The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-03 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence,

The Duke of Somerset, with Lord Clarence Paget
and other members of the Board of Admiralty, left
town yesterday for Pembroke dockyard and Mil-
ford-haven on their annual tour of inspection.
From Milford-haven the Duke and the other Lords
Commissioners go to Queenstown, and after their
visit to Ireland they will call at Holyhead to inspect
the harbour works.
Earl de Grey, the Secretary of State of War, left
Caritonagardens yesterday for Milford-haven, on a
tour of inspection of the fortifications now in pro-
gress on the western coast.
The line of battle sailing ship Superb, 80, attached
to the sailing reserve in Chatham harbour, has been
surveyed by Capt. W. H. Stewart, C. 8., and Mr P.
Thornton, principal master shipbuilder at Chatham,
in order that a report may be made to the Lords of
the Admiralty as to the fitness of that vessel to be
_used as a receiving ship for the crews of the Turkish
vessels of war now in the Thames. The Superb is
one of t he finest of her class, and a favourable report
has been made cf her fitness for the service.
The utmost exertions are nowbeing used by the
whole of the departments at Chatham dockyard in
hastening forward the completion of the iron frigate
Achilles, 20, 6,121 tons, 1,250 horse power, Captain
Yansittart, in order that she may be ready to be
commissioned and leave Chatham harbour by the
last week in the present month. To encourage the
junior officials and workmen to exert themselves a
minute has been issued by Capt. Stewart, C. 8., su-
perintendent of the dockyard, in which he states
that he shall have much pleasure in favourably
mentioning to the Lords of the Admiralty any of
the workmen employed on the Achilles who may
particularly distinguish himself by his energy and
zeal. Although the Achilles is ordered to be ready
to leave Chatham by the 25th, some considerable
time will altarwarda elapse before she is ready to
take her first cruise, there being still much work to
be completed on board in the way of fitting an iron
vessel of her magnitude for sea. The Achilles is to
be furnished exclusively with the 100-pounder 63
ton smoothbore- gun, bat to portion of her arma-
ment has yet arrived at Chatham from the _Royal
gun factory.
The Cadmus, 21, 1,466 tons, 400-horse, after un-

deorgoing a very extensive repair at Chatham Dock-
yard, during which she has been fitted with a
topgallant forecastle, new decks, &c., was yester-
day undoeked and berthed alongside the floating
shears in the harbour, where her masts were put
on board. The Cadmus is to be taken in hand by
the riggers to-morrow, and by direction of the
Lords of the Admiralty will be immediately
brought forwards for commission.
The following is an extract from a letter received
e:Plymouth from an officer of her Majesty's ship
Liverpool:" Oa June the 7th this ship, coming
out of Monte Christo en the coast of San Domingo,
struea upon a coral reef, she being at that time is
mid-pv,ssage, according to the Admiralty charts.
She struck repeatedly and heavily. Subsequent
survey proves the almost total loss of our false keel
and about 50 feet of our main keel. The waters
here abound with the worst description of worm,
and every day adds to the amount of repairs which
the ship will eventually require. Three out of the
four strengthening knees of the rudder-post are
broken, and other damage is incurred. The reef we
strucir upon had been surveyed' in 1783 (about) by
ai master. It was called the Torbay reef on
account of the ship Torbay striking and losing her
rudder on it. This reef is laid down accurately in
a char, belonging to a merchant captain at Kings-
town, who kindly lent it to the Liverpool that it
might bo copied ; the existing Admiralty charts

arx v

ranize;ao mention of it."

