The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-24 00:00:00

MALTA.

DEC. 16.
Sir Henry Storks, the new Governor, reached
Valetta, from Marseilles, on the 30th ultimo. The
Malta Observer of the Ist instant thus reports his
arrival and entrance on office :
" We are glad to announce the arrival in Malta
of our newly-appointed Gouernor, his Excellency
Sir Henry Storks, who, attended by Colonel Peel,
Military Secretary, and Lieut. Strahan, A.D.C.,
disembarked from on board H.M.S. Psyche yes-
terday at noon, under the salute due to his high
rAnk. A guard of honour furnished by the Ist.
22d Regiment, and the chief civil, military, and
naval authorities, received his Excellency on laud-
ing at the Calcara-gate.
"Strada Reale was occupied by a great number
of the inhabitants, many of whom respectfully
saluted his Excellency on driving through the prin-
cipal streets of the city; and the salutations were
courteously acknowledged. Soon after the entry
of Sir Henry Storks into the Palace, her Majesty's
commission appointing his Excellency to be Go-
vernor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the
Island of Malta and its dependencies, was read and
promulgated by Sir Victor Houlton, Chief Secretary
to Government, in the Hall of Sr. Michael and St.

George, in the presence of the constituted author:

ties, and a considerable number of the inhabitants.
His Excellency then took the customary oaths of
office, which were administered to him by Sir A.
Micallef, the President of the Law Courts. Imme.
diately afterwards a proclamation was issued an-
nouncing that his Excellency had assumed the ad-
ministration of the Government; and that all offi-
cers, civil and military, and all other her Majesty's
subjects, and persons inhabiting the Island of Malta
and its dependencies, were required to be obedient.
aiding, and assisting unto him in the execution of
the powers and authorities vested in him by virtue
of the said commission."

The following naval inteiligrnce of the week is
published in the Malta Times of to-day (Dec. 16) :
" The Revenge, 73, bearing the flag of ReAr-
Admiral H. R. Yelverton, C. 8., Captain the Hon.
F. A. Foley, arrived on Sunday evening at 6 o'clock
from Tunis. She left Malta on Saturday, the sth
of November, and arrived at Syracuse on the fol-
lowing morning, whew she saluted the Italian flag
with 21 guns, which compliment was returned by
the garrison with an equal number of guns. 0,1
Wednesday morning, 9th November, she proceeded
to Palermo, and reached that port on the morning of
the 10th, when the usual salutes were again ex-
changed, and the customary visits of ceremony took
place between the English Admiral, the Governor-
General of Sicily, and other high officials of the
town. At the close of a week (16th Nov.), which was
very agreeably spent in visiting the different ob-
jects of interest in that delightful part of Sicily,
the Revenge sailed for Palm% Bay, in the Island of
Sardinia, and on her voyage to that port enconn
tered a succession of strong north westerly gales,
in which ste carried away her main topsail yard,
sprung her crosej ickeyard, and split several of her
sails. In the daegerous work of repairing these
damages, during the violence of the gale, not the
least accident of any kind occurred, which says
much for the order and discipiine maintained on
board this magnificent ship. From Palma Bay,
which she entered on the 21st November. See
proceeded, after a stay of three days, to Port
Mahon, in the Island of Minorca, staying there
ten days. At this place extensive fortifica-
tions are being erected at the northern
entrance of the harbour. The forts and outworks
extend over a large area, and are intended, when
complete, to mount 1,000 guns, while the requisite
garrison will be from 10,000 to 12,000 men, These
works were commenced abort seven years ago, and
are expectea to occupy some six years more before
completion. There are at present about 1,000 men
employed in their construction, drawn chiefly from
the Artillery, Engineers, and infantry which form
the garrison. Ou the 6th December the Revenge
left Port Mahon for Tunis, arriving in the bay on
the evening of the Bth,having experienced calms and
light variable winds the Whole way. There were
at Tunis the French iron.clad frigate Invincible,
and the aviso L'Actif, Italian corvette Etna, and
English gun vessel Tyran. Her Majesty's corvette
Racer, 11, arrived at Tunis from Malta on the 9th
December, the evening previous to the departure
of the Revenge for this island.
" On Tuesday morning the Gibraltar, 81 (bearing
the flag of Vice Admiral Smart, K.H.), Capt. J. C.
Prevost; the Meeanee, 60, Captain G. Wode-
house ; the Orlando, 46,
Capt. G. G. Randolph ;
and the Resistance, iron-clad, 16, Capt. W. C.
Chamberlain, left Malta harbour to exercise their
crews firing at a target, and returned again the
same evening.

