The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-03 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelli3ence,

The Duke of Somerset, with Lord Clarence Paget
and other members of the Board cf Admiralty, left
town yesterday for Pembroke dociryard and Mils
ford-haven on their annual tour of inspection.
From Milford-haven the Duke and the other Lords
Commissioners go to Queenstown, and after their
visit to Ireland they will call at Holyhead to inspect

the harbour works.
Earl de Grey, the Secretary of State of War, left
Carltca-gardans yesterday for Milford-haven, on a
tour of inspection of the fortifications now in pro-

ress on the western coast.
The line of battle sailing ship Superb, 80, attached
to the sailing reserve in Che.tham harbour, has been
*surveyed by Capt. \V. H. Stewart, C.B , and Mr P.
Thornton, principal master shipbuilder at Chatham,
in order that a report may be made to the Lards of
the Admiralty as to the fitness of that vessel to be
used as a receiving ship for the crews of the Turkish
vessels cf war now in the Thames. The Superb is
one of t ho finest of her class, and a favourable report

_se
has been made of her fitness for the service.
The utmost exertions are now being used by the
whole of the departments at Chatham dockyard in
bsestening forward the completion of the iron frigate.
Achilles, 20, 6,121 tens, 1,250 horse power, Captain
Vansttart, in order that she may be ready to be
commissioned and leave Chatham harbour by the
last week in the present month. To encourage the
junior officials and workmen to exert themselves a
minute has been issued by Capt. Stewart, C. 8., su-
perintendent of the dockyard, in which he states.
that he shell have much pleasure in favourably
_mentioning to the Lords of the Admiralty any of
tixe workmen employed on the Achilles who may
paqienlarly distinguish himself by his energy and
zeal. Although the Achilles is ordered to be ready
to ieleve Chatham by the 25th, some considerable
time Will afterwards elapse before she is ready to
Sake her first cruise, there being still much work to
be completed on board in the way of fitting an iron
vessel of her magnitude for sea. The Achilles is to
be furnished exclusively with the 100-pounder 61
ton smoothbore gun, but no portion of her arma-
ment has yet arrived at Chatham from the Royal
gun factory.
The Cadmus, 21, 1,466 tons, 400-horse, after un-
dergoing a very extensive repair at Chatham Dock-
yard, during which she has been fitted with a
topgallant forecastle, new decks, &c., was yester-
day undocked and berthed alongside the floating
shears in the harbour, where her masts were put
on board. The Cadmus is to be taken in hand by
the riggers to-morrow, and by direction of the
Lords of the Admiralty will be immediately
brought forwards for commission.
The following is an extract from a letter received
at Plymouth from an officer of her Majesty's ship
Liverpool:--" Oa June the 7th this ship, coming
out of Monte Christ() on the coast of San Domingo,
struck upon a coral reef, she being at that time is
mid-passage, according to the Admiralty charts.
''he struck repeatedly and heavily. Subsequent
survey proves the almost total less of our false keel
and about 50 feet of our main keel. The waters
here abound with the worst description of worm,
and every day adds to the amount of repairs which
the ship will eventually require. Three out of the
four strengthening knees of the rudder-post are
broken, and other damage is incurred. The reef we
struck upon had been surveyed in 1783 (about) by
a naval master. It was calicel the Torbay reef cn
account of the ship Torbay striking and losing her
sadder on it. This reef is laid down accurately in
Is chart belonging to a merchant captain at Kings-
town, who kindly lent it to the Liverpool that it
might be copied ; the existing Admiralty charts

