The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-15 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Channel flee arrived at Spithead yesterday after-
noon from Pleonouth Sound. At 2 p.m. the fleet was off
Ventnor, isle of Wight, passing to the eastward under easy
sail, with the Trinculo gunboat, tender to the flagship, some
d stance ahead, and pressing on under steam and sail for
spithcao. At 2 89 the fleet opened out to bight from
Portsmouth round Bembridge ledge, the flagship leading
under her three topPeilo, ford-course, and foretopmast stay-
sail, in close company with the Black Prince, Warrior, and
Defence, under all tail. lu another half hour the Prince
Consort opened the ledge, under all sail and with steam
up, closing up with the other ships. Tho Warrior and
Black Prince stood cent to wind ward for some time to allow
the two rams to take up their position astern of the Admi-
ral, which having been accomplished the Edgar's main
course was dropped, her topgallant sails, royals, and stud-
ding sails set, end her course laid for Spithead. The other
ships bore up in her wake, the Defence being second, the
Prince Consort third, the Black Prince fourth, and the
Warrior last. The ironclads ran in with their engines work-
ing in addition to their canvas, but the flagship was under
sail alone. The wind was now freshening from the S.S.W.,
and it would be almost impossible to imagine a more ani-
mated spectacle than the ships presented in this position.
It was generally admitted that, noble as are the proportions
of the four ironclads, they yesterday suffered much, so far
as relates to mere outward appearance from a distance, by
comparison with the Edgar under sail, with her loftier spars
and more compact set of canvas. At 4 p.m. the Edgar had
gained the eastern side of Spithead roadstead, where she
took in all her light sails and saluted with her guns the flag
of Admiral Sir M. Seymour, G.C.8., flying on board the
Victory. She shortly afterwards anchored in her selected
berth, the ironclads at the same time taking in all sail, and
assuming their positions,in obedience to signal, under steam,
and joining the Hector ironclad, previously anchored there.
The fleet now lies at Spithead anchored in two lines, the
weather line being composed of the Edgar, wooden screw
line-of-battle ship, 3,094 tons, 71 guns, and 600 horse power,
Capt. G. T. P. Hornby, bearing the flag of the Admiral
commanding, Rear-Admiral of the Red Sydney Colpoys
Dacres, C. 8.; the Warrior, iron frigate, 6,109 tons, 40 guns
and 1,250 horse power, Capt. Arthur A. Cochrane, C. 8.;
and the Black Prince, iron frigate, 6,109 tons, 1,350 horse
power, and 40 guns, Capt. James F. B. Wainwright. The
lee line is composed of the Hector, iron frigate, 4,089 tons,
34 guns, and 800 horse power, Capt. George W. ?reedy,
C. 8.; the Defence, iron frigate, 3,720 tons, 16 guns, and 609
horse power, Capt. A. Phillimore; and the Prince Consort,
iron cased frigate, 4,045 tons, 35 guns, and 1,000 horse
power, Capt. G. 0. Willes, C.B. The Edgar and Hector
hold the eastern end, and the Black Prince and Prince Con-
sort the western end of the position. The Trinculo gunboat
is anchored inshore of the fleet. Rear-Admiral Decree's fleet
as it now lies at Spithead, possesses a collective force of 237
guns, tarried by a gross tonnage of 26,985, and propelled by
an engine power of 5,500 horse, nominal. Shortly after the
Edgar anchored at Spithead, Rear-Admiral Dacres em-
barked on board the Fire Queen steam yacht, Master Com-
mander Paul, and, proe,eeding into Portsmouth harbour,
landed at tbo docakpypaorin were made yesterday at the
Admiralty d.
The fei
11°,7—L inige appointments
ut. R. Mengel, to the Implacable ; Lieut.
R. H. Moubray, to the Pembroke. Sub-Lieut. William H.
Lewin and Gerard R. Bromley, midshipman, have been
appointed to the Prince Consort. Messrs. R. L. Mundy and
Gerald R. Maltby have been nominated to naval cadetships.
The following appointment has been made in the Royal
Naval Reserve :—To be Sub-Lieut., Wm. Withers,
The return to England of the two battalions of Guards
now in Canada will necessitate a new distribution of the
brigade, and we think the authorities may in the meantime
look with advantage to some alteration of the system
which was in operation at the time of their sudden depar-
ture for America. Before the Crimean war the brigade as
a general rule was thus distributed—four battalions at the
West-end of London, one at the Tower, one at Wintisor,
and one at Chichester. After the Crimean war the arrange-
ment was so far altered that Chichester was abandoned as a
Guards' station, and a battalion was sent to Dublin every
year, which was only done at rare intervals previously.
When the two battalions now under orders return we may
expect the old arrangements as regards the metropolis and
Windsor to be resumed; but with reference to the location
of the remaining battalion, there appears to us to be a good
deal to bo said in favour of going back to Chichester and
abandoning Dublin as a Guards' station. The barracks, we
believe, have been empty since the Chichester depot
been
distributed among other battalions. Sussex has always ee
a good recruiting-ground for the Grenadier Guards, and the
continuous presence of a battalion in thud istrictQwidoeuraldtieinn
no small degiee contribute to fill the qu
'ears'
which should not be put aside in these daysaocf7ten
enlistment exigencies. But the great reason in favour of
Chichester is the eff,,ct it would be likely to have or. the
health of the men by giving them a periodical relief from
the heavy sentry duty, which is at the bottom of the high
rate of mortality in the Brigade of Guards. This duty is
most heavy in the West-end quarters and at Windsor,
and though we believe not quite so bad, it is still very
serious at the Tower. In a large garrison like Dublin, with
all manner of guards and a vice-regal Court, it is also very
heavy indeed. Thus every station of the Guards involves
garrison duties and many nights out of bed, This certainly
seems to necessitate some alteration of a programme so un-
varyingly severe. By the substitution of Chichester for
Dublin it would be accomplished, and once every three
years and a half a battalion might look forward to six

