The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-12 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Her Majesty's iron paddlewheel sloop Trident,
850 tons and 350-horse power, Commander Charles
I. Balfour, from the Mediterranean, arrived in the
Thames on Saturday morning, and took up her
moorings alongside the powder buoy off Woolwich
Arsenal. Having discharged her ammunition in
magazine lighters, she hauled up to the T-pier to
land her guns, shot, &c., and was inspected by the
Cmmodore Superintendent of the port, Capt,
Hugh Dunlop, C.B. She will proceed to-day to
the dockyards to strip and to be paid out of corn-
mission.

The iron screw steamship Achilles, Capt. E. W.
Vansittart, arrived at Spithead on Saturday morn•
ing from Plymouth. On anchoring she exchanged
salutes with the Victory, flagship of Admiral Sir
M. Seymour, K.C.8., Commanderain-Chiof.
The Urgent, screw steam troopship, Capt. Hen•
derson, will be undocked to-day, after having un-
dergone repairs to her machinery.
The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 400-horse power,
steamed up from her moorings at Saltpan Reach,
Chatham, on Saturday, and brought up alongside
the dockyard. She is attached to the first division
of the steam reserve until required for the pennant.
A movement has been sent on foot by a number
of the leading inhabitants of Chatham to bring
under the notice of the Government what is consi-
dered to be a great injustice to the trading and
other classes of that port. They maintain that
most of the vessels after they ate built and partially
equipped are sent from Chatham either to the
Nore, Portsmouth, or some other port, where they
are fitted for sea, to the manifest detriment
and injury of the trade of the town. In
proof of their statement the cases of the
Achilles, Royal Oak, and some other ships
are given, all of which have been constructed
at Chatham, but subsequently removed from
that pert before being despatched to sea. A meet.
ing of the principal inhabitants of the town has
taken place, under the presidency of the High Con■
stable, at which it was decided to appoint an influen.
tial deputation to wait upon the Board of Admiralty,
or other authority, to urge the claims of Chatham
to a fair share of the benefits and privileges accruing
from the equipment and fitting out of the vessels
of war.

The Admiralty has purchased a valuable site for
a battery on the South Denes, Great Yarmouth,
lying between the southern portion of the Marine
drive and the Naval Lunatic Asylum. The town
council of Yarmouth required £11,300 and the re.
linquishment by the Government of the site of a
proposed battery to the north of the Britannia
pier. The Admiralty offered £lO,OOO and the
site of the battery, and failing to obtain the assent
of the council gave notice of an intention to apply
to Parliament for compulsory powers to acquire the
land. The town council then acceded to the terms
offered.

The whole of the troops composing the division
at Aldershott, under the command of Lieut.-General
Sir John Pennefather, were ordered out for
a field•day on Friday morning, and at half-past 10
o'clock took up a strong position on Thornhill, an
eminence on the east side of the South Camp. The
D battery, B Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, and
the Cavalry Brigade, consisting of the Royal Dra-
goons, Scots Greys, and 14th Hussars, under the
command of Major• Gen. Hodge, formed up at the
base of the hill to the south-west in contiguous
columns of squadrons in close order. In their rear
were the E and F batteries, 9th Brigade, Royal Ar-
tillery, and to their right front was a troop of the
Royal Engineer Train, with pontoons. The three
brigades of infantry, formed in contiguous columns
of companies, occupied the summit of the hill. The
object of the ,Lieutenant• General appeared to be
to check an enemy advancing upon the camp
from the direction of Sandhurst, via Cove and Farn-
borough, and whose light troops and supports, hav-
ing already taken the north camp, were about to
attack the south. For this purpose the position
taken up by the division was admirably selected,
and to accomplish the anticipated results the 2d bat-
talion 60th Rifles moved to the front, descended the
north-west side of 'l'tiorn-hill, and extended in skir-
mishing order near the iron church. The Ist batta-
lion 14th and the 62d Regiment also moved down
to the base of the hill, deployed into line, and lay
down, while Col. Grey, 85th Regiment (brigadier)
with the Ist brigade, and Col. Radcliff, 75th Regt.
(brigadier), with the 3d brigade, marched off the
hill to the westward, passing through the lower
part of the south camp, in the direction of the new
permanent bridge. Major-Gen. Hodge proceeded
round the south base of Thorn-hill with the Royal
Horse Artillery, the Royal Dragoons, Scots Greys,
and a squadron of the 14th Hussars, and formed on
the right of Gen. B rtes' brigade near the Commis-
sariat. On the infantry clearing the hill the E
battery galloped up and came into action, covering
Gen. Bates',brigade. The F battery proceeded with
the Ist brigade on the left, two squadrons of the
14th Hussars protecting that flank and the guns.
During these movements a pontoon bridge was
thrown over the canal in front of the centre of the
position. The dispositions of the Generals being
complete, the signal gun for battle was fired at 11
o'clock, when the 60th Rifles advanced in skirmish-
ing order, firing; the B battery at the same time