Capt. J. C. Prevost, commanding H.M.S.
Gibraltar, who has been appointed Captain of the
Gibraltar Dockyard, in place of Capt. Ommannoy,
promoted to Rear Admiral, will, it is said, shortly
proceed in his ship to the Rock, where, it is ex.
pected, his successor, Capt. R. Conte, will meet him,
to take the command of that ship, and return with
her to Malta.'

DECEMBER 17,
Her Majesty's ship Victoria arrived this morning at six
o,clock. She will hoist the Admiral's flag, under a salute
at noon.

On Thursday the whole of the marines of the squadron
landed at Calcara Gate, under the command of Captain
Arthur Ellis, senior captain of the Royal Marines on the
station, and marched out into the c-iuntry, returning on
board their respective ships in the afternoon. They were
In heavy marching order, and presented a good appearance,
especiAly the artilllerY..whic.l are as fine a body of men as
can be seen anywhere, their new uniform and " busbies"
attracting no little attention.
The day previous a grand review of all the troops in gar-
rison was held on the loriana parade-ground, in the pre-
sence of his Excellency Lieut.-General Sir Idenry Storks.
0

UTRAGE ON NATURE.—The practice of defacing
with great advertisements rocks, trees, and bridges, in spcis
visited for their remarkable beauty, is extending in Canada.
A correspondent of the Alonireal Gazette writes:—" This
mating I find a circular among my letters, in which an
advertising agent coolly proposes to deface the country in
the most systematic manner, carrying with him a corps of
bill-posters, painters, &c., to put advertisements on the
prominent rocks, bridges, and fences,' which he designates
as the most novel as well as the cheapest way of advertis-
ing.' " Some of the loveliest glens and vales in the White
Mountains and other parts of the States are barbarously
disfigured with ineffaceable advertisements of quack medi-
cines. A bill is to be introduced into the New York Legis-
lature making this die.gractful practice penal.

AMERICA.

(REUTERS TELEGRAMS.)
ARRIVAL OF THE CHINA.

The Royal Mail steamship China, from New
York, arrived at Queenstown at 4.45 a.m. today,
with 120 passengers, and 602,207 doll. in specie
She landed 64 sacks of mails and five passengers,
and proceeded for Liverpool at 5.10. All well. She
has experienced strong easterly winds on the
voyage.

(Via Crookhaven.)
NEW YORK, Dec. 14, Morning.
The Richmond papers assert that Silerman's main
army had crossed to the east side of the Ogeechee
River, and was moving on the 7th in a south-
easterly direction towards Savannah.

The Georgians ar-; rapidly reconstructing the
road in Sherman's rear.

Federal accounts state that the land and naval
forces under Dahlgren and Foster proceedcd from
Thanfort on the Gth ❑p Broad River, where they
landed their forces and destroyed Pocataligo Bridge
afterwards entrenching themselves at the latter
point.

Foster's scouts communicated with Sherman,
who was expee,ed to reach Savannah on the 14th.

The Charleston Mercury of the 6th says that
Foster bad cut the Charleston and Savannah
Railroad near Focataligo, and driven the Confede
rates from their entrenched position.
The situation at Nashville is unchanged. 25,000
Confederates (under Lyon) have crossed the Cum.
berland River at Yellow Creek, and moved on Hop.
kinsville, Kentucky.

Breckenridge is reported as endeavouring to join
Hood.

Grant has despatched an expedition, consisting
of one division of infantry and two brigades of
cavalry, under Warren, to destroy the Weldon Rail-
road as far south as Ilicksford to prevent the Con-
federates from receiving supplies on the Weldon
Road to Stoney Creek.

Warren destroyed the bridge across the Notaway
River and 15 miles of railroad.

The Confederates were found in force near Hicks-
ford, with strong works on both sides of the Me-
hergen _River. Warren having carried the works
on the north side and destroyed the depot
returned to his former position before Petersburg.
Considerable excitement prevails at Memphis.
Beauregard is reported to be marching on Fort

Murfreesboro despatches report that Hood had
captured two blockhouses, but was repulsed when
attacking a third. Forrest made a demonstration
gainst the fort and town, but was repulsed. The
Confederate cavalry entered Murfreesboro and de.
stroyed numerous houses ; they were driven out by
Rousseau. The railroad south of Murfreesboro was
uninjured, but destroyed for five miles on the north
of the town from Ocille Creek to Oville.

