The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-15 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

Rear-Admiral Erskine's division of the Channel
fleet, comprising the Edgar, 91, screw (flagship),
Capt. James Katon ; 'Trafalgar, 91, screw, Capt. F.
G. Fanshawe ; and Diadem, 32, screw, Capt. J. 11.

Cockburn, arrived at Spithead at 1 p.m. on Satur-
day, under canvas, 14 days from Lisbon. Their
news has been anticipated by the arrival of the
Tagus, Peninsular and Oriental Mail Company's
steamer, at Southampton.
The Vixen, 6, paddle, Commander Frederick W.
Richards, arrived at Spithead on Saturday from the
Pacific. She sailed from Valparaiso on the 10th of
January last, and entered the Straits of Magellan
on the sth of February. Arrived at Rio de Janeiro
on the Ist of March and sailed again for England
on the sth of the same month. The last 10 days of
the passage calms and easterly winds were experi-
enced which may retard the arrival of the Ganges,
84, flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir R. L. Baynes, at
Spithead. Nothing had been seen of the ship on
the passage home. The Vixen brought home some
supernumeraries, who were landed, and immediately
afterwards she left Spithead on her way to Wool
with, where she will be put out of commission
She is very defective.

The Royal paddle yacht Victoria and Albert,
Capt. Hon. J. Denman, sailed
from Portsmouthi on
Saturday morning for Madeira, calling in Cowes
Roads to take on board live stock, &c.
The Bulldog, 6, paddle, Commander H. F.
M'Killop, sailed from Portsmouth on Saturday for
the Chops of the Channel and Pembroke. On
reaching Pembroke she will assist in towing the
Defiance, screw liner, round to Devonport.
Rear-Admiral Wipff, commanding the Dutch
squadron lately lying at Spithead, with his suite,
accompanied by the Netherlands Consul, Chevalier
Vandenberg, were entertained at dinner on Satur-
day, by Vice-Admiral H. W. Bruce, commanding-
in-Chief at Portsmouth, at the Admiralty-house in
the dockyard, where a distinguished party was as-
sembled to do honour to the gallant Admiral.
Yesterday morning, at 9 o'clock, Admiral Wipff
embarked on board the Sprightly steam tender,
Master-Commander Allen, which conveyed him to
Spithead, where he embarked on board his flagship,
the Evertsen, 51, screw, Capt. Vreeland. Both ships
immediately got up steam, and by 11.30 a.m. the
Evertsen and her consort the Zeeland were steam-
ing out to the eastward on their way to the Texel.
Previous to Admiral Wipff 's embarcation he ex-
pressed in the warmest terms, on behalf of himself
and his officers, their gratification at the courteous
reception they had received from all parties, the
military and naval authorities, and civilians, during
the stay of the squadron at Spithead.
The Athletm, hired sailing transport, arrived at
Spithead yesterday morning from China, with the
following officers and men of the 3d Foot (the
Buffs) :—Lieut.-Col. J. N. Sargent, in military com-
mand; Capts. T. Rains, E. K. V. Arbuckle, and W.
Henry ; Lieuts. A. G. Huyshe, C. D. Baillie, and
W. F. Ker ; Ensigns H. T. Halaham and H. Harri-
son; Assist.- Surg. J. H. Beath, M.D. ; 10 sergeants,
12 corporals, 4 drummers, and 330 privates. The
troops have arrived home very healthy, only five
being sick out of the whole number, and they can
disembark from the ship without assistance. Three
deaths have occurred during the voyage. The ship
sailed from Singapore on the 27th of December,
1800, and arrived at the Cape on the 3d February,
1861, sailing again on the 10th of February ;
arrived at St. Helena on the 22d of February, and
sailed on the following day, being her final port of
departure for England. On the order being given
at the Cape to heave up the anchor for England,
the ship's crew refused to work or obey the orders
of their commander. The ship was then taken in
hand by the military on board, 28 of whom, volun-
teers, were appointed to do duty aloft, the remainder
working the ship on deck. Things continued thus for
a week after leaving the Cape, when the seamen came
aft and begged of their captain to allow them to
return to their duty. The regiment will disembark
from the Athlete; in their serge tunics, the new
