The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-29 00:00:00

I Taval and Military Intelligence,

MALTA, August 23.
Her M ajesty's screw steam corvette Chanticleer left on
the 16th for the Bay of Tunis. The Marlborough, screw
steamship of the line, accompanied by the Meanee, steam
liner, Resi 'attune and Royal Oak, screw steam ironclad fri-
gates, left on the morning of the 16th for a cruise in the
Malta channel. The two last mentioned vessels returned
to port on the evening of the 22d, and on the following
morning tb Le other two came in. Her Mak!sty's steam sur-
veying ves eel Firefly left on the 18th to verify soundings
in Smyth' s chart between Malta and Marsala. Her Ma-
jesty's screw steam atoreship Supply arrived from Wool-

wich and Gibraltar on the 19th with stores. Her Majesty's
eiteam frigs to Magicienne arrived on the 20th from Susa
find Tunis., and her Majesty's steam sloop Ardent, from
Sfax and. Tripoli, to-day. The French schooner yacht
Erminia, having on board M. Chappon and family, arrived
at Malta. on the 16th August, from Marseilles and Catania,
and lefts on her return to Marseilles on the 19th. The Eng-
lish schooner yacht Cecile, having on hoard the owner, the
Idarqucis of Drogheda, and the schooner yacht Redgauntlet,
having on board the owner, Mr J. N. Ferrell, left Malta
on the 15th August, both for Constantinople. The Impe-
rial Otrtoman yacht Saidi Bahri, Captain D. R. Cominyn,
arriv ad from London on the 19th August, after a splendid
run c d eight and a half days, including several hours' stay
at Gibraltar to replenish fuel, and left for Constantinople
on tl ie 21st August.
T he Royal Sovereign, 5, turret ship, Captain Sherard
Osb urn, C.B„ sailed from Portsmouth for Portland roads
at 6 io.m. on Saturday.
The Aurora, screw frigate, Capt. Sir Leopold L. Wan.
tock, which sailed from Spithead on Friday with the Chan-
nel fleet, was recalled from the Channel on Saturday by the
Master Commander Nine.
from Spithead, but this
YPiegslaeyrd,aypadmdleornisltl'egarhetes'ilaildeedr,again
time for the eastward, and will escort the Royal paddle
yacht Osborne, with the Prince and Princess of Wales on
board, to Copenhagen and the Baltic.
Her Majesty's paddle yacht Osborne, 430 horse power,
Staid-Commander George H. K. Bower, which is appointed
to convey the Prince and Princess of Wales on their tour
to Copenhagen, St. Petersburg, &c., having been repainted
and her defects have been made good, left Sheerness yes-
terday for Leith. 'where their Royal Highnesses will embark
and proceed direct to Denmark.
The Medusa, paddlewheel vessel, 312 horse power. Mas-
ter-Commander John H. Allard, left Sheerness on Satur-
day for Leith, where she will join the Royal yacht Osborne
.in conveying the Prince and Princess and suite on their
orthern tour.

The Forte,,39, screw steam frigate, 2,364 tone, 400 horse
pa wer, Cap t. A. Mellersh, bearing the flag of Rear-Admi-
relit. L. Warren, late Commander-in-Chief on the south-
east Coast of America, arrived at Sheerness on Saturday
evening, to be paid out of commission. On anchoring at
the Nora she exchanged salutes with the flagship of Vice-
Admiral Sir C. Talbot, K.C.B.

The Salamis, paddlewheel despatch vessel, 835 tons, 250
horse pc wer, Commander F. G. Suttie, arrived at Sheer-
ness from the north on Saturday, to make good a few
trifling detects. She will sail this evening or early to-
morrow, to join the vessels which are to be placed at the
service of the Prince and Princess of Wales during their
visit to Copenhagen.
The dockyard and other naval establishments at Chatham
were dosed at 11 a,m. on Saturday, and all business sus-
pended, for the day, the whole of the workmen being
granter I the customary holiday on the occasion of the visit
of the Lords of the Admiralty to the port on their annual
tour of inspection.

Tha old appointment of timber tester at Chatham Dock-
yard, which has been held by succeeding officials for
a ve Cy considerable number of years past, has just been
abedsiacd by order of the Admiralty, such an officer being
no longer required, in consequence of the present exigencies
of the service necessitating the construction of our future
vessels of war of iron, the dockyard at Chatham having, at
;the same time, become the principal naval establishment for
iron shipbsuilding.iTb.e order frJm the Admiralty ablishing
tl Le office referred to at the same time directs the appoint-
nblnt of a new subordinate official, to be termed an •' issuer
of iron," in lieu of the timber tester, who has just retired on
a superannuation allowance.

