The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.
VALETTA, DEC. 27.—The Peninsular and Orien-
tal Company's steamer Alassilia, Captain Roberts,
arrived on Thursday last from Alexandria. She

brought no China or Calcutta mail, having left

before their arrival, in order to have a new shaft
fitted, which will be ready on the arrival of the
Ripon, when she will proceed with the mail for
Marseilles. In the meantime I take the opportu-
nity of the French steamer leaving to-day to
send you a few lines. The Massilia goes out to-

morrow to Gozo to try her engines. The delay of
the China and India mails is beginning to cause
some anxiety, as by the last accounts by telegraph
they had not reached Suez. Her Majesty's screw
corvette Racoon, 22, Capt. Count Gleichen, arrived
unexpectedly on Tuesday from Gibraltar,having re-
ceived orders to proceed to Alexandria, with the
Psyche, 2, despatch vessel, Lieut.-Commander R.
Sterne, to await the Countess of Elgin, who is on
her way back to England. These vessels left for
Alexandria on Thursday. It is axpected that Lady
Elgin will proceed in the Psyche direct to Mar-
seilles, accompanied by the Racoon, without touch-

ing at Malta, being desirous of reaching England
without any unnecessary loss of time. There have
been no other movements in the fleet, except the
departure, on Monday, of the Cossack, 20, Capt. W.
R. Rolland, for Tunis. She is expected back
shortly. The Marlborough, 121, Capt. C. Fellowes,
will leave for a short cruise and target practice as
soon as the weather moderates. The Prussian pad-
dlewheel war steamer Preussiscller Adler, 4, Capt.
G. Klatt, arrived on Wednesday in four days
from Constantinople, and is still lying in the
Great harbour, together with the Prussian gun-
boats, Basilisk, 2, and Blitz, 2, lately arrived here
from Greece. All three vessels have received
orders to return to Prussia. The Swedish
screw frigate Vanadis, 22, Captain F. Haver-
man, arrived on Thursday from Carlskrona in 85
days, and Algiers in 15. She is bound tor Naples.
An Egyptian frigate, the Brahimia, Captain F.
Mustapha Bey, laden with cotton and other mer-
chandise, arrived here on Friday from Alexandria,
and proceeded to-day for Marseilles to embark
horses for the Egyptian Government. The murrain

among the cattle in Egypt continues to effect dread-
ful ravages, and is extending to the animals lately
imported from abroad to a very alarming extent.
Her Majesty's ships in port are the Marlborough,
121 (bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Robt. Smart,
K.I1.); the Hibernia, reociviug ship (bearing the
flag of Rear-Admiral H. T. Austen, C. 8.) ; the St.
George, 86 (this vessel is under sailing orders for
England); the Trafalgar, 70 ; the Phoebe, 35 ; the
141.,gicienne, 16 (this vessel is lying in Sliema
Creek); the Chanticleer, 17 ; the Hydra, 3, and the
Firefly, 3, surveying vessels; and the gunboat
Growler.
Yesterday the official annual return of the num-
ber, name, tonnage, station, and every particular
regarding the steam and sailing ships composing
the British navy, together with the horse power and
armament of each, was published under the autho-
rity of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
The total strength of the effective ships of the navy
on the Ist January was 975 of all classes, not in•
eluding a number doing duty in the various har-
bours both at home and abroad, the whole of which

would be speedily converted into block ships for the
defence of the coast, together with a numerous fhet
of iron end wooden mortar boats laidup at Chatham.
Of this number there are 72 vessels ranking as line
of battle ships, each mounting from 74 to 121 guns,
42 vessels of from GO to 74 guns each, 91 steamers
and other ships, carrying an armament of from 22
to 46 guns each, and the m3jority of which
ere of a size and tonnage equivalent to line
of battle ships, 25 screw corvettes, each carrying
21 guns, and 500 vessels of all classes, including iron
ships of great power and tonnage, carrying an
armament of from four guns to 21 guns each. Ex-
clusive of the above there is a squadron of 185 screw
gunboats, each mounting two Armstrong guns, and
nearly the whole of which are fitted with high pres-
sure engines, each of 60 horse power. The total
number of ships of all classes in commission and
serving in nearly every part of the world is upwards
of 300, the remainder being attached to the reserve
squadrons at the various naval ports, and partially
equipped in readiness to proceed to sea whenever

their services may be required: During the pest year
the following vessels have been completed and
launched at the several deckyords—viz., the
Achilles, iron-ch,d, 35, 6,080 tons, 1,250 horse

