The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-05 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Cadmus, 21, 400 horse-power, completed her altera-
tion and repairs at Chatham on Saturday, and was floated
out of dock at high water, and placed at her moorings op-
posite the dockyard. Her official trial of speed has been
postponed for some days in consequence of several of the
officials connected with the steam reserve being engaged on
an important trial in the Court of Queen's Bench. In con-
sequence of the inferior description of copper used for the
tubes for the boilers of the Cadmus it was found necessary
to remove the whole and supply all the boilers with new
tubing. This circumstance taken in connexion with the
strong reports from time to time made to the Admiralty of
the faulty character of the tubes sent in from private firms
for use in Chatham dockyard has induced their lordships to
issue an ord®r directing that in future the whole of the
boiler tubes supplied by private manufacturers are to be
sent to Chatham dockyard, where they are to be subjected
to a rigid test before being used. Any not found satisfac •
tory will be rejeoted. Care is at the same time to be taken
that the tubes supplied by each manufacturer are to be used
in separate boilers, so that a fair comparison may be made
of the wear of each. This arrangement, there is every
reason to believe, will prove a corrective for what has been
for some time past a fruitful cause of complaint by the offi-
cials connected with the steam branch at each of the dock-
yards. _ . . ,

d -- ---
During the last few days large supplies of plate and
other desciptions of iron have been received at Chatham
dockyard from the several contractors under engagement to
provide the Admiralty with the quality of iron required for
the construction of the iron-clad ships now building. The
plates before being used are subjected to the usual tests at
the hydraulic testing-house in the dockyard.
The iron steam floating factory Chasseur has been re-
moved from Chatham and sent down the harbour to Sheer-
ness, where she will be employed in connexion with the
vessels fitting for the first-class steam reserve.
First Lieut. M. A. S. Bree, of the Woolwich division of
the Royal Marines, was tried by court-martial on board the
Royal Adelaide at Daonport, on Friday, on a charge of
drunkenness, preferred by Capt. Lambert, of her Majesty's
ship Liverpool. The drunkenness is alleged to have occurred
on the 22d of November, just after the arrival of the Liver-
pool in Plymouth Sound from the West Indies. Capt.
Phillimore, of her Majesty's ship Defence, presided. After
hearing the evidence of Capt. Lambert, of Commander
Leech, and of Capt. H. E. W. Lane, in support of the pro-
secution, and Mr Spear, surg., Mr Tremble, assist.-surg.,
Lieut. Watts, Royal Marine Artillery, Mr Jones, engineer,
and others, for the defence, the Court decided, in conse-
quence of the contraditory nature of the evidence, that the
charge had not been established, and they, therefore, ac-
quitted the prisoner. •
A fire, which was soon extinguished, occurred about 11
o'clock on Saturday in the Davenport dockyard. It broke
out in the pitch-house, asletached building close to the rocks
at the north end of the establishment. The roof over the
caldron was destroyed. It is supposed to have been caused
by a want of pitch in the copper, in consequence of which
'the sides became overheated and the contents ignited.
The Prussian screw steam corvette Victoria, 14, Capt.
Batsch, from Gravesend, which put into Plymouth. Sound
wind-bound on Monday, the 28th ult., left again on Friday
the 2d inst for a cruise.
Admiral Superintendent Thomas M. C. Symonds, C. 8.,
at Devonport, paid off on Saturday the crew of the screw
steam corvette Jason, 21, Capt. Edward P. B. von Donop,
and the crew of the screw steam gunboat Steady, 5, Com-
mander Frederick Harvey, who were brought home pas-
sengers in the Jason.
The division at Aldershot, under the command of Lieut.
Gen. Sir J. L. Pennefather, K.C.8., paraded onThorn-hill,
at half-past 10 o'clock on Thursday morning, for field
manoeuvres, the infantry regiments being furnished with
10 rounds of blank ammunition per man. The troops having
been formed up in order of battle were set in motion shortly
before 11 o'clock, the direction of the intended operations
being north-west. The cavalry and D battery Royal
Horse Artillery, the latter under the command of Lieut.
Colonel Mitchell, proceeded to the Farnborough-road,
while Major-General Bates's brigade descended Thorn-
hill, the 60th Rifles throwing out skirmishers, General
Russel marched his brigade towards the camp canal
bridge, accompanied by a detachment of E battery, 9th
Brigade, Royal Artillery ; and Gon. Taylor's brigade, with
the 2d division of this battery, wheeled off towards the canal
bridge, near the commissariat. The F (or Grey) battery,
Royal Artillery, remained on Thorn-hill. In this order the
troops pushed forward, the Royal Engineer Train, under
the command of Capt. Duff, quickly throwing a pontoon.-
bridge over the canal, towards which the 2d Brigade was
moving. At eleven o'clock F battery opened fire upon the
enemy, who appeared to be retiring upon a strong position
near the North Camp. Tho firing was well sustained, and
was taken up by the Ist Brigade, which had now reached the
common. Simultaneously with the advance of this brigade
the 3d Brigade could be seen debouching from the camp canal
bridge and the 2d Bridge crossing the pontoon bridge. The
three brigades threw out skirmishers, who soon presented a
front which extended for about a mile and a half. General
Taylor now rapidly converged his force on the other brigades,
and Gen. Russell, coming quickly into action on the left
opened a brisk fife-fire upon the enemy. This was con-
tinued for several minutes, and Gen. Bates advanced his
brigade to the suFport of Gen. Russell. " Cease firing,' was
sounded, and after an apparent lull in the contest the action
recommenced by Gen. Bates opening a vigorous fire from
his brigade. This appeared to stagger the enemy, and a
general advance took place in the direction of Cove-com-
mon, the Lieut.-Gen. bringing his whole force to bear upon
this point, apparently for a decisive manoeuvre. On reach-
ing the common the 14th Hussars took ground to the south-
ward, and the Scots Greys and Royals to the north, facing
west. The whole of the artillery took up a most advan-
tageous position in the centre, presenting a formidable line
of 18 guns. The 14th Hussars and the Greys skirmishedthe on
their respective flanks, the artillery again opened fire,
skirmishers were recalled, and the 14th retired by squad-
rons. When the fire of the artillery ceased Gen. Taylor
threw his brigade forward in the centre, supported by Gen.
Bates, while Gen. Russell made a similar movement on the
left, the 14th Hussars retiring. These brigades deployed
into line, the 2d in rear cf the Ist. The Ist and 3d brigades
again opened fire upon the enemy, now beaten to his last
position, and a smart fusillade completed his discomfiture.
The troops then returned to quarters.
In accordance with a resolution recently passed at a vestry
meeting of the inhabitants of Aldershot, a memorial has
been drawn up praying that steps may be taken by the
Government to provide a suitable building to carry out in
Aldershot the provisions of the Act 27th and 28th Victoria,
CV, 85, Qthorlyino kuovm Al the GQlltagiOUS Piano rro-