In or der to facilitate the unloading of the transports which
are almost daily arriving at Chatham Dockyard with the
armour plates, angle, plate, and other iron for the ironeased
frigates Billerophon and Lord Warden, under construction,
as well as the large quantities of iron required for the gene-
ral service of the establishment, the Lords of the Admiralty,
on the o ocasion of their official visit to the dockyard, directed
tramwaya to be laid down for a convenient distance along
the Anchor wharf, at which most of the vessels discharge
their crsgoee, as well as along the Centre wharf, adjoining
the d04.1k talwhich the Bellerophon is building. The rail-
way,'.whkh is intended to extend for some distance along
both wha ryes, will be so constructed as to allow of the use of
a sufEcie nt number of portable steam cranes being employed
in unloading the various vessels, thus releasing from that
duty several hundred labourers hitherto engaged almost ex-
clue ively at that laborious work, and allowing their energies
to be turned to some more profitable employment in the
dockyard.. The steam cranes to be used are similar to those
in use alongside No. 2 dock, where four of the portable
steam lifts have been at work for about three years past with
the most satisfactory results, every portion of the iron used

in the construction of the Achilles and the plating of the
ironcla I frigate Royal Oak having been raised and fixed by
th(!se 'means. The cranes are now being manufactured by
Messrs. Taylor, at the Britannia Works, who also supplied
thotra at present in use at Chatham Dockyard.
'rho screw gun vessel Torch, 5, which has been in the
shipwrights' hands at Chatham Dockyard for some months
past, undergoing a most extensive repair, is ordered to be
completed with all despatch, in consequence of the dock
being required for one of the vessels attached to the Steam
Reserve—report states the Ariadne, 26, 800 horse-power—
which is ordered to be brought forward for commission.
A general regimental Royal Artillery order has been pro-
mulgat'ad at Chatham, in which it is announced, by order of
the Duke of Cambridge, that in future several important
alterations will be made in the supply of service ammuni-
tion to the various brigades and batteries of Royal Artillery.
In future the common and diaphragm fuzes will be issued
in cylinders of 50 each,and tubes, brass, friction, and primers
in boxes of 100 each. All outstanding orders for the supply
of calico bursters of 611 b for 10-inch common shells which
were intended to replace others of 51b have been cancelled,
the size of the two bags being the same. All that will be
necessary, therefore, in rectifying the charges will be to add
lin) of powder to the bureters, and to alter the old mark to
6 in any convenient way.

A brilliant field day, by the whole of the troops at Alder-
shot, was held on Wednesday, under command of Lieut.-
Gen. Sir J. L. Pennefather, K.(3.13., who has just returned
from a tour of military inspection on the Continent. The
division formed up on the common, near the Royal Pavi-
lion at 10 o'clock, in two lines, facing westward. the Royal
Artillery and infantry in line of contiguous columns at quar-
ter distance, and the Royal Horse Artillery and cavalry in
line of contiguous columns in close order. The troops having
marched past, the Lieut.- Gen. formed his army in order of
battle, with his right upon Eelmoor and his lett upon Burn's
Plain. The three brigades of infantry advanced in parallel
lines of regiments, at wheeling distance, one regiment, in
skirmishing order, covering the front of each brigade, The
Royal Artillery advanced in line in rear of the skirmishers ;
the cavalry in lino of regiments in rear of the right brigade,
with the Royal Horse Artillery on their flanks. The enemy
was supposed to occupy a strong position on the west of the
Long Valley, his right resting upon Bickley Copse, his cen-
tre upon Long Hill and Cocked-hat Wood, and his left upon
Pyestock. Between the =tending armies lay the Long
Valley and the arid plain to the eastward. The battle was

