The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-03 00:00:00

211 E NAVY.

CIIATIIAkt, Oct. 2.—The iron-plated frigate De-
fence, 18, is still lying alongside the sheer-hulk in
this harbour, and it is now a matter of doubt as to
whether she will be taken into deck during
the approaching spring tides, as her masts have not
yet arrived at this establishment. The progress of
the work will not, however, be much retarded in
consequence of any delay in docking her, as much
still remains to be done in the interior of the vessel;
whichisbeingrapidly proceeded with. The Defence
is to be at once handed over to the dockyard autho-
rities, and a screw-steamer has today arrived for
the purpose of conveying to the factory of the
builders, Messrs. Palmer Brothers, Jarrow, on the
Tyne, the whole of their gear remaining in the ship
together with the workmen sent from their esta-
blishment for the purpose of completing her. Many
of the hands have, however, obtained work in this
dockyard, where there seems to be a good prospect
for skilful workers in iron, in. consequence of the
immense amount of iron ship-building in progress
and in contemplation. No. 3 dock in this yard is
now in perfect readiness for the reception of the
Defence, the whole of the blocks having been re-
duced to a level of 4 inches from the bed of the dock
to increase the depth of water.
Yesterday the operation of planking the iron-
cased steam frigate Royal Oak, 51, building at Chat-
ham, was commenced by the shipwrights employed
on her, of whom there are upwards of 200. The
planking on which her iron plates will be placed
will be of teak, 12 in. in thickness, tapering down
to a minimum thickness of 5 in. at a depth of 5 ft.
below the water-line. The object of boffing the
iron plates on teak instead of oak planking is
that the peculiar oil from the former wood is
expected to act as a preservative to the iron,
while the acids from oak planking are found to
be exceedingly injurious to iron, on which they
have a singularly destructive effect. The
energy with which the building of the Royal
Oak is now carried on leaves little room for doubt
that she will be completed and afloat in a very little
more than 12 months.

Yesterday a number of additional caulkers and
shipwrights were placed on the President, 51, fit-
ting in the fourth dock at Chatham, in order to
expedite her completion. As soon as the fourth
dock is at liberty it will be occupied by the Nankin,
eat one of the other 51-gun sailing frigates, to be
converted into screw steamers.

The War Department transport Henry, Mr. John
Bull commander, was placed under the steam crane
at the Ordnance-wharf, Chatham, yesterday, and
landed six of the new 20-pounder Armstrong guns,
together with 400 cases of 100-pounder shot and
400 cases of 20-pounder Armstrong shot, for the
guns ordered to be distributed to the forts and ships
at Chatham. The Henry likewise brought a new
ambulance waggon for the use of the sick troops at
Fort Pitt Hospital.
The Julia, screw gun-vessel, belonging to the first
class steam reserve, was taken alongside the wharf
at Chatham yesterday, and landed her 68-pounder
guns, preparatory to receiving her 100-pounder
Armstrongs, with which all the gunboats are to be
armed.

Among the many visitors to the Warrior at
Portsmouth yesterday were Lord Palmerston, Rear
Admiral Jones, and Mr. Bentinck, M.P. The throng
of visitors to the ship continues undiminished.
The Chesapeake, 50, screw, flag of Rear-Admiral
Jones, whose arrival at Spithead from China was
announced in The Sun of yesterday, remains at
Spithead awaiting orders.
The Chesapeake has made a beautiful run home.
She has only been twelve days under steam. Her
dates are—from Hong Kong, 22d May ; arrived at
Singapore, Bth June, left 15th; arrived at the
Mauritius, 6th July, left 10th; arrived at the Cape,
31st July, left Bth Aug.; arrived at St. Helena 22d,
and left 24th ; arrived at Ascension, 20th Aug., and
left same day for England. It is not certain as to
her being paid off at this port.
The Emerald, 51, screw frigate, Captain Arthur
Cumming, at Portsmouth, took in Armstrong guns
yesterday in lien of 68 pouuders.
Mr. W. H. Ward, the inventor and patentee of
the system of Ocean Marine Telegraph, now in use
on board the ships of the Channel fleet, exhibited
with the authority of the Admiralty at Portsmouth
on Wednesday evening the mode of working the
night signals portion of his system. The four
lanterns, or rather signal lamps, which are used
for the purpose were hung from the crossjackyard
of the Shannon frigate, lying off the dockyard at her
harbour moorings, and were read and answered from
the platform of the King's Stairs, where Rear-Ad-
miral the Hon, George Grey, superientendent of
the dockyard, and other officers were assembled.
Mr. Ward, having seen his lamps fixed in a per-
pendicular position on board the Shannon, explained
the manner of their working to some seamen signal-
men that had been sent on board for the purpose
from her Majesty's ships Warrior and Asia. So
simple is the working of the signals that, on Mr.
Ward being sent for on shore to explain his method
to Rear-Admiral Grey, the men on board the Shan-
non, who had never before seen the lamps or their
mode of working, signalled with them " Reef top-
sails," spelling each word through from the alpha-
betical code, as thus—showing one red and three
white lights for " R," the change in the disposition
LH. Luc nDuw Val.ll LI representing a letter. The
operator stands with four small lines in each hand,
by pulling which he exhibits " White," "Red,"
or " Black," as required to give the letter.
Numerals are given with three lamps. The whole
of the lamps "flashed" by raising or lowering
the screens quickly three times denote the end of a
number, word, or sentence. This is simply accord-
ing to the inventor's code, which simply spells each
sentence transmitted, but the same alphabetical
letters and numerals applied to the present Admi-
ralty vocabulary would not, perhaps, have a greater
range, for that would be impossible, but it would
convey professional sentences in an incredibly short
time.

