The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, Oct. 12.—The commission, of which the Delo
of Somerset is chief, to inquire into the best site for the new
naval dock, arrived here at 4 o'clock on Monday afternoon,
on board the Admiralty yacht Enchantress, Staff-Comman-
der J, E. Petley, from Marseille?, Toulon, and some of the
ports of Sicily. His Grace is accompanied by Rear-Admiral
Drummond, Rear-Admiral Robinson, Mr Childers, his pri-
vate secretary; Capt. Hall, Mr Aired Buckley, end Capt.
More, naval aide-de-camp to the embassy at Paris. Immedi-
ately on the yacht mrking her appearance between the two
forts at the mouth of the Grend Harbour salutes were fired
from the towa end the flagship of the commander-in-ohief,
and the principal ships of the fleet in port, coi -isting of the
Merlbore ugh, 131, flagship of Vice-Admiral Smart; Re-
venge, 73, flagship of Rear-Admiral Yelverton ; Gibraltar,
81, Meeanee, 60, Orlando, 46, Magicienne, 16, Chanticleer,
17, and the ironclads Royal Oak, 9.5, end Resistance,
18. A serious accident tz 'fortunately °cell- :el on board
the Marlborough, one of the men hav:rg fallen from
aloft. Mr Alen, Meeter-Attendent of Malta dockyard,
pilo`ed the Enchantress into harbou and she was admit-
ted to pratique by Capt. Hoseleon, It.N., Superintendent
of the port. No sooner had she taken up her moorings
than Vice-Admiral Smart, Rear-Admirals Yelveeton and
Austin, and the captains end COMMA lders of the flag re-
paired on board to pay their respects to the Duke of Somer-
set, as First Lord of the Admiralty. Major Brett, aide-de-
camp and private secretary to the Governor, also waited
on him on the part of his Excellency Sir Gaspard Le Mer-
chant, who late on the following day paid a visit to their
lordships. The Duke end party, accompanied by Admiral
Smart, yesterday inspected most of the ships of the fleet,
and expressed the highest satisfaction with their efficient
and orderly condition. They also paid a Nisit of inspection
in company with the chief navel authorities, to the creeks
and bays of the great harbour, pay'ng especial attention to
the various sites pointed ou'. by different authorities as beat
adapted for the wants and requirements of a la--ge naval
dock. In the evening they accepted the Governor's invita-
tion to dine at 'he palace, where they were receivA by a
guard of honour. Their Lordships will land officially to-day
at half-past 2 o'clock, when there will be the usual salutes,
guards of honour, Sec. Before taking their departure on Sa-
turday the local chamber of commerce and the elected mem-
bars of Council intend to wait on the Lords Commissioners
to make known their views regarding the proposed docks,
in so far as thee(' may affect mercantile and local interests.
Her Majesty's gunboat Surprise, 4, left port on Monday for
Beyrout to provision the Cossack. Mr Hervey, R,N., in-
valided from the Revenge, Mr Boddington, dismissed the
service for deserting from the Gibraltar, end Corporal Smith
left by the Sy.ia for Gibraltar end Southampton. The
Cecile yacht, having onboard the Marquis and Marchioness
of Drogheda, left for Gibraltar on Oct. 11th. The Egyptian
steam fregate sr:ta n 5 naval cadets, arrived a
short time ago, left on Sundry on a voyage of instruction.
She is to call at Marseille-3 and several English poets.
The Duke of Cambridge, Field Marshal Commanding-in-
Chief, accompanied by Sir R Airey, Col. Clifton, and other
officers of his staff, arrived at Portsmouth at 2 30 p.m., and
drove to the Government house, the residence of the
Lieut.-Governor, Major-Gen. Lord W. Paulet, C.B , under
a salute of 21 guns from the garrison batteries. Ater
luncheon the Duke rode out to Southsea common to witness
some combined military and naval evolutions to be carried
out under the superintendence of Major-Gen. Lord Paulet.
The supposed state of affairs was that an army had effected
a landing on the adjacent coast line, and had taken an im-
portant position end threatened Portsmouth thence. ,It was
therefore nccessa y for the garrison of Portsmouth to make
some effort, by sortie or °them :se, to recover the enemy's
position. The 6th and 7:h brigades of garrison artillery,
with the 21st, 2Gth, and 64th Regiments, parading in the
"Governor's green," repre,ente 1 the main body of the de-
fenders under Major-General Lord Wm. Pan'et, C.B. A
second body of the supposed bele-.3uered rt.:son, consi-t-
-ing of the Royal Marine Light Infantry end the 69th Reg:-
ment,were massed on the Colewort Barrack.: -rade, on the
opposite side of the town from that occupied by the Major-
General with the main body of the defenders. Outside the
walls of the town, and as a reconnoitring and adveneed force
the Royal. Marine Artillery and field batteries of Artillery
had taken up a position under cover of S.altb`.-rl. Southsea
Castle was occupied by the 87th Regiment and the 3d com-
pany of Royal Engineers, representing the ene.ny, under
Col. Mueray, of the 87th. Immediately following the salute
which greeted the Duke's arrival at Portsmouth 'he enemy
threw out a strong line of infantry (87th Regiment) in
skirmishing order in advance on Southsea-common, and in
the direction of Portsmouth. The garrison of Portsmouth
for some little time gave no sign of their knowledge of the
proximity of she enemy. Shortly afterwards, however, the
guns of the fortress opened on Southsea Castle a-id the ad-
vanced line of the enemy, the Castle immediately responding.
This was followed by the sudden appearrnce of a screw gun
boat flotilla, and lr-ge columns of infantry debouching upon
Southsea-common from the south. Thu fcr appeared to
contest every inch of ground they had previously occupied
in advance of their main position, but Lord William Paulet,
aided by a battery of field artillery, persistently drove
them back, and pushed forward I'3 troops re rapidly es
possible, under cover of the guns cf the towa word-e. The
gunboats also closed in on the Castle. At this critical mo-
ment the heads of two columns could be seen by the enemy
emerging from the hour-e at Sautbsea. Moe' lg at
the double they rapidly formed up on Hs I:ght firnk
under cover of some low walls, whence they opened a sharp
fire of rifles upon the enemy's right flank. The surprise to
the enemy caused by this fleck movement comp'etely dis-
comfited him, as he was now encircled by a line of fire. Under
these conditions 'he defence of the enemy was but a question
of time, and after a few more rounds from the heavy guns
be hauled his flag down from the staff on the keep of the
work, end Portsmouth was saved. The whole of the troops
engaged afterwards marched past his Royal Highness, and
then, rorming:inlline of contiguous columns, with Major-
Gen. Lord W. Paulet and staff, and officers and colours to
the front, advanced in slow time, halted, and lowered the
different colours with a royal salute, which closed the pro-
ceedings. To-day his Royal Higb.ness, accompanied by
Lord William Paulet and staff, will visit the works on
Portedown-hill, and to-nrorrow the western defences of the
port.

