The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-01 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

ADMIRALTY, OCT. 31. -- A PPOINTM ENTS.—TO be
Engineers J. Alsrwood, to the Dauntless, fur tender; W.
H. Hooper, to the Indus, u supernumerary; and H. 11.
If othersole, to the Daiiialus, for the Fervent.
PROMOTION. —To be Chief Engineer F. W. Sutton (b).

PORTSMOUTH. Ocr. 31.
A Federal man-of-war screw steamer passed
through Spithead thin afternoon for the westward.
The Urgent, iron screw troopship, Captain S. A. Hender-
son, arrived in the harbour this afternoon from Ireland, with
• detachment of Royal Engineers and other troops.
The Aurora, 33. screw frigate, Captain Sir F. Leopold
M•Clintock, is ordered to come into harbour to be docked
and make good defects.
. .

The dirLoni, 6, screw troopship, was docked this morn*
for repairs.

A diciaion of the Channel squadron, consisting of the
Edgar, 7,, bearing the flag of Besr•Admiral Brdney Colpo►s
Dacres, C. 8.; the Warrior, iron screw frigate, Captam the
Hoo. A. A. Cochrane ; cod the Hector, iron screw frigate,
are expected to arrive here to-morrow. It is again reported
that the Warrior will he paid out of commission.

GCNSLRY EXPERIYENte.—Tite experimental gunnery
practice uuder the supervision of the Armstrong and Whit-
, worth Committee, to test the comparative merits of the 70
pounders as naval guns, was commenced on board the
Eseelleot, gunnery ship, Captain Astley C. Key. C. 8.,
to-day. The guns to be tried are the Armstrong
wedge-breech loading and muzzle.leading guns
and the Whitworth muzzle-loader, but owing to the non-
! arrival of the 'Whitworth cartridges the trial to-day was
' confined to the two Armstrong guts. Eighty rounds were
fired from each in the following order:—First, twenty rounds
(independent tiring at 20:00 yards target) from the wedge
gun in 15 min. 20 sec.: a breeching carried away during
this trial, but was very quickly shifted. Second, twenty
• rounds independent firing from the muzzle-loading
shunt gun in 19 min. 1 sec.: another breeching carried
away, but was replaced without delay. Third, twenty
, rounds from the wedge gun in 10 mitt 23 see., when every-
' thing worked well. Fourth, twenty rounds with the shunt
gun in lii min. 1i rite. The working of the guns was Betio-
factory, and this concluded the independent firing. Then
followed forty rounds of quick firing in the direction of a
target at the same distant* as during the foregoing trials, but
the guns were not accurately laid. First, twenty rounds with
the wedge gun in 9 min. :10 sec. Second, twenty rounds
with the same gun in 16 min. 4.lsec., some time being loot
in this trial owing to the wedges working stiffly, but the
difficulty was easily to be remedied by the application of a
,ttle water. Third, twenty rounds from the shunt gun in
16 min. Pi sec. During this trial it was found neceoaary to
damp the sponge once to soften the fouling. Fourth, twen'y
rounds from the same gun in 13 min. 13 sec. From these
trials it will be seen that the breech.lowler worked to
considerable advantage in point of time. The firing was
good throughout. The trials will be resumed to-morrow.

t'LLERS' 3IATCH FOR 1001.—A sculling con-
test between Joseph Heath, of Greenwich, Lod George
Cannon, of Blackwell, was decided yesterday in three-
straiked boats, the distance being from the Halfway-house
to • boat moored off Black wall.stairs. Heath, who has been
throughout the favourite, trained at Gnsenwieb, while
Cannon took up his quarters at the Feathers. Two steam-
boats accompanied the race—the Naiad end Martin—each
with a numerous company on hoard. Captain Warren, of
the Sea Swallow, was appointed referee, and the accessary
preliminaries having been arranged the: men rowed off to
Urea- stations, both appearing in excellent condition. A
very fair start was effected, each iii torn having • slight
lead for the first quarter of a tulle, when Heath drew his
boat half a length in front, and in that position coutioned
rowing mare than two miles, when Heath bored his op-
ponent so close to the shore (without actually fouling) that
Cannon was obliged to cease rowing, and Heath woo as be

LAND,4I.IPs ON THE NoRTH EASTERN AND NORTH
BRITIsH RAIL IV AT. —An accident to the recently formed
embankment near Sherburn Station boa unexpectedly in.
tempted the direct route between Newcastle and London
on the North &Ater° trunk line. An extensive slip took
place no S.itortbly (says the Nro-rtutle Chronicle) at the
embankment, followed by so 'orlon* a subsidence of the
summit of the battery that the rails were left suspended in
mid-air, and all traffic along them necessarily ceased ; al-
though it is confidently expected the breach will be repaired
in a few days. The destruction of the embankment is
attnburable to two agencies. The recent heavy and long-
continued rains no doubt have had a good deal to do with
the sudden failure of the earthrrn deposit ; but it is believed
that the primary cause has been a •' pit creep"—that is, a
sudden subsidence of some old workings of Sherburn Col-
liery. The accident took place about 12 o'clock on Saturday,
and the result was that all traffic on the main line between
itarlingtou and Newcastle was suspended. The 11.50 s.m.
train from York was sent round by Bishop Auckland, as
were the succeeding passenger and goods trains. The train
which leaves Newcastle for the south at 11.15 A.M.
was also sent round by Bishop Auckland. This will be
the route until the damage to the embankment is
repaired. It is expected that before the end of the week it
will be rendered sufficiently secure for the resumption of
traffic. Arrangements have been made by which it is ex-
pected the trains will be able to run to their time. A ser-
vice of 'hueses has been arranged for the conveyance of pas-
sengers between Shieeliffe and Durham, an as to continue the
working of the line from the former station to Darlington as
heretofore. Large gangs of workmen were immediately set
to worn to remedy the accident Mr. Harrison and Mr.
Bourne were on the spot on Sunday, devising means for draw-
ing off theaccumulated water, and for restoring the embank-
ment. Mr. Ilitford. Mr. Simpkin. and other railway officials
were also on the spot, superintenilieg the necessary works.
Levels were taken for the purpose of making a drift for
drawing off the water. The wings of a bridge at the north
end of the embankment have given way in the general sub-
abloom Larks quentities of ballast and chalk have been
tipt ed into the chasm, and the work of restoration is being
pushed vigorously forward. It is estimated that about
&MO tons of ballast have been carried away. During yes-
terday the scene of ruin wee visited by great numbers of
s.eoole from Durham and the village' in the neighbourhood
of Sher burn.

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