The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-19 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence,

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, as
Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Artillery, will attend
at the half-yearly examination of the Royal Mili-
tary Academy at Woolwich on Thursday next, the
22d inst.
The following appointments and promotions in
the corps of Royal Marines were on Friday an•
nouncad at Woolwich—First-Lieut. and Adjt. J.
W. V. Arbuckle, of the Woolwich division, to be
Capt. at the Chatham division, vice Clendon, placed
on half-pay; Seconds Lieut. Charles Albert Louis
Moore, of the Woolwich division, to be First-Lieut.
at a division to be hereafter named, vice Arbuckle ;
First-Lieut. John Straghan, now acting Adjutant
at Deal, to be Adjutant at the Woolwich division,
vice Arbuckle, promoted; First-Lieut. Alfred Fon-
blanque, of the Woolwich division, to be Acting-
Adjutant at Deal, vice Straghan.
PermisEion to be exchange divisions has been
granted to Capt. S. J. Graham, of the Chatham
division of Royal Marines, and Capt. R. F. Tayler,
of the Woolwich division.
Leave of absence has been granted for two months
to Capt. Julius Bunce, instructor of musketry and
brigade-major to the Light Infantry division of
Royal Marines at Woolwich, and also to First-Lieut.
W. R. Hopkins, of the same division.
Her Majesty's iron-clad war steamer Valiant, 24,
4,063 tons, 800-horse power, was taken from her
moorings in the Medway on Thursday for a preli-
minary trial of her engines and machinery, under
the direction of Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., of the Cum.
berland, 70, and the other officials of the Chatham
Steam Reserve, in order to test the working of her
machinery during several hours' full steaming
previously to entering upon her speed trials
at the Maplin Sands. The Valiant is
fitted with a pair of horizontal engines of
800-horse power (nominal), of the double pistons
rod class, and are similar, excepting in a few imp
provernents, to those fitted on board the Royal Oak,
the Royal Alfred, the Zealous, and others of the
squadron of ircnsoaaed ships by the same makers,
Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field. The cylinders
are 82 inches in diameter, with a length of stroke
of 4ft., by which from 55 to 60 revolutions per
minute are obtainable. Toe cylinders are incased
in steam jackets, supplied with steam direct from
the boilers, the slide-valves, which are double
ported, being worked by double eccentrics and link
motion. The expansion valves are constructed on
the revolving equilibrium principle, and are
worked by wheelwork from the main crank shaft
of the engines, the alteration of the range of expan-
sion being effected by long sockets with spiral
grooves, in the manner introduced by Messrs.
Maudslay and Co. for steam engines in the early
stage of screw propulsion. The screw is fitted with
two blades of the Griffiths form, on the improved
plan introduced by Messrs. Maudslay, by which
the pitch can be readily altered when required from
a minimum of 22ft. Gin. to 271 t. Gin. The boilers
are of the ordinary tubular construction, with re-
turn tubes over the fireplaces, and are placed in the
wings of the vessel, with the stoking-room amid-
ships; the six boilers are heated by means of 24
furnaces, ranged 12 on either side of the stokehole.
In addition to the large engines there are a pair of
auxiliary engines, of 40 horse power, with cylinders
of 15in. in diameter, and a length of stroke of 14in.
These auxiliary engines work two horizontal
double acting pumps of 7-1-in. in diameter, con-
nected directly with the piston-rods of the engines,
for the purpose of extinguishing fires. Connected
with the pumps are ranges of pipes, with
the necessary branches, traversing every part
of the ship, so that a fire, wherever it might
break our, can be readily extinguished. The
auxiliary engines also drive two of Lloyd's
silent fans, each of 3ft. Gin, in diameter, for venti-
lating the vessel, either by forcing a current of air
into the different cabins, or by exhausting them and
blowing into the coal boxes, as may be required,
the amount of ventilation being regulated by blid-

