The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-24 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

M. de Qaciade, Danish Plenipotentiary in Lou-
don, and two attaches of the Legation, yesterday
went over the departments of Woolwich Arsenal.
Their visit to the establishment had been announced
and was expected to take place on Monday last by
a special memorandum from the War-ciffice, in
which the heads of departments were requested to
afford them the facilities necessary for their inspec-
tion. The principal object of their visit yesterday
appeared to be to inspect the laboratory, shell, and
shot foundry, and the Armstrong gun factory. To
heir inspection of the latter department they de-
voted nearly two hours.

The Transit, chartered transport, from Corfu, hav-
ing discharged her cargo of returned military stores,
yesterday hauled uff the pier at Woolwich arsenal.
Her Majesty's ironcased ship Prince A►bert, re-
cently launched at Mill wall has been received into
the basin at Woolwich, to be fitted with Captain
Coles's three cupola batteries, which have been built
up by the shipwrights at Woolwich during the
constructio❑ of the ship in the builder's yard, and
are now ready for disposal.

Her Majesty's screw sloop Racer was yesterday
commissioned at Woolwich by Commas der Saurez,
for, it is stated, the West Coast of Africa. Mr. G.
W. Muir, who recently paid off the paddlewheel
sloop Ardent at Woolwich, from the south-east
coast of America, when he obtained his promotion.
has been appointed Paymaster to the Racer.

The Torch, 5 screw gunboat, havirg, since being
docked at Chatham, undergone a careful survey at
the bands of the master shipwr,ght's staff, has been
found in such h generally rotten condition that ber
repairs will detain her in dock some considerable
lime longer than was originally anticipated. The
exterior four inch planki❑g has been ripped off her
sides, and the rotten condition of her timbers is
easily perceptible. Although the Torch was only
built some three or four years since, and has only
been once in commission, many of her midship tim-
bers were found, on inspection, to be so rotten as to
crumble to powder under the fingers. The Torch,
it may be observed, is a contract•built vessel, and
in this respect bears a remarkable contrast to the
Cadmus, 21, built at Chatham dockyard, and now
under repair in the adjoining dock to that in
which the Torch is lying. Although constructed
about 15 years ago, since which she has been in
constant commission, the timbers of the Cadmus
arc as sound es when cut in the dockyard, and no
trace of decay can be detected.

The required number of non-commissioned officers
and men having been obtained for the survey com-
panies otßoyd Engineers, orders have been received
at headquarters, Chathani,directing volunteering for
that branch of the corps to be discontinued until
further orders. The men who havo been transferred
from the depot and other companies at headquarters
to the survey companies have been put through e
special course of instruction in topography, military
drawing, and surveying at the schools attached to
headquarters, in order to qualify them for the duties
on which they will be engaged. The companies of
Royal Engineers emp!oyed on the Ordnance survey
are the 13th, 14q), 16th, and 19th.

The 2d (Copt Franklin's) company of Royal En•
gineers has received orders to embark fur the Mau-
ritius, to relieve the 25th company, which returns
to headquarters, Chatham, after an absence from
England of nine years.
Capt. Alfred P. Ryder, Controller-General of the
Coastguarcl,is appointed Aide •de. camp to the Queen,
vice Cspt. Edgell, promoted to be Rear Admiral,
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty—Lieut. Berkeley G. A. Belson to
the Formidable—John R. N. Moss, master, to the
Asia—Henry N. Atleyne and Arthur C. Jenner.
midshipmen, to the Racer—Arthur S. Leacock, G.
C. Young, and Wm. N. M ,dan, midshipmen, to the
Fawn—John Murdock, assist.-engineer, to the Ra-
coon—George J. 11. Hogg, master's assist., to the
Racer—Joshua J. Gormally, clerk, to the Prince
Consot t.