The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-02 00:00:00

TIIE NAVY.

Rear-Admiral Sir Baldwin W. Walker, K.C.8.,
hoisted his flag, blue, at the wizen, yesterday
morning, on board the Narcissus, 51, screw, Capt.
Risk, at Spithead, under the usual salutes
from the frigate's guns, and also from those of the
Victory, the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief,
Vice-Admiral H. W. Bruce. The Narcissus, during
her stay at Spithead, has received one of Sir W.
Armstrong's 100-pounder guns for upper deck ser-
vice. Water was filled up from the Minx screw
steam tank at Spithead yesterday, and the frigate
will sail for Ascension and the Cape of Good Hope
to-day, should the weather prove favourable.
By directions of the Lords of the Admiralty
some important experimental trials have been made
during the past few days at Portsmouth with a
cutter belonging to the steam tender Lucifer, fitted
by a carpenter's mate belonging to her Majesty's
ship St, Vincent, named Webb, on a plan of his
own for freeing the boat from its falls by an in-
stantaneous action when lowered at sea for the
saving of life, or any occasion when it may be im-
perative to unhook the falls at one and the same
moment, and clear the boat from the ship. The
trials hitherto have been very successful, but as
they are about to be resumed and more fully tested
we reserve any further notice of them until their
conclusion.

The screw steamship Lion, 80, was towed yes-
terday from the Devonport Dockyard to her moor-
ings with the 2d division of the steam ordinary in
Hamoaze.

The screw steamship Gibraltar, 101, was lashed
yesterday to the south jetty in the basin at Key-
ham Yard, where steam was got up, and her
machinery tried.
The screw steam gunvessel Pantaloon, 11, was
hauled yesterday alongside the jetty in Hamoaze
to coal, prior to her being rigged and fitted for the
first division of the steam ordinary.
The screw steam troopship Himalaya, Captain
John Seccombe, which has been some days in
Plymouth Sound, destination unknown, is to be
completed with coal and to have all temporary
repairs made good. She is then to be sent out-
side the port for a short trial trip, under the in-
spection of the officers of the bevonport Dock-
yard and Keyham Steamyard. Her subsequent
movements will be contingent on their report.
The screw steam gunvessel Nimble, 5, Lieutenant
D'Arcy, at Plymouth, is nearly manned. Her cabin
fittings are completing.
The Pigeon, 5, screw despatch gunvessel, which
hasbli:seen fitted at Chatham for the steam ordinary,
is ordered to be attached to the second class steam
reserve in the Medway.
The fitting of her Majesty's iron-clad steamship
Warrior in the Victoria Docks is progressing
rapidly. Steam was yesterday got up to try her
engines of 1,250 horse power, and Griffith's screw,
weighing 35 tons, was afterwards applied.
The screw steam sloop Rosario, launched at Dept-
ford, was yesterday hauled out of basin at Wool-
wich, and went down the river on her trial trip.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Driver, after a
complete renovation at Woolwich, is now ready to
enter the first-class steam ordinary, and is tho-
roughly ready to receive her crew. She is expected
to be commissioned in a few days.
Her Majesty's ship Marlborough, from the Medi-
terranean, shortly expected at Portsmouth to be
paid off and recommissioned, will receive a portion
of her crew from Woolwich ; 150 continuous service
men and a batch of first and second class lads are
now berthed on board the flagship Fisgard and the
hulks, in readiness to proceed to Portsmouth on
the arrival of the flagship from Malta, now on her
passage.
A new disconnecting apparatus, on the principle
of Capt. Taylor, an officer commanding one of Mr.
Green's East Indiamen, was yesterday received at
Woolwich, to be submitted to a course of trials at
full speed.
Several additional works are ordered to be carried
out for improving the fortifications at Dover. A
new fort is to be constructed on the high ground
near the Castle-farm, and overlooking the northern
salient of the entire fortress, and other portions of
the fortress are to be strengthened.

Captain Russell, late of the Indian army, having
effected some important improvements and altera-
tions in the present description of ambulance wag-
gon in use in the army, one of the improved waggons
was yesterday exhibited to the authorities and
heads of the Medical Department at Fort Pitt,
Chatham, when a favourable opinion of the inven-
tion was expressed by the officers of the medical
staff and others who inspected it.
Her Majesty's troopship Megaera, Commander
llenderson, having coaled at the dockyard, yester-
day went down to the Royal Arsenal pier, Wool-
wich, in readiness to embark the baggage and
effects of the detachment belonging to the Depot
Royal Artillery, under orders to proceed on Monday
next for garrison duty to Sheerness. The detach-
ment consists of one field officer, four captains, eight
lieutenants, and 600 privates, with a due proportion
of non-commissioned officers to relieve the Tipperary
Artillery Militia.
Sir Richard Mayne, Chief Commissioner of the
Metropolitan Police, accompanied by his brother,
Col. Mayne, and Mr. Mallalieu, visited Woolwich
yesterday, and entered into arrangements for the
assumption of the dockyard station duties by the
police force. The whole of the guard and sentry
posts in the dockyard, hitherto held by the military,
will ,henceforth be supplied by the police, as during
the Crimean war.

The following appointments were made yester-