the reception
of the distinguished spectators which were erected
in front of the noble ship were aranged and com-
pleted in a style that reflects much credit on. the
officer who designed them, and under whose three-
tions they were fitted up. The whole formed an
extensive amphitheatre,the tiers of seats rising one
above another were for the officers of the garrison,
naval and military, and the principal families of
the neighbourhood. The hour appointed for launch-
ing was one p.m. The dockyard gates were thrown
open to the public at 12 o'clock ; every available
' position of viewing the ship and the operations was
occupied by crowds of persons of both sexes. The
preparations for the ceremony were inspected by the
distinguished visitors on the platform erected for the
purpose. At the appointed time, 0. W. Lang, Esq.,
master shipwright, led the amiable sister of Lord
Hood, and granddaughter of the late renowned
Lord Hood, to that part of the platform where she
was to officiate. Miss Hood, having dashed the
suspended bottle of wine against the bows of the
noble ship ,named it the " Hood," which was cheered
by thousands with " three times three," the Royal
Marine band striking up " Rule Britannia." Tho
work of splitting out the blocks from under her keel
was then effected ; and the lady with the chisel and
mallet severed the line to which is suspended the
iron ballast that in its descent knocks away the dog
shores, and in a moment the ship glided down the
slip into the river, amidst the cheers of about 9,000
persons. She is sister ship to the Orion. Her draught
of water is 15 feet forward and 21 feet aft. The fol-
lowing are her dimensions :

ft. .
Length between her perpendiculars 238 in 0
Keel for tonnage .. • • .. 200 lOf
Breadth extreme .. • • . 55 9
Breadth for tonnage . 55 0
Depth in hold .. . • .. 24 0

The Urgent, screw steam troopship, is expected
to embark troops at Portsmouth, for conveyance to
Gibraltar, about the 9th inst.

The Swinger gunboat has been hauled up on the
slip way at Haslar to have her boilers lifted and
replaced on castiron sleepers.
The Hannibal, 91, screw steamship, at Portsmouth,
was undocked yesterday, after cleansing copper, &c.
She is shipping hands at that port successfully.
An Admiralty notice has just been issued inviting
applications for duly qualified persons to serve as
second masters in the Royal Navy.
In consequence of a sudden order received at
Pembroke dockyard from the Admiralty the whole
of the seamen riggers belonging to this establish-
ment proceeded this morning to Sheerness for the
purpose of assisting in navigating the line-of-battle
screw steamer Royal George, 102, round to Ports-
mouth.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :

Captain—A. Do Horsey, to the Brisk, commissioned.
Commanders—C. H. May, to the Persian, commissioned ;
C. W. Hope, to the Flying Fish, commissioned ; G. H.
Marriott, to the Intrepid, commissioned; A. G. Fitzroy, to
the Falcon, commissioned.
Lieutenant--E. Wilmot, to the Hannibal, flag-lieutenant
to Rear• Admiral Mundy.
Midshipman—G. S. Brown, to the Hannibal.
Master—Joseph Cutajar (additional), to the Blenheim.
Master's-Assistant—Edward K. Barnes, to the Cressy.