The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-10 00:00:00

THE StTN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING. APRIL 10, 1863

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

About half of the shield plates for protecting from
the effects of shot and shell the elliptical recon-
noitring tower erected on the fighting deck of the
Royal Oak have been fixed in their places, and the
tower itself would have been completed during the
present week had not an order been received at
Chatham Dockyard a few days since from the Ad-
miralty directing that the turret is to be finished off
with the simple teak planking, and that no more
armour plates are to be affixed to its exterior. The
reason for this order appears to be that the Admi-
ralty have only now arrived at the conclusion that
it is perfectly possible the present position of the
tower, as pointed out in he Sun some time since,
is not the best which could be selected, even suppos-
ing it indispensable that the upper deck should be
encumbered with a tower of this description at all.
It hastherefore been decided that no more plates are
to be affixed to the tower until the Royal Oak and
the other vessels of her class have been tried at sea,
by which means the best position for the turrets
will be ascertained. Prior to the order being
received from the Admiralty the whole of the
semicircular and elliptical plates required for
the exterior of the reconnoitring tower had
been bent at the dockyard, the operation
being attended with more or less favourable
results. Notwithstanding the asserPtions put forth
that it is possible to bend the armour-plates cold
with as much ease and safety as those which are
heated, the experience of the last few weeks entirely
negatives that theory. To obviate the present
unsatisfactory plan of bending the slabs of iron to
fit the sections of the ship's side they are intended
to protect, it is the opinion of some of the most emi-
nent manufacturers engaged in the preparation of
armour-plates that the wisest, and certainly the
most economical plan would be to allow the manu-
facturers themselves to bend the plates during the
process of manufacture, the moulds for the required
shape of each plate being supplied from the dockyard.
From a letter received from the Meeanee, 60,
400 horse power, Capt. G. Wodehouse, dated Malta,
April 2, it appears that there is no foundation for
the rumours which have been in circulation for the
past few days of a serious mutiny having broken out
on board that vessel, and that the ship had been
ordered home. The letter does not make any allu-
sion to a mutiny having taken place on board, but,
on the contrary, states that the officers and crew
are exceeding comfortable. The Meeanee, at the
departure of the mail, had just arrived from Naples,
where she had been relieved by the line-of-battle
screw steamer St. George, 84, 500 horse power,
Capt. the Hon. Francis Egerton. She was to fill
up with provisions and stores and proceed to the
coast of Syria. This statement may tend to relieve
the anxiety of the friends of the officers and crew
on board, the more especially as rumours had been
circulated that two of the officers had been danger-
ously wounded, that the master-at-arms had been
thrown overboard, and that 70 of the crew were in
irons.

Mr. Chas. Rose, a commercial agent of the Rus-
sian War Department and an officer belonging to
the Imperial Engineers of that country, accompa-
nied by Mr. S. H. Louttit, secretary to Bray's
Traction Engine Company, yesterday visited the
dockyard at Woolwich, and inspected the perform-
ances of the traction engine employed in the yard,
with the intention of intronucing it in the service
of the Russian Government.

troops in quarters at Gosport and the adj :cent forts
on Haslar-common. The force was composed of the
7th Brigade of Royal Garrison Artillery, under Col.
Doraville ; the Royal Marine Light Infantry, under
Col. Ayles, and the 6th Regiment of Foot—in all
about 1,500 of all ranks. On Wednesday, evening
his Royal Highness and Staff visited the fortifica-
tions between Southsea Castle and Fort Cumber-
land. This morning' he is expected to commence
his inspection of the outer line of defences, includ-
ing Hilsea and Portsdown.
The Alegmra screw troopship arrived at Ports-
mouth yesterday with theheadquaitersof a regiment
of Infantry from Dublin for Aldershot.

