The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-04 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The demand for silks in Paris has increased con-
siderably since the autumn set in. The raw material
at the same time has become scarce in the south of
France, and were it not for the large supply re-
ceived from the East many mills would have been
closed. There was scarcely any raw silk offered for
sale at the last markets of Romans and Valence.
The little that was exhibited sold for from 68f to
72f the kilogramme. The millowners in the de-
partments of the Drome and the Ardeche are work-
ing chiefly with silk imported from Broussa-Bengal
and Chine. Five hundred kilogrammes of cocoons
from Calamat a were sold at Marseilles on Friday at
22f the kilogramme, and four bales of spun silk
from Syria at 85f the kilogramme.
The fall in the price of raw cotton, especially
Egyptian, has produced an unfavourable effect ire
the cotton manufacturing districts. There was
scarcely any business transacted at Mulhausen last
week in consequence of the unfavourable accounts
received from abroad. Manufacturers ware prepared
to make a large reduction in their prices, but they
could find no buyers. The fell in the price of cotton
cloth within the last six weeks may be estimated at
10c the yard. and at if the kilogramme on thread.
The cotton market at Havre was quiet on Saturday
and prices declining, with few buyers. Madras was
quoted at 185 f; 1,400 bags were sold on Friday, of
which 864 were for immediate delivery. Louisiana
is quoted at 330 f; good ordinary Egyptian, 300 f;
Peruvian, 324 f; Brazilian, 320 f; Tinevelly, 210 f ;
Scinde and Kurrachee, 150 f; Bengal, 150 f; Chins,
185 f. The stock of cotton at Havre is 60,000 bags,
of which 1,500 bags are American. Naplouse cots
ton was quoted at Marseilles on Saturday at 190 f.
The operative bookbinders of Paris have handed
to their employers a petition, bearing 400 signa-
tures, praying t hat their day's work may be reduced
from 12 to 10 hours, and that their wages should be
fixed at the present pay. They also demand that
overtime shall be paid at an increr se of 25 per cult.
It was not easy to effect sales in the Paris corn
market last week, in consequence of the d.fficulties
millers find in disposing of their flour. The pro.
vincial corn markets were likewise quiet, farmers
being detained at home in sowing their winter crops
and in completing the vintage. There was a large
quantity of flour of the six marks sold in Paris last
week for delivery in January, at 50f the sack of 157
kilogrammes. It is remarked that the difference
between the price of flour for immediate delivery
and for time does not exceed 2f the sack, which is
not sufficient to defray the expense of storage. The
official quotation on Saturday afternoon is 48f 23c
the sack of 157 kilogrammes for delivery. The fac-
tors declared on Saturday 200 sacks of flour, sold
for delivery within 30 days, at 48f. the sack.
The demand for wine improved considerably last
week, both at Bercy and at the enirepot on the
Quai St. Bernard. The arrival of new wine is said
to be the cause of this improvement. As soon as a
boat laden with sweet wine arrived at Bercy the
entire cargo was disposed of in less than an hour.
Hackney coaches, cabs, and every description of
vehicle were in demand, and it was a curiosity to
see each buyer carry away his one or more barrels
triumphantly, as if he had accomplished some won.
derful feat of arms.
There is no change in the price of brandy. Spie
rite of wine were less firm on Saturday. beetroot
spirit, good quality, 90 degrees, is quoted 77f. the
hectolitre.
The Independant de Saintes states that the pro-
duce of the vintage in the Gironde is greater than
any yet experienced. There are vineyards which
have produced 150 hectolitres the hectaire (24
acres.) The proprietor finds it difficult to procure
hands to gather the grapes. He labours under
another difficulty—his supply of casks is not suffi-
cient for all his wine. The consequence is that an
enormous quantity of wine has been lost this year.
In the best establishment for making wine there is
not time to press the grapes sufficiently, while in
most others the residuum is thrown away with the
juice still dropping from it.
The vintage has been accomplished in the de-
partment of the Gera in excellent conditions. The
produce, with the exception of vineyards damaged
by hail, will be excellent, both in regard to quantity
and quality.
The Journal des Landes says that the vintage in
that department has been more abundant than was
generally expected, thanks to the mild rain which
fell-for several days previous to the grapes being
gathered.
The Medoeain gives an excellent account of the
vintage in the Medoc. It says that the favourable
weather produced the best results. The produce is
fully oneethird greater than that of last year, and
the satisfaction of the wine growers is increased by
the certainty that the quality will be excellent. A
traveller in the Drome writes that there is every
reason to expect a fall in the price of wine,
inasmuch as grapes for pressing are being sold at
from 6f. to 10f. the 100 kilogrammes. The pro■
duce in the Charente Inferienre will be much
greater than was expected six weeks since. The
wines have produced one-sixth more than last year.
