The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-07 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The Simoom, 8, iron screw steam sloop, Com-
mander John M. Cooke, is to be paid down on Fri-
day, and the crew granted leave of absence. The
ship will be dismasted, and on the return of the

ere-I,v will be fitted out for further service.

The screw steam frigate, Curacoa, 31, Capt. T.
H. Mason, steamed out of Portland harbour on
Tuesday morning for a cruise in the Channel. The
Termagant, '25, under canvas, reached that port
early that afternoon from the eastward. It was
expected that a portion of the fleet would sail to
Torbay, and return to Portland in a few days.
Some disturbances occurred on Saturday last on
board the screw steam frigate Liffey, in Plymouth
Sound. She was commissioned on the Ist Novem-

ber, 1858, and went first to Portland, where no leave
was given, nor was it expected,by the men. For
some time past she has been at Liverpool, where
liberty was granted in sub-divisions of the
watch, varying from five to ten each, by
.which
arrangement more than a month would expire be-
fore all could get ashore. The Liffey arrived in the
Sound on Friday morning at six o'clock. When
applied to, Captain Preedy is stated to have said
that he " would not give leave to his own brother."
There being no expectation of liberty on Saturday,
practical indications of discontent were exhibited
in the evening. The men talked of bringing their
hammocks from below and stowing them in the
nettings, declaring their intention not to turn in
for the night. The strands of some of the gun-
breechings were cut. Heavy shot were rolled
about the deck, some of which are said to have
struck the captain's cabin door. Three were sent
down into the engine-room, and it was feared that
personal injury would be inflicted. The insubor-
dination assumed at length an aspect so formidable
that the men were beat to quarters and were mus-
tered aft. Capt. Preedy inquired the cause of the
disturbance, and receiving no answer, sent the crew
forward and then asked the petty officers, when
the captain of the main hold, James Doran, replied
that " leave was wanted to see their families."
Captain Preedy said that the men's families could
come on board, when Doran answered that " his
wife was so fat and heavy that she could not come
up the ship's side." On this, all were ordered
below. A seaman, armed with a drawn cutlass,
was placed at each gun, and a guard of marines,
under Lieutenant Boyd and a serjeant, after search-
ing the seamen's hammocks, forced them to retire,
and stationed themselves at the hatchways of the
lower deck with lanterns, and so remained through-
out the night. On Sunday morning, Captain
Preedy went ashore, and it is presumed had an in-
terview with Port-Admiral Sir Barrin gton Reynolds
After he returned the men were paid " compo"—a
portion of their wages—and the port watch, 260
men, went on leave for 24 hours. On Monday the
starboard watch obtained similar permission.
During the first few weeks succeeding the issue
of her Majesty's proclamation for the augmentation
of the Royal Navy a number of fine growing lads,
from the ages of 16 to 18, and rising sft. 44-in.
in
height, presented themselves on an average of about
200 daily at the Fisgard's office, for enrolment at
Woolwich, and were rejected as being too short,
the standard having been fixed at sft. 6in,
without
stating the age. Hundreds of willing aspirants for
the service, constitutionally adapted in every other
respect except the height for seamen, were dis-
missed without examination under a misapprehen-
sion of the prescribed rules for admission. The
examining officers have be en relieved, and the
regulations in accordance with the Admiralty order
of the 14th of June, 1853, have been put in force—.
namely, all boys under the age of 18 who enter the
navy are required to enter into an agreement to
serve her Majesty for a period of
from 10 years' con-
tinuous and general service the age of 18,
in addition to whatever periods may be necessary
till they attain that age. If above the age of
18, they are required to engage for 10 years'
continuous and general service from the date of
the first entry ; and those who have been to sea
or accustomed to boats will be preferred. No boy
will, under any circumstances, be entered under
the ages of 14 or below the following standard of
ages between 14 and 15, not less
than 4 feet 8 inches ; between 15 and 16, not less
than 4 feet 10 inches; 16 and 17, 5 feet; 17 and
18, 5 feet 2 inches ; and after 18, 5 feet 4 inches.
Boys must be well grown and stout, of perfectly,
sound and healthy constitution, free from all phy-
sical malformation, and intelligent, and produce
their register of birth or baptism. In the first
entry of boys, the consent of their parents and
friends must be given in writing, and the boy him-
self must be willing and desirous to enter under
these conditions. As all boys will be strictly sur-
veyed before being received in the service, those
who are not found fit in every respect, in accord-
ance with the above regulations, will be rejected.
All other circumstances being equal, a preference
will be given to those boys who can read and write.
Under the above regulations the recruiting officers
of 'Woolwich are entering from 50 to 70 efficient
men and lads per day, who, after passing medical
' attestation, are posted to her Majesty's receiving-
ship Fisgard, where they draw their kit and im-
mediately enter the gunners' class for the necessary
course of sword exercise and drill, on parade, about
two hours daily, in addition to the allotted exercise
in the rigging and other parts of the ship.
The Fairy, Royal screw yacht, was uniceked at
Portsmouth yesterday, after cleaning her copper,&c
The Hornet, 17, screw, Commander Viscount
Gilford, steamed into Portsmouth harbour from
Spithead at high water on Tuesday.
The Vivid steamer, Master-Commander Allen,
having on board the members of the Royal Coin-
mission appointed to inquire into the management
and efficiency of the coast and harbour lights of
the United Kingdom, left Portsmouth on Tuesday
evening in the direction of the Channel Islands,
The members of the Commission comprise--Admiral
Hamilton, Captain Ryder, R.N., Mr. S, R. Graves,