The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-01 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

Letters received from her Majesty's screw troop-
ship Vulcan, Commander Strode, dated at Singa-
pore, Feb. 14, state that she left Calcutta on the 16th
of January and was detained in the Malacca Straits
in consequence of having been engaged in rescuing
the crew of a vessel with 600 native passengers on
board. Commander Strode declined to put in any
claim, or accept any salvage for rescuing the pas-
sengers and their personal property. The passengers
were on their way in the ship to Jeddah, and would
have proceeded thence on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Respecting this refusal of Commander Strode's to
accept any recompense from the people rescued, the
Straits Times of Feb. 14 has the following para-
graph :—" We have been requested by Seyd Shffie,
the charterer of the wrecked ship India, to express
through our columns his best thanks to Captain C.
Strode and all the officers and men of her Majesty's
ship Vulcan for the extreme kindness with which
himself, captain, and crew, as well as all the pil-
grims, were treated from the time they were first
taken from the wreck until landed at Singapore
The great liberality of the captain and crew of the
Vulcan in refusing all recompense or salvage for
their arduous services in saving the lives of these
people deserve the warmest praise, particularly as
there was a sufficient quantity of treasure saved to
have afforded a handsome sum to every officer and
man in the ship."

A postscript in the same letter, dated on the fol-
lowing day, states that the ship was then unmoor.
ing to proceed to Hongkong with naval supernu.
meraries and stores.

A letter received at Plymouth from the screw
steam gun-vessel Penguin, 5, Lieut. J. G. 11P1lardy,
states that she left Port Royal on February 3 for a
cruise. On the 27th of March, whan off St. Lucia-
wharf Lighthouse, she fell in with the screw Stf am
frigate Ariadne, 26. Edward 'V. Vansittart, which
brought the ship's company a mail bag, and supplied
the ship with provisions and coal. Both ships then
put on full steam after a slave vessel. During the
former cruise the Penguin had two North American
uaddlea•htel steamships of war in chase, and, as
Lieut. M'Hardy did not like to heave to, one of the
d hips fired a shot across the Penguin's bows ; she
then sent a boat to the stranger, the officers of which
stated that they thought the gunvcssel was the Con
tedsrate war steamer Alabama.

The whole of the dockyard hands were yesterday
removed from the Royal Oak, 35, 800 horse power,
Capt. F. A. Campbell, preparing for sea at Chat-
ham, 100 labourers having been employed up to a
late hour the previous evening in scrubbing down
decks and preparing the vessel foz the crew, 600 in
number, the whole of whom joined yesterday from
the Naval barracks.

Yesterday the mechanics commenced bolting the
last tier of armour-plates on the port and starboard
midship sides of the Achilles, at Chatham dock-
yard ; the seven tiers of armour plating which en-
case her sides are now carried from about 5 feet
below her load water-line to her bulwarks. Dur-
ing the last few days about 500 hands have been
released from the Royal Oak, on which they have
been working for several months past, and the
greater part of these have been placed on the
Achilles, swelling the number of workmen, of all
trades, employed on that vessel to upwards of 1,300.
The hands engaged on the iron frigate now enter
the yard at six o'clock, and continue working with
only a few minutes' intervals for meals, until dark,
not leaving the establishment till juet eight o'clock.
Under the extraordinary exertions which are thus
being made to complete this vessel astonishing
progress is being made upon every portion
of the ship, and there appears to be no reasons for
doubting that she will be ready to be floated out
of dock by the close of the present year.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty—Lieut. Chas. Hill and Lieut. D.
D. Yonge to the Caracaa ; Thomas Pounds, master,
to the Orestes; W. H. Oggard, paymaster, to the
Orestes ; Robt. Williams, chief engineer, to the
Liverpool; Henry C. Jones, engineer to the Fis-
gard, for the Enterprise; W. W. Christie, engi-
neer, to the Liverpool ; W. Inglis (b), Ist elves
assist.-engineer, to the Pantaloon ; Cornelius H.
Healey, 2d class assist.-engineer, to the Black
Prince; and C. R. Lacy, H. J. Wilson, John For-
rest (b), Hugh London, and Wm. Hallowell, assist.
engineers, to the Liverpool.

THE ARMY.
Yesterday Major-Gen. R. Rumley, Inspector-
General of Infantry, commenced his half-yearly in-
spection of the battalions of infantry quartered at
Chatham Garrison. The customary review and
manoeuvres of the battalion did not take place, and
the day was devoted by the Inspector-General to an
examination of the kits, arms, accoutrements, .Sza.,
of the non-commissioned officers and men of the
several depots. The inspection, which will extend
over several days, will be resumed this morning.
The 96th Regiment, which left Portsmouth on
Feb. 15, on board the Himalaya, arrived at Simon's
Bay, Cape of Good Hope, on March 12, after a
splendid passage of 25 days. There were five births
on board and one death. A detachment of Royal
Marine Light Infantry, consisting of Capt. Elliott,
Lieut. M'Neale, two sergeants, two corporals, one
drummer, and 59 privates, left Woolwich y ester
day for service on board the armour-cased ship
Royal Oak. The remainder of the Royal Marines
allotted for the Royal Oak will be supplied from
the Marine Artillery.
The Star of India, Capt. Morris, arrived at Spit-
head yesterday morning, from Bombay, with time
expired men and invalids. She embarked at Bom-
bay on Jan. 26—Royal Artillery, Brevet-Ilajor
Patterson, 12 men, 1 woman, and 1 child ; Local
Artillery, 1 man ; 3d Dragoon Guards, 1 :man, 1
17th Lancers, 31 men, 1 woman ; 33c/.
1 woman, and 3 children ; 44th Feet,
3 men ; 951 h
Foot, 27 men, 1 woman, and 3 °W.-
Fio°onit, "
12 ;
men,