power, end the Salamis, 4, 835 tons, 250 horse •
power, paddlewheel steamer, at Chatham; the
Ocean, 35, 4,045 tons, 1,000 horse power, armour
plated frigate, at Devonport ; the Research, iron-
cased ship, 4 guns, 1,253 tons, and 200 horse power,
at Pembroke ; the Minotaur, iron clad, 50, 6,621
tons. 1,350 horse power, at Blackwell; the Hector,
32, iron clad, 4,063 tone, 800 horse power, at Glas-
gow ; the Valiant, 34, iron clad, 4,063 tons, 800
horse power, and the Tamar, 3, 2;812 tons, 500
horse power, iron troop ship, at Millwall ; and the
Wolverine, 21, screw corvette, 1,702 tons, 400 horse
power, at Woolwich. Dorirg the same period the
following vessels, the whole of which are either of
iron, or iron cased, have been commenced at the
several dockyards-viz., the Lord Warden, 36,
4,067 tons, 1,000 horse power, and the Bellerophon,
at Chatham ; the Lord Clyde, 36, 4,067 tons,
1,000 horse power, at Pembroke ; and the Pallas,
6, 2,372 tons, 600 horse power, at Woolwich.
The iron clads now building for the Admi-
ralty, in addition to those above enumerated, are
the Northumberland, 50, 6,621 tons, 1,250
horse power, at Millwail ; the Agincourt, 50,
6,621 tons, 1,250 horse power, at Birkenhead; the
Royal Alfred, 35, 4,045 tons, 800 horse power, at
Portsmouth ; the Zealous, 20, 3,716 ton, 800 horse
power, at Pembroke; and the Favourite, 8, iron-
cased corvette, 2,186.t0n5, and 400 horse power, at
Deptford, together with the iron cased shield ship
Enterprise, 4, 990 tons, and 160 horse power, build-
ing at Deptford, and the Royal Sovereign, 3,963
tons, and 800 horse power, which is being con-
verted into an iron cased cupola ship, at Ports-
mouth. The vessels now on the stocks at the vari-
ous Royal dockyards, exclusive of the iron and iron
cased ships, are tho Bulwark, 91, 3,716 tons, 800
horse power, the Belvidere, 51, 3,627 tons, 600
horse power, the Menai, 22, 1, 857 tons, the Rein-
deer, 17, 951 tons, 200 horse power, and tbe Myr-
midon, 4, 695 tons, 200 horse power at Chatham ;
the Dryad, 51, 3,027 tons, 600 horse power, the
Harlequin, 6, 950 tons, 200 horse power, and the
Helicon, 4, 833 tons at Portsmouth ; the Dart-
mouth, 33, 2,4 78 tons, 500 horse power, the Re-
pulse, 89, 3.716 tons, 800 horse power, and the
Sylvia, 4, 695, tons, 200 horse power, at Woolwich ;
the Robust, SO, 3,716 tons,Boo horse power, thelster,
36. 3,027 tons, 500 horse power, and the Bittern, 4,
669 tons, 155 horse power, at Devonport ; the En-
dymion, 06, 2,478 tens, 500 horse power, at Dept-
ford ; the North Star, 22, 1,623. tons, 430 horse
power, at Sheerness ; the Tweed,sl, 3,027 tons, 600
horse power, the Trent, 6, 950 tons, 200 horse
power, the Newport, 5, 425 tons, 80 horse power ;
the Nassau, 4, 695 tons, 200 horse power, and
the Tartarus, 4, 695 tors, 200 horse power, at
Pembroke ; and the Princo Albert, 5, 2,529 tons,
500 horse power, iron cased cupola ship, at Mill-
wall. The names of the following vessels, ordered
by the Admiralty to be built at the several dock-
yards, have been removed from the Nary List-
the Circassiac, 4. 669 tons, 150 horse power, end
the Sappho, 6, 950 tons, 150 horse power, ordered
to be built at Deptford; the Alligatcr,22, 1,857 tons,
400 horse power, at Woolwich; and the Guernsey,
4,605 tons, 200 hose power, at Pembroke. In addi-
tion to she above vessels there is a squadron of screw
gunboats in course of construction at Portsmouth
dockyard. The number of line-cf-battle ships and
vessels of all classes, including gunboats which com-
pose the East indi9, and ('tuna squadron, is 51,
under the orders of Vice-Admiral A. L. Kuper, C. 8.,
with Commodore F. B. 2,lontressor, in command of
the East Indies division. The North America and
West India squadron, under the command of Vice-
Adaiiral Sir A. Milne, K.C.3., consists of 29 Nres
eels. The squadron ,in the Mediterranean, under
the command of Vice-Admiral R. Smart, K.H.,
whose flagship is the Marlborough, 121, 4,000 tons,
800-horse power, Gipe. C. F,flowes, numbers 29