The quality of the wine will be good, perhaps a
little less dry than that of last year in consequence
of the last rain, but it will, nevertheless, be excel.
lent and much sought for.
The accounts from the Roussillon are not of so
satisfactory a character. They state that the pro-
duce will not be more than half that of last year.
The vintage in the department of the Basses Aipes
is very productive, and grapes, which were sold lest
year at 12f. and 13f. the 100 kilogrammes, are now
selling for Bf. and 91'
.
The rain, which fell opportunely in the depart-
ment of the Dordogne previous to the vintage im.
parted to the earth the moisture of which it was so
long deprived. It was aided by gentle heat, so
favourable to the growth of fruit. Toe temperature
was precisely what vinedressers call vintage
weather, a transition between the heat of departing
summer and the cold of approaching winter. In
fact, every change combined to give strength to the
vine, and to give wine of excellent quality.
A celebrated physician residing at Metz has
written a treatise on the medicinal qualities of wine,
in which he states that, considering wino in the
point of view of the mineral salts, which it contains
in a large quantity, such as potash, soda, lime, mag-
nesia, iron, manganese, chlorides, sulphates, cakbo-

The extraordinary report relative to the turret-
ship Royal ;iovereign,referred to in the " Naysl and
Military Intelligence" of the San of yesterday,
proves to be correct in all its anticipations, an order
having been received by the chief authorities of
Portsmouth Dockpard to p sy the ship out of com-
mission, and place her in the first-class steam reserve
at that pert. Parliament is not sitting, and the chief
members of our political Board of Admiralty are
away on their combined business and pleasure trip
to Malts,and,comequently, no reasons can ba given
officially for this seemingly inexplicable proceeding
with regard to England's first turret-ship; but the
facts remain, nevertheless, for public consideration
and discussion. The Royal Sovereign has been bat
a very short time in commission. She is a vessel of
an entirely novel class, and one that from recent
American naval operations we are deeply interested
in testing in every respect. Her orew have not
been together long enough yet to learn their turret
gun exercise sufficiently to take the ship into action.
The ship herself has not been tested either in her
behaviour in a seaway or in the working of her
turrets and guns further off the land than in Port.
land-race. Her officers have been put each to some
£5O expense in joining the ship for an ordinary
term of commission ; and, in fact, there are a hun-
dred other cogent reasons against this inexplicable
step of putting the ship out of commission. it is
openly asserted in naval circles at Portsmouth—and
that, too, without distinction of rank or position—
that the success of the turret-ship has been so
marked that the advocates of the broadside gun
principle, now paramount at Whitehall, have caused
this order to be issued for the Royal Sovereign to
haul down her pennant. _ _ _

The following returns of the trials of the Channel
fleet under sail on the Ist, 21st, and 23rd of Sep.
tember have been forwarded to us from the fleet :-
Sept. 1.-At 2 p.m., up screws and started on star-
board tack off Berry Head. Wind westerly-
course, south.westerly-sca, smooth-speed, 6 to
7 knots. Position at starting :-Edgar to winds
ward of Black Prince, 804 yards-Prince Consort,
1,290 yards-Enterprise, 1,304 yards-Hector, 22
yards-Defence, 1,404 yards. 3 p.m.-Wind,
W.S.\V., 6 to 7-course, south-sea, increasing-
speed, 7to 8 knots. Edgar to windward of Black
Prince, 1,790 yards-Prince Consort, 2,475 yards
-Enterprise, 2,050 el 746 yards-Hector, 1,050 e
1,028 yards-Defence, 1,650 yards. 4 p.m.-Wind,
variable, Edgar to windward of Black Prince,
2,760 yards-Prince Consort, 2,700 yards-Enter-
prise, 1,850-200 yards-Hector, 2,210 yards-
Defence, 1,790 yards. 5 p.m.-Wind W. by S.,
5 to 6-course, N.W, to N.W. by N.-head to sea
-speed, 4 to 5 knots. Edgar to windward of Black
Prince, 1,530 yards-Prince Consort, 1,420 yards-
Enterprise, 510-1,340-Hector (?) 127-2,093-
Defence, 340. The Edgar on opening the Start
Point experienced a head sea-the other ships being
far astern, and under the land, were in smooth
water, and kept the wind to the westward off the
land. Sept. 1-6 p.m.-Wind, W.S.W., sto 6-
course, south€rly-sea, decreasing (under the land)
-soil, as before-speed 4 to 5 knots. Edgar to
windward of Black Prince, 3,690 yards-Plieee
Consort, 3,690 yards-Enterprise, 1,410 yards-
Hector, 2,350 yards- Defence, 1,175 yards. Here
the ships had got together again, and were Failing
on the same terms under land. The whole result
was that the Enterprise between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
had lost on the Rigar only 106 yards, but the 4
p.m. and 5. p.m. diagrams show how it happened.
