The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-09 00:00:00

lIIE NAVY.

The Warrior, 40, screw, Capt. A. H. Cochrane,
C. 8., will be removed from her present berth along-
side Portsmouth Dockyard to-day, and placed at
moorings in the harbour, to test our compasses. The
programme of the ship's future movements, as
understood to be arranged at present, is that she
goes out of harbour to Spithead to-morrow, makes
a preliminary trial on Monday next, which will
probably be a run out clear of the Nab and back.
If all goes well with the ship's machinery, of which

here is little doubt, the speed of the ship will be

tested at the measured mile as quickly as possible
afterwards. These trials fairly over, she will then
be despatched on her sea-trial trip as soon as she
can be made ready for the purpose.
The Volcano, fitted with machinery and tools as
a floating factory, was taken out of Portsmouth
harbour yesterday, in charge of the officers of the
Reserve and Engineering Departments to test the
working of her engines, &c. She will now take on
board the necessary materiel to enable her to carry
out the repairs required to the machinery of vessels
in the fleet to which she may be attached.
The lighter Sinbad, Moore master, sailed from
Plymouth yesterday with stores for the eastern
dockyards.
The paddlewheel steam storeship Dee, at Ply-
mouth, is receiving stores and navigating gear.
She will take her departure about Saturday, with
Commander Paul and a party for Pembroke, to rig
and navigate the screw steamsloop Shearwater, 11,
to Plymouth.

Iler Majesty's paddlewheel steam sloop Geyser,
6, Commander Jackson, took on board supernume-
raries, marines, and seamen on Monday afternoon, '
and left Plymouth yesterday, for Portsmouth.
Rear-Admiral Erskine's division of the Channel
fleet, consisting of the Edgar, 89, screw (flagship),
Capt. G. P. Mends ; the Hero, 89, screw, Capt. A.
P. Ryder ; and the Trafalgar, 86, screw, Capt. J.
Dickson, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning
under steam, and brought up in line on reaching
the anchorage. The Edgar discharged her powder
and shell yesterday at Spithead, preparatory to
going into harbour.
The starboard division of the Channel fleet, un-
der Admiral Smart, which left Ireland eight days

previously, and arrived at Plymouth yesterday
morning, parted company on Saturday evening
with the port division, consisting of the Hero, the
Edgar, and the Trafalgar, which are bound for
Spitbead, They entered the Sound in the follow-
ing order :—The screw steamship Revenge, 89,
Capt. C. Fellowes, flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Robt,
Smart, N.H., white at the mizen ; the Centurion,
SO, Capt. 11. D. Rogers, C. 8.; the Conqueror, 99,
Capt. E. S. Sotheby, C.B. ; and the Aboukir, 86,
Cart. C. A. F. Shadwell,
The naval transport Manceuvrer, Mr. Follett
master, sailed from Chatham yesterday evening
with a full cargo of stores for Sheerness and Wool-
wich Dockyards.
Considerable progress is being made at Chatham
in the construction of the Achilles, 50, a large por-
tion of her keel being already completed. The
works, however, cannot be carried on with the
vigour required by the authorities in consequence
of the delay experienced in obtaining the iron
from those firms which have contracted to supply
it to the Admiralty. In fact, the non-fulfilment of

their contracts by the great iron companies has
been the principal reason of the Achilles having
progressed so slowly. At the present moment the
authorities are ready to take on several hundred
additional mechanics, but are unable to do so in
consequence of the want of the proper materials
to proceed with the work. The reason assigned
for the slowness with which the deliveries of iron
take place is the stagnation caused to the iron
trade in the north by the late strikes. At the
present time there are only about 200 hands em-
ployed on the vessel, but as soon as the works aro
in full operation at least 1,000 mechanics, labourers,
and boys will be employed about her. The wooden
caisson now at the entrance to the dock in which she
is under construction, a portion of which has been cut
away to give her an increased length, is to be re.
moved, and an iron caisson substituted, at a cost of
about £3,000. The Achilles will be slightly larger
than either the Warrior or the Black Prince, the
only difference, however, being that her beam will
be slightly broader, and her floor somewhat flatter
than in those vessels. By this means her tonnage
will be increased from 6,039 tons to 6,089 tons, and
her displacement from 8,625 tons to 9,030 tons. All
her other dimensions, and the essential features of
her construction are exactly the same as those of the
Warrior—subject, however, to such alterations and
improvements as the experience in constructing this
class of vessels may suggest.
Some experimental firing took place at Portsmouth
yesterday, from one of the Britannia's 32. pounders,
fixed in one of the ship's cutters. Thirteen rounds
were fired from the gun, and the result appeared to
prove that the plan suggested by Lieut. Nares, who
superintended the firing, could be effectually carried
out in smooth water. By this method, where boats
are sent into shoal water, the heavy 32-pounders of
the ship could be brought to do service even in an
ordinary cutter, in lien of its usual 9 or 12-pounders,
The following appointments were made yesterday._
at the Admiralty :—Dr. James A. Allan, W. P.
Clapp, Nicholas T. Connolly, W. Ryall, and Mark