The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-15 00:00:00

TIIE NAVY.

The launch of the iron-cased floating battery
Black Prince, which was announced for Tuesday,
is not now expected to take place for a week or 10
days.
The Wanderer, 4, gunboat, 200 horse power, was
yesterday taken out of Sheerness harbour, whence
she proceeded to the measured mile off Maplin Sand
for the purpose of testing her machinery, under the
superintendence of Capt. Schomberg, of the steam
reserve at Sheerness, Mr. Blaxland, chief engineer

of the factory, and Mr, Price, inspector of machinery
afloat. The trial lasted five hours, and was most

satisfactory. The vessel made six runs, and attained
a mean speed of Mit knots per hour ; revolutions,
92 ; draught of water forward, 8 7; aft, 10.7 ; pres-

sure of steam 201 b; vacuum, 25.
The Spitfire,s, paddle, Lieut.• Commander Alling
ham, sailed from Spithead for Woolwich at 3 p.m
yesterday.

- The Pelican, 17, screw, just completed in the
fitting of her machinery in the steam basin of
Portsmouth. Dockyard by Messrs. Ravenhill, Sal-
keld, and Co., made her official trial of speed yes-
terday at the measured mile in Stokes Bay, under
the supervision of the Government officials. The
ship drew 12ft 2in aft, and lift forward, being in
light trim, and about 16in less than she will be
with guns, cables, masts, and rigging on board.
She was propelled by a Griffiths screw of 12ft
diameter, and a pitch of 14ft Sin ; pressure of steam,
201 b ; vacuum, 25 ; revolutions of engines, maxi-
mum, 112 ; mean, 110. The mean of six runs gave
the ship a speed in knots of 11'380, the boilers and
machinery performing their duty well. At the con-
clusion of the trial the ship returned into harbour,
and will be taken in, hand by the steam reserve to
bring forward for classification.
The Cossack, 20, screw, Capt. R. Moorman, com-
menced her washing out and cleansing process yes-
terday in No. 1 dock at Portsmouth.
The Icarus, 11, screw, Commander N. Salmon,
V.C., yesterday steamed into Portsmouth harbour
from Spithead, and berthed alongside the sheer
jetty, where she unbent sails, and awaits further
orders from the Admiralty.
Workmen are engaged in preparing the blocks
in No. 2 building slip in Portsmouth Dockyard for
the immediate reception of the keel of the Harle-
quin, 17-gun screw corvette, a sister vessel to the
Chanticleer, 17, screw, launched from the same slip-
way on Saturday last.
Her Majesty's troopship Dee, Master-Commander
Pullen, yesterday went into basin at Woolwich,
from the Clyde, to unload a cargo of machinery,
from Messrs. Napier and Co., for the screw steam
frigate Bristol, launched on Wednesday at Wool-
wich. The Dee experienced a succession of gales
on the coast of Scotland, which, on account of her
peculiar cargo and her want of stowage room below
deck, placed the ship in great jeopardy, and, as
stated by the officers of the Dee, the safety of the
ship and cargo and the lives of all on board was
only effected by dint of thorough seamanship in
gaining harbour and shelter during the height of
the storm.

Her Majesty's gunboats Sparrow and Dart yes-
terday left Woolwich for Chatham, in charge of
the officers of the steam reserve at Woolwich, to be
fitted for the ordinary at that port.
The iron-cased screw steamship Warrier is pro-
gressing with her armour, and has received two
and a half streaks of plates on her larboard side, and
one and a half on her port side.
The following transports have been chartered by
her Majesty's War Department Commissioners to
ship from Woolwich Arsenal for foreign stations,
namely :—The Hugh Balment, the Corriemulgie,
the Royal Bride, the St. Martin, the Irene, the
Hollingside, the Persian, and the Damascus, loading
with 8-inch shot and other war stores, consisting of
750 tons, for Malta. She will likewise embark some
horses for the same destination.
The screw steam corvette Barrosa, recently
launched at Woolwich, was yesterday hauled out
into the river, in preparation for her first trial of
machinery down the measured mile, to take place
shortly, after which she will be admitted into the
Sheerness ordinary.
The screw gunvessel Pigeon, 5, in the second dock
at Chatham, has been painted and thoroughly over-
hauled. She will be put out of dock on the 25th inst.
The screw steam gunvessel Nimble, 5, fitting for
the first division of the steam ordinary, and now
alongside the dockyard at Devonport, is ordered to
be commissioned with a crew of 50 men. She is to
be attached to the screw steamship Nile,e9o, flag of
Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, K.C.8., on the
North American and West Indian station.
The screw steam sloop Flying-fish, 5, Commander
Hope, in Plymouth Sound, having bad her com-
passes adjusted on Wednesday, tripped her anchor
yesterday, and resumed her previous berth.
The screw steam gunvessel Penguin, 5, tender to
the Narcissus, 51, was taken into the basin at
Keyham Steamyard yesterday morning, and in the
afternoon was appointed to be placed in No. 3 dock,
when the Centurion will• vacate it.
Our correspondent at Plymouth has received files
of the Bermuda Royal Gazette, which state that
the screw steamship Nile, 90, flag of Rear-Admiral
Sir Alexander Milne, was to leave the island,
she arrived from Portsmo on te Btll. Colonel
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