The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-17 00:00:00

TEE NAVY.

this island on the 7th inst. on board the Peninsular'
and Oriental Company's steamship Ellora, for
Alexandria, it being the intention of the gallant
general to try the mild climate of Ca'ro during the
ensuing winter, thence to proceed on a, visit to
Constantinople and other Eastern cities. The
newly-appointed Swedish and N n wegian Consul,
Mr. Ole Munk Rheder, arrived here a few days
ago from Sweden, by the French steamer, via Italy.
No successor has yet been appointed to the late
Chevalier Ross, Netherlands Consul, whose death
took place some weeks since. The screw steamer
Berwick, Capt. Cowle, belonging to Messrs. Glasse,
Elliott, and Co., which left Malta on the 3d inst.,
returned to this island yesterday at 1 p.m., after
having made an ineffectual attempt to repair the
Malta and Corfu Telegraph. The fault, or broken
end of the cable, was picked up at the spot indicated
by the testing five nautical miles from the shore in
the Bay of San Gordi, Corfu, in 175 fathoms water.
On sounding, however, a short distance beyond the
fault no bottom was obtained at 425 fathoms. It
was therefore found impossible to continue the
operations for the repair of the cable with any
probability of success. It has been decided to re-
cover as much cable as possible from the Malta
end, and the work will be commenced on Monday
next. On its completion the old cables between
Malta and Marseilles and Cagliari will also be
picked up. Th 3 gutta percha core of the cable
was found to be in an excellent state of preserva-
tion, but the outer wires, where the cables lay in
black mud, were very much corroded and worn
away by oxidation.
The directors of the London and Dover Railway
Company despatched their last new vessel, the
Maid of Kent, a few days ago down the river to
the Nore, for the especial purpose of testing the
most effectual method of unlashing, lowering, and
disengaging boats in cases of emergency. The
decision was in favour of the plan by which the
unlashing and adapting the boat for the free use
of the oars are the acts of a single man, simply
disengaging both ends of the boat when near
the water. The officers of the company in
their report of the trials having expressed
their satisfaction of the Admiralty recommendation
as well as that of the Government Emigration Com-
missioners, in favour of this method of lowering
boats, have signified their intention of introducing
the same throughout their line.
A set of Ward's ocean telegraph lamps for night
signals was yesterday despatched from -Woolwich

