The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING. APRIL 14, 1863.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

VALETTA, April 7.—Her Majesty's paddlewheel
frigate Magicienne, 16, Capt. his Serene Highness
the Prince of Leiningen, returned on Tuesday last
from conveying Prince Alfred to Toulon. The
Magicienne called at Naples on the way back to
Malta, and communicated with the Meeanee, 60,
Capt. G. Wodehouse. The Prince and Princess of
Leiningen left by the mail steamship Ellora this
morning for Southampton, where the Prince takes
command of the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert.
During their two years' stay in Malta they ac-
quired universal popularity and respect from their
affability and courtesy, and their departure will be
much felt in the circle in which they moved. Her
Majesty's surveying ship Firefly, 5, Commander A.
L. Mansell, left on Friday last for Corfu, taking as
passengers Lord and Lady Fortescue, who had been
staying the winter here. The Firefly is to examine
the coast surveys, and where necessary re-survey
and correct the soundings and charts. Although
this object is, doubtless, a desirable one, still the
trade of that neighbourhood is not to be compared
in importance with that passing through the Malta
Channel, which, if report speaks correctly, is quite
as much in need of examination as the estuary of
Corfu. Her Majesty's screw steam corvette Icarus,
11, Commander N. Salmon, V.C., returned on Tues•
day last from Naples, and is at present lying in
Sheina Creek. Her Majesty's screw line-of-battle
ship Queen, 74, Capt. C. F. Hillyar (bearing the
flag of the Vice-Admiral Commander-in-Chief, Sir
W. F. Martin, K.C.8.) is still in Malta harbour,
awaiting the return from a cruise to the lonian
Islands of the Marlborough, 131, Capt. W. H.
Stewart, C. 8., which is hourly expected, having
left Syracuse yesterday for Malta. Oa her return
she will resume the Commander-in-Chief's flag, and
the Queen will proceed to the Piraeus. The screw
line-of-battle ship St. George, 86, and despatch ves-
sel Caradoc are also here, the latter undergoing
alterations and improvements, on the completion of
which she will leave for Corfu. Letters received
here flora the Admiralty state that the screw
line-of-battle ship Edgar, 71, at present bearing the
flag of Rear-Admiral S. C. Dacres, C. 8,, Capt. the
Hon. F. A. Foley, is to go home at the end of April,
and that Admirals Smart, Austin, and Yelverton
will leave England about the 20th inst. for the
Mediterranean, to assumetheir commands. Her Ma-
jesty's screw gunboat Alacrity, 4, Commander J.
Baird, has been ordered to Malta from Beyrout,
when a Court of Inquiry will be held on the com-
mander and officers tor getting that vessel ashore.
His Excellency the Governor is shortly to visit
England. The 23d Royal Welsh Fusileers, which
regiment has been suffering from opthalmia,marched
out to Pembroke Barracks last week, in order to
afford the opportunity of their barracks in Fort St.
Elmo being thoroughly cleansed. On the comple-
tion of this necessary operation the regiment will
resume its former quarters. There is still a talk of
the 15th Regiment and the 4th battalion of the
Rifle Brigade being relieved in the course of the
summer, both having now served the full period of
five years in the island ; but until the settlement of
the Greek question, which may release the garrison
of the lonian Islands, it is probable no change will
be effected. Several officers and men who were
saved from the wreck of her Majesty' ship Orpheus,
on the coast of New Zealand, arrived this morning
in the mail packet Mora, on their way to England.
They are Lieut. Hill, Lieut. Yonge, Paymaster
Amphlett, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Fielding, and Mr Barkly,
midshipmen ; Mr. Mason and Mr. Beer, petty
officers, and nine seamen. The screw steam gun-
vessel Sparrow, 5, Commander Ernest, G. L. Coch-
rane, was taken outside the breakwater, Ply-
mouth, on Saturday last, to test her engines and
machinery, preparatory to her departure for

her station on the West Coast of Africa.
is of 430 tons burden, is built of wood, and, being
fully equipped for sea, draws lift. 13i. aft, and
10ft. 6in. forward. The maximum speed attained
with full boiler•power was 10.2 knots ; the average,
9.817 knots ; with half boiler-power, 7.041 knots.
This result is considered highly satisfactory, and
will bear comparison with that of any other ship
of the same class. It is especially satisfactory,
as the steam got down during the half boiler-power
trial to a pressure of 151 b. only, the ordinary
pressure on Saturday being 201 b. The number of
revolutions per minu►e was 105. The helm in still
water can be put over to 31 deg. ; but when the
rudder is in vigorous action the force of the sea
upon the steering tackle reduces it to 27 deg. A circle
was performed under full speed in 4min. 13sec. ;
with half boiler power, 2min. 201 sec. The engines
possess 60 horses' power, and are from the manu-
factory of Messrs. Napier. She has a complement
of 65 officers and men.
The screw gunboat Louisa, 60 horse power, is
being fitted for the first division of the Chatham
Steam Reserve, in place of the Carnation, which
latter is ordered to be broken up, the survey re-
cently held on her by the dockyard officials having
led to the discovery of her exceedingly rotten con-
dition.

