The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-19 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

It appears that the Princess Royal, 91, grounded
on the Winter Shoal in Plymouth Sound on Tues-
day afternoon, not in endeavouring to go to the
westward, but to the northward of that shoal. She
should, therefore, have gone nearer to the Citadel
before attempting to make for Hamoaze, or else her
jib should not have been hoisted. A very few
fathoms would have taken her clear of danger. Her
rise on the rock was rather understated in 7he Sun
of yesterday; instead of one to four feet, it should
have been three to five feet—competent authorities
say five feet. The diver examined the bottom on
• Wednesday and brought up a piece of her fore foot,
about two feet six inches long ; he stated that there
are several feet gone. The gunboat Weser having
been removed, the Princess Royal is now in No.
3 dock at Keyham Steamyard. However much
this accident is to be regretted, it has been
the means of bringing under special obser-
vation the very efficient condition of that por-
tion of the Channel fleet now at anchor in the
Sound, It consists of five screw steamships—
viz.) the Donegal, 101, Captain Henry Broadhead,
inside the western portion of the breakwater ;
the Aboukir, 90, Captain Charles F. A. Shadwell,
inside the Camber ; the Conqueror, 101, Captain
Edward S. Sotheby, inside both; and the Hero, 91,
Captain Alfred P. Ryder, and the Centurion, 80,
Captain Henry D. Rogers, C. 8., yet further in.
The officers on duty on board all the ships were
apparently watching the Princess Royal. Boats
were manned simultaneously. Between the striking
of the ship on the rock and the starting of a pinnace
from the Donegal with the stream anchor and all
appurtenances only four minutes and a half elapsed.
Equal activity was manifested by Commander
Brown, Master Attendant, and the executive of the
Devonport Dockyard, in the despatch of steam ten-
ders and launches. On Wednesday again a boat
belonging to the Aboukir was upset in the Sound,
bat the crew were promptly rescued by assistance
from the ships just enumerated.
The artisans at Keyham steamyard were em-
ployed yesterday in shoring the Princess Royal,
91, for the purpose of renewing her fore-foot, false
keel, and garboard, damaged on Tuesday last when
she grounded on the Winter Shoal in Plymouth
Sound.
The paddlewheel steam frigate Magicienne, 16,
Captain John E. Commerell, from Hongkong, Dec.
27 ; Singapore, January 12 ; the Cape of Good
Hope, February 27; St. Helena, March 12; St.
Vincent, March 28 ; and Madeira, April 7, which
put into Falmouth, short of fuel, on Wednesday,
arrived in Plymouth Sound yesterday morning, and
saluted the flag of Port-Admiral Sir Houston
Stewart, which was acknowledged by the Impreg-
nable, 104, Capt. Lord Frederick Kerr, in Hamoaze.
Rear-Admiral R, L. Warren hoisted his flag
(blue at the mizen) yesterday on board the Emerald,
51, screw, Captain A Cumming, at Spithead, under
the usual honorary salutes.
Yesterday Capt. E. G. Fanshawe (1845), late of
the Trafalgar, 91, arrived at Chatham Dockyard,
and took up his appointment as Superintendent of
that establishment, in succession to Capt. G. Gold-
smith, C.B.
The pitch of the screw of the steamship Gibral-
tar, 101, at Devonport, having been altered from
22ft. 6in. to 27ft. Gin., a trial of her engines and
machinery took place on Wednesday, at the measured
mile outside Plymouth Breakwater. Capt. Astley
C. Key, C. 8., of the guardship of steam ordinary
Indus, with Commander John E. F. Risk, Mr, John
Scott, her master, Mr. John Ward, assistant-engi-
neer of Keyham Steamyard, and Mr. James Steil,
inspector of machinery afloat, represented the Ad-
miralty. Mr. Maudslay, jun., and Mr, Warrener,
engineer afloat, were present on the part of the
manufacturers of the engines, Messrs. Maudslay,
Sons, and Field, London. The Sun of the 21st
March last contained an elaborate account of the
ship and her engines ; it will, therefore, be only
necessary now to state that she is pierced for 101
guns, has neither masts, guns, nor stores of any
mud on Lvard, anti drama 1 R ft re.--a c.xid. 22 ft.
6 in. aft. The engines are a pair of direct acting of
400-horse power each, and possess all the modern
improvements. With wind easterly, a light breeze,
water smooth, weather fine, she first ran from west
to east, 11 841 knots; second, 12 676; third, 12.121;
and fourth, 13.284; maximum of two runs, 12.7;
mean speed of four runs, 12.480 ; mean revolutions,
59; pressure, 201 h. This result, is considered very
satisfactory. The ventilation of the engine-room
and stokehole was well maintained, and the vibra-
tion of the propeller (Griffith's) was comparatively
small. The assistant-engineers of the Gibraltar
complain, and apparently with much reason, that
their mess-room, like those in all other line of-battle
ships, is on the orlon deck, and is therefore supplied
only with two bull's-eyes for light and ventilation.
When the ship has a list, and frequently at other
times at sea when the weather is rough, the water
obstructs the light and prevents the possibility of
opening the scuttles. The mess-room is then unfit
for human occupation, and is rendered worse by the
necessity of burning a lamp. It is suggested that
a portion of the gunroom, or some other cooler place,
should be appointed to the use of the assistant-
engineers, into which they might retreat after their
severe duties in the heated atmosphere of the
engine-room and stokehole.
Within the last few days a question has arisen
relative to the ultimate disposal of the handsome
brass gun which was captured in China two or three