The swinging of the Warrior for the adjnstmen
of her compasses has been carried out at Spithead
during yesterday and Monday, under the direction
of Mr. F. J. 0. Evans, superintendent of compasses
to the Hydrographic Department. She will make
her official trial of speed at the measured mile in
Stokes Bay this morning, should the weather be
favourable for the purpose.
Sir John Pakington embarked on Tuesday after-
noon, on board the Fire Queen, steam vessel,
Master Frederick W. Paul, from Portsmouth Dock-
yard, and proceeded to Spithead for the purpose of
visiting the Warrior.
Since the removal of the Warrior from the new
dock at Portsmouth, the blocks and flooring of the
dock have been examined, to ascertain whether thee
weight of the ship had injured any portion of
work. The blocks on the floor of the new portion
of the dock were 3ft. bin, in height and were pressed
down by the weight of the ship to an average of
3ft. 21in. Since her removal the blocks have sprung
back to their original height from the floor, and not
the slightest injury could be observed to the stone_
work along their entire extent. The fore body of
the Warrior, it will be remembered, projected
considerably into the adjoining dock, passing over
two inverts, the latter being three feet above the
dock floor. Between the stone of the invert and
the vessel's keel, or the apex of her bottom, as she
is said to have no keel, there was only a 7-inch
wooden block, which was pressed down by the
ship's weight to 4 inches. The square of granite
under this block was known to be injured before
the ship was removed, and on being examined it
was found to be cracked and split and in parts pul-
verised by the force of the immense weight it had
to assist in supporting. There was not the slightest
appearance of sinking of the work, a satisfactory
proof of the efficient manner in which the piling
which supports the floor of the dock has been sunk.
The further progress in the construction of the
stern of the Royal Alfred, 50, iron-plated frigate,
building at Portsmouth, has been for the present
suspended by order of the Controller of the Navy.
It is said that the Admiralty have under their con-
sideration the advisability of following the example
of the French marine in ships of the converted
class by doing away with the screw well.
This would necessarily strengthen greatly the
ship's stern. By adopting at the same
time the substitution of headless rudders
fixed forward of the screw, for the rudder in its
present position, another great weakness would be
removed, and both screw and rudder would be placed
in positions below the water-line, where no enemy's
shot could reach them, however long or close the
engagement might be. We believe a plan embrac-
ing both these objects, carried out in a very simple
manner, has been, or is about to be, submitted to the
Admiralty. Without doubt rudder-heads and outer
sternposts are the weakest points in steamships of
war as constructed at present.
The Russian Imperial corvette Novik, bearing the
flag of Rear-Admiral Popoff, arrived at the Mother-
bank at noon yesterday from Cronstadt, on her way
10 the Amoor and Pacific.
The Edgar, 89, screw, Capt. G. P. Mends, flagship
of Rear-Admiral J. E. Erskine, was undocked at
Portsmouth yesterday, and berthed alongside the
dockyard to complete her refit. The Trafalgar, 86,
screw, Capt. J. B. Dickson, was afterwards placed,
during the same tide, in the dock from which the
Edgar had been removed.
The Wellesley, 72, guardship at Chatham, is being
dismantled in order that her present masts may be
removed and those of the Diamond, 27, substituted.
The officers' cabins and her internal fittings are
also being removed, as she is to be converted into a
training ship for boys and lads joining the Royal
navy. About 250 boys are to be sent on board, a
portion of whom have already arrived, and, in ad-
dition to the warrant-officers now attached to the
ship, some of the gunners from the Excellent train-
ing ship at Portsmouth will be transferred to the
Wellesley to superintend the instruction of the lads.
Notwithstanding that several hundred tons of stores
have been removed from the Wellesley to lesson
her draught of water, she still grounds at the neap
tides, the depth of water in that part of the harbour
being insufficient to allow her to swing with the tide. 1
The Rifleman, steam-vessel, of 200-horse power,
having been completely rebuilt at Deptford, is
ordered to be got ready for commission, to be em-
ployed on the surveying service:
The Trafalgar, 86, screw, Captain John B. Dick-
son, has turned her crew over to the Bellerophon,
receiving hulk, where they will remain during the
time this ship is under repairs. She was taken into
No. 10 dock at Portsmouth this morning for the
purpose of being caulked and to make good defects.
About 600 water tanks which had been accumu-
lated at Chatham dockyard have been ordered to
be sent to the depot at Deptford. The tanks are
-principally worn out, but some of them are capable
of being rendered again fit for service by repairs,
and they have been sent on shore at different times •
from the vessels in this division. The number of Major-General Lord W. Paulet, Lieut.-Governor
them has been somewhat reduced by several of the
of. Portsmouth and Commanding the South-West
transport vessels recently loading with them to con- District, accompanied by colonel Somerset, C. 8.,
vey them to the establishment to which they
.had Deputy Quartermaster-General ; Col. Thackwell,
been ordered to be sent, but in consequence of their Deputy-Adjutant-General ; and Capt. C. Milligan,
great bulk each vessel can take but a small number, Aide-de-Camp, is at present engaged at Christ-
and there are now probably about 360 remaining. church, Dorchester, and Weymouth, on his half-
To-day, the Widgeon, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, yearly tour of inspection. Colonel Warde, R.A,,
has arrived for the purpose of taking a number of commanding the artillery of the district, who has