She

Mr. F. Martin, one of the assistant master-ship
wrights at Sheerness dockyard, having submitted
to the Admiralty an invention for steering vessels
of war by steam power, in lieu of manual labour,
directions have been received from the Admiralty
for a model of the invention to be prepared and
forwarded for their lordships' inspection, previous
to its being tested by actual experiment.
Capt. J. C. Caffin, C. 8., has been appointed a
Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, vice Capt. Sey-
mour, promoted to be a Rear-Admiral ; Capt. Sir
W. Hoste has been appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp
to the Queen, vice Capt. Wellesley, C. 8., promoted to
be a Rear-Admiral ; Capt. T. P. Thompson has been
selected to receive the good service pension vacant by
the promotion of Capt. Hutton tobe a Rear-Admiral;
Capt. R. Harris is to receive the good service
pension placed at the disposal of the First Lord
of the Admiralty by the promotion of Capt. W. H.
Hall, C. 8., to be a Rear-Admiral.
The following appointments and promotions were
made on Saturday at the Admiralty :—Captain J.
Bythesea, V.C., to the Archer ; Commander S. B.
Piers promoted to the rank of captain ; Henry J .
Stanley promoted to the rank of master; Richard
Williamson, chief engineer, to the Valorous; James
Ross, engineer, to the Valorous ; John Dyson, in the
Harrier, promoted to acting first-class assistant
engineer; William Russell and F. S. Turner, assist
engineers, to the Valorous ; James Henderson, mas-
ter's assistant, to the Jaseur ; Francis Haslewood
and Henry W. Badger, master's assistants, to the
Rattlesnake; George Wood and Charles E. Drake,
master's assistants, to the Valorous; and Francis G.
Cooke, master's assistant, to the Narcissus.

will be 16ft. by about 14ft., and will he fitted up in
the most complete and comfortable manner. There
is also a fifth range of buildings intended for wash-
houses, laundry, &c. The buildings are from plans
prepared by Mr. Evans, GE., and the contract for
their erection has been obtained by Messrs. Cozens,
builders, of Canterbury,
The headquarters of the 2d (or Queen's) Regi-
ment, under Col. Addison, C. 8., left Aldershott
Camp on Saturday for Plymouth. They were in-
spected on the previous afternoon by Lieut.-Gen.
Sir S. Pennefather, who complimented both officers
and men on the conduct of the regiment during its
stay at Aldershott. _ _

The headquarters and five companies of the 87th
(Royal Irish Fusileers), under the command of Col.
Murray, arrived at Farnborough station on Friday
from the Curragh. Here they were met by Captain
Taynam, Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General,
and conducted to their temporary quarters in P and
Q lines, South Camp. They will shortly remove to
the centre block, permanent barracks, and be
attached to the 2d brigade. The strength of the five
companies is 13 officers, 20 sergeants, 15 drummers,
and 325 rank and file.

Yesterday the 7th company of the Royal Engi-
neers, under the command of Capt. F. E. B. Beau-
mont, underwent an inspection at headquarters,
Chatham, by Col. H. D. Harness, C. 8., director of
the Royal Engineer establishment, prior to its de-
parture for Dover, to which station it proceeds to-
ay. Since the 7th company has returned from
colonial service at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where it
was stationed a number of years, it has been aug-
mented to its proper home establishment, and
will leave the garrison to-day upwards of 100 strong.
Contrary to the usual practice of forwarding
the men to their destination by rail, an order has
been received from the Horse Guards directing the
7th company to proceed by route marches to Dover,
the march thus occupying four days. The baggage
and stores belonging to the company, together with
the books and official records, were despatched from
Brompton barracks yesterday.
Yesterday the preliminary steps were taken for
the removal of the whole of the convicts hitherto
employed in the heavy duties incidental to the land •
ing, stowage, and shipment of the guns, shot, shell,
and other naval and military stores at the Ordnance
establishment, Chatham, by the entry of a number
of hired labourers for employment at the gun-wharf,
in conformity with an order to that effect received
from the War Department. By the withdrawal of
the convicts from all duties connected with the Ord-
nance Stores establishment an additional number of
hands will be at the disposal of the authorities for
employment on the works connected with the en-
largement and extension of Chatham dockyard and
harbour. The works at St. Mary's Island, the site
of the new docks, basins, and quays, already absorb
upwards of 1,000 convicts—the entire number at-
tached to the establishment at Chatham. For some
time past the whole of the convicts have been with-
drawn from Chatham dockyard, and their places
supplied with hired labourers, and a similar ar-
rangement will henceforward be adopted at the
Ordnance-wharf.

