The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-07 00:00:00

7IIE NAVY.

In addition to the screw steamers at Chatham and
Sheerness ordered to be fitted for immediate com.
mission, the list of which has already appeared in
The Sun, Admiralty orders were received at

Chatham yesterday, directing the Leander, 51 guns,

400 horse power, to be .brought forward with the
greatest possible speed. The Leander is a remark-
ably fine frigate, which has only recently been
lengthened amidships 44 feet, and converted into a

screw steamer. The trial trip, made a few days
since, was attended with highly satisfactory results.
She has been fitted with a pair of 400 horse power,
horizontal engines, and with patent expansive gear,

by Messrs. Bolton and Watt. During her trial trip
she attained a mean speed of nearly 12 knots an
hour, with Griffiths' screw of .17 feet diameter. The

Leander is at present attached to the second divi-
sion of the steam reserve at Chatham, and only re;
quires to be painted and masted to be complete for
sea.

The Black Prince was taken out of No. 10 dock
yesterday morning into the steam basin, to enable
the Euryalus, screw steam-frigate; to be docked in
her place this day, as, having all stores, guns,
&c., on board, she draws too much water to be
placed in No. 7 dock, as first intended.
The Sutlej, 51, screw steam-frigate, has received
her foremast and bowsprit, and is expected to be
completed to-day.
The Chesapeake, 51, 400 horse power, which is
being prepared for the third-class steam reserve in
the Medway, at Chatham, is ordered to be docked
at Sheerness as soon as possible, and a report made
to the Admiralty as to whether this vessel or the
Dragon, 6, 350 horse power paddlewheel steamer,
can be made ready for sea in the shortest possible
time. The Dragon has been for some time in the
hands of the shipwrights at Sheerness, where she is
undergoing a thorough overhaul. She is, however,
in a very unsatisfactory state, many of her timbers,
particularly those adjacent to her boilers and engines,
being quite rotten. Some considerable time must,
therefore, elapse before she can be put in a thorough
state of repair. The Chesapeake is incomplete in
her fitments, and is not yet masted ; she also requires
some important repairs in other places. She can,
however, be brought forward for commission in a
shorter time than the Dragon.
The screw steamer of the line Bombay, 81, 400-
horse power, which has been several months past
fitting at Chatham for the second class steam reserve
is ordered to proceed from Folly-point to Sheerness,
where preparations have been made to receive her.
Directions were yesterday received at Chatham
from the Admiralty for all ships of the Rattlesnake,
Racoon, and Pearl class to be supplied with a 12-
pounder 10-cwt. brass howitzer, instead of a 24-
pounder howitzer.
Daring the thick fog which prevailed on the river
at the time the African paddlewheel steamer was in
attendance, on the Resistance, 22, which was being
removed to Chatham, the merchant ship Dolphin
came into violent collision with the African, as the
latter was lying at anchor in St. Clement's Reach,
and caused considerable damage to one of the
paddle-boxes. The paddlewheel was not injured,
but the African will be required to be docked, either
at Chatham or Sheerness, to make good her injuries.
The steam transport Hellenis yesterday-sailed
from Woolwich, having shipped shells, shot, and
other war stores for Gibraltar, Malta, and the lonian
Islands. The Hope sailing transport, in the char-
tered service of the War Department, yesterday
hauled alongside Woolwich pier, and commenced
receiving a heavy cargo of shot, shell, platforms, gun
carriages, &c:, amounting to 1,100 tons measure-
ment for Malta. She will likewise ship 200 tons
of powder and ammunition. At no time has the
Arsenal pier presented so warlike an appearance as
at the present moment.
Sir Richard Mayne, K.C.8., Commissioner of

Police, accompanied by his son, Capt. Mayne, and
Mr. F. W. Mallalieu, Inspecting Superintendent of
Police in her Majesty's Dockyards, has just paid a
visit of inspection of the police force in the Sheer-
ness yard, when the men were drilled and exercised
by Inspector Court in a manner which met with Sir
Richard's warmest commendation.