them on board, and she will commence loading at returned from leave, is also engaged in the same
the Anchor-wharf to-morrow.
way.
The new Greek frigate Amelia, Capt. Palascas, General Hay, lespector-General of Musketry,
which was built in the Thames, and called at Ply- has during the week been engaged in the examine-
mouth to undergo some slight repairs in her ma- tion of the returns of the depots forming the two
chinery, left the Sound finally on Tuesday for Athens. battalions at Colchester, whose period of musketry
Another trial trip of the engines and machinery instruction at Landguard Fort has just been con-
of the screw steam corvette Orestes, 21, Capt. Alan eluded. He has expressed himself satisfied with
Gardener, was made at Plymouth on Tuesday. The the result, the average being fully equal to that of
experiment having proved unsatisfactory, she will former years.
not leave for the Cape of Good Hope until further On Monday the men of the 9th depot battalion
alterations are made. The gunboat Handy, Lieut. John H. Glover, which has been detained to were assembled on early parade in Colchester Camp
go
under escort of the Orestes, sailed from Plymouth to witness the infliction of the sentence of a court-
on Tuesday for her destination—Sierra Leone. martial upon Private J. Reardon, of the 6th depot,
who had been found guilty of drunkenness and
VALETTA, Oct. 12.—The screw line-of-battle ship striking a non-commissioned officer. The prisoner,
Hannibal, 89 guns, Capt. Farquhar (bearing the flag
who is an old soldier, having been in the service
of Rear-Admiral George Rodney Mundy, C. 8.), upwards of twenty years, had been frequently con-
arrived on the 7th inst. from Beyrout, which place victed of military offences, and was now sentenced
she loft on the 30th ult. The Rear-Admiral having to receive 50 lashes and undergo 84 days' imprison-
been granted two months' leave of absence by the meat. 'He received his punishment without saying
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for the re- a word, and was afterwards marched to the hos-
covery of his health, will proceed immediately to pital, whence he will be removed to a military pri-
England. Capt. Mason, of the Caesar, remains at Beyrout, as senior officer on that station. son to undergo the remainder of his sentence so
The En soon as he has recovered. from the effects of the
lisp vessels there were expecting orders to quit the flogging.
coast of Syria simultaneously with the French Major-Gen. Eyre, commanding the Chatham dis-
and 'Russian squadrons. Her Majesty's screw tricts, completed the half-yearly inspection of the
steam troopship Himalaya, Captain J. Sec- three battalions of infantry at that garrilon at a
combs, reached this islandthe
on Bth instant.
After dice this
late hour on Tuesday evening. The inspection com-
son she left for Corfun her troops, &c., for this garri- menced with the first battalion, lender the com-
ber the following osns the 9th inst., taking with mend of Col. Jervis, including ine depot companies
Wardell, E. Woolcomeertesrst:—. :—Messrs. W. H. of the let and 2d battallea 4th (King's Own), 35th,
Newton, J. Sugden, end 56 Sairohng, A. Carey, Y. 43d (Light Infantry), 77th, and 94th Regimentie
that Admiral Mundy will, on hrser. r Itt is reported The second depot battalion, under the command of
in her for England, returning to the ivelieirnai , embark Col. Phillips, consisted of the Ist and 2d battalions
via Trieste, at the expiration of his
terra
o;.lrranean 12th, let and 2d battalions 20th, 31st, 52d (Light
is also said that the Hannibal, on eemplete.ave. It Infantry), and 83d Regiments ;
refit here, will proceed to Corfu, where ing her and the 3d depot
battalion, commanded b
ere Admiraly Lieut.-Col. Fairtlough, of
Mundy will meet her, and again hoist his Rae the let and 24 battalions 19th, 51st (Light Infan-
board of this ship, and take command of a sque-d,rn try), 75th, 81st, and 91st Regiments. Owing
to the
to be stationed there, on the withdrawal of the hole of the depots having been considerably re-
ships now on the coast of Syria. Her Majesty',
ueed, and recruiting having been suspended, the
gunboats Mohawk, 4, Commander E. H. Howard • strength of the three battalions , has been fo is now lower than
and Assurance, 4, Commander C. M. Aynsiee,
numb r several years past, each battalion
have both left for England, to be paid off. The all ranks.
erlng, in the a
The ggregate, scarcely 1,000 men of
former took her departure on the 6th, and to be very sauseaorteso nit of the inspection appeared
the latter on the 9th instant. The screw line-of- There u, a rumourrY'at PI
battle ship Orion, 91, Capt. W. C. De Vere, also mand:dr-in-Chief will shortl yna.outh• that the Corn-
left for England on the Bth inst., to be paid off; f'-dr the purpose of inspectinygvtitiet the
rrrison there
and the paddlewheel steam frigate Terrible, 21, giments, neither of which have b t and 73d Re_
Capt. F. H. H. Glasse, C. 8., left on the same day his Royal Highness. een inspected by
with provisions and a mail for the fleet at Naples Lieut.-Col. D. R. Smith who died on the 13th inst.
and Castellamare, and despatches for the Commie- at Bath, in his 56th year, served throughout the
der-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir W. F, Martin, campaign in the Southern Mahratta in 1844 and
K.C.B. The only English ships of war in port are 1845 with her Majesty's 22d Regiment, and was
the Hannibal, 89, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral 0- R. Mend present at the investment and capture of the forts of
C •Y, .B. the Hibernia, receiving ship, PanulJa and Pownghur.
bearing,Ts the flag of
`-'•li. .1 the Rear-Admiral H. J. Codrington,
Wanderer, 4 ; the Supply, 2 ; and the We arc authorized to state that there is no fowl-
vm-u, tug- General
Who is ott _ Sir James Outram, 111) 4 MIX rOZ the , - f dation for the announcement that the consecration of the
C)4 414 he;4ltll left Quo ))1,410P4 Will *9 Pi4CO INtiuiastq AkDey,
t

