The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-06 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence,

A circular memorandum from the Horse Guards was yes-
terday issued at Woolwich, informing the brigades and
divisions in garrison of the Duke of Cambridge's approval
of the promptitude and energy displayed by the officers and
men in assisting at the scene of the recent disaster at Belvi •
dere. The Commander-in. Chief also expresses his gratifi •
cation at the successful endeavours of the troops in arrest-
ing tho calamity of an inundation with which the country
around was so imminently threatened, and which, but for
their ready and untiring labours, would have undoubtedly
been a prey to it. In nference to the explosion, it is sug-
gested that the authorities of the War Department should
be warned of the danger to which the inhabitants of Wool-
wich and Plumstead, and more especially those of the Royal
Arsenal, are exposed from the near proximity of the
cartridge works, in which it is stated that no less than 150
or 200 barrels of powder and combustible matter are stored
at times for the purpose of finite; and preparing the heavy
cartridges now in use. Some two or three years ago, it will
be remembered, a spacious magazine, intended to be bomb-
proof, was erected in the Woolwich-march about 1,400 or
1,500 yards below the Arsenal works, and that the arched
walls intended to support the ponderous roof, being of in-
sufficient strength, gave way, when a large portion of the
building came to the ground.
Major-Gen. Rumley, Inspector-Gen. of Infantry, has
just concluded his halt-yearly inspection of the depot batta-
lions at the camp at Colchester. Col. Percy, commandant
of the camp, has arranged for a field elay of regulars and
Volunteers at Colchester on Thursday, October 27.
The War department steamers Lord Panmure and Bala-
clava have arrived at Woolwich from Portsmouth and Ply-
mouth, bringing a large number of Armstrong guns for
repair and other stores.
The sailing cutter Sebastopol, Capt. Anders, left Wool-
wich Arsenal yesterday for Dover. She will call at Putfleet
and fill in her magazines with ammunition.
By direction of the Admiralty the Chichester, 50, attached
to the sailing reserve squadron at Chatham, has been fitted
up ae a school ship, and supplied with a competent staff of
teachers for the instruction of the children of the warrant
officers, petty officers, and others employed on board the
numerous vessels composing the steam and sailing reserve
in the Medway. The orders of the Admiralty direct one of
the screw gunboats to collect and convey the scholars to and
from the Chichester both morning and evening, while the
arrangement for providing instruction for the children is felt
to be a very great boon.

With the exception of a few hands to complete a trifling
amount of work still remaining to be executed on board the
Achilles at Chatham, the whole of the mechanics and arti-
sans will leave that vessel to-day. She will then be handed
over to her officers and crew in all respects fully equipped,
and ready to take her departure for sea in the early portion
of the ensuing week, as ;previously announced in The Sun.
The officers and crew, who have been berthed on board the
Gloucester, 50, in Chatham harbour, during the time the
Achilles has been fitting, will join to-day, and from the
amount of work to be done on board in the way of clearing
up after the ten months during which the frigate has been in
the dockyard mechanics' hands her crow will not join an
hour too soon, With about SCO tons of coals on board the
Achilles is on a nearly even keel, but if the approaching
run from Chatham to Plymouth Sound is to be taken as a
kind of experimental trial cruise as to what she is likely to
do at sea, it will bo necessary to give her a better trim and
bring her two feet down by the stern. It should, however,
be taken into consideration by those who are keenly watch-
ing the approaching performance of the Achilles that as
much probably as two knots per hour must be allowed in
her rate of speed in consequence of the state of her bottom.
Her Majesty's sailing frigate Amethyst, 26, attached to
the reserve at Chatham, which has been lent by tha Ad-
miralty to the Atlantic Telegraph Company to receive on
board the Atlantic Telegraph cable, for conveying to the
Great Eastern steamship in the Medway, left Chatham
harbour yesterday morning, in tow of a private steamer,
and without an Admiralty pilot, for the works of the
company at Greenwich. There the first portion of the
cable will be shipped, and conveyed to the Great Eastern,
The consequence of allowing one of her Majesty's ships to
leave Chatham without the customary Queen's pilot on

board, was that soon after the vessel had got clear of
the harbour those in charge of her ran her ashore on
ono of the numerous shoals at Gillingham Reach, at the
entrance to the harbour. No one in charge seemed to be
aware of the intricacies of the navigation of the river at the
spot, although these are perfectly familiar to the duly
authorised Government pilots accustomed to the navigation
of ships of war to and from Chatham. All attempts to tug
the vessel off the bank on which she had grounded proved
fruitless, and with a strong ebb tide under her bottom she
soon settled down, straining herself, it is believed, very
severely. At flood ride last evening she was floated off,
but the extent of the injury she has sustained, wh!ch it is
hoped is not serious, cannot bo fully ascertained until the
frigate shall have been docked. The explanation given by
the dockyard officials is that the vessel, having been handed
over for temporary use to the Telegraph Company, they
had virtually no further control over her subsequent move-
ments.

The following appointments and promotions have been
made at the Admiralty:—Sub-Lieut. Horatio N. Hood, to
the Achilles—John T. C. Webb, master to the Cumberland
for the Bristol—Hugh Jameson, to be Deputy•lnspector-
General of Hospitals and Fleets, on the retired list—Staff-
Surg. W, W. Baynes, to be Staff-Surg , of Woolwich dock-
yard, vice Jameson, promoted on the retired list—Marcus
M'Causland, midshipman, to the Victory—J. A. Douglas
and Henry V. Frichard, master's assists., to the Achilles—
A, M‘Leod, engineer, to the Sharpshooter—R. Evans, en-
gineer, to the Blenheim, for the Hector—J. Boswell, first-
class assist•enainccr, to the Sharpshooter—C. Salmon, pro.