The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-03 00:00:00

2.718 NAVY.

Orders were yesterday sent from the Admiralty
by telegraph to the office of the Commander-in-
Chief at Portsmouth, to hold in readiness for imme-
diate commission at that port the 51 gun screw
frigates Shannon and Euryalus, and the Stromboli
6 gun paddle sloop. The Sutlej, 51, screw frigate,
in the second class of the reserve, was also ordered
at the same time to be brought forward for first
class and commission. Considerable excitement
existed among naval officers at the port yesterday,
and speculation was exceedingly rife as to the
names of the officers who might receive the com-
mand of these ships, the two frigates more espe-
cially, in the event of hostilities with the North
A merican States.

Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam sloop Devasta-
tion, having six broadside guns and one 100-pounder
Armstrong pivot gun on deck, and in readiness for
sea, was yesterday ordered by an Admiralty tele-
gram to be taken out of the first-class steam reserve
at Woolwich, and be prepared for immediate com-
mission in the Atlantic. The Devastation has all
her stores, tanks, and every requisite for immediate
departure on board, as well as her guns, shot, &c.,
and will require no delay. She will be replaced in
the steam reserve by the Vesuvius. Fifty addi-
tional shipwrights were yesterday ordered to be en-
gaged to expedite the increased work now on hand
in Woolwich Dockyard.

An addition was yesterday ordered to be made to
the cargo of the transport Melbourne beyond that
given in 7lte ,Fun of yesterday—viz., 2,500,000
rounds of small arms' cartridges, 30,000 stand of
arms and accoutrements (instead of 20,000), and
1,500 rounds of Armstrong ammunition. It is
stated that, in order to protect this valuable cargo
from American cruisers, she will be adequately con-
voyed to her destination.
The Warrior, 40, screw iron frigate, Capt. Hon.
A. A. Cochrane, steamed into Portsmouth harbour
yesterday at high water, and was lashed alongside
the dockyard, to undergo repairs ordered by the
Admiralty. Her crew are ordered to be berthed cn
board the Bellerophon hulk during the time she is
in the hands of the dockyard authorities.
Yesterday an entry was commenced at the Master
Builder's-office in Portsmouth Dockyard of 160
shipwrights, 50 blacksmiths, and otherart4iso, artisans, for
special employment upon the Black Prince,
iron frigate, ordered to be brought forward at 80

early a date as possible for
placed in No. 10 dock at Portsmouth yesilrda3t; Her
bottom, as was anticipated, from the time she had
lain in the tidal dock at Greenock, is very foul.
At Devonport to-day 60 additional shipwrights
are to be entered in the dockyard. The Orlando,
51, is ordered to be put in commission, and to take
her place the Phoebe, 50, is to be brought forward
immediately from the second to the first division of
the steam reserve.

Instructions were yesterday received at Sheerness
from the Lords of the Admiralty to cuter GO ship-
wrights, with a proportionate number of joiners
and caulkers in her Majesty's dockyard, and to hold
in readiness for commission the Severn, 51 guns,
500-horse power, and the Barossa, 21 guns, screw
steam corvette, 400 horse power; also to bring for-
ward for commission two first-class vessels.

A further supply of the large rolled iron slabs,
each weighing about four tons, and 41 inches in
thickness, was landed at Chatham lhekyard yester-
day, for the armour plates for the Royal Oak, 51,
iron-cased frigate, building. The plates were for-
warded from the Parkgate Ironworks, Yorkshire.
The crew of the screw steamship Centurion, 80,
Capt. Rogers, C.B , at Devonport, were paid off on
Saturday.
In consequence of the deranged state of affairs at
Messrs. Westwood, Baillie, and Co.'s establishment
at Miliwall, the Lords of the Admiralty directed
Mr. Thornton, assist-master:shipwright at Wool-
wich, to take possession last week of the plant
and property on the premises intended for the con-
struction of the armour-clad ship Valiant, contracted
to be built by that firm. The ship will not be com-
pleted for 12 months. The whole of the hands em-
ployed on Saturday received their pay from the
Accountant at Woolwich, amounting to £7OO.