for service on board her Majesty's Coastguardship
Hogue at Greenock, in order to initiate the crews
in the new system of transmitting messages from
ship to ship at sea.
In removing the new fortifications at the
entrance to the Medway some delay has been
experienced in consequence of the great diffi-
culty in clearing away the foundations of the old
works. The batteries now in course of demolition
are believed to have been erected nearly two cen-
turies ago, and are of enormous strength, the brick-
work in some instances measuring as much as
15 feet in thickness. Notwithstanding these ob-
stacles, however, the new foundations are making
rapid progress, the Government being desirous of
having this portion of the i:fortifications completed
before the frosts set in. As soon as the concrete
foundations have boen completed and the substruc-

ture finished the front wall of the largest battery
will be commenced. The exterior wall is to be 12

feet in thickness. This battery will not only pos-
ses complete magazine accommodation for powder
and every conceivable kind of projectile, but suffi-
cient barrack space for at least 1,000 men. It will

mount the heaviest description of Armstrong guns,
which will not only command the centre line of the
rather difficult channel which all kinds of craft are

compelled to keep in entering the Medway, but will
act by a series of cross firs, with the guns mounted

on the batteries now in course of construction on

the opposite or western shore of the estuary, which
is here rather more than one mile in width. The

casemated fort on the extreme left of the fortifica•

tions will mount 40 100-pounder Armstrong guns,
supplied with every description of projectile, includ-
ing solid, case, and grape shot, as well as common
diaphragm andMartin'sliquid iron shells. When the
whole of the fortifications, both on the sea and land
side, now decided upon have been completed the
naval and military establishments at Chatham, as
as well as those at Sheerness, will be circumvented

by a chain of forts and batteries of great magni
tude, extending for a number of miles, and mount

ng an armament as formidable as it will be destruc

The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty ; Lieut. the Hon. C. D. R. H. Tracy,
:o the Excellent ; Lieut. Noel S. F. Rigby, to the
Warrior; Wm. Mayes, master, to the Mars; Samuel

R. Brumage, John M'Pherson, and Win. Bremner,
second-class assistant engineers, to the Doris, con-
firmed.

THE ARM},