years since, and brought to England by Capt. W. 11.
Stewart, C.B , in the Nankin, 50, and landed at
Chatham Dockyard, w here it has ever since remained
among heaps Of stores and other articles, appa-
rently neglected and forgotten. The gun is of very
large size and of beautiful. workmanship, and its
weight is calculated to be about 9 or 10 tons.
Another gun, similar in all respects to that now
lying at Chatham Dockyard, was also captured in
China, but unfortunately, in getting it on board at
Canton, it fell overboard and was irretrievably lost.
The reason for the gun being allowed to remain in
its present situation, on the anchor wharf, is stated
to be a difficulty which has arisen relative to its
ownership, Capt. Stewart being understood to claim
it as his private property. It is stated that some
time since the Crystal Palace Company offered
£l,OOO for the gun, but that that sum was refused.
Yesterday the anchors, together with a quantity
of other stores, for the floating battery Thunder-
bolt, 16, were put on boird that vessel in Chatham
harbour. Each of the anchors shipped weighs 46
cwts. The cables for the Thunderbolt arc expected
to arrive from Sheerness.

Admiralty orders have been received at Chatham
directing the frigate Arethusa, 51, which is now in
dock undergoing the process of conversion from a
sailing ship to a screw steamer, to be supplied with
the following armament, viz.:-10 BS-pounders,
each of 65 cwt., and Oft. in length ; 22 of 56 cwt.
each, and 9ft. Gin. in length ; 18 of 45 cwt. each,
_ _ _

and Bft. 6in. in length ; and 1 swivel 68 pounder of
95 cwt. and 10ft. in length. The Arethusa, which
has been several months in hand, is in a very for-

ward state, and a few weeks more will, it is oonfi

dently expected, see her completed. The addition

made to her length amidships, in order to adapt
her far a screw steamer, has made her one of the
I°73gest 51-gun frigates in the British navy.
The Gorgon and Swift were daily expected at
the c
. %Ixl from Rio de Janeiro. The Miranda sailed
fr om the
ruary. Cape for Australia on the 26th of Feb-
The
B Inaeotime
6, paddle, Commander G. A. C. rooker, arrived
at Spithead yesterday evening,
from China and
the Cape, sailing from Simon's
Bay on the 26th of
The Edgar, 91, stFebtuary.
J. E.Erevii Capt. J. 'Caton, flagship
of Rear-Admiral
orsittline, will ship her Arm-
strong. guns, consisting
oun.me 100-pounder and two
40-pounders, at Spitheacl
The Cruiser, 17, C°m'nander"d"7.
at val J. lythesea, is re-
arrived
ported to have
month fra 0,•
„ voyage to
After coaling, she will continue hAr —lll `-'"lna.
clinu et Out
Spithead, and is expected there to-A
The screw steam frigate Orlando, 51,
was
of No. 1 dock in Keybam steamyard on Wednesday
afternoon, and moored in the basin. yeaterty-
mornieg she was towed out of the basin and pl‘t3
at her moorings off Wilcove, in Hamm.
Commander James E. Bickford was yesterday
appointed to the Forte.