The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-13 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

Orders from the Admiralty were received yester-
day at Plymouth, countermanding the departure of
the Sanspareil, the Donegal, and the Conqueror,
with the Marines for Mexico, until there is a pros-
pect of more settled weather.
The Warrior and the Revenge, which left Queens-
town on Saturday, arrived in the Sound yesterday
afternoon, and will probably leave for Portland to-
morrow.

The Phaeton, 51, screw, Capt. E. Tatham, sailed
from Spithead yesterday for Yarmouth Roads, at
the -West end of the Isle of Wight, where she
anchored to await further orders. Owing to the
hurried manner in which she was despatched from
Sheerness, a great deal of work still remains to be
done on board before the ship can be pronounced fit
for sea.

Yesterday orders were received from the Admi-
ralty to prepare the Shannon, 51, screw, for sea
within 12 hours. The machinery was found to work
perfectly, and, as the vessel has been rigged in a
very superior manner, and is fitted even to her
boats, gripes, and chafing mats, her future captain
will be enabled to proceed to sea in her at a much
earlier period from the date of her commission
than he would with many other ships that have
been dockyard rigged. Captain Arthur Cum-
ming, for whom the frigate is destined, is ex-
pected to arrive at Portsmouth this morning, with
part of the officers and crew of the Emerald.
He will at once convey the Shannon round to De-
vonport, where the remainder of the Emerald's
crew will turn to her. He will then resume his
voyage, which he was compelled by stress of
weather to relinquish in the Emerald.
A deputation from the municipal authorities of
Portsmouth have waited upon the Admiralty rela-
tive to the contemplated removal of the Britannia
from that port to Portland, but nothing definite, we
believe, has resulted from their interview beyond
the fact that the Britannia will be removed from
the harbour of Portsmouth, owing to reasons en-
tirely irrespective of the sanitary condition of that
part of the harbour where the ship has been moored.
It is also understood that the original order of the
Board may so far be modified that the Britannia
may be eventually moored at Spithead or the Mo-
therbank, instead of at Portland ; and as the re-
moval of the ship from the harbour is the chief
point insisted upon, Spithead in summer and the
Motherbank in w:nter certainly appear to be the
best positions that could be chosen for her. The
cadets in their daily walks through the dockyard
at Portsmouth, accompanied by their officers, in-
specting the different ships fitting out in the basins,
acquire a sound knowledge of the practical mode
of rigging and fitting out a vessel for sea, stowing
her hold, &c. At Portland there is no dockyard.
and therefore these important aids to the cadet's
training as a seaman would not be available.

An order has been issued that all line-of battle
ships and frigates are in future to be fitted with
" jibboom nets."
The Himalaya, screw troopship, Capt. John Sec
combe, embarked the troops enumerated in The Sun
of the Bth inst. at Portsmuoth yesterday, for convey-
ance to Halifax and the West Indies. She sails this
morning for her destination, calling in at Queen s-
town to complete her freight.
The Supply, screw storeship, Master-Commander
Balliston, arrived at Spithead yesterday from the
Mediterranean, with stores, &c., from Malta and
Gibraltar, and cases of ancient sculpture from
Cyrene. The Rev. R. B. Howe, naval chaplain, has
come home in her as passenger. She has also
brought home a few supernumeraries. She left
Malta on the 24th Oct.
The entire surface of No. 1 dock at Chatham
having been boarded over, and formed into a huge
workshop and fitting-shed for the workmen em-
ployed on the Achilles, 50, the present roof
over the dock is to be extended inland to a
considerable distance. The work is to be completed
with the utmost possible despatch.
The Comus, 14, 460 tons, sailing sloop, attached
to the reserve in ordinary at Chatham, is ordered
to be removed to St. Mary's Island, where she is to
be broken up by the convicts. Orders had been
previously given for the Childers, 16, to be taken
to pieces by the convicts, but the Admiralty have
decided on disposing of that vessel with the other
sailing ships at Chatham which have been selected
to be sold by tender, and the Comus will be broken
up instead. The value of the Comas, as estimated
by the Admiralty officials who have made a survey
of the ships selected for sale, was fixed at £1,617.
The screw steam sloop Flying-fish, 6, 350-horse
power, Commander W. H. Anderson, which has ar-
rived at Sheerness from the coast of Scotland, is
ordered to be taken into dock, where she is to have
her bottom examined, and some extensive altera-
tions made in her internal fittings in order to im-
prove the ventilation below. It is understood that
the Flying-fish will be despatched to the West
Coast of Africa, taking out a commission specially
appointed by the Government to inquire into the
cause of the disturbances at Lagos between the King
of Bonny and his people by which British interests
on the coast are likely to be materially affected.
The screw frigate Leander, 51, 400-horse power,
is ordered to proceed to the Maplin Sands for a
second trial of her engines and machinery on Friday
next, the frigate having been compelled to return
to Sheerness harbour on the occasion of her former
trial trip in consequence of the untoward accident
which occurred to Mr. Bethwkk, the contractor's
foreman,byae
dwe
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motion.

one, and he feared he might have said things which I
were not palatable in the ears of some of those
who heard him ; but his desire was to obtain the
greatest amount of good with as littleof corresponding
evil as possible from the grant. There was no
question to which he would address himself with a
more dispassionate and earnest spirit of inquiry,
and if upon further investigation he found he had
taken an erroneous view, he should not hesitate to
say so. (Hear, hear.) He hoped that vested in-
terests would be preserved, that the important
details of the scheme would be well considered and
criticised, and, if necessary, altered. He respect-
fully invited his friends who differed from him on
this subject to consider whether the public mind
was not ripe for some reform. The public feeling
was that some change was requisite. He thought
that another year ought not to pass by without
some change in the code of education, and he hoped
and believed that beneficial results would ensue.
(Hear, hear.)
The motion, having been seconded, was adopted,
and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks
to the chairman.

THEI SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 13, 1861.