The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-14 00:00:00

MOM anti /Unitary.

PORTSMOUTH, Our. 13.
The Osborne, steam yacht, Commander John
D'Arey, sailed from Portsmouth yestenlay morning for
Antwerp, to embark the Prince and Princess of Wales, to
mite to London.

The Himalaya, iron screw troop ship, Captain Shut*
B. Piers, is hourly expected to arrive at Portsmouth from
Canada, with the second battalion of the 23th Regiment.
The Tamar, iron screw troop ship, Captain Francis W.
Sullivan, C. 8., is expected to sail from Portsmouth to-day
for Hong Kong with supernumeraries.
Tho Medusa, steam vessel, Staff Commander Thomas
Potter, arrived at l'ortamonth on Saturday from Port-
land, with the Actroon hospital ship in tow.
The Viper, iron screw gunboat, Commander Henry E.
Crozier, went out of harbour on Friday, for experimental
trial at the measured mile in Stole's Bay ; and the
Waterwitch, 2, iron hydraulic screw gunboat, on Saturday.

CHATHAM, OCT. 13.
A general order, issued by command of the Duke
of Cambridge, K.G., has been received at this garrison, in
which an amended code of rules and regulations is laid
down for granting leave of absence to officers and men
attached to home stations. Under this order the leaves of
absence are to commence on the 15th October
and terminate on the 14th March, on which
date all officers and soldiers are to be present with their
respective regiments and depots. At least one field-officer,
one half of the captains, and one half of the subaltern
officers are always to be present. Ko officer is to quit the
United Kingdom without having first received her
Majesty's spoci."-il permission, according to the regulation
on that head. The proportion of non-cunimisaioned officers,
trumpters, drummers, and privates to whom furloughs
may be granted, is not to exceed 12 per cent. of corps of
all arms. Commanding officers of regiments returning
from India and China may exercise liberal discretion in
granting furloughs to soldiers who came home with their
corps.

ADMIRALTY, OCT. I2.—APPOINTMENTS. Lieu-
tenants George S. Parker, to the Royal Adelaide ; Lyne-
dock N. Moncrieff and Renshaw Russell, to the Excellent,
for study.

The Lords of the Admiralty have ordered the
following ships t be surveyed :—The Mira Flores for Val-
paraiso ; the Devonshire, for Simon's Town, Cape of Good
Hope ; the Marli, for Ascension ; the Dilbhur, for Kur-
rachee; the Countess of Russell, for Kurrachee ; the ship
Copenhagen has been accepted. They also notified for
tenders for the conveyance of telegraph and signalling ap-
paratus to Alexandria.
FURTHER EXPERIMENTR WITH THE MACKAY Gtrc.
—The experiments with the Mackay Windage Gun, which
were commenced on Thursday last on the Crosby Shore,
near Liverpool, were continued on Friday. The first shot
fired was from the 6-inch gun against the Agincourt
target, the bolt weighing 821 be. of steel, made by Messrs.
Firth and Co., of Sheffield. with 251 bu of powder. The
bolt cut a hole clean through the front of the target, and
tearing teak backing, akin, and all, was picked up 88 yards
beyond, while a large piece of the target, weighing about
3851 be., was found at a distance of 290 yards beyond the
target. The next shot was of the same character with a
similar charge of powder, fired at the 8-inch solid plate.
The plate was not quite firm and gave a little. The bolt,
however, penetrated fully seven-eights, and the plate was
bulged and cracked from top to bottom. The result of
these experiment, shows that with such a gun as the
Mackay Windage gam, a spherical shot of 681b5., with a
charge of only 141bs. or lfilbs. of powder, can be sent
through a 5-inch plate, und a 8-inch bolt with a similar
charge through the Agincourt target. It is to be hoped
that the attention of the government will be drawn to
these fasts. The experiments were witnessed by Major
Klerker, of the Swedish government and other gentlemen.

DESPATCH OF BOMBAY MAILS-SOUTHAMPTON,
Ocr. 12, The Peninsular and Oriental Company's
steamship Sumatra, Captain Browne, sailed this afternoon
with mans for Gibraltar, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Aden,
Bombay, and Upper Bengal. She took out 137 passengers,
and on freight a general cargo, including 4301. in sove-
reigns, 8031. in jewellery, and valuables 1,0001.

A CHILD ATTACKED BY RATS.--On Friday even-
ing, Mr. O'Brien, residing at No. 27, Wellington-street
(the lower portion of which house, and also of the next
house, is occupied by Messrs. Mart and Co., typsfounders),
was sitting at supper with Mn.. O'Brien, when piercing
cries were heard from the nursery, which is on the top
Boor. Mr. O'Brien hurried to the spot and found the
youngest child,a little girl of 15 months, had been attacked
by several rats. Upon his entering the room with a light
they leaped from the bed and escaped. The poor child
had been horribly gnawed about the bead and arm. Pass-
ing out upon the lobby to call his dog, which was in the
next room, Mr. O'Brien saw a swarm of rats mountiog the
stairs, not at all daunted by his appearance or by the light.
The dog, however, speedily put them to Bight. The poor
child's arm was much swollen and discoloured. She was
at once removed to King's College Hospital. It is feared
that amputation may be necessary.

ROYAL FREE ROAPITAL, GRAYS-INNROAD.-At
the ordinary quarterly meeting of the general committee
of the Roy.d Free Hospital, held on Thursday last, Dr.
Rickards, of Cavendish•street, Portleml.place, was elected
physician to the hospital. Dr. H. G. Wright, of the
Samaritan Hospital, and Dr. Leered, of the :stoat Northern,
were among the selected candidates.

The Foresters have just presented 58/., the pro-
ceeds of a fete, to the committee of the Great Northern
Hospital, Ciledonisa-road, N., in aid of the new buildings
for additional free beds for the sick poor.