The Barrosa corvette, built at Woolwich some eight years since, is a really tastefully designed vessel, and has all the outward attributes that will catch the seaman's eye. She is a sister ship of the Orpheus, whose sad loss on the Manukau bar [N.Z.] will be long remembered in this colony.

She carries her guns in one tier and represents the latest patterns. They consist of 17 Palliser's converted 64-pounders, muzzle-loading and rifled.

Her engines are from the manufactory of J. Watt and Co. of Birmingham. They are low-pressure, horizontal, direct acting, and of 400 horse-power, working up to 1300 horse-power. She is fitted with Griffiths' patent two-bladed propellor, carrying a 23 feet pitch. This ship has the reputation of being the fastest in the squadron under canvas.

The Barrosa was sent to Japan with a squadron, of which the Euryalus was flagship. She had her share in all the affairs of Simonasaki, Nagasaki, and Hakodati [Hakodake]. She also visited China, and was sent home in 1867, and paid off. Her next commission was for the Flying Squadron, and she is now under Acting-Captain Hand [Commander Henry Hand is commander of the Endymion]; her commander when leaving England Captain R. Gibson being transferred to the command of the Liffey.

Among her officers are her Chief Engineer, Mr R. Williamson, who was decorated for service in the Valorous, which assisted in laying the Atlantic cable of 1868, and navigating sub-lieutenant Charles E. Drake, who has a medal from the Royal Humane Society. Captain Hand himself has seen a good deal of service as lieutenant in command of H.M.S. Oberon when in the slave-trade squadron off the African coast.

Sub-joined is a list of her officers: - Acting-captain Henry Hand; lieutenants, W. P. Barrow, Edward J. Bellet, Baldwin W. Walker, and Robert R. Jaffray; navigating lieutenant Edward C. Du B. Phillips; lieutenant marines, F.B. Drury; chaplain and naval instructor, Rev. Edmund J. Hitchings, B.A.; surgeon, William Anderson; paymaster William E. Chown; chief engineer, Richard Williamson; sub-lieutenants Mark C.D. Osborn, George R. Lindley, and Francis Sandilands (supernumerary); navigating sub-lieutenant, Charles E. Drake; assistant-surgeon, Robert Turner (acting); assistant-paymaster, Frederick North; engineers, Richard Norcutt [should read Mockett), John B. Gibson, John T. Coombes; midshipmen, Messrs. Phelps, Lambart, Grant, Draffen, Baker, De Lisle, Hegan, Hodgkinson; navigating midshipmen, Francis Barr; clerks, J. G. Gordon, John H. Boulton; naval cadet, Claud Hunter; and 226 seamen and marines.

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