The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-05 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence,

The 2d Battalion of the Coldstream Guards will leave the
Wellington Barracks, St. James's, to-day, for a month's
duty at the Camp at Aldershot.

The examination of candiaates for admission to the Royal
Military Academy, Woolwich, commenced yesterday, before
Major-General Hamilton and the Council of Military Edu-
cation, at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. There are about
130 candidates. The examination will not close until
Wednesday, the 20th inst.

The following appointments were made yesterday at the
Admiralty :—Sub-Lieut. H. C. Kane, Sub-Lieut. E. G.
Bourke. and Sub-Lieut H. Rose, to the Victoria and Albert;
Chas. B. Wood, surgeon, to the Orlando; E. G. Ellis,
clerk, to the Royal Adelaide; Henry Bullmore, clerk, to
the Royal Adelaide, as supernumerary ; C. J. Franks, of
the Cumberland, promoted to engineer; W. Castle, of the
Dauntless, for tenders, confirmed as engineer; and J. T.
Robinson,supernumerary of the Cumberland, confirmed as
first-class assist.-engineer.

Breakfast to Officers of the Kearsage.

-o--

Yesterday at 2 o'clock, the 88th anniversary of Ameri-
can independence, a number of A.moricani entertained at
breskfast, in St, James's Hail, Captain Wheeler and Engi-
neer Cushman, of the Esarsage. Although the presence
of these officers in London was not known until late let the
evening bef,;re there was a considerabl:, company present
and much enthusiasm manifested. Amongst those present
were the Hon. Bradford E. Wood, United States Minister
to Denmark—Captain Boyd, United States Marine Corps
C. E. Wilson, Secretary cf. Legation, London—Henry T.
Parker, of Boston—A. B. Childs, Dr Whitney, Dr Ballard,
C. L. Derby, of New York—B. F. Brown, of Boston—a.
Huwing, New York—W. J. Valentine, of Maine—G. W.
Belding, B. Moran, Henry B. Adams, C. F. Dermot, of
Boston—A. G. Grant, of Ohio—M. D. Conway, of Boston,
and others.

When the excellent breakfast had been attended to, the
chairman, C. E. WILSON, Esq., proposed the health of the
President of the United States, whose name was received
with nine cheers. The Hon. Mr. WOOD responded to this.
He said, the President was emphatically, as the chairman
pronounced him, an honest man. To a great extent un-
familiar with political life when he entered upon his pre•
sent duties, and with a task of greater difficulty than is
allotted to most men, he had advanced step by step to the
heart of the great issue in America—which was the com-
pletion of the work that we now see was but partially done
in 1776—(applause)—for by an unfortunate omission
slavery was in that day still allowed to live by the very
men who declared that all men were created free and equal.
It was only because she was permitted to import slaves a
few years longer that South Carolina agreed to enter the
Union. All could imagine the joy that " Old Abe" in his
trying labours would have when news of the great events
which had recently happened—(loud cheers)—arrived at
Washington.

The second toast was "The Queen of England," whose
name was received with loud cheers.

The third was " The Navy of the United States—(long-
contined cheers)—we greet its representatives on our na-
tional anniversary with a nation's gratitude."

Cap`ain WHEELER, well known as the manager of the
guns in the late conflict with the Alabama, said that he
knew more about fighting than about making speeches;
but he thanked them, and congratulated them on the event
that had so gladdened the hearts of all loyal Americans.
The CHAIRMAN said—We have here that wicked man
who was accused, and justly, of having laid chains over the
sides of the Kearsage to protect his boilers and engines.
Mr Cv sitmax rose, amidst applause, and said that the
plan they had adopted was one that had been recommended
by Captain Thornton at New Orleans, and had at that city
saved all the vessels from being sunk. The Alabama only
struck that chain-cable once (in his opinion—others on
board said twice) ; but he would like to have more of the
pirates come out and try if they could do any better.
The next toast was " The armies of the United States—
God—rGrant—Victory."
Mr CONWAY was called upon to respond to this. He
said that under God was Grant, and under Grant would be
victory, Born upon the new historic battlefields on the
Rappahannock, he bad studied for many years the great
wrong which was now struggling for the mastery of the
New World. He had much reason to believe that God was
setting himself against slavery, and he could esteem nothing
a real victory that did not utterly crush and extirpate
slavery. (Loud cheers.) We had already paid a great price
—let us demand the only fair compensation—an entirely
free and just Republic.

The CHAIRMAN said he was from Illinois, and was
proud of the State that had been foremost in the war—that
had given to America Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant.
(Great cheers.) He read the next toast, "Liberty and Union,
now and for ever, one and inseparable."
A storm of cheers greeted H. T. PARKER, Esq,, of Bos-
ton, as he arose to respond to this. He said that, a few years
ago, when the United States Government was guilty of cer-
tain base compromises with slavery, he could not have cor-
dially responded to this toast, but now he could and did
with his whole heart and soul. He was proud that Massa-
chusetts had ever been in the thick of the noble struggle
for this high cause. He believed that this, was the most
infernal rebellion since that of Lucifer, and that this rebel-
lion would be hurled to as great a depth as that archangel
and his hosts.

"Our Friends in England, God bless them I" "The
Memory of Washington Wilka," " The Friendly Press
in
Th
England." " The British Army and Navy Club,' e
by Captan Boyd,
Health cf the American Minister in England, were subse-
quently drunk; and responses made i
James Bealea, Esq., A. G. Grant, Esq., and Robert Hunt-
lag, Esq.
B. F. Broun, Esq., of Boston, sang several patriotic
songs. A. lady (Madame Hepburn) sent to Capt. Winslow,
supposing that ho would be present, a beautiful breast-pin,
the design being a hand holding a dagger, with wristlet of
pearl and turquoise, and with the inscription :
" To our
gallant Captain Winslow, from his sincere friend, a loyal
subject of the United States, and a native Georgian."
The meeting was a very interesting and enthusiastic one,
and
passed off pleasantly in every respect, In the evening
a largely-attended reception at the residence of the Ameri-
can Minister closed the festivities of the day.

The Cercle des Art's et du Commerce at Saint-
Etienne (Loire), in which speeches have more than
once been delivered by Duke de Persigny, has just
been closed, some difference having arisen between
the old and new members.