The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-22 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Admiralty paddle yacht Enchantress, Staff Comman-
der Petley, with the Lords of the Admiralty on board and
the Admiralty:ensign flying at the main, arrived at Spithead
at 10 a.m., on Saturday, from Cowes roads, attended by the
Fire Queen steam yacht, Staff Commander Paul. The En-
chantress steamed slowly through the Channel Fleet, and,
after their Lordships had communicated with the Edgar
flagship of Rear-Admiral S. C. Dacres, C. 8., left Spithead
again under full steam for the eastward.
A letter dated Malta, Aug. 16, says :—" Her Majesty's
steam surveying vessel Firefly, arrived from Sfax on the
11th, having completed her soundings along that coast, and
found them to vary with those marked on the Admiralty
chart as taken many years ago by Admiral Smythe. She
will leave shortly to check the soundings taken at the same
time between Marsala and Malta. Her Majesty's screw
steam frigate Phoebe left on the 15th for Susa, and her Ma-
jesty's screw steam corvette Chanticleer on the same day for
Sfax. Her Majesty's screw steam corvette Chanticleer is
under sailing orders to join the flag of Rear-Admiral Yel-
verton, at Tunis. The schooner Cecile arrived at Malta on
the 10th of August, from Cork and Algiers, having on
board the Marquis of Drogheda. The cutter yacht Mary
left Malta for Palermo on the 14th of August."
The Aurora, screw frigate, Capt. Sir L. M'Clintock,
arrived at Spithead on Saturday, from the westward, and
joined the Channel fleet.
The Royal Sovereign, turret ship, Capt. Sherard Osborn,
C. 8., was undocked at Portsmouth on Saturday, having
completed the work of fixing the teak band at her load line.
The Reindeer, 17, 950 tons, 200 horse power, one of the
squadron of wooden vessels lying on the building slips at
Chatham Dockyard, on which no hands have been employed
for several years, has undergone a survey by the officials
connected with the Master-shipbuilder's Department, in
accordance with orders to that effect received from
the Admiralty, with the view of ascertaining the time
it would take to complete her in order that she may be fit
to be launched and towed away from the harbour. The
Reindeer is about half completed, and as the present de-
mands at the dockyard will only pern.it of a comparatively
small number of shipwrights being employed, on her, it
would take two or three months to complete her for launch-
ing. The service for which the Reindeer is required is not
stated,

Major-General Sir Robert Walpole, K.C.8., who has re-
cently assumed the command of the forces in the Chatham
district, held his first review of the troops quartered at
Chatham garrison on Saturday afternoon. The several
corps assembled in front of their respective quarters at 2
o'clock, and the various dispositions having been made, they
marched to Chatham great lines, where they were formed
in contiguous colunins of companies. The forces on the
ground comprised all the available troops now quartered
at the garrison, with the exception of the Royal Artillery,
sad included the head -quarters of the Royal Engineer forces,
numbering six companies, the three battalions of infantry
of the line, consisting of the depot companies of the Ist and
3d battalions of the 4th King's Own, Ist and 2d battalion of
the 12th Regiment, Ist and 2d battalions of the 19th Regi-
ment, Ist and 2d battalions of the 20th Regiment, 31st Regi-
ment, 35th Regiment, 434 Light Infantry, 61st King's
Own Light Infantry, 524 Light Infantry, 75th Regiment,
77th Regiment, Slat Regiment, 63d Regiment, 91st Ar-
gyllshire Highlanders, 94th Regiment, 101st Royal Bengal
Fusiliers, and the 102 d Royal Madras Fusiliers; and the
Chatham division of Royal Marines Light Infantry, con-
sisting of 28 companies, the whole forming an infantry
force numbering several thousand bayonets, but necessarily
destitute of cavalry, On the arrival of Sir Robert Walpole,
who was accompanied by Capt. H. M. Moorsom, aide-
de-camp, Brigade-Major W. Congrcve, and other officers,
the line gave the customary salute with colours lowered,
after which the proceedings of the day commenced by the
customary inspection of the regiments and companies
forming each brigade. This completed, Major-General
Walpole took up his position at the flagstaff, when the
entire force marched past by sub-divisions, in open column,
slowln and quick time, the whole of the bands being massed
together on the occasion. A body of skirmishers was then
thrown out, and preparations made for the customary ad-
vance of the troops to repel a supposed attack upon the right
flank, ths disposition of the forces leading to the inference
that the attacking force was very strong in cavalry. The
movements ordered by Sir R. Walpole were somewhat com-
plicated; but the whole were carried out by the troops with
steadiness and rapidity, showing the high state of training
to which the corps forming the garrison at Chatham have
been brought. The final movement of the day was the for-
mation of the whole troops in square to resist a supposed
advance of cavalry, after which, in consequence of the rain
beginning to descend, the battalions were formed into line,
and a few of the commanding officers were called to the
front and addressed by Sir R. Walpole. The several corps
were then marched off the ground to their respective quar-
ters, each being headed by its band.