Ca:-,t. C. C. Chesney, Professor of Military His-
in the Royal Military College, has been
selea;ed by the Council of Military Education
front among the candidates for the Professorship
at the Staff College, lately held by Colon©l Ham-
Tiae appointment was recently announced in
liar Sun as open to competition, under conditions
detailed in a Circular from the Horse Guards,
dated May 10,1864.
The following ercular memorandum was Fester- ,
day promulgated at Woolwich dockyard
" M 7 Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
brew "pieesc cl, under the authority of her Majesty's
Orde: in Council of July 9, to establish the follow-
ing
regulations for the retirement of a certain class
of officers—All masters attendant, assistant-masters
attendant, Queen's harbour masters, masters, staff
commanders, paymaAcrii, int,pectcrs of machinery
afloat, chief engineers, chief gunners, chief boat-
swains, chief carpenters, and warrant officers, to be
removed from the active lists of their respective
classes on attaining the- age of 60; or pre lowly, if
proved to be physically unfit for service. They are
to have the option of retiring at the age of 55 on
hslf.pay, and in the case of the chief gunners, chief
boatr'iains, carpenters, and warrant officers, on the
superannuation allowance they may have earned by
service. Paymasters who may have completed 20
years' service, including acting paymaster's time,
and not more than four years' time as assistant pay-
masters, are to have the rank of paymasters-in-
chief ; and paymasters who may be employed other-
wise than in the naval service, and who may not be
desirous of employment afloat, are to be eligible for
retirement at the discretion of their lordships.—By
command of their lordships, " C. PAGET.
" To all Commanders-in• Chief, Captains, Com-
pleaders, and any officers cf her Majesty's ships
and vessels."

A second document accompanying the above
announced that their lordships had established
a superior c►ass of officers of her Majesty's
fleet for the list of warrant officers, to be
denominated—chief gunners, chief boatswains, and
chief carpenters. These officers are to rank with,
bat after, sub-lieutenants of her Majesty's Navy,
and with, but after, Lieutenants in the Army.
The Royal Sovereign, turret ship, Capt. Sherard
Osborn, was taken into No. 10 dock yesterday
morning for the purpose of having her bottom
cleaned and examined, and any necessary altera-
tions made for her completion, which is expected
will occupy a month or six weeks, during which
time the crew will be berthed on board the Belle•
/whoa hulk.
The Dee, paddlewheel storeship, Master Com-
mander Raymond, having discharged stores, &c.,
for Portsmouth, left the harbour yesterday morning
for the westward.
The Nordstjemen, Norwegian screw steam frigate,
Capt. Baron Wedel Jarlsberg, left Spithead Seater•
day on her return to Norway.
The headquarters of the let Royals, comprising
five companies, under the command of Colonel Ilol-
combo, embarked at Portsmouth Dockyard yester-
day, on board the Geyser, paddlewheel steamer,
Commander Thrupp, and left immediately for the
Channel Islands, accompanied by the Lucifer
steamer, with the soldiers' wives and children, and

military baggage.
In accordance with instructions to that effect re-
ceived from the Horse Guards, detachments for the
companies of Royal Engineers at the several home
stations were yesterday selected from the depot and
other companies at headquarters, Chatham, to aug-
ment the let company at Davonport, the 20th and
26th at Weimaith, the 7th at Dover, the 23d at
Shorneliffe, the 9th at Woolwich, the 29th at Alder-
shot, the 17th at the Curragh, and the 13th, 14th,
16th, and 19th companies employed on the trip-
floc:lexical ordnance Survey of Grcat Britain. The
strength of the whole of the above companies has
been Nell considerably reduced, in consequence of
the large number of nenscommissioned officers and
men who have recently volunteered for service in
India.

Col. de Rosset, superintendent of the Royal Ar-
senal at Turin, accompanied by two .-mof
the
artillery, yesterday made a lengthened in-
Fpection of the departments,and especially the Royal
can fsetori by Special order of 41.ees at Woolwich,
Secretary of State for War, The inspection con-
pied about sis. hours.
Warde, commanding at Woolwich,
attended by the garrison Staff, yesterday assembled
the following troops on Wooiwich-coramen in heavy
marching order :—The disposable portion of the
Rlyal Horse Artillery, in command of Col. the Hon.
G. T. Devereux ; the 2d division of the depot field
bat ldries, 'in command of Colonel Smythe, C.B. ;