clothing not having been received in time for issue.
They await orders at Spithead. The Athletoe is the
first sailing transport arrived in England havingon
board a portion of the China expeditionary army.
The voyage home has been generally fine. On the
31st of March she spoke the Albuera, belonging to
Messrs. D. Dunbar.
Port Admiral Sir Houston Stewart went out on
Thursday afternoon in the screw steamship Hero,
hi, Capt. A,P. Ryder, from Hamoaze to Plymouth
Sound, in company with the screw steamship Con-
queror, 101, Capt. E. S. Sotheby, C.B. The admiral
retnrnedin the steam tender Avon to Mount Wise.
The iron paddlewheel steamvessel Weser, 6, Com-
mander Arthur IL J. Johnstone, from 'Woolwich,
which arrived on Friday afternoon in Plymouth
Sound, went on Saturday into Hamoaze to be re-
paired, having sprung a leak. She goes today into
No. 3 dock in Keyham steamyard. The Weser is
bound for the Danube.
The gunboats Hyena and Nightingale went on
Friday outside Plymouth breakwater to make a
trial of their engines. The trial is stated to have
been so satisfactory that the engines are fit for ser-
vice at sea.
The screw steamship Princess Royal, 91, Captain
Charles Fellowes, flag of Rear-Admiral Robert
Smart, Kat, having been repaired, was removed
on Saturday, from No. 3 dock in Keyham steam-
yard into the basin, preparatory to her making a
trial trip.
The screw steam frigate Emerald, 51, Capt. Ar-
thur Cumming, went from Hamoaze on Saturday
outside Plymouth breakwater, to try her ma-
chinery.
A Dutch 6-gun storesbip, from the eastward, ar-
rived in Plymouth Sound on Saturday, outward
bound.
The line-of-battle ship Meeanee, 80, which has
been converted from a sailing vessel to a screw
steamer, and fitted with engines of 400 horse-
Power, was taken out of Sheerness harbour on
Friday, and proceeded on a trial trip to the Nore
to test her machinery, under the direction of the
officers connected with the steam department at
Sheerness. The trial lasted nearly seven hours, and
was a most successful one, the machinery working
remarkably well. The draught of water aft was
23ft. 10in. ; forward, 2Oft. 10in. ; pressure, 20 ;
vacuum, 25; number of revolutions per minute, 56,
The Meeanee is attached to the first-class steam re-
serve in the Medway, and has all her stores, spars,
gear, and armament on board. She can be prepared
ready for sea in 48 hours, as she requires nothing
but her provisions and ammunition to be placed on
board.
The Undaunted, 51, 600 horse-power, is ordered
to be attached to the third-class steam reserve at
Chatham.
The screw corvette Challenger, 22, 400 horse-
power, has been put out of No. 1 Dock at Sheerness.
The Argus, 6, paddle, Commander Ingram, was
at Gibraltar on the Ist of April. It is expected
that she will be ordered home before her time is up,
in consequence of the defective state of her boilers.
On her last passage from Malta the pressure of
Steam had to be reduced as much as possible, owing
tzto_this cause. Commander Ingram has been made
,knight of the order of the Rose by the Brazilian
Government, in acknowledgment of his kind treat-
Tzte
ee!nt of the survivors of the crew of the corvette Isa-
r,hwerecked on the Morocco coast in November last.
docking of the Duncan, 101, screw, at Ports-
mouth, e_
at the elle been delayed owing to a want of water
dockneewntbrance. She will not be enabled to go
into dock
The paddlewheel
the next spring tides.
mender Jackson, leeeflt Plymouth
Geyser, 6, Com-
panied by the gunboPal,yrnouth on Saturday, accom-
e:ruProcris, Lieut. and Com-
mander the Hon. J.
for Gibraltar. The
steam gunboat Cockatrieeegitel
left at the sale ee.
Robert Gillson, and Commander
c time for Malta
no intelli-
Up to 10 o'clock yesterday mor
8_ :laming
genre had been received of the
t vessels Avon
and Zephyr, despatched on Saturday 137 Port Ad-
search
Sir Houston Stewart from Plymouth search of the capsized derelict .ship seen the da
in
before about 12 or 14 miles south by east from thye
.Eddystone lighthouse.
Capt. Cowper P. Coles, having been appointed
to the flagship Fisgard, for the purpose of carrying
but experiments with his iron shield and target, on
Saturday attended on board the flouting battery