Yesterday Mr. Ward submitted to Admiral Grey
and Capt. Cochrane one of his portable signal steer-
ing lamps, which, by exhibiting a red, green, or
white light, conveys from forward to the quarter-
master at the helm the order to " steady," "port,"
" starboard," as may be required, and which he
acknowledges receiving by repeating the signal
from a similar lamp in his possession at the wheel
Preparations are making at Devonport Dock-
yard for the reception of his Imperial Highness the
Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, who is about
to visit Plymouth and the neighbourhood.
The screw steam sloop Malacca, 17, Capt. G.
Napier from Sheerness and Spithead, for the Cape
of Good Rolm, put into Plymouth 'Sound yesterday
morning for Coal.

The Puke
b
uofomerset, First Lord of the Admi-
ralty,
accompanied
Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir
Frederick Grey, Ley -B
Whitehall,
andtalleh' Mr. Whitbread, M.P.,
left the Admiralty,
yesterday, to pay
an official visit to Newhaven
The Bombay, 81, Am-horse p
line-of-battle
screw stcatuer,, which has been severallver'
mouths on
hand at Chatham, fitting for the class steam
reserve, left her moorings at Folly
I mat at 9 a.m.
yesterday, in charge of Mr. Lee, eta E
e engineer,
and steamed down to Sheerness to coal up, pre-
viously to going ou a two days' trial trip for the
purpose of testing her machinery.
The following appointments have been made at
tho Admiralty—E. M'Sorley, surgeon, additional,
to the Nile; Francis Greene, assist.-surg., to the St.
Vincent; J. A. Skene, assist.-surg., to the }Fero;
B. Crabbe, assist.-sirg., additional, to the Fisgard ;
E. H. Evans, assist.-surg., to Green wich Hospital ;
IL C. P. Lawrensor, a4A-4.-surg., to Plymouth Hos-
pital ; M. M. Magrath, as-:ist.-snr,?;., to the Chat-
ham Division of the Royal Marines ; G. F. Elliott,
assist.-surg., additional, to the IVellesley ; Dr. J.
Paterson, assist.-surg., additional, to the Victory ;
J. N. Willon, engineer, to the Cumberland, for the
Lee
; J. T. /lards, acting first-class assist. engineer,
to the Di-Acre' acting ; W. H. Jenkins, engineer,
to the Doterel ; J. M'Gregor, acting second-class
assist.-engineer, to the Doterel ; 'l'. J. T. Wood,
paymaster, to the Victory.

OFFICERS' NAMES REMOVED FROM THE

NAVY LIST. _ ___.
The following ()facto; iamaee have been removed

I from the official list of the Royal navy, during the •
past quarter for the causes assigned :
Lieutenants—Cuthbert Le Mesurier, dismissed;
Richard P. Fitzgerald, resigned; Godwin R. Bre-
ton, resigned; Alexander W. Ingles, resigned;
James E. N. Graham, name remov,. d ; and Edward,
St. J. Daniel, name removed.
Surgeons—Andrew Darling, retired ; and Daniel
Ritchie, name removed.
Assistant Surgeon—James Ferguson, M.D., re-
signed.
Second Masters—R. F. Browne, name removed;
G. W. Grey, name removed; W. H. Willing, dis-
missed ; William M. Lowick, dismissed ; and Albert.
Carr, dismissed.
Assistant Paymasters—James Inglis, dismissed;
Arthur B. Cumming, dismissed ; David I. Yeoman,
dismissed ; Henry P. Houghton, dismissed ; and
John E. Elsworthy, dismissed. •