The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-20 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Lords of the Admiralty terminated their of
visit of inspection for the preeent year at Ports.
mouth yesterday! in the ineteleg the Duke of
Somerset, Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Grey, Rear-
Admiral the Hon. J. R. Drummond, with Mr
Romaine, 13., end Capt. R. Hall, private secretory
to the flake of Somerset, landed at the dockyard
from the Royal yecht Osborne, and in the first in-
stance proceeded on board the Pigmy, paddle
steam tender, Master Commander Vine, lying along-
sida the south jetty of the yard, where they passed
nearly an hour examining the signal apparatus
fitted on board for carrying out the experimental
signalling by day and by night between positions
in mid-Channel and Portsmouth Dockyard, under
the direction of Captain Frank Bolton of the 12th
Regiment, and Commander Colomb, of her Majesty's
navy. Their lordships expressed their gratification
at the manner in which this effective system of
joint naval and military telegraphy had been devee
loped by the exertions of these two officers, and in-
timated that a committee would be at once formed
by the Admiralty and the War Department to re•
port upon the system with a view to its being at
once incorporated as a part of the system of national
defences. As their lordships intended proceeding
to Cowes in their yacht Enchantress in the after-
noon and remaining on board for the night in
Cowes harbour, the Pigmy was also directed to pro*
ceed to Cowes. There she was to become the in-
termediate; signal 'station between the semaphore
tower at Portsmouth Dockyard and the temporary
station on St. Catherine'sbeim,
near Black Gang,
Isle of -Wight, in order that the Duke of Somerset
and his colleagues might personally witness the
system of telegraphy. Commander Colomb was
to superintend the signalling on board the Pigmy,
Captain Bolton at the semaphore tower in the dock»
yard at Portsmouth, and a detachment of Royal
Engineers, formiegpart of Capt. Bolton's staff, were
to carry out the operations on St Catherine/3.42in.
After the visit to the Pigmy was concluded, the
Duke of Somerset, aocompanied by Captain Run,
went to the Royal Naval College in the dockyard,
where the following officers were received, the pre-
sentation list having been limited by the Duke's
command to 30 names :—Captains—T. Miller, M.
Connolly, N. B, Bedinfield, R. Purvis, and R. Daw-
kins. Retired Captain—Franklin. Commanders
—H. Phelps, J. A. Shears, W. Menzies, T. Blakis-
ton, W. H. Bridge, T. P. Warren, and D. G. David-
son. Retired Commander—Hall. Steff Surgeon—
H. Edmond, M.D. Deputy Inspector of Hospitals
P. Leonard, M.D. Surgeon—John Elliott. Steff
Commander—J. P. Hill. Master Attendant—J.
Tonkin. Master Shipwright—F. Sturdee. Lieute.
—Hon. A. D. S. Davidson, Louis Geneste, H. K.
Leet, G. T. Key, A. F. Brookes, and'R, Mansell.
Captain Royal Marine Artillery—Edward Glad-
stone. Chaplain—Rev. E. S. Phelps. Second As-
sistant Engineer of the Dockyard—W. Lynn.
Chemical Assistant— —Hay. 'While the Duke of
Somerset was holding the levee at the Royal Nava I
College, Sir Frederick Grey and the lion J. R.
Drummond, eccompauied by Vice-Admiral Sir M.
Seymour, G.C.8., Port Admiral and Naval Come
mander-in-chief, proceeded to inspect the officers
and men composing the steam reserve at the port.
They were drawn up in six divisions in the dock.
yard, under the command of Captain H. Caldwell,
C. 8., and were comprised in a force of about 1,500
of all ranks, including one inspector of machinery
afloat, 34 chief engineers, 26 engineers, 30 first.
class assistant engineers, and 22 second-claSs anise
tant engineers. The officers end men looked re.
markably smart and Efficient, and considering that,
with a few exceptions, all these men are skilled me-
chanics, there must be in our steam reserves a
vast number of valuable labour at the orders of
the Admiralty for service in our ships of war. The
official duties of the Lords of the Admiralty were
concluded by 3 p.m., when their Lordships embarked
on board their yacht Enchantress, Staff-Commander
Petley, and left the harbour for Cowes under the
us cal salutes from the guns of the flagship and gar-
rison. At Cowes it was expected their lordships
would visit the establishment of Mr. White, the
Medina Dock and building.yard, and this morning
they will leave that pert in the Enchantress for
Dover.

