The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-26 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

MALTA, Dec. 16.—The Revenge, 73, bearing the flag of
Rear Admiral H. R. Yelverton, C. 8., Captain the Hon. F.
A. Foley, arrived on Sunday evening at 6 o'clock from
Tunis, She left Malta on Saturday, Nov. 5, and arrived at
Syracuse on the following morning, where she saluted the
Italian flag with 21 guns, which compliment was returned
by the garrison with an equal number of guns, On Wed-
nesday morning, Nov. 9, she proceeded to Palermo, and
reached that port on the morning of the 10th, when the
usual salutes were again exchanged, and the customary
visits of ceremony took place between the English Admiral,
the Governor General of Sicily, and other high officials of
the town. At the close of a week (Nov. 16), which was very
agreeably spent in visiting the different objects of interest
in that delightful part of Sicily, the Revenge sailed for Pal-
ma Bay, in the island of Sardinia, and on her voyage to
that port encountered a succession of strong N.V. gales, in
which she carried away her maintopsail yard, sprung her
crossjack yard, and split several of her sails. In the dange-
rous work of repairing these damages, during the violence
of the gale, not the least accident of any kind occurred,
which says much for the order and discipline maintained on
board this magnificent ship. From Palma Bay, which she
entered on the 21st November, she proceeded, after a stay
of three days, to Port Mahon, in the island of Minorca, stay-
ing there 10 days. At this place extensive fortificaans are
being erected at the northern entrance of the harbour. The
forts and outworks extend over a large area, and are in-
tended when complete to mount 1,000 guns, while the re-
quisite garrison will be from 10,000 to 12,000 men. These
works were commenced about seven years ago, and are ex-
pected to occupy some six years more before completion,
There ale at present about 1.000 men employed in their
construction, drawn chiefly from the Artillery, Engineers,
and infantry which form thegarrison. On the 6th December
the Revenge left Port Mahon for Tunis, arriving in the bay
on the evening of the Bth, having experienced calms and
light variable winds the whole way. There were at Tunis
the French ironclad frigate Invincible, and the aviso
L' Ac' if, the Italian corvette Etna, and the English gun ves-
sel Tyrian. Her Majesty's corvette Racer, 11, arrived at
Tunis from Malta on Dec. 9, the evening previous to the
departure of the Revenge for this island. On Tuesday
morning the Gibraltar, 81, bearing the flag of Vice Admi-
ral Smart, Capt. J. C. Prevost—the Meeanee, 60,
Capt. G. Wodehouse—the Orlando, 46, Capt. G. G. Ran-
dolph—and the Resistance, ironclad, 16, Captain W. C.
Chamberlain, left Malta harbour to exercise their crews in
firing at a target, and returned again the same evening,
Capt. J. C. Prevost, commanding H.M.S. Gibraltar, who
has been appointed Captain of the Gibraltar Dockyard, in
place of Capt. Ommanney, promoted to Rear Admiral,
will, it is said, shortly proceed in his ship to the Rock,
where it is expected his successor, Capt. R. Costa, will meet
him, to take the command of that ship, and return with her
to Malta."

Our Halta correspondent. adds the following intelligence
in a letter dated Valetta, the 17th inst.:—

"Her Majesty's ship Victoria arrived this morning at 6
o'clock. She will hoist the Admiral's flag, under „mute,
at noon, On Thursday the whole of the marines of the
squadron landed at Calcara-gate, under the command of
Capt. A. Ellis, senior captain of the Royal Marines on the
station, and marched out into the country, returning on
board their respective ships in the afternoon, They were
in heavy marching order, and presented a good appearance,
especially the Artillery, which are as fine a body of men as
can be seen anywhere, their new uniform and busbies, at-
tracting no little attention. The day previous a grand
review of all the troops in garrison was held on the Floriana
parade ground, in the presence of his Excellency Lieut.-
Gen. Sir Henry Storks."

On Thursday the Duke of Somerset and the Hon. Sir
Frederick Grey, after lunching with Port Admiral Sir
Charles Fremantle, at Mount Wise, proceeded to Devon-
port dockyard, where they were received by Rear-Admiral
Thomas M. C. Symonds, C. 8., the superintendent, and the
officers of the establishment. One of the first objects of
inspection was the southern steam saw-mills in the large
room of which, above, the fire occurred on Nov. 25. His
Grace and Sir Frederick went on board the Liverpool, 39,
repairing in No, 1 dock, and descended under the bottom of
the Prince Consort, 45, which is undergoing extensive alte-
rations in No. 3 dock. They also visited Keyham steam-
yard, and went round the north basin, which is being en-
larged. After a cursory inspection of the Caledonia, Zea-
lous, Ocean, and Enterprise they left the yard, and going
to Plymouth, joined the South Devon train, at 5 o'clock,
for Totness. One of the results of this unexpected visit
appears to be the suspension of further work on the Liver-
pool, the decks of which were being rapidly caulked, The
alterations on board the Prince Consort are rather exten-
sive, Her rig as a bark is to be altered to that of i ship,
and extra armour plating is to be fitted on her bows. Scup-
pers are fitting to each deck, to allow the water to run off
more freely than those fitted originally, which were found
inefficient when she left Plymouth for Liverpool in October,
1863, and was obliged to take refuge in Dublin Bay. It will
be recollected that at first scuppers were fitted to the upper
deck only, and that they discharged below the armour plates
Her ventilation is: extremely defective, and holes are now
drilling through the plates to receive about a dozen of Lang's
scuttles, which will also give light to the cabins, &c. The
zinc belt which appea.ed to answer so well for the first few
months, and for that pet iod continued comparatively bright,
is to be removed, as it is found to be too much submerged
to be reached with brushes, and without being kept bright
its protective action is diminished, if not lost, Like the
Caledonia, the Ocean, and the Zealous, the armour plates
of the Prince Consort are to be sheathed with three inch
teak, six inches below their extreme depth, and two feet
above the water line.

The screw steamship Russell, 60, late coastguard ship at
Falmouth, was removed on Thursday from liaimaz.) into
the basin at Keyham steamyard, for the purpose of being
cleared out and broken up.
In the list, published in The Sun of Saturday, of gentle,.
men cadets of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, who
have passed for commissions in the Royal Artillery,between
the names of Messrs Tyzsck and St. George the following
four names were omitted :—Charles F. Errington, Charles
E. Brown, Richard W. O'Grady, and Arnold de Baruch-
son.