September 21st, off Portland-All plain sail.
Wind, W.N.W-speed 3 knots-head to sea. 9 30
a.m.- At starting Edgar to windward of Hector,
140 yards-Prince Consort, 3,150 yards-Enter-
prise, 1,750 yards-Black Prince, 405 yards-Re-
search, 2,183 yards-leeward of Defence, 865 yards
10 30 a.m. -Edgar to windward of Hector, 360
yards-Prince Consort, 3,440 yards-Research,
3,110 yards-Enterprise, 4,110 w 2,350 yards-
Black Prince, 78 yards-leeward of Defence, 1,050.
11 30 a.m.-Wind variable, westerly. Edgar to
windward of Prince Consort, 3,450 yards-Re-
search, 3,580 yards-Enterprise, 1,730-2,450
yards-leeward of Hector, 2,250-2,610 (P)
yards-Defence, 1,490 yards-Black Prince, 339
yards. 0 30a.m.-The trial recommenced. Wind,
W.S W.; other conditions as in the morning.
Edgar to Windward of Black Prince, 1,100 yards ;
Defence, 9,980 yards-Hector, 5,070 yards-Re-
search, 4,600 yards-Enterprise, 1,750 yards-
Prince Consort, 6,840 yards. 130 p.m.-Edgar to
windward of Black Prince, 2,050 yards ; Hector,
5,730 yards-Research, 5,180 yards-Enterprise,
1,880 et 130 yards-Defence, 3,520 yards-Prince
Consort, about 7,680 yards. 230 p,m.-Edgar to
windward of Black Prince, 2,190 yards-Defence,
3,900 yards-Enterprise 2,580 M 700 yards-
Prince Consort, about 6 miles-Hector about 7
miles-Research, about 5 miles. 3 30 p.m.-Edgar
tacked to windward of Black Prince. 3.030 yards-
Enterprise (distant 7 or 8 miles), 2,430-150 yards
-Defence, 4,200 yards. 4 p.m,-Edgar to wind-
ward of Black Prince, 3,180 yards-Defence, 3,480
yards-Research, 6,770 yards-Enterprise (distant
2 miles) 1,530 yards.
Thus the whole result showed the Enterprise
gained on the Edgar 220 yards, though in each
hour when they had bee❑ near ono another she
lost. In the last tack the Edgar fell off three quar-
ters of a point, giving her on the opposite tack a
corresponding gain.
During the trials it was found that the Enter-
prise leaked considerably at the junction with her
topsides and armour belt, and Mr Ladd, her builder,
has visited the ship to examine and report upon the
leak, which is believed by the officers of the squad-
ron to be very serious. A very strong feeling is
expressed in the squadron against officers and men
being sent on board quasi ironclads of the Enter-
prise class, which, they say, are neither watertight,
nor shot proof against the despised 68-pounder, nor
possessing the speed of a bona fide man-of.war.
The screw corvette Cadmue, 21, 400-horse power,
was undocked at spring tide at Chatham yesterday
afternoon, during a high north-east wind, and
safely berthed alonside the floating sheer-hulk
Chatham in the harbour abreast the dockyard.
During the time the Cadmus has been in dock, a
period extending over several months, she has un.
dergone a most complete repair, and she is now a
first class vessel of the corvette description, ready
in all respects for service in any part of the world.
She has been furnished with new decks, and the
decayed portions of her stern and rudder posts, as
well as her stern timbers, have been made gaod ;
in addition to this extra knees have been placed to
strengthen her deck beams. She has also been
fitted with a topgallant forecastle, for the protec-
tion of her crew in unfavourable weather, and this
arrangement will add to the comfort of the men,
the Cadmus, as well as most of the corvette class of
vessels, being rather down by the head, and there-
fore very wet during a rough sea. Opportunity
has been taken daring the time the Cadmus has been
under repair to overhaul her engines and machinery
which have been thoroughly repaired, and several
defective parts of her boilers made good. She has
also been fitted with a new screw propeller of the
Griffiths pattern, and the oldeAdmiralty screw re-
moved. The Cadmus is complete in her rigging,
and is now ready to hoist the pendant. The dock-
yard mechanics were at work on board up to within
a few minutes of the corvette leaving the dock, and
there is still a trifling amount of work to be executed
iu the way of fittiegs to the cabins and painting up