m she no mention of it."
Capt. C. C. Chesney, Professor of Military His-
tory in the Royal Military College, has been
selected by the Council of Military Education
from among the candidates for the Professorship
at the Stafi' College, lately held by Colonel Ham-
y. The appointment was recently announced in
The Scan as open to competition, under conditions
detaKed in a Circular from the Horse Guards,
dattl May 10,1861.
Tao following crcular memorandum was yester-
day promnigated at Woolwich dockyard :
" iqy Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
been oleased, under the authority of her Majesty's
Order in Council of truly 9, to establish the follow-
ing re gnlations for the retirement of a certain class
cf offik:era—All masters attendant, assistant-masters
attenuant, Queen's harbour masters, masters, staff
cotunanders, paymasters, inspectors of machinery
eflo It, chief engineers, chief gunners, chief boat-
swains, chief carpenters, and warrant officers, to be
removed from the active lists of their respective
classes on attaining the age of 60; or prnionsly, if
proved to be physically unfit for service. They are
to ha 'e the option of retiring at the age of 55 on
half•p ay, and in the case of the chief gunners, chief
boatsw sins, carpenters, and warrant officers, on the
superannuation allowance they may have earned by
service. Paymasters who may have completed 20
years' service, including acting paymaster's time,
and not more than four years' time as assistant pay-
masters, are to have the rank of paymasters-in-
chief ; and paymasters who may be employed other-
wise than in the naval service, and who may not be
desitous of employment afloat, are to be eligible for
retirement at the discretion of their lordships.—By
command of their lordships, " C. PAGET.
" To all Commanders-in. Chief, Captains, Com-
mapders, and any officers of her Majesty's ships
and vessels."

A second document accompanying- the above
announced that their lordships had established
a superior class of officers of her Majesty's
fleet for the list of warrant efficers, to be
denominated—chief gunners, chiefs boatswains, and
chief carpenters. These cffice.rs re to rank with,
but after, sub-lieutenants of. her Mfije.st7's Navy,
and with, but after, Lieutenants in the Army.
The Royal Sovereign, turret ship, Capt. Sherard
Osborn, was taken into No. 1u dock yesterday
morning for the purpose cf having her bottom
cleaned and examined, and any necessary altera-
tions made for her completion, which is expected
wild occupy a month or sir weeks, during which
time the crew will be berthed on board the Belle•
rophon hulk.

The Dee, paddlawliesl storcship, Master Cora•
mander Raymond, having discharged etores, &c.,
for Portsmouth, left toe harbour yesterday morning
for the westward.

The Nordstjemen, Norwegian screw steam frigate,
Capt. Baron Wedel Jarlsberg, left Spithead yester-
day on her return to Norway.

2:TC:

Opcc

gun factories

secretary of

-
The headquarters of the Ist Royals, comprising
five companies, under the command of Colonel Hol-
combe, embarked at Portsmouth Dockyard yester-
day, en board the Geyser, paddlewheel steamer,
Commander Thrupp, and left immediately for the
Channel Islands, accompanied by the Lucifer
steamer, with the soldiers' wives and children, and
military baggage.
In accordance with instructions to that effect re-
ceived from the Horse Guards, detachments for the
companies of Royal Engineers at the several home
stations were yesterday selected from the depot and
other companies at headquarters, Chatham, to aug-
ment the let company at Deronport, the 20th and
26th at Weymouth, the 7th at Dover, the 23d at
Kocnclitle, the 9th at Woolwich, the 29th at Alder-
shot, the 17th at the Carragh, and the 13th, 14tb,
16th, and 19th companies employed on the trigo-
nometrical ordnance survey of Great Britain. The
gth of the whole of the above companies has
very considerably reduced,
in consequence of
t1..13 large number of noncommissioned officers and
mon who have. recently volunteered for service in

ROSset, superintendent o: th© Royal .A.T
at
accompanied by two officers of tha
M e. 9 a. lengthened in-
n artillery, yesterday
7. of cap departments,anti eapecially the Royal
at Woolwich, by special order of the
to for War. The inspection occu.

pied about Biz hours.
I'llor-Gen. Weirdo, commanding at Wcolwich,
11'''7'.;:idedbY the gun:it:on Staff, yesterday aszembled
f;:e following troons on Woolwich-common in heavy
order:—The disposable portion of
RoFal Horse Ariillery, u coma:and of Col. the Hen.
G. Z. Devereux ; the 2d division of the depot field
batteriee, in command a Colonel Smythe, C. 8.;