Dodge has superseded Rosencranz.
The Governor of Virginia's message favours the
arming of slaves.
The Confederate Congress has passed the resolu-
tion regarding the unlawful capture of the Florida.

The authorities of Detroit have received certain
information of an intended raid from Canada upon
Detroit.

The steamer Ella has been burnt off Wilmington.
The St. Albans raiders have been discharged at
Toronto, on the ground tht.t the Court has no
jurisdiction.

The House of Representatives has passed a reso-
lution to give notice to England of the abrogation
of the Canadia❑ Reciprocity Treaty.

The Canada has arrived out.
POSTSCRIPT.

NEW YORK, Dee. 14,

The Richmond papers of yesterday report that
Sherman was near Savannah, probably not five
miles distant. It was doubtful if he would make
an attack or advance to the coast south-east of the
city. He had not opened communications with the
coast.

Later despatches report Sherman in line of battle,
confronted by a large Confederate force. There is
a doubtful report that Sherman has bad a successful
engagement at Bloomingdale, fifteen miles from
Savannah.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE,
NEW YORK, Dec. 14 (Morning).

Money easy. Gold, 136 k per cent. prem. Ex-
change on Lendon—Bankers' Bills, 257; ditto on
Paris, 210 to 2 15. Stocks steady. New York
Central, 121 ; Illinois, 130; Erie, 94; 5-20 United
States Bonds, 1091. Cotton quiet; Middling Up.
land, 132 c, Flour slightly firmer. Wheat steady.

(TELEGRAPHIC NEWS ASSOCIATION.)
(Per the China, via Crookhaven.)
NEW YORK, Dec. 13 p.m.
Warren's Fifth Corps, part of Second Corps, and
Gregg's Cavalry, left the front of Petersburg on
Wednesday for a raid on the Weldon Railroad.
They captured the works at Hatcher's Run, but
afterwards abandoned them and returned to the
camp. They destroyed the bridge over Notaway
River and 15 miles of the railroad ; but, finding
the Confederates in force at Hickeford, the Fede-
rals withdrew to their old position near Petersburg,
and part of the raiding force was captured.
The reported capture of Howell's Point, opposite
Butler's Canal, is unfounded.
There is a report of a Federal ironclad having
been sunk in James River by Confederate batteries.
The siege of Nashville continues, but no battle
has as yet taken place. The Federals claim to have
repulsed the Confederates at Murfreesborough,
which the Confederates deny. The Federal losses
at Franklin are now stated officially at 110 officers
and over 2,000 privates is three divisions. The
losses iu the fourth division, which are heavier in

proportion, are not given.
Two locomotives and 20 carts laden with ord-
nance and stores have been captured by the Confe-
derates in Northern Alabama.
There is no truth in the reported advance of
Beauregard on Fort Pillow. He is superintending
the defences of Savannah.
Sherman on the 7th was east of the Ogeechee
River, 25 mites from Savannah, upon which city he
is supposed to be advancing.
Richmond papers now anticipate an as3ault upon
the rear of Savannah, but they say that the city is
prepared. Heavy firing was heard on the 7th, sup.
posed from another engagement on the Charleston
and Savannah Railroad. The Charleston Mercury
confirms the destruction of the bridge at Pocataligo.
The railways destroyed by Sherman are being
rebuilt.

The naval court of inquiry upon the sinking of
the Florida failed to agree. A military court of
inquiry has been ordered.
Corn and provisions heavy. Coffee steady. Sugar
good inquiry. Molasses quiet. Petroleum, crude,
54c. ; refined, 74c.
The Governor, Smith, recommends to the legis-
lature the arming of able-bodied slaves without
delay.
Secretary Fessenden is redeeming the Seven-
Thirties of July, 1861, in currency. The Comp-
troller of the Currency recommends the suppression
cf all State Banks and the Substitution of National
ones. The Bankrupt Bill of last session passed the
house yesterday by 26 majority.
It is reported that two fast steamers have left
New York to be equipped as Mexican privateers (P)
The Confederates, under General Lyon, have
crossed the Cumberland, and moved towards Hop-
kinsville.
Breckenridge is said to be trying to reinforce
Hood.

The exchange of prisoners stopped at Savannah
has been resumed off Charleston.
The blockade-runner -Ella, with a cargo of arms
and ammunition, has been destroyed off Wil-
mington.
The Confederate Senate has passed a joint resos
lution appointing commissioners to Brazil.