The turret rams now completing in their fitment
at Liverpool by the Messrs. Laird are ordered to be
fitted with tripod iron tubular masts on Capt. C. P.
Coles's principle. Their lower yards will be of
tubular iron, but their topsail and topgallant yards
are to be of steel.

We understand that Capt. J. F. B. Wainwright
is about to be superseded in the command of the
Black Prince by Lord F. Kerr, Capt. Wainwright
being about to receive a colonial appointment.
The Royal paddle yacht Osborne, Staff-Com,
mander George K. Bower, left Portsmouth yesterday
for an eastern port, where she will be fitted for the
pzauvexyrainee of their Royal Highnesses the Prince
-
-forthcoming visit to that capital and other ports in
the Baltic.

Mr. Reed's experimental iron•cased ship Favosrite
was yesterday docked at Woolwich for completion.
Her Majesty's 17 gun sloop Mutine, recently paid
off from the Pacific, was yesterday hauled out of
basin and docked at 'Woolwich, to be repaired and
recommissioned.

The 13 gun screw corvette Niger was yesterday
undocked at Woolwich, and brought into basin to
receive her boilers and machinery in preparation
for service.

The Porcupine, 3, paddlewheel surveying vessel,
arrived at Sheerness on Thursday, where her defects
are to be made good with as little delay as possible,
as her services are much required.
Her Majesty's fine paddlewheel frigate Terrible,
1,850 tons, 800 horsepower, which has been almost
rebuilt at Sheerness, is approaching fast to complex
tion. The engines are being replaced, and the arti-
sans are working overtime in order to make her ready
for the pennant as early as possible. She will not,
however, be ready for sea till November next.
The Scout, 21, screw steam corvette, 1,462 tons,
400 horsepower, is being brought forward for the
first division of the Sheerness Steam Reserve, in the
large basin. The shipwrights are fitting her with
a new topgallant, forecastle, and poop. She will
not be ready to leave the basin till the end of Seim
tetnber.

The Bristol, 39, screw steam frigate, 3,027 tone,
600 horsepower, has been removed from her moor-
ings in Sheerness Harbour, to the large basin in the
dockyard, to be brought forward for the first divi.
sion of the Sheerness steam reserve. The workmen
are putting on her masts with the new steam ma.
chinery which has recently been erected for =sting
vessels.

Mr. W. B. Robinson,
the newly appointed Valuer
and Inspector of Dockyard Works, visited Sheerness
Dockyard on Wednesday last for the purpose of ins
sp:cting the 3 Mistletoe gunboat, which is being
brought forward for the first division of the steam
reserve, and the Adder, tender to the Wellesley
guardship, at Chatham, which is undergoing thos
rough repair at Sheerness, and being fitted with
Lumley's patent rudder.
A new vessel of 1,218 tons burden, to be called
the Fenelon, built at Honfleur by M. Cardon, for
Quesnel Freres of Havre, was successfully launched
yesterday, end immediately towed to Havre by a
steamer. This is the largest vessel yet built at
Honficur. She has three masts, and the length of
keel is 187 feet.

•
DR LIVINGSTONE.—Dr Livingstone visited Glas-
gow on Tuesday, spending some time in the city.
He was accompanied by Mr Young of Lime Field ; and in
the course of the day called at the studio of Mr tine, in
Bnchann-street, where his portrait was taken. The doctor
appeartd in cxcAlent health.

COTTON FROM CIIINA.—The following statistics
-:—"
of the cotton exportation from Shanghai are from
the London and China Telegraph
Total exports of
cotton from Shanghai during the year commencing June 1,
1863, and ending May 31,1864. To Great Britain (direct),
382,133.04 pieuis—to Hong Bong,co.ast p ,rts, 61,133.55 piculs—to India (direct), 15,291.00
piculs— 1,728.6
to America (direct), 203,684,53 piculs—to
piculs—to Manilla
(direci), 118.35 piculs—to Japan, 347.09 piculs—graud
total, 664,466.10 piculs of 13311 b. Value of cotton exported
from Shanghai from June 1, 1863, to May 31, 1864, inclu-
sive, obtained by average monthly prices as declared by
merchants, 12,805,494.10 Shanghai taels i at exchange,
6a 61 £1,161,460."