ing valves placed in each cabin, as well as in the
different water tight compartments of the frigate.
the same engines also drive a fan for heating the
cupola furnace, placed at the forward end otZhe
stokehole, for preparing the molten iron for the
Martin shells, and also to work an apparatus for
raising the ashes to tl.e upper deck. During the
trial the engines, which were under the charge of
Mr Warriner, worked with great regularity, and at
the termination of the preliminary run the Valiant
returned to her former moorings, in readiness to
proceed on her subsequent trial.
The paddlewheel steamer Terrible, 21, 1,850 tons
800 horse power (nominal), fitting for. the first di-
vision of the Chatham Steam Reserve in the Med.
way, having completed a very extensive repair to
both hull and machinery, extending over several
months, has been removed from the steam basin and
placed at the basin moorings in the stream, where
she will be completed as rapidly as possible, as she
is required for immediate commission.

The screw gunboat, Magnet, 2, 60 horse power,
tender to the Pembroke, 60,200 horse power, coast-
guard ship at Harwich, has arrived in the Medway
in order to make good defects to both hull and ma-
chinery, which will involve the necessity of re mov-
ing her engines.
The paddlewheel steamer L'zard, 3, 150 horse
power, Lieut-Commander H. J. Challis, having
completed her duties in protecting the fisheries on
the coast of Scotland, in which the service she was
employed during the whole of the past summer, has
returned to the Mee way, and has been placed in
the steam basin at Sheerness, tor the purpose of
undergoing an extensive repair. She is to be pro-
vided with new boilers, her present boilers being no
longer serviceable. The Lizard is fitted with the
new Lumley rudder, the working of which is deft
scribed as being in the highest degree satisfactory.
The Adder, paddlewheel steamer, Master. Co-
mmander W. Blakey, is to have her defects made good
at Chatham, and will afterwards be handed over to
the dockyard officials to be used as a dockyard tender.
The screw gun vessel Torch,•s, 428 tons, 80-horse
power, having completed her repairs to -hull and
machinery and been fitted for the first division of
the Chatham Steam Reserve, was undocked on
Saturday afternoon and placed at moorings alongside
Chatham dockyard. During the time the Torch was
under repair the greater portion of her timbers were
removed, most of them having been found hopelessly
rotten, and new timbers were substituted. She was
also supplied with new outside mahogany planking,
new decks, and, in short, 'almost reconstructed.
Her boilers were removed during the time the Torch
was in dock and underwent a thorough repair in the
factory. The Torch, it may be remarked, was built
for the Admira:ty by contract, and has only been
once in commission. With the exception of having
her sea stores on board, she is ready for the pennant,
and will shortly be commissioned, it is understood,
for service on the west coast of Africa.

The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 1,436 tons, 400.
horse power, Capt. A. Gordon,'preparing for sea in
Chatham harbour, is getting well forward with her
fitments, but up to the present time only a very
small number of her crew, which will number up-
wards of 200 hands, have joined. From the difficulty
just now experienced by the Admiralty in manning
the ships placed in commission it will be some time
before she has her full complement. Just before the
time of the dockyard hands employed on board con-
cluding work on Friday one of the painters, who
was engaged mixing some mineral paint in the
store-room adjoining the ward-room, incautiously
allowed a light candle to come into contact with the
paint, which was immediately in a blaze. The
alarm of fire was at once given, and by the prompt
exertions of Mr. Darley, the foreman on board, the
flames were extinguished. The workman, a man
named Reeve, who caused the fire was immediately
dismissed from the dockyard, and one of the junior
officers who was in charge of the workmen sus-
pended.

The screw steam sloop Greyoound, 17, recently
returned from
_the North American station (the
crew of which have been paid off), was placed on
Friday in the North dock in Devonport yard, for
the purpose of undergoing a thorough repair.:
The iron-cased screw steamship Caledonia, which
has for a long time been in No. 1 dock at Devon-
port dockyard, was removed therefrom on Satur-
day. Her rig has been altered from that of a bark

to a ship, and she has been fitted with a poop, Stern
walk, and forecastle, to adopt her for a flagship.
The screw steam frigate Liverpool, 39, Capt.
Rowley Lambert, recently returned from North
America and the West. Indies, was placed on
Saturday in Dock No. 1, in Devonport Dookyard,
just vacated by the Caledonia. It will be recol-
lected that sh© has touched the ground, and that
on her return she was exceedingly leaky. The
bottom of the Liverpool is to undergo a minute ex•
mination, and she will propably have a thorough
repair.

