The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-26 00:00:00

THE NA VI.

Rear-Admiral Stopford struck his flag on Thurs-
day evening on board the screw steamship Royal
Albert, 121, Capt. H. Lacon, in Hamoaze.

Early yesterday morning the screw steam frigate
A riadne, 26, Capt. Vansittart, got up steam and left
Plymouth Sound for the eastward.

The number of artisans and labourers to be dis-
charged from the Devonport dockyard is 465, in-
cluding 105 spinners, 130 joiners, 25 smiths, and
192 labourers. They will have a month's notice, and
leave at the rate of 90 per week, commencing in
February. The number of hired people remain-
ing in the yard will not, according to usage, be pro-
portionate to the shipwrights now at work, and it
is therefore concluded that some of the GOO hired
shipwrights will also be discharged hereafter.
Admiralty instructions were yesterday received
at 'Woolwich to the effect that the entire establish-
ment of hired mechanics and labourers is to be
discharged from the dockyard at the rate of
30 per week, to commence at the end of February
next. A reduction of labourers in the Royal car-
riage department and the laboratory of the arsenal,
is also ordered to take place, the supplies furnished
by those departments being sufficiently forward to
admit of a diminution of the establishments, num-
bers having received notice of dismissal.

The Carron steamer, in the habit of discharging
guns and other stores at the Arsenal-pier, Woolwich,
yesterday came in collision with the colliery brig
Palestine, making for the pier to unship her cargo
of coals. The bowsprit of the steamer struck the
larboard quarter of the brig amidships with great
violence, and, after two or three lurches forward,
she immediately commenced filling, and sank in
about seven fathoms of water, her topmasts only
remaining visible. In backing her engines out of
the dilemma, the steamer carried away a mast of a
double-masted " Billyboy" lying off the pier, laden
with stores. The brig's boat happened to be afloat,
which was the means of saving all hands, as only 'Li
minutes elapsed from the time of her being struck
to that of her going down.
The metropolitan police connected with Chatham
dockyard, doing duty at Sheerness dockyard,
and acting under the direction of Superinten-
dent Richardson, have succeeded in discovering
a system of robbery of Government stores at
Sheerness dockyard, which there is every reason to
believe has been carried on for some considerable
time past, whereby property to a considerable
amount has been from time to time stolen. A man
named Stephen Hare, a plumber and glazier in the
town, has been apprehended on a charge of being
concerned in the robbery. Hare was immediately
taken before Capt. Wise, superintendent of the dock-
yard, who remanded him for further examination.
The police at Chatham also succeeded in apprehend-
ing yesterday a man connected with the coastguard,
named Wm. Henry Longbottom, who was found
to have a quantity of Government metal in his pos-
session as he was leavingthedockyard. The accused
was taken before Capt. Goldsmith, C. 8., who by
virtue of his office is vested with the power of a
magistrate, and, after a preliminary examination,
the prisoner was remanded.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty : —Henry M. Ommanney, mate,
to the Narcissus, additional, for service in the Pen-
guin ; Henry N. Anaurie, assist.-surgeon, to the
Princess Royal ; James F. Fitzgerald, acting assist.-
surgeon, to the Princess Royal ; and Alfred P.
Freeman, clerk, to the Narcissus.