On behalf of Messrs. Westwood, Baillie, and
Campbell, we are requested to contradict the state-
ments made regarding the ship Valiant in he Sun
of the 3d inst. Arrangements have been made for
the completion of the vessel by the Admiralty, who
are at present in negotiation for the plant, pre-
mises, &c., these being now, as they all along have
been, in the possession of the firm referred to.
Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir Frederick W. Grey,
K.C.8., resumed his official duties at the Admiralty
yesterday morning, after a short absence to attend the
funeral of the Dowager Countess Grey, at Howick.
The following appointments were made at the Admiralty
last evening :
Midshipmen—Mr. F. S. Dodsworth, to the Greyhound ;
John Hart, to ditto.
Engineers—Wm. Williamson, promoted to the Porpoise ;
Wm. Harwood, promoted to the Algiers.
Assistant-Engineers—John Wyllie, second-class, to the
Indus, for the Nightingale; Alex. Brown, second.class, to
the Indus, for the Gleaner ; Wm. 11. Roberts, acting first-
class, promoted to the Cresar.
Second Master—George Clarke, acting, to the Colossus,
or the Coast Guard.

Staff-Surgeon Morgan, M.D., and 220 non-commis-
sioned officers and rank and file, embarked at Wool-
wich yesterday morning on board the steam trans-
port Melbourne for America. The strength of the
battery on its arrival at Woolwich from Bristol
was 204 of all ranks. The vessel has been unavoid.
ably detained at the pier beyond her fixed time, in
consequence of the necessity of an entire refit for
the troops, the mess tables and other accommoda-
tion having been removed for the shipment of corn
from St. Petersburg, whence she returned only a
few days prior to her being chartered by our Go-
vernment for the present voyage. The whole of the
war stores were on board on Wednesday evening,
with the exception of 30 ice sledges, manufactured
in the carriage department, for transporting the
guns, &c., inland, and saws, poles, and other instru-
ments to be used in cutting a passage up' the St.
Lawrence, which were pat on beard yesterday be.;
fore ,the embarkation of the troops. The battery was
accompanied to the pier by the General commanding
the garrison, Sir R. Dacres and Staff, and the full
band of the regiment. Notwithstanding the inces-
sant rain, the men as they marched through the
town were followed by a large crowd, who cheered
them heartily as the gates were closed upon them.
The men marched on board with the most perfect
order and regularity. Col. Gordon and a Staff of En-
gineer officers also embarked, together with Mr.
Fay rer, a clerk, and four sergeant-inspectors of stores
and an Admiralty agent. On account of the thick
miserable state of the weather, the Melbourne did
not leave Woolwich yesterday. She will do se this
morning, with the early tide, about 6 o'clock.
WOOLWICH, Dee. 6.—ROYAL ARTILLERY FOR
CANADA.--..Thia afternoon, at half-past two o'clock,
the officers, non-commissioned officers, gunners, and
drivers comprising Captain Vesey's E battery of the
4th Brigade Royal Field Artillery assembled on
parade, and, after inspection, proceeded in march-
ing order from the garrison to the Royal Arsenal
for embarkation on board the screw steam vessel
Melbourne for Canada. The streets in the line of
march were crowded with spectators, and the force,
which was preceded by the full band of the regi-
ment and numerous field officers, was repeatedly
cheered by the public, and especially on entering
the main gate of the Royal Arsenal, where a mul-
titude had assembled, notwithstanding the rain
which prevailed. The force immediately embarked
from the Royal Arsenal jetty on board the Mel-
bourne, which has shipped during the week the
following large amount of war stores—viz., two
complete batteries of Armstrong guns, several
howitzers, 30,000 stand of arms and accoutrements
for the Canadian militia, 2,500,000 rounds of Minie
rifle balls, and small arms ammunition, 1,600 rounds
of Armstrong gun ammunition, cartridges, &c. She
also takes out military clothing and a quantity of
stores peculiarly adapted for Canada, including a
number of snow sleighs, which the wheelers and
carpenters of the royal carriage department have
been working night and day to manufacture during
this week. The Melbourne was under orders to sail
this evening, but an order was received to increase
by a large number the supply of sleighs for the
transport of guns, &c. ; and an additional number
of workmen will consequently be employed during

the present night. It is expected that the vessel
will leave the , river to-morrow or on Sunday.
Several transport vessels are now lying off the
Royal Arsenal to embark troops and stores at the
shortest notice. Large quantities of munitions of
war were this day forwarded to Liverpool for ship-
ment to Canada.
The let battalion 16th Regiment is under orders

to embark for Canada on board the Persia, at Liver•
pool, in three or four days. Notices have been Beni
to all the men on furlough, calling on them to re•
join at once at Sheffield.