sbi-o and gulboats. The r.u:r.ber of ships statione

on the West Coast of Africa to aid in the suppres-
sion of the slave trade is 22, under the orders of
Commodore A. P. E. Wilmot, C.B. The Pacific
squadron, under the command' of Rear-Admiral J.
Kingcombe, flagship Sutlej, 35, 500 horse power,
Capt. M. Connolly, numbers 13 vessels, and that on
the south• east coast of America 11 ships, under the
command of Rear-Admiral R. L. Warren, of the
Forte, 39, 400 horsepower. There are eight line-
of-battle and other ships stationed at the Cape of
Good Hope, the flag officer commanding at which
station is Rear-Admiral Sir B. W. Walker, K.C.B.
Seven vessels compose the squadron in Australia,
under the command of Commodore Sir W. S. Wise-
man. The following vessels compose the Channel
squadron, viz :—The Edgar, 71, 3,091 tons, 600
horse power, Capt. G. T. P. Hanby, bearing the
flag of Rear-Admiral S. C. Dacres, C.B. ; the War-
rior, 40, 6,109 tons, 1,250 horse power, Captain the
Hon. A, Cochrane ; the Royal Oak, 35, 4,056 tons,
800 horse power, Capt. F. A. Campbell ; the Black
Prince, 41, 6,109 tons, 1,250 horse power, Capt. J.
F. B. Wainwright ; the Defence, 16, 3,720 tons,
600 horse power, Capt. A. Phillimore ; and the Trin-
culo, 2, 60 horse power, screw gunboat.
Yesterday Mr. J. Stansfeld, M.P., continued his
investigation at Chatham dockyard into the system
of management and other matters connected with
that establishment.

Commodore Hugh Dunlop, C. 8., the newly ap-
pointed superintendent of Woolwich dockyard, yes-
terday hoisted his flag (a blue bargee) on board
the Fisgard, and assumed the duties of his office.

Her Majesty's iron screw troopship Dromedary,
Master-Commander Alexander Brown, arrived at
Woolwich yesterday morning with returned stores
from Rio di Janeiro, and having landed her powder
at the Royal Arsenal buoy, she proceeded to the
dockyard to discharge her cargo.
A couple of huge condensers for the iron steam-
ship Achilles at Chatham, were yesterday received
at Woolwich from Messrs. Penn's factory at Green-
wich. The weight of each condenser is 23 tons 10
cwt. 3 qrs 121 b.
Orders from the Admiralty have been received at
Sheerness to the effect that the Bellerophon target,
which has recently been subjected to a severe test
from the monster Armstrong gun at Shoeburyness,
is not to be removed to Chatham and there repaired,
but will be taken to pieces at Shoeburyness by
workmen hired for the purpose.

The Salamander, 6, paddlewheel sloop, 818 tons,
220-horse power, Commander the Hon. J. Carnegie,
which has been fitted at Sheerness for surveying
services, was taken out to the measured mile elf
Maplin Sands for the final trial, preparatory to de-
parting to sea on Thursday, and was inspected yes-
terday by Capt. J. Fulford, of her Majesty's ship
Formidable, 84, fligship at Sheerness, Admiral Sir
G. R. Lambert, K C. 8., the Commander•in-Chief,
being on leave. The vessel is expected to sail for
Plymouth this day, where she will embark a num-
ber of Royal Marines intended to form a new
military colony at Port Albany, Cape York, Aus-
tralia.

A memorandum has been issued by the Lords of
the Admiralty announcing that, with the view of
distinguishing the several branches of the naval
service from each other, her Majesty has been
pleased to sanction the introduction of distinctive
colours between the gold lace stripes at present worn
on the sleeves of uniform coats. The military
branches are to remain as at present, except that
the staff-captains, staff-commanders, and masters
are to wear stripes of light blue velvet alternate
with the gcld lace now worn. The officers of the
medical department are to wear alternate stripes of
scarlet velvet; officers of the Paymaster's depart-
ment to wear alternate stripes of white velvet ;
officers cf the Engineers' department to wear alter-
nate stripes of purple velvet. The Queen's naval
Aides-de-Camp are in future to be distinguished by
a gold and scarlet shoulder sash, as at present worn
by military aides-de-camp.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—William L. Inch, pay-
master, to be secretary to Admiral Sir Charles
Fremantle, at Davonport ; F. W. S. Ponsonby,
paymaster, to b© secretary to Commodore Dunlop,
at Woolwich; Thomas S. Chanter, assist.-paymas-
ter, to the Victory ; Russell Osborn, assist.-clerk,
to the Bascawen ; Chidley O'Molony, assist.-clerk,
to the Implacable ; and Alexander R. Hood, nomi-
nated to a naval cadetship.