An Admiralty order has been received at Chat-
ham dockyard announcing that the Lords of the
Admiralty have taken into consideration the claims
of the accountants at each of the Royal dockyards,
and have decided on augmenting their pay and
allowances by awareing them an increased sum of
3d. per cent. on the whole of the sums paid by them
in wages and salaries.
An Admiralty order was received at Chatham on
Saturday directing that the dockyard and the whole
of the naval establishments are to be closed from
Friday evening next until the following Tuesday
morning for the Christmas holidays. The additional
day given by their Lordships is to be made up by the
whole of the hands previously working extra hours.
Orders from the Lords of the Admiralty were re-
ceived at Devonport on Friday to supply 12 Arm-
strong shunt guns of 14 cwt each to the screw steam
frigate Constance, 39, now in the first division of
the Steam Reserve in Hamoaze. Tne new guns will
probably displace 12 of the 32-pounders on the
frigate's main deck.
The December quarter examinations of 1864, on
board her Majest)'e Victory at Portsmouth, of can-
didates for clerkships in her Majesty's Navy, took
place on Friday last, when the following gentlemen
passed through their course successfully, and re•
ceived certificates accordingly :—Second class Certi•
ficates—William Allman, Wm. Bedford, William
Whyham, Edward Armstrong,* Joseph Hill, Fre-
derick Good. Third class Certificates—John Rams
say,* Henry King, Alfred Sherris,*eEdward Eilery,
Henry Weaver, George Collier, Henry Cummins,*
Richard Ross-Lewin, George Murray, John Mac-,
Laurin,* Arthur Pearson, Robert Wright, Gilbert
Carter,

* Passed from Eastman's Eastern Parade Naval Academy,
SJuthsea.

' Hooker v. Burnaby."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—May Ibe permitted, as the defendant in
this case, to say a word in my own defence, not
having had the opportunity afforded to me (contrary
to my own expressed wishes) at the trial of this
case on Wednesday last ? I deny i❑ the first in-
stance most positively that I ever kicked the plain-
tiff while upon the ground, and I trust that I may,
through your columns, give my version of this very
unpleasant affair. Mr Hooker, as admitted by his
own evidence, commenced the dispute by objecting
in a mose offensive manner to my venturing to ex-
press my opinion as to the shooting—and he con-
tinues his evidence by further admitting that he
hardly "knows what he did say." Had myself and
witnesses been called they would have stated upon
oath that Mr Hooker indulged in a tirade of coarse
end vulgar abuse that few men would or could have
submitted to. The terms " swindler of my brother
officers" and other words of a like character were
freely applied to me, and he himself proposed fights
ing, or, to use his own words, "give me a sound
thrashing," and when I fired off my gun and ex-
pressed myself es willing to accede to his request, I
was at once met by his threat " to blow my brains
out if I touched him."

It was not for some two hours after this, and
after consulting with my two friends and brother
officers, Mr Adderley and Mr Westcar, and through
them expressing my willingness to withdraw any
expression of my own calculated to hurt the plain-
tiff's feelings and accept en apology, and allow the
plaintiff to withdraw the term "swindler" and the
other offensive epithets he had applied to me, and
upon his refusal so to do that I personally addressed
him. I then asked him for an apology, to which he
replied he would make no apology " to a bully like
myself," and upon his saying this I kicked him
twice behind. He then caught at my leg, and en-
deavoured to throw me, and to prevent this and in
the scuffle I struck him several times. I again deny
that I ever kicked the plaintiff while upon the
ground, and I deny that he was ev.r on the ground
at ail, and I pledge my word of honour that his
statement as to my kicking him i❑ any way, save as
already mentioned, is utterly false, and that Mr
Adderley and Mr -Westcar, who were both in court
as well as myself, were prepared to have fully sub-
stantiated the truth of this statement, had we been
called. I may also state that the plaintiff himself
proposed to accept £5O damages prior to the.hear-
ing of the case, which I declined accediog to,
feeling then, as I do now, that however much I may
regret my loss of temper on the occasion, I did only
that which under the same amount of provocation
any gentleman in my position would have done,
feelirg as I do that I could not have again met my
brother officers, and that I should have been un-
worthy to retain Her Majesty's commission, had 1
allowed so gross, and, as I venture to assert, so un-
provoked an insult to have passed without notice.