,t

opening a smart cannonade to cover the moveln _
The 14th and 62d Regiments advanced in line In
support of the Rifles, who soon became warmly's".
gaged. The supports were brought up and relie.v.eu
skirmishers, who, on reaching the canal elle!
bravely defended the pontoon bridge against tef
.
desperate assaults of the enemy. In the midst e!
this contest the Ist battalion of the 14th Reg.
l
ment dashed over the bridge, formed line, and hft!,
„
ing thus gained a footing on the north side of 017
ent
canal opened a sharp file fire. The 62d
Reg,m
gaged 00
quickly followed, and became warmly en
the left of the 14th, While these movements viere
going on a sharp engagement was proceeding e;
the left. The let and 3d brigades had crossed th_
now permanent bridge, and, ably assisted by the Y.r
battery, Royal Artillery, made good use of thel,
imults
time against the right of the enemy. S o
neously with this movement General Hodge9wh
had crossed the canal by the Commissariat-bridge:
could be seen advancing with his brigade en h
right. The D battery, Royal Horse Artillerlo'
coming up at a gallop, covered by a squadron of th,
14th Hussars, joined in the engagement, now he,,
coming general on all sides, and General Bates.:
brigade, coming into line with the Ist and 3d WI
gades, a very heavy fire was thrown in by the three
brigades and by the Royal Artillery. The enehile
retreated before this concentrated attack, and !-
h
troops ceased firing; but, a further demonstration
being made, the brigades halted and threw in ars
more rounds, when the enemy again retired, and
general advance in the direction of Coveeenele),.°o
was ordered. This movement was covered by a lie.
of skirmishers flanking the army by the Fe. 1.11.,
borougheroad. Arrived upon the common,
lionthedivis
on in much the same order as before, the artillery
however occupying the high ground in the centre
d
of the line, and the whole division facing westviert:,
The Lieutenant. General now changed position
the right, bringing the 3d brigade in line on the
right, with their right resting on the Farnborough
.0
road; the second brigade forming a second line ie
rear of the 3d brigade. The three batteries, with th
14th Hussars, on the left of these brigades, and the'
Ist brigade, forming the left of the line. nerintgo
these movements the Royal Dragoons and the Si,
Greys mat euvred in front of the centre to the Pert f
wards, then returned by sections from the eight. °0
squadrons, passing through the guns in Pssitifb;
and reforming line of regiments in rear of lao
cavalry. Brigadier Radcliff advanced his brigade
and opened fire. Brigadier Grey also opened 0
with his brigade on the left,while the three batter
of artillery were firing in the centre. The retreo
of the enemy now became complete, and the earth
being freed from the presence of the invee,
" Cease firing" was sounded, and the troops •

turned to their respective quarters. Ace
The detachments of non-commissionedof
and men selected for service with the companies oft
Royal Engineers at the various home statinne on
head-quarters, Brompton Barracks, Chatham'
Saturday, and proceeded to join the Ist cninilvtt
Devon port, the 3d company at Portsmouth, the
uf
and 26th companies at Weymouth, the 7th entur the
at Dover, the 20th company at the Curragb, an co
29th company at Aldershot camp. In coneequeto
of the number of men who have been withdrato
from headquarters, to augment the companies ante
merated, orders have been received for selectionathe
be made of a corresponding number of men fref3hd
depot companies at the Royal Engineer estan'n,
went who have completed their instruction in 7.0
ping and mining and military engineering nn nJA
Aeld works, to be draughtod to the various aell°oe
to take the place of the men who are withdraWn
iS
home service. The remainder of the Royal Tfif
nears at Brompton are now busily employ
nor,
in cutting brushwood on the Crown lands at vri-
in order to lay in a large supply to be nee' tx
making fascines and gabions for the field 11°
operations during the approaching season.
A gorge
A General order has been issued, dated ahol
Guards, November 29, 1864, by the Field Al-er;the
Commanding-;n-Chief, with the concurrence n'
ivg
Secretary of State for India in Council, authorisdee
exchanges between officers of the Staff Corps ul)rif
the substantive rank of field officers and PrePeith.
qualified regimental officers of the same rang, et
out reference to the station on which the refit®
of the exchanging officer may be serving. the
A requisition was last week presented to art.
Secretary of State for War, by the heads of dePiog
ments in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, sniithltile
permission to close the entire establishment „,(1/Ikrisei
Saturday preceding and Monday following, v'vere
mas Day, the time to be made up by working °,eltOt
hours during the present and forthcoming W"
obo
and thus affurding tbr.o Luccesaire days for
serving the Christmas Holidays.