The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-06 00:00:00

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Naval and Military Intelligincell

THE NAVY.

About 100 tons of the large armour-plates for the
iron frigate Achilles, 50, 1,250 horse power, have
been received at Chatham Dockyard from the esta-
blishtnent of Messrs. Saunderson and Co., the firm
under contract with the Admiralty to supply a
portion of the armour-plating for this ship. The
iron slabs for the exterior are now being prepared
in the factory adjoining the dock in which the
Achilles is building, in order that no delay may be
experienced in the work of plating that vessel
when the 18 inches of teak backing, on which the
armour-plates will be hung, is completed. This
will probably be in about two or three weeks
hence.

The Royal Oak, 34, 800 horse power, iron-cased
frigate, preparing for sea at Chatham, is to have
two of her Armstrong pivot guns placed on her
forecastle, instead of one, as originally ordered, in
order that a scuttle may be fixed for ventilating
the sick bay.
The iron paddlewheel steamer Recruit, in dock at
Chatham, is to have her boilers taken out in order
that a thorough. examination of her hull may be
made, to taiascerain. whether she will require a new
bottom. e ll be accordingly undocked and
placed under the floating shears in the harbour, and
as soon as she has unshipped her boilers will be re •
docked. The repairs to this ship already in hand
will occupy some time, and will detain her in the
dock some two or three months.

The Himalaya screw troopship, Capt. E. Lacy,
yesterday tested her machinery at Spithead, under
the supervision of Com. Miller, of her Majesty's
ship Asia, and Mr Murdoch, inspector of machinery
afloat at Portsmouth, Everything worked in a very
satisfactory manner, and this very efficient ship is
now again available for the public service.
The Frederick William, 84, screw steamship, fit-
ting for commission in May next at Portsmouth, is
reported to be destined to relieve the Nile, the pre-
sent flagship of Vice-Admiral Milne, on the North
American and West India station.
The Termagant, 25, screw frigate, Capt. R. Hall,
dismantling alongside Portsmouth dockyard, is
stripped to her lower masts, and her crew- are busily
stores. She will be
paid out
employedo
f commission
i nreturning
on

The new yacht ordered to be constructed for
the use of her Majesty when at Osborne will be
built at Pembroke Dockyard, according to designs
furnished from the office of the Controller of the
Navy. She will be propelled by paddles driven by
engines of 160 horse-power, from the manufactory
of Messrs. J. Penn and Son, will be of consider-
ably more tonnage than the Fairy, and will have
a somewhat different midship section from that
vessel. The Fairy has stood unrivalled for a num-
ber of years past either in beauty of form or rate
of speed, but the peculiar roundness of her
bottom has rendered her a very uneasy vessel in
crossing Spithead during a south-east breeze. Her
Majesty has experienced much inconvenience and
personal discomfort at times in consequence. The
Victoria and Albert large paddle yacht has been
used on several occasions to convey the Queen when
there was very rough weather, but, as she could not
approach either of the landing-places at Cowes or
Haslar, the Fairy had still to be retained as a means
of transport to and from the large yacht. This
again has been a cause of much personal discomfort
and delay to her Majesty. The new yacht will
supply the means of crossing between the Isle of
Wight and the main, under any circumstances of
weather, in comfort and in safety.

THE ARMY.
Capt. Baldwin, of the 31st Regiment, has as-
sumed the duties of Brigade-Major at the camp at
Colchester, in the room of Major Cooch, whose
period of service has expired. Dr. Frazer, prin-
cipal medical officer at the camp, made an official
visit to the forts at Harwich in the course of last
week. A party of 14 sergeants, of the 9th and 10th
battalions, have left the camp for the Fleetwood
School of Musketry, Where they wilt go-throifgh'iF
course of instruction.
Letters received at Portsmouth yesterday from
India via Marseilles, state that the recent visitation
of cholera experienced by the 93d Highlanders, and
which carried off Major Middleton and many of
the officers and men, had, on the March of the regi-
ment to Sealkote, Punjab, entirely disappeared.
The regiment was expected to arrive at Sealkote on
the 31st of December.

In consequence of the comparatively small num-
ber of recruits who have recently joined the corps
of Royal Engineers, which is now below its proper
establishment, orders have been received at the
headquarters, Chatham, directing recruiting par-
ties to be despatched to Aberdeen, Glasgow, and
some of the districts in the West of England for
the purpose of raising men. The class of young
men required for the scientific corps of Royal Engi-
neers are mechanics who have been brought up to
some trade, engiLeers, surveyors, photographers,
printers, &c.