I again repeat that it wail against my wish that
myself and witnesses were not called. I did as others
would have done—submitted to the advice of the
eminent counsel to whom my defence was entrusted,
and although I do not•for one moment complain of
the conduct of my case, I must, however, again
express my regret that I had not the opportunity
afforded me of laying this, my present statement,
before the jury and the public.

In conclusion I may observe that, while admitting
my proficiency in manly t iercises, it ie only fair
to call attention to the fact of my adversary being
a young man, standing 61t. 2in., and my superior in
weight.

FRED. BURNABY, Royal Horse Guards,
Regent's Park Barracks, Dec. 16.

The Frightful Accident in Blackheath Rail-

way Tunnel,

-
The terrible calamity which occurred on Friday evening
in the Blackheath tunnel, on the North Kent Railway, has
caused the greatest alarm among those accustomed to trave
by rail. It is miraculous that the loss of life among the
passengers was not very great. Up to the present time the
fatal cases have been confined to the servants of the com-
pany, although there are many passengers who are seriously
injured and are not considered out of danger. It was impos-
sible at a late hour on Friday, in the confusion of tho mo-
ment, to obtain an accurate account of the killed and
wounded, but the following list may be relied upon as cor-
rect. The persons killed at the time of the accident were
—Wm, Wade, a platelayer, residing at New-cross—Win.
Jones, labourer, Lewisham—Wm. ,Morris, labourer, Old
Kent-road—Henry Smith, and Wm. Seeley, labourers, ad-
dresses unknown, From inquiries made yesterday it has
been ascertained that another person had been added to the
list. Edward Ailum, who resided at Peckham, and who was
the fireman of the up passenger train from Maidstone, was
picked up with the other injured persons, and was found
to be very severely scalded about the neck and face, He
was removed to the Marine Hospital at Woolwich, and was
attended by Dr Salmon, the Deputy Inspector General, and
the other surgeons of the hospital. On Saturday night
alarming symptoms set in. He became delirious, and, not-
withstanding the greatest attention on the part of Dr Camp-
bell, one of the hospital surgeons, his strength gave way,
and he expired at 12 o'clock.
The following persons were seriously hurt :—Mrs
Gembling, of 32, Hereford-street, Landport, Portsea, was
greatly shaken by the shock ; she is near her confinement,
and danger is feared in consequence. Mrs Ely, of Waltham-
Stow, was dreadfully wounded ; she received a compound
fracture of the right log and frightful contusion of loft leg
and head. Mrs Caroline Browning, of 7, London-wall, is
suffering from concussion of brain. Miss Louisa Price, of
Effra-road, Brixton, suffers from fractured scapula and ribs
and severe internal iejuries, Miss Jan.) Price, aged 26, of
Union-square. Trinity-square, has had her leg fractured.
This lady is not a relative of Miss Louisa Price, the injured
passenger last mentioned. Joseph Hunt, the driver of the
passenger train, residing in Charles-street, Old Kent-road,
is very severely scalded about the face, neck, and hands.
Mr Eric Windus, cf 33, Terrace, Greenhithe, has received
severe contusions of left leg and arm, and Mrs Windus, his
wife, fracture of the right leg and severe injury to the left
knee. Shb is much bruised about the body and face. She
also is far advanced in pregnancy.
The persona mentioned are all lying at the Anti-Galilean
Tavern at Charlton, and are under the care of Dr Fegan, of
Old Charlton. At the Marine Hospital, Woolwich, are
Thomas Randall. the guard of the ballast train, residing at
23, Brookeplace, Old Kent-road, who has had to unfit rgo
amputation of three of his toes; John Cullin,of 11, Charles.