The division at Aldershot assembled for field manoeuvres
at 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning on the common near
the Royal Pavilion, Major-Gen. B. Taylor commanding, in
the absence of Lieut.-. Gen, Pennefather. The programme of
the day comprehended a sham fight. An opposing force,
consisting of B battery, 4th brigade Royal Artillery, and
the 2d battalion 60th Rifles, under command of Lieut.-Col.
Turner, .R.A., was detached from the division, and took up
a position to the west of Cassar's camp. Gen, Taylor quickly
made his dispositions to defeat the anticipated foe, despatch-
ing the Royal Horse Artillery and the cavalry to form the
left of his force on Hungry-hill, the right being near the
Pavilion. The first brigade, consisting of the Ist battalion
6th, 59th, and 73d regiments, under command of Lieut.-Col.
Lodder, formed the advanced line ; and the 2d brigade, con-
sisting of the Ist battalion 14th and 62d Regiments, under
command of Col. Ingall, C B„ the left advance, The 3d brigade
consisting of the 3d battalion Grenadier Guards, 39th, 79th,
and 83d Regiments, under command of Col. Prince Edward
of Saxe-Weimar, formed the reserve. The engagement was
commenced about 20 minutes past 10, by Brigadier Turner
firing a signal gun from the heights, which was quickly
answered by General Taylor. A continuous cannonade
followed, during which both sides advanced skirmishers,
the enemy plashing them nearly to Cmsar's camp, apparently
to ascertain the strength and position of our army. Prince
Ed ward formed his brigade into two lines, the first consist-
ing of the 3d battalion Grenadier Guards and the 75th
Regiment (two companies of the latter skirmishing), and
the second of the 83d and 39th Regiments. This brigade
then lay down, while the battle progressed between the light
troops. The cavalry brigade might now be seen dashing
round from Hungry-hill to the plateau on the westward to
attack the enemy's right. Brigadier Turner, perceiving
this movement, fell back in the face of the superior force in
the direction of the Waterworks, while Gen. Taylor,
finding that his artillery and cavalry were succeeding in
clearing the heights, brought his infantry and artillery
round the base to the north-west, and steadily advanced in
that direction. The enemy, having dropped down the hill
to the Waterworks, continued his retreat to the northward,
and took possession of Rickley Copse, where he made a de-
termined stand. At this juncture the cavalry, consisting
of the Royals, Scots Greys, and 14th Hussars, with B and
D Batteries Royal Horse Artillery, descended the hill, and
again threatened the right of the foe. At the same time the
three brigades advanced on to Burns's Plain, the artillery
and light troops pouring in a continuous fire. The combined
attack forced the enemy again to fall back and to take up
another strong position on Long-hill and Cocked Hat-wood.
To dislodge him Gen. Taylor rapidly concentrated the whole
of his troops to bear on the position. The 14th Hussars, the
Royals, and the Greys charged the right of the enemy, the
artillery fired from every quarter, and Prince Edward
bringing his fine brigade into action opened a splendid fusil-
lade, which was admirably taken up by the Brigadiers Lod-
der and Ingall. The enemy warmly returned the fire, but
the concentrated attack proved too strong for him, anti his
force tell back across the valley between PyGttock and Eel-
moor-hill—a movement which was performed in good order
and with steadiness, although in front of a superior force.
This retrograde movement secured to Brigadier Turner the
position of Eelmoor-hill, which ho made good use of by
keeping up a splendid fire upon our army. Several attempts
to dislodge him were .wade by General Taylor, but without
success, andivshen the last shot was fired at,a few minutes
after 12, he remained defiant as ever. His force, in consi-
deration of its extra fatigue and dexterous movements, was
allowed to proceed direct to barracks; the remaindhoerround. of the
division marched past as usual before leaving t g
The 11-inch cast-iron Blakely gun, which burst at the
proof on Thursday at Woolwich Arsenal, was not purchased
by thee War Department, as stated in The Sun of Friday,
1
but was ordered by them conditionally on .i 701 b. of pewsierassing satisfac-
torily the following proof :—Two ronnda of
and ono shot weighing 4001 b.