The 10th company of Royal Engineers, under tho
command of Capt. E. D. Malc3lm, has been ordered
to rejoin headquarters Chatham, from Aldershot
Camp, for the purpose of going through a complete
course of field-work instruction, ;previously to em-
barking for colonial service.

Arrangements are in progress for transferring
the British and East India depots, comprising the
3d battalion of infantry at Chatham garrison,
from the hut barracks to Fort Pitt, as soon as
the invalid and other troops
quartered there
Hospital. The build-
aNset
aley
hospital are sufficiently
iatrlges renmowoveudsedto
capacious to accommodate about 1,000 troops,
but it will be necessary to make several
important alterations before the quarters at
Fort Pitt can be rendered capable to receive
troops of the line. The hut barracks will still be
used by troops, and it is understood that an in-
fantry regiment will be quartered there. St. Mary's
Barracks, in which the invalid troops who were
awaiting their discharge are quartered, will, on the
removal of the invalid depot at Netley, be used for
the reception of stores.

SPA PER
t-r7-XM\T`N.

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IRIN,
-7 7

L

THE IR 0 N TIM E S,
a First-ellaa General MORNING NEWSPAPER, on
MONDAY NEXT.

ROYAL ENGLISTI
DENOPERA, COVENT-
Under
the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W.
Harrison, Sole Lessees.
THIS EVENING Wallace's new Opera of LOVE'S
TRIUMPH : Miffs Louisa Pyne, and Mdme. Laura Baxter ;
Messrs. George Perren, W. H. Weiss, H. Corri, A. Cooke,
and W. Harrison.
After which, the Grand Comic Christmas Pantomime, en-
titled HARLEQUIN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
Doors open at half-past 6—Commence at 7.

THEATRE-ROYAL,DRURY-LANE.-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer.
THIS EVEN ING, the Comio Drama of THE NEXT OF
TUN.
After which, the Grand Pantomime of LITTLE GO DDT
TWO SHOES.

Commence at 7.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAY MARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING, at Seven o'clock, will be performed
OUR AMERICAN COUSIN. Asa Trenchard, Mr. Buck-
stone ; Lord Dundreary, Mr. Sothern.
After which, a new and original Extravaganza, entitled
RASSELAS, PRINCE OF ABYSSINIA; or, The Happy
Valley. Rasselas, Miss Louise Keeley.
Concluding with MRS. WHITE.

-LYCEUM THEATRE-ROYAL, Will OPEN,
-1-1 under the Sole Management of Mr. PECHTER, on
SATURDAY, January 10.
The perfermances will commence with an Ori;inal Sketch,
entitled A SUDDEN ATTACK, in which Messrs. Shore,
Garden, H. Widdicomb, Miss Henrade, and Mrs. Lee will
appear.
antic
After which, at a Quarter to Eight, a New Ront_.crE
Drama, in Three Acts, and Pr3logue, entitled '"
DUKE'S MOTTO, by Paul Feral and John
Esq. The principal character will be sustigoeueli'm H.
Pechter, supported by Messrs. G. Vininigl J.; Raymond, H.
Widdicombe, Intyre, F. Charles, Gard gate Terry, E.
Butler, Dawson; Misses Carlotta Lecieroct, isdronbgo.h
LavenueMr. Phelps M and
and Els worr. Wthy.alter Montg ornery are engaged, and
Will shortly appear. o'clock, performance to cm.
12s. 6d., and £2 2s.
Doors open at half-past.
mence at Seven. Privat_S.B69%.
;",
d Dress Circle, 55. ;Upper
Places registered. stalls, cs
at doors—Stalls, 60. ; Dress Circle, ss. ;
Circle, 48. 6d• Brice' at 25. ; Gallery, ls. No half-price. Box-
Upper ircle, 48- fromStage-Manager, Mr. G.
office open anager, Mr. H. Barnett.
Vining ; Acting n
daily__

THEATRE-R0 iTAL, ADELPHI.--•
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, A TICKET OF LEAVE : Messrs. J
L. Toole, P. Bedford, and Mrs. Billington.

After which, MARGERY DAW.
To conclude with (9th time)" GEORGE DE BARNWELL :
or, Harlequin Folly in the Realms of Fancy." Miss Woolgar,
Miss N. Kelly, Miss Seaman ; Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bed-
ford, nephenson, C. J. Smith. Harlequin, Mr. John Lauri;
'•antabine, Miss Caroline Adams ; Clown, Mr. W. Hildyard
'•antaloon, Mr. J. Paulo. The celebrated Arthur and
jiertrand.