The 24th (Capt.W. S. Boileau'e) company of Royal Engi-
neers, which proceeds direct from head-quarters, Chatham,
to Devonport, has been inspected at Brompton barracks by
Major-Gen, Sir Robert Walpole, K.C,8., having been pre-
viously augmented to its full strength from the depot com-
panies at head-quarters. The 24th will embark at Porta-
mouth on board her Majesty's screw steamer Urgent, 4,
400 horse power, Capt. S. H. Henderson, which conveys
the company to Plymouth. A detachment has also boon
selected from the companies at Chatham to jo'n the 20Th
company, which proceeds from Weymouth to the Curragh
Camp to relieve the 17th company, the latter retueeing to
Weymouth. The Ist company of Royal Engineers moves
from Devonport to Aldershot Camp to relieve the 23d com-
pany, which rejoins at head-quarters, Chatham, to prepare
for foreign service.
A general order has been received at Chatham from the
Horse Guards, ennouncing that the exemirattion in July,
1865, of candidates for admission to the Stiff College will
comprise the following portions of military history and
geography :—Military History.—The Campaigns of the
British army in the Peninsula, in the years 1808 9 .10,Nah
a general outline of the operations of thu Spanish armies so
far as they were calculated to influence thole of the British.
Military Geography—The geography of Spain and Portu-
gal considered with reference to military operations. The
following works may be read with advantage, not to the ex-
clusion, however, of others, whether English or French,
which may throw light on the campaigns to be studied :
Napier's Peninsular War; Brialmuut'S Life of Wellington ;
Garwood's Despatches of the Duke of Wellington (selec-
tion); Macdougall's Theory of War; and Lavalbee's Mili-
tary Geography. Candidates will receive on application to
the secretary to the Council of Military Education a copy
of the synopsis of the studies pursued at the Staff College,
which may serve as a useful guide to them in preparing
themselfes for the examination.

A public meeting of inhabitents of Chatham, convened
by the High Constable in acaordence with a numerously-
Agned requisition, was held yesterday for the purpose of
taking into consideration the great danger experienced by
the inhabitants of that town end the adjoining city of Ro-
chester from the close proximity of the large gunpowder
magazines end stores at Upnor Castle, and urging upon the
proper authorities the necessity of taking the necessary steps
for protecting the lives and property of the inhabitants of
the neighbourhcod. It was elicited that the powder stores
at Chatham aro among the largest in the enmity, So vest
is the quentity at present in store that if an explosion were
to occur it would infallibly destroy the dockyards and naval
establishments at Chatham and Sheerness, ani spread ruin
and devastation in both places. Only some short time since
the Upnor magazine had a narrow escape of beir g destroyed,
a fire having been discovered in one part of the establish-
ment, and this after some difficulty was extinguished. It
was ultimately resolved to present a memorial to the Go
vernment to adopt such measures as might be deemed
necessary to prevent the calamitous results of an explosion
at the magazines.
The following appointments were made yesterday at the
Admiralty :—Lieut. Hon. A. D. S. Denison, to the Victoria
and Albert—Lieut. IL T. F, Campbell, to the Hector—
Lieut. F, L. Wood, to the Excellent—Henry Edmonds,
surgeon, additional, to the Fisgard—and Fred. A. Bulley,
chief engineer, to the Cumberland, for the Basilisk.

LETTERS FOR OFFICERS SERVING ON BOARD
SHIPS OF WAR ON COLONIAL STATIONS.—On the Ist of
November next, end thenceforward, the regulations unler
which letters addressed to officers serving on board any
of her Majesty's ships on a colonial station may be for-
warded at the reduced postage of 6d the single rate, will
be so far modified that such reduced rate will be charge-
able only when the full postage is paid in advance. In
all cases where such letters are posted unpaid they will
be chargeable on delivery with a fine of 6d iu addition
to the postage, and when they ere pasted insufficiently
(by means of postage stamp) they will be chargeable on
delivery with a fine of 61 in addition to the deficient
postage. The same regulations will apply equally to
letters from officers serving on board her Majesty's ships
in the colonies when addressed to this country —By com-
mand of the Postm;ster-Wneral.—General Post Office,
Oct. 17, 104'