THE LAUNCH OF THE MERSEY

Another attempt was made yesterday afternoon at Chatham dockyard to launch Her Majesty's large screw frigate Mersey, 40, which refused to quit the stocks on the previous day, and the efforts of those employed in the operation were crowned with complete success, the Mersey being now safely afloat alongside the dockyard. The failure in the attempted launch on Thursday afternoon appeared to take every person by surprise, as such a circumstance had not been known to occur at Chatham dockyard for a very great number of years; and even now no satisfactory reason for the non-launching of the vessel can be arrived at. It was not until after 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon that the efforts to get her off the stocks were abandoned, and Mr. Laire, the master shipwright, reluctantly gave the orders to discontinue the attempts that day, and issued directions to shore up to prevent her rushing down the "ways" into the river in a sudden fit. Immediately the huge vessel was made secure a minute examination of the ship, the "ways," the cradle, and, indeed, every other part of the ship, was instituted, in order to ascertain why the hitch had occurred. It was at first supposed that that part of the ship which had been recently added had sunk in some minute degree so as to affect the incline of the "ways," but on examination not the slightest sinking, even to the minutest part of an inch, could be detected, a satisfactory proof of the excellent manner in which the ship had been constructed by Messrs. Rigby, the contractors. The "ways" were then examined, and these were found to be in perfect order, the "camber" of the vessel being even a trifle more than is usually the case in consequence of the immense length of the Mersey. The only conclusion arrived at to account for the hanging of the ship was that of adhesion, a feature not altogether unknown in the launching of large vessels, the supposition being that the great weight of the Mersey - increased too by 100 tons of machinery which had been put on board - had caused her to adhere so tightly to the "ways" as to require a force of no ordinary description to lift her and give her a slight start. Several gangs of shipwrights were accordingly employed up to a late hour on Thursday night, commencing again at 4 o'clock yesterday morning, in putting down additional blocks and screws to ease her off. Four large hydraulic presses were also borrowed from the yards of Messrs. Foord and Sons and Mr. Gill, at Rochester, to be used in the attempt to move her, the Government establishment at Chatham being without any machinery of that description. Several large rams were also placed at the stem of the ship to exert their force on the sullen mass.

The time decided on to make the second attempt to launch the Mersey was 3 o'clock in the afternoon, at which time there was sufficient water to float her off. At that hour Mr. Laire and Mr. Fincham, the master shipwrights, stationed themselves at the head of the vessel; Mr. Cheeseman, her builder, superintending the operations of the men below. At a given signal the dog-shores and blocks were simultaneously knocked away, and the pressure from the four hydraulic presses brought to bear against the vessel's stern. The shipwrights at the same moment forced the rams, by means of powerful wedges, against the ship, which could no longer resist the tremendous force applied, and in about five minutes the cry arose, "She's off," and in an instant afterwards the large vessel was seen gliding down the "ways " into the waters of the Medway, which she appeared to be so reluctant to enter. Notwithstanding the disappointment many thousands had to endure the previous day there was again an immense number of spectators present, as it was pretty well known that the ship could not resist the force about to be used in getting her off the stocks. As the Mersey floated into the river those on shore and on board the vessel loudly cheered. After the launch, another examination of the "ways" and slip was made, but no fault whatever could be found in either to account for the failure in the first attempt, which, as we previously stated, was doubtless caused by adhesion.

The Mersey will be masted and jury-rigged at Chatham, after which she will be navigated to Portsmouth to be made ready for sea, it being understood that she is to form one of the Channel fleet of large line-of-battle ships and frigates, She is pierced for the following powerful armament:-Main deck, 28 10-inch guns, each 84 cwt. and 9 feet 4 inches in length; upper deck, 12 68-pounder pivots, each 95 cwt. and 10 feet in length. From the power of her engines (1,000-horse), she is expected to attain a great speed afloat. The next vessel to be launched at Chatham dockyard is the Charybdis, 22, screw corvette; to be followed by the Hood, 91-gun line-of-battle screw steamer.

Sails were unbent on Tuesday on board that portion of the Channel squadron which arrived in Plymouth Sound the same day from Lisbon, and measures are in progress for their immediate refitment. Those ships previously in the Sound sent up topgallantmasts and yards, and loosed sails to dry. The Conqueror, 101, Capt. Sotheby, steamed into Hamoaze and brought up off Keyham; she was appointed to go into dock yesterday (Wednesday).

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES.

PLYMOUTH, MONDAY AFTERNOON.

Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Fremantle's Channel squadron, consisting of the flagship Royal Albert, 121, Captain Henry J. Lacon; the Donegal, 101, Captain Henry Broadhead; the Aboukir, 90, Captain Douglas Curry; the Greyhound, 17, Commander Francis W. Sullivan; the Conqueror, 101, Captain Edward S. Sotheby, C.B.; the Trafalgar, 90, Captain Edward G. Fanshawe ; the Centurion, 8 0, Captain Henry G. Rogers, C.B.; the Edgar, 91, Captain James E. Katon; the Algiers, 91, Captain George W.D. O'Callaghan; the Mersey, 40, Captain Henry Caldwell, C.B.; and the Diadem, 32, Captain James H. Cockburn, under canvas only, with a smart breeze a little to the southward of east, hove in sight from Mount Wise at half-past 8 o'clock this morning in two lines. They then formed one line, and stood in for the port. At half-past 10 o'clock the ships wore in succession, and went away to the westward. Shortly after they came in sight more to the southward. Their funnels are up ready for use. The only ship likely to enter the Sound is the Diadem, which is said to be short of fu el. The Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe, in his steam yacht, near the Royal William Victualling-yard, is waiting the approach of the Prince of Wales. The Hero continues inside the Breakwater ready for sea, and arrangements are made for the expected departure of his Royal Highness to-morrow (Tuesday) morning. Her escort, the Ariadne, will probably take the Osborne in tow. The Flying Fish has gone on to Newfoundland.

(BY ELECTRIC AND INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPH.)

PLYMOUTH, MONDAY EVENING.

Sir Charles Fremantle's squadron, which arrived off the port this morning, formed two lines, ranging about north and south, in the afternoon to receive the Royal yacht, which hove in sight at 7 o'clock, and was saluted by the Impregnable and other ships in Hamoaze. On rounding the west-end of the Breakwater the yardarms of the Hero, St. George, Emerald, and Ariadne, in the Sound, were manned, and the three last-named and the Plymouth Citadel saluted. At half-past 8, when the Prince left the yacht to join the Hero, the Emerald and the Citadel repeated the compliment. The weather is extremely fine, and thousands of the inhabitants were assembled on the heights.

REVIEW OF THE CHANNEL FLEET.

The fleet, having all got under way by about 8 a.m., stood out to sea from Milford Haven, and, having made an offing of about seven miles, the Osborne, which had previously joined, with the Lords of the Admiralty on board, made the signal for the fleet to form a double line. They accordingly broke into two divisions; the starboard one, consisting of the Royal Albert, 121; the Donegal, 101; the Conqueror, 101; the Mars, 80, and the Trafalgar, 91, was led by Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Fremantle, K.C.B., in the Royal Albert. The port division, under Rear-Admiral Erskine, in the Edgar, 91, which was leading, comprised also the Algiers, 91; the Aboukir, 91; the Centurion, 80; the Mersey, 40; and the Diadem, 32. This manoeuvre having been executed with great precision, the Osborne signalled for the fleet to make sail under easy canvass, followed by an order from the Admiral to bank up the fires. Having stood on thus for some time, the two divisions tacked in succession to the starboard, after which the order was given to form a single line of battle. This was effected by the starboard division standing on its course, and the port one tacking until they came into line, when they followed in the wake of their predecessors, an interval of two cables' length separating each ship. The concluding and most exciting manoeuvre of the day was then made by the whole getting orders to make all sail that could be done with safety, and running before the wind. Studdingsail booms were then run out, and every inch of canvass both alow and aloft that would draw was set. The order was then given to make for the nearest port, on which the fleet bore up for Milford Haven. The Osborne then steamed up to the Admiral's ship, and Rear-Admiral Pelham, C.B., hailed Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Fremantle, K.C.B., and expressed, on the part of his Grace the Duke of Somerset and the rest of the Lords, the extreme satisfaction they all felt, not only in the appearance of the fleet, but also in the admirable precision with which all the manoeuvres had that day been performed, and we believe Capt. Ramsay, C.B., the superintendent of Pembroke Dockyard, was commissioned to convey the above opinion in writing to the Admiral of the fleet. The Osborne then parted company, - the Royal Albert giving the Lords of the Admiralty a salute of 19 guns, which the Osborne acknowledged by dipping her ensign, after which she stood to the southward, it being their Lordships' intention to inspect some important works in progress at the Scilly Isles, and afterwards proceed to Devonport to inspect the dockyard at that place. Nothing could be more favourable than the weather; it was slightly hazy up to 8 o'clock a.m., when it cleared up, and a fine fresh breeze came from the north-east, which lasted up to 3 o'clock p.m., when it died away. The whole of the signalling was done by bunting, and not by Ward's new system, as was generally supposed that it would be, and the brilliant flags had a very pretty effect as rapidly repeated by every third ship. As the fleet entered the harbour the Admiral made the signal for all the ships to take up their old berths, and by 6 o'clock p.m., all were in their original positions.

The Lords of the Admiralty previous to leaving Pembroke-dock granted the employés the usual half-holyday for Saturday.

THE VISIT OF THE FRENCH FLEET TO PORTSMOUTH.