The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-15 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

ADMIRALTY, Nor, 14.—A rPOINTII F.NTS. —Lieu-
tenant W. S. Bailey. to the Victoria.
.laostssist l's! master A. S. Lyre. to the Victoria.
Assistant Surgeons J. Lambert, to the Espoir : A. B.
Jot uson. to the Implacable ; and C. A. Lees, to Malta
Hospital.
Acting Assistant Surgeon J. Allen, to the Magicienue.
Assist., ..t Eaginertrs T. Stead, and C. A. Walmsley, to
the Victoria, as smatirnumersrias •R. Spier, awl G. H.
Weeks, to it., Vkaoris, additional:

PORTSMOUTH, Nor. 14.
TLe experimental gunnery practice, under the
supervision of the Armstrong and Whitworth committee,
was resumed today, The trials consisted of • series of
diachi.res from the three 70-poutders for the purpose of
testing the percussion fusee when fired to hit direct and en
rieorhtt. Thirteen rounds were tired from each gun at the
Allred, target ship. From the shunt 12 hit direct and one
beret prematurely ; from the Whitworth, 12 hit direct and
one did not explode at all ; and from the wedge, the whole
of the 13 hit direct and burst. For tee ricochi t firing the
guns were laid sulfimeetly low fur the shells to fall about 20
yards short of the target-ship cud to strike after the
first graze. The object was to ascertain whether
the fuzes were strong enough to resist the cooeureion
striking the water, and sensitive enough to burst on striking
the chap, but this trial was not completed when the tide
left the mud, and the order wee therefore gives to cease
tidos. Ten rounds, however, were fired from the Whit-
worth and five from the shunt, with the following results :
Whitworth-2 struck the eater and passed over tho ship,
3 burst on striking the water, 2 hit direct and bunt, and 3
hit en ricochet and bunt, Shunt gun-2 bunt on striking
the water, 1 hit direct sad bunt, and 3 hit es ricochet and
bunt. It was found • difficult matter to strike the
, water at such • distance from the target as to
ensure striking the latter after graying, inasmuch
as rifled shells rise no high rater touching the water that if
they grace more than 20 yards from the vessel it is almost •
certainty that they will pass over her ; and it was in attempt-
iuit to avoid this result that two of the Whitworth and
one of the shunt shells hit direct without touching the
water. At the Clem of the firing to-day it was found that
one of the shells had made a very large bole so near the
water line that it was necessary to despatch • number of
carpenters to repair the damage to prevent the vessel from
sinking. On Friday the Alfred will be placed on the mud
on the north side of Porteliester Lake, cod the Stork moored
at • conveniest distance for firing, to try the penetrating
effects of shot under water, when fired froth the three TO.
pounder,. It !is expected that on Wederheley the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty will visit the Excellent to
witness the firing of the 1:i0-pounder smooth bore 12-ton
OIL

PLYMOUTH, Nov. 14.—The Oregon, of Glasgow,
700 toss, ballasted with coals, arrived here to-day. She
was found abandoned on the 10th ult. by the 'hip Elite, on
her voyage to Quebec. The Eliza's captain placed a part of
his crew in the Oregon to aavigste her to Englaod.
VALENTI/. NEW LIFEBOAT.—The National Life-
boat institution has just forwarded a new lifeboat to
Valentia, on the coast of Kerry. The whole of the coot,
amounting to 6001., of the establishment has been defrayed
by a benevolent lady resident is Berkshire. The Leadou
and Limerick Steamship Company have readily given the
lifeboat and am ge a free cooveyance as far as Tralee. All
the lifeboats, numbering twenty.three, on the Irialt coast,
belong to the National Lifeboat InaSitutioo.