The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-20 00:00:00

CAPE TOWN.

The traffic receipts on this line (63 miles in length)
for the month of September last amounted to
£3,272, including £2,083 for 25,634 passengers,
and £1,189 for 2,169 tons of goods.

PANAMA, NEW ZEALAND, AND AUSTRALIAN

ROYAL MAIL.

The report of the directors states that the revival
in commerce was, until with'n the last few months,
only partial, but owing to the success of the recently-
discovered gonfields in the province of Canterbury,
and the prespcct of an immediate termination of the
war in New Zealand, the busily: of the colony had
resumed its former activity, and the returns on many
of the company's lines showed a large increase. The
receipts for the six months ended the 30th of June last
amounted for freight and passage money to £60,430,
and for Government subsidies to £20,534 ; total,
£80,064. The disbursements, exclusive of charges to
repair and renewal account, were £35,156, leaving
£15,808. The surplus would have been larger but for
the further loss sustained in working the new line
between Melbourne and the northern provinces
of New Zealand. This line had been discontinued,
e.nd no further charges on this account would occur.
The directors were in a posi'ion to recommend a
dividend for the six months ending June on the old
and new shares at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum,
clear of income tax, Th:s woted absorb £7,3J0,
and leave £8,508 available for repairs and depre-
ciation. Until the Panama line was in operation, a
vast amount of capital must remain unproductive.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, Nov. 13.—The Commander-in-Chief, 1
Vice-Admiral Sir R. Suart, K.C.8., K. 11., returned
to Malta for the winter on the 6th inst., on board!
the Victoria, 102, screw line-of-battle ship (Capt.
T. G. Goodenough), having sailed from Naples on
the 30th u.lt., as br:elly announced by the Ic.st mail.
The squadron left this island on the Ist July, and
has visited Barcelona, llosas, Genoa, Spezz;a, Leg-
horn, Castellamare, awl Naples, remaining a short
time at each of these places. The cruise has been
made almost enCrely under sal. During the whole
summer steam has only been employed in the Vic-
toria for about 36 hours. The officers of the squa-
dron appear to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves,
and have had an opportunity given them of v:siting
various noted spots. Under the new Admiralty re-
gulations also, respecting " special and privilege
leave" (which were brought about throngleithe re-
preaentations of Sir R. Smart), many of the best
behaved petty officers aid men have been allowed
leave on shore at every port. Not a single case of
cholera has occurred on board any of the large ships.
The ironclads Caledonia, 31 (bearing the flag of
Rear-Admiral H. R. Yelver'..on, C. 8.), Resistance,
16, and Enterprise, 4, are at Syracuse, awaiting in-
structions. The Royal Oak, 35, ironclad, is here.
She is to be docked, so as to be cleaned and to have
additional scuttles pierced in her sides for the pur-
pose of improving the ventlation. From some cause
unexplained she has been more unhealthy than any
or wooden ship of the squadron. The preva-
lent sickness has been diarrhoea and typhus fever.
Two or three Italian ironclads are shortly ex-
pected here from Greece to be docked, the
Italian Government not at present possess-
ing the necessary accommodation. The Chanti-
cleer, 17, Commander W. H. Fenwick, leaves
to-day (13th) for the lonian Islands, and the Magi-
cienne, 16, Capt. W. Armytage, will leave for Eng-
land, after the arrival of the Marseilles mail, to be
paid off. The Orlando, 46, Capt. J. B. Dickson,
will nit proceed home for the present. It is thought
she will go to Gibraltar after the termination of the
Court of Inquiry which has been appointed to sit
relative to the conduct of the Rev. Loftus Graham,
chaplain of that ship, towards the captain. The
Phcebe, 35, Capt. W. R. Rolland, will leave shortly
for the coast of Syria. A Court-martial was held
on the 11th inst., on board the Hibernia, to try Dr.
W. J. Baird, surgeon, o the Cossack, for drunken-
ness. Capt. Dickson, of the Orlando, presided, and
Mr. F. J. Fegen, officiated as judge-advocate. The
prisoner pleaded guilty. In consequence of very
high testimonials, especially for war services in the
Crimea and in China, from Dr. Deas, Inspector-
General of Hospitals (now at Haslar), and Colonel
Lemon, commanding the Royal Naval Brigade, he
was sentenced to be dismissed his ship, and forfeit
Prince Consort, two yearcs,
so
adFdition to the Hector and
ironclad frigates, under orders