road. Her engines were immediately reversed, and
orders were given by Capt. Smith for the men to fire
with all possible rapidity, as their safety depended
upon keeping the enemy from their guns. The men
responded with alacrity, and in the short space of
35 minutes they fired 250 shots. During this time
Engineer Rutherford made every exertion to get the
ship afloat, but without success. Captain Smith,
finding it impossible to save his vessel, gave orders
to make instant preparations to destroy the ship and

save the crew. Orders were also given to the Chief
Engineer to destroy the engines and cut the outw ird
connecting pipes. This being done, the water flowed
rapidly into the ship, The sick and wounded were

conveyed on board the iron clad ram Essex, and the
remainder of the crew were conveyed to the right
bank cf the river, which had been cleared by the

gunboats of rebel sharpshooters. Before the crew
left the ship every preparation was made to destroy
her by collecting combustibles in the forward and
after parts of the ship. Unfortunately she was fired
forward before the order was given. This becoming
known to the crew, and their being but three small
boats which they could use, many jumped over-
board, and it is feared were drowned in attempting
to escape. Some others, seven in all, including
Marine Capt. Fontene, Assistant Engineer Brown,
and master's mate Francis, fell into the hands of the
enemy. Just before the order was given to abandon
the ship, a shot from the enemy entered forward
of the wheel, killing Acting Master Kelly, com-
manding second division, also killing and wounding
all but four men at one of his guns. After seeing
that the survivors of his crew were fairly clear of
the ship, and every preparation made to
ensure her destruction, Commander Smith, ac-
companied by Lieut. Dewey, his executive officer,
Ensign Bachelder, and First Assistant-Engineer
Tower left the ship and abandoned her to the flames,
after having with his own hands spiked most of
the guns. As an evidence of the coolness which
Capt. Smith displayed on this occasion, it is related
that in the midst of the death and destruction
which surrounded him, while coolly lighting his
cigar with steel and flint, he remarked to Lieut.
Dewey 'lt is not likely that we shall escape, and
we must make every preparation to ensure the de-
struction of the ship.' As soon as Capt. Caldwell,
of the Essex, discovered the flames bursting from
the Mississippi, notwithstanding she was 500 yards
of the principal rebel batteries, he steamed up the
river and succeeded in taking off fzom the shore
many of the men who had escaped, and in saving
many who were still struggling with the current
for their lives. The fire having full possession of the
ship raged through her for an hour, greatly light-
ening her, while the water flowing aft settled her
stern, and she gradually slid off into the current.
By a seeming act of Providence, the ship was swung
round by the force of the current and headed down
stream. The guns of her port battery, which had
not been fired, lbecoming heated, the venerable old
frigate paid a parting salute to the rebels at the
same time that she fired the minute guns over her
own grave. Had the ship floated down stream stern
foremost it is impossible to conjecture what would
have been result, inasmuch as her guns would have
been discharged on her own crew on the neighbour-
ing bank. She floated down the stream, her guns
discharging, and shells on deck exploding in every
direction, until at half-past 5 o'clock when, having
reached a point near which the rebel ram Arkansas
was destroyed, she blew up with a concussion which
shook the country for miles around. Fragments of
the ship drifted past Baton Rouge, and one of the
wheel-houses was taken ashore at that point. It
is estimated that only 65 officers and men belonging
to the Mississippi were killed, wounded, and taken
prisoners. The officers and crew lost everything,
except what they stood in. They saved nothing,
and left nothing in the hands of the rebels."
The Picayune of the 22d says :
" The Monongahela, the machinery of which was
uninjured during the fight of last Saturday night,
has repaired the damage done to her woodwork, and
is now in good order again. She is now in the hands
of Capt. Melancthon Smith, and Executive officer
Lieut. Dewey, late of the Mississippi. On Friday
she steamed up the river to a point near the lower
batteries, and threw several shells from her 2001 b.
rifled Parrott. This she could do with perfect safety
to herself, firing the gun at a distance of two and a
half or three miles, and then changing her position
so as to destroy the range of the guns in the bat-
teries. She can throw her shells into the earthworks
at every discharge, and yet present but a small and
constantly shifting target. Of course there are no
means at present of estimating the amount of damage
she has done. The latest reports say that the pre-
sent position of the Hartford and the Albatross is
five miles above Port Hudson, out of range of all
the guns on share, and that a considerable force has
been landed on the right bank, opposite the bat-
teries. The width of the water at this point destroys
a current story that sentinels are holding conversa-
tions ' across the river.' We are inclined to believe
that Capt. Smith's 200-pound Parrott is the only
thing that can speak' so as to be heard at that
distance."