commenced a few minutes before 11 o'clock. The object of
the attack appeared to be to turn the left flank of the enemy
and drive him from the strong position he had taken up.
With this view a simultaneous fire was opened by the whole
line of skirmishers, and two batteries, posted on the right,
kept up a sharp cannonade. On the recall of the skirmishers
Colonel Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar and Major-Gen.
Taylor each brought two regiments into action, while Bri-
gadier Badd steadily advanced on the left, still under cover
of his skirmishers. The Royal Dragoons now dashed to the
front of Gen. Taylor's brigade, and charged across the Long
Valley by wings, retiring by troops from both flanks.
Prince Edward and Gen. Taylor again advanced, and it was
now apparent the Lieut. -Gen. was bringing the weight of
his army to bear on the left and centre of the enemy's posi-
tion, Prince Edward's, Gon. Taylor's, and Col. Burr's bri-
gade, the whole of the artillery, and the fine brigade of ea-
valrY under Gen. Hodge, made a combined attack upon
these points, and gained possession of Long Hill, from which
a dozen guns were quickly brought to bear. The left of the
enemy having now given way several brilliant charges were
executed by the Royal Dragoons, Greys, and 14th Hussars
in succession, who dashed onward over very difficult ground.
clearing all before thein.'"A few changes of position followed
by which the Lieut.-Gen. brought his army into the form
of an obtuse angle, and thus advancing to the south-west,
he drove the enemy in the direction of Crookham ; the artil-
lery, posted on every little eminence they could gain, com-
pleted his discomfiture, and he fell back upon Beacon Hill,
fairly beaten.
" Cease firing" was then sounded, and the
troops returned to quarters.
Orders have been issued at Aldershot for the Major-Gen.
commanding the 3d brigade to hold the 3d battalion
Grenadier Guards (Col. Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar) in
readiness to march to-morrow (Tuesday), en rouie for Lon-
don, encamping at Bagshot Heath to-morrow night, at
Hounslow-heath on 'Wednesday night, and marching into
London on Thursday.
The headquarters of the A and B batteries of the 4th
Brigade Royal Artillery aro under orders to leave Alder-
shot on Wednesd'T for Woolwich, halting at Hounslow
for ono night, and pi. Jul:ding to their destination on the
following day.
An amateur theatrical performance was given by the
officers of the Staff College at Sandhurst on Friday evening,
before a select audience. The oroces represent.d were " A
Wonderful Woman" and "!Medan Burtesque.,,
In the
distinguished
former Major Goodenough, R,A,, the Viscount, and
Capt. Brooke as the Marquis, particularly
themselves, sod were ably assisted by Lent. Young (R 4.
dolph), Lieut. Fawcett (Creepin), Mr Howard and Miss
Oliver. The burlesque that tollov;ed, in wh:c,,s the charac-

tere were sustained by Col. Clive (Grenadier Guards), Capt.
Willis (33d Regiment), Lieut. Peyton (the Buffs), and
others, made an excellent finish to the evening's entertain-
ment. An amateur orchestral band, led by Lieut. Palmer,
of the 13th Light Infantry, was in attendance, and agreeably
filled up the necessary intervats.
Troops of the 16th Lancers have arrived at Colchester,
Ipswich, and Norwich. The headquarters of the regiment
will be Colchester,

Col. the Hon. H. H. M. Percy, V.C., from half-pay, late
Grenadier Guards, has assumed the command of the troops
at Colchester in succession to Major-Gen. Guy, C. 8.,
appointed to command the troops in China. Major-Gen.
Guy has issued a farewell address, in which he states that
he " cannot relinquish the command which he has held for
three years without offering to the officers, non- com-
missioned officers, and soldiers his cordial acknowledg-
ments for the correct and satisfactory manner in which
their various duties have been performed." Major Vacher
is about to relinquish the office of Brigade-Major at
Colchester, on appointment to the Quartermaster-General's
staff at head - quarters. Deputy - Inspector - General
of Hospitals R. Dane, M.D., having been appointed to suc-
ceed Staff-Stag. Mure, MD., as principal medical officer to
the trcups at Colchester, Staff-Sorg. Mure will proceed to
Glasgow as medical officer to the recruiting district on the
arrival of Dr. Dane.

We have to announce the demise of Admiral Henry
Litchfield, who died at his residence in London on Friday
last, in his 78th year. The venerable Admiral entered the
navy in May, 1800, and was midshipman of the Impetueux,
and assisted at the blowing up of the Insolente in the
Mon'han River in 1800. Ho also assisted in cutting out the
French corvette Guepe from Vigo in 1301, and afterwards,
on board the Pique, he was present at the reduction of Aux
Cayes and other ports of San Domingo in 1803. He served
on shore at the attack on Curacoa in 1804 ; he was Acting-
Master of the Renard at the capture of the French corvette
Diligente, and the destruction of the French privateer
General Ernouf ; and afterwards Senior-Lieutenant of the
Reindeer at Walcheren, He commanded the Mohawk in
the operations on the coast of America, including the attack
on Crany Island and Hampton, and served in her boat at
the destruction of the United States' schooner Asp in 1813.
The gallant officer held other active employments up to
1826. His commission as Lieut. bore date June 29, 1807 ;
Commander, July 12, 1813 ; Capt., November 20, 1826 ;
Rear-Admiral, July 13, 1854 ; Vice-Admiral, November 7,
1860 ; and Admiral a few weeks ago,
The following appointments and promotions were made
on Saturday at the Admiralty :—George B. Moore, surg., to
the Brisk—John Cruickshank, assist,-surg., to the Brisk—
Gordon Jackson, assist.-surg., to the Duke of Wellington—
Robert W. Jones, engineer, to the Warrior—William Hair,
in the Hawke, promoted to first-class assist.-engineer—
John B. Gibson, in the Indus, confirmed as first-class assist.
engineer—and George Hostey, assist-engineer, to the Asia,
for hospital treatment.
The following appointments have been made in the Royal
Naval Reserve :—To be Lieutenants :—Thomas Row Harry
and Ralph Renner.