mechanics. They came out of the Confederacy
under foreign protection.
" In Richmond oranges and lemons recently sold
at auction for 75 dols. per box.
" An order has been issued from the Rebel Adju-
tant General's Office, placing all officers who resign,
or may be dropped from the rolls, and those who are
cashiered by courts-martial, back in the ranks as
privates."
The Maine State Legislature has adopted con-
current resolutions fully endorsing President Lin-
coln's proclamation, giving freedom to the slaves,
approving of compensated emancipation and the use
of negroes in the military E. ervicc of the United
States, and opposing all suggestions of compromise.
The Washington correspondent of the New York
ribune says—
" We have unquestionable authority for saying
that the paragraph of Cow ier des Etats Unis, pur-
porting to give the substance of a despatch from M.
Drouyn de Lhuys to M. Mercier, in rejoinder to
Secretary Seward's reply to Napoleon's proposal to
mediate, is utterly without foundation. No dispatch
whatever on the subject has been received from
Drouyn de Lhuys or is known to be on its way. All
statements as to the financial plane or purposes of
the Secretary of the Treasury are pure speculation.
There is the highest authority for saying that the
Secretary has not yet determined what course to
pursue. The daily expenditure of the Government
from this time till the close of the financial year will
it is computed average more than two millions.
" Foreign Ministers are greatly excited with re-
gard to the apprehended issue of letters of marque
and reprisal. One of them, who questioned the
Secretary of State, was informed the report that
the Government had determined not to grant letters
of marque was unfounded."
A Halifax dispatch of March 26 says—

" The steamer Delta, from Sr. Thomas on the
17th, via Bermuda, on the 23d inst., arrived here
to-day. The Federal steamship Vanderbilt arrived
at St. Thomas from Barbadoes on the 15th instant.
The governor of Barbadoes invited Admiral Wilkes
to dine with him, but the latter declined, giving as
a reason that the governor had entertained Captain
Maffitt, of the Florida, a few days previously. Ad-
miral Wilkes had traneferred his flag to the Van-
derbilt. The Massachusetts was at St. Thomas
on the 16th, also the British steam frigate Phae-
ton ; also two British steamers the Aries and
another unknown blockade runner. Admiral
Wilkes threatened to seize the two blockade
runners if they attempted to leave the port. The
Aries started on the 16th, but, observing the pre-
parations of Admiral Wilkes to pursue, she turned
back and anchored. The captain of the Aries then
applied to the British steamer Phaeton for protec-
tion, which was afforded. The Vanderbilt left the
same day (16th), it was said for Havannah. On

the morning of the 17th the Phaeton convoyed the
two blockade runners out. The Wanhusetts did not
follow them. The commander of the Phaeton had
communicated with Wilkes regarding the seizure
of the Peterhoff."
The New York World claims that a return to a
" Union platform" was re-awakening the volunteer-
ing spirit of the country.
The following Southern accounts of affairs at
Port Hudson are published in the New York
journals :

" The Appeal learns of no new movement at Port
Hudson. General Banks had fallen back to his
fortified camp, and manifested no disposition to ad-
vance. Deserters continue to come in and report
disaffection in their camps. The fleet continues
out of sight. The two vessels above mentioned have
been slowly steaming up the river. They landed and
cut down a few poles and telegraph wires."
The Chatanooga Rebel of the 24th has the follow-
ing letter from Port Hudson, dated March 21 :
"Reports of the sinking of the sloop of war Rich-
mond, from injuries received on the 15ih, prevails,
nothing definite being known. The mortar fleet
still occupies the old position below, out of range.
Yesterday the enemy fired at our transports with
long range guns without effect. A party landed
from the transports and burned the residence of
Capt. Horn, formerly that of Col. S. Robertson, on
the opposite shore. Some activity has prevailed
among the enemy's transports for the last two days,
but there have been na indications of another at-
tempt to pass the batteries. Twenty deserters have
arrived in the last two days, and they are continu-
ally coming in. They confirm the previous reports
of the demoralisation of Bank's army. Our batteries
sustained no injury in the late engagement, and are
ready at all times to give the enemy a warm recep-
tion."

From Vicksburg, March 21 :—" The gun-boats
Hartford and Monongahela passed Warrenton about
six o'clock this evening, after a heavy cannonade of
an hour, which was distinctly heard at this city,
arrived safely, and are now anchored below this city
at S wede's Point."

And from Fort Pemberton, March 20 :—General
Loring has whipped the enemy back from this point.
They are now in full retreat to Yazoo Pass. A de-
spatch to the Appeal, dated Panola, March 19, says
the Federals engaged in the raid upon Hernando
have been defeated. The old troops of the enemy
have been replaced by new ones, and old garrisons
taken to Memphis. It is reported that the Memphis
and Charleston railroad has been abandoned, and
also that the Mobile and Ohio road has been aban-
doned from Jackson to Columbus. Five hundred
cavalry crossed the Cold Water, 60 miles south-east
of here, and moved towards Holly Springs.