I craft. "This is too true ; competition renders men
careless of the consequences, and the British sailor
is proverbially reckless. It is to the insurance
companies that we must look for a remedy of the
evil. They have suffered severely by the wanton
destruction of ships by fire, but in these cases the
safety of the crews have been cared for, and if,
by their own negligence, the officers lose money,
they alone suffer. But for one ship wantonly de-
stroyed fifty are lost by defective ground tackle.
We do not call upon public companies to do an act
of humanity for humanity's sake ; individually
many have feelings, but public bodies have none,
except for their own interest.
Here is a case in
• to put money
which humanity and profit combine
into their pockets, and to give them credit for a good
action with the world. Let a combination be
formed by the various companies, with Lloyds at
their head, to refuse to grant an insurance to any
vessel that is not provided with proved cable and
anchors, and before the payment of any policy on the
loss of a vessel, let it be proved that she sailed with
sound and proved ground tackle, This is a simple
remedy for the evil, and would result in preserving
more lives than all the efforts of that grand insti-
tution—the National Life Boat Society. liar-
I hours of refuge are a great protection to
vessels in bad weather on an exposed coast. But
to our coasting trade good holding gear is far
better. The master of a coaster knows his where-
abouts by a kind of instinct. No matter how thick
and dirty the weather may be, his experience and
his lead show him pretty well where he is, and he
knows where to bring up if he can depend on his
ground tackle. There was an instance not long
ago of this fact. A vessel, unable to weather a
headland on our eastern coast during a heavy gale,
brought up in a most exposed position. The life-
boat, thinking her in danger, put off to her
assistance ; but on reaching the vessel and in-
quiring whether she did not require assistance,
the Master replied, " Oh, no, I have two good
anchors down, and plenty of cable; I'll ride it out
where I am ;" and ride it out he did in perfect
safety. Let any one who doubts the correctness of
these remarks take the trouble to examine the ac-
counts of wreck and disaster after each gale that
takes place, and he will find that in nine cases out
of ten the vessel lost has been a small one, and that
in nine cut of ten of these cases the loss has been
caused by the dragging of anchors or breaking of
cables.

We have some hope that one of the great battles
of the session, now rapidly approaching, may be
the battle of what we may term—efficient economy.
It is always a difficult battle for the Opposition,
partly because there is a general disposition to
trust any Government, responsible as it is for the
time being for the safety of the nation, and partly
because those who are out of office have not the
requisite latest financial information at command.
There is also a party difficulty on the side of an
Opposition, when there is a prospect of its advent to
power, possibly, at an early date.; The incoming
Chancellor of the Exchequer does not like to hold
out promises, failure to fulfil which would of course
be damaging. And the incoming heads of de-
partments do not like debarting themselves from
the advantage of an ample expenditure. Look-
ing at the thing in a purely party light, the
question will always be, shall we strengthen our-
selves most by offering the country diminished
taxation, or by the well-known influence of a
free governmental expenditure, We are always,
of course, to suppose Oppositions to be composed
of patriots—still we also know them to be men;
and it is but natural that the man should con-
vince the patriot that economy, or expenditure,
as the case may be, is best for the nation, if it
is best for his party.
Still, the nation's hope of reduction of expendi-
ture must generally lie with the Opposition. When
the country feels, as it unquestionably has long
felt, that SEVENTY MILLIONS and more per annum
is far too large an expenditure for a time of
peace, unless the Opposition will respond to that
feeling, nothing will move the party in power.
There probably never was a Minister less sensible
of the pressure on the country of a heavy expendi-
ture than Lord PALMERSTON. His own easy
nature, combined with his very easy circumstances,
render him peculiarly unsusceptible to the suffer-
ings of those to whom a few pounds a year more or
less of taxation, mean the enjoyment or the loss of
some luxury just above the category of a necessity ;
to the sufferings also of thousands, to whom his
heavy war taxes make their humble incomes, in
regard to a livelihood itself, very much like CINDE-
RELLA'S slipper—the few pounds, perhaps, of in-
come-tax, not more than Lord PALMERSTON would

give as a Christmas-box to an old servant, compel
the clerk, the clergyman, the struggling professional
man, and the small trader, to leave, at Christmas,
some little tradesman's bill unpaid. Lord PALMER-
STON is anything but an unfeeling man, but he
has no eye for sufferings of this kind ; sufferings
which occasionally almost amount to agony, when
the tax for our vast army and navy is demanded
from a man who feels, above all things, its com-
pelling him to leave unpaid his doctor's or his
shoemaker's bill. His heart is set on being Prime
Minister of the strongest nation in Europe ; what
he pays towards that object is a perfect bagatelle
to him; he cannot comprehend that it is not the
same to all. " What ! can you grudge a five or a

ten pound note, or double that, for our nationa