Henry S'rutt, who said—l reside at N. 20, Clay-
ton-street, C ,ledonian-road. I um a lab,nrer. The
deceased was my brother, and was a f•inglo man.
He was 18 yelrs of age, and sssistsd in the bottling
department of Gordon's Brewery, Caledonian-road.
I saw him last alive at about a quarter to two last
Saturday. Ho was then in his bedroom at home,
writing a letter. He resided with me at the above
address. He was in his usual state of mind, and I
saw nothing strange in his manner. He left me to
go to his work. Between two and three that after-
noon 1 heard that ray brother had met with an
accident. I went to the brewery and found him
dead. I was told that my brother had shot himself,
but I know nothing of it. The body the jury have
seen is the body of my brother. I was not aware
that my brother had a pistol in his possession. He
received a letter on Saturday, at about one o'clock.
'The letter addressed to Elizabeth Osborne is in his
handwriting.

By tha Cormier My brother was a man of steady
habits. lam positive of that, and I never once saw
him the worse for liquor.

Inspector Terry, N division, said—On Saturday
afternoon I was sent for from the station to see the
deceased at the brewery. I sent for a surgeon at
once. It was about 25 minutes past two. I took a
pistol out of the left hand of the deceased. On him
I found one letter, of which the following is a
copy :

"Dear Elizabeth Osborne—l have done this through
your treatment of me. You was going on like a com-
moner the last time I was out with you. I do this through
Elizabeth Osborne, 2, Smith.terrace, Hornsey-road."
At the lodgings of the deceased I found the follow-
ing letter :

" May 26,1864.

" To Mr George Strutt,—l write to inform you that I
don't intend to have further correspondence with you from
this day.

" ELIZBAETB OSBORNE."
In a drawer in the deceased's room I also found a
letter as follows :

" May 29, 1864.
" Dear George,—l am very sorry to tell you that I shall
not he out to-night, but if you like I shall be out on Wed-
nesday evening, and if you like to go to the concert room I
shall see you at seven o'clock.

" From your affectionate lover, -
" ELIZABETH OSI3ORNE."

The Inspector continued—l also found at the
brewery some common shot, some powder, and one
cap, and I a:cntained that these were purchased et
15, Arthur-terrace, Caledonian-road. The pistol
was purchased at Mr. Hawkins's on the day of
his decease. The pistol, shot, and powder was pur-
chased within one hour of the deceased committing
the rash act,

Mr. Henry Billinghurst, M.D., Church-row, Is•
liagton, showed the cause of death was the wound
caused by the pistol-shot.

Joseph Sarson—l am bottler at Gordon's Brewery.
The deceased worked with me in the bottling de-
partment. I found the deceased at twenty minutes
past two. On going through the cellars I found
him on the floor dead. He was quite dead, and the
whole of his face was smashed in. 1 told one of the
clerics, and then I 'went to the police station, 1 did.
not hear the pistol shot. 1 was not in the brcwer:,.
The &ceased was a very etWy, quiet
never spoke without he was spuken to. Mien I
left to go home at one o'clock Le dcceascd was in
his usual health and spirits, and did not seem at all
desponding.

Dia ibeth Osborne said the deecaeed w<7..s a very
violent temp:2recl young man. She had written is
letter to him on Fii,i;ay ni:!ht 6,eliLing to corro;.
pond with him any more. In tha letter she told
him that she did not want to see him env more, and
that she did not wish him to write to her. She last
saw him alive on Wednesday. His temper was so
violent that she began to be afraid of him. He had
threatened her life, end once attempted it when he
was in a passion. On one occasion he said she had
another suitor, and he then took off his cap, threw
it on the ground, and trampled on it. There was
no occasion for his being jealous of her. She told
him in her letter that his language to her was dis-
graceful, and if he had any respect for her he would
not have said it in her presence. She had walked
out with him for about six months. She always
considered him a steady young man, and be never
took any drink, with the exception of one glass of
ale, when he was out with her.

A gentleman from the brewery said he believed
the deceased was a steady man, and was rather of
a sullen disposition. There was a boy in attendance
who saw the deceased with the pistol in his hand
a short time before he killed himself, and he then
said, in answer to the questions, that he had pur-
chased the pistol for the purpose of killing birds.
The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that the
deceased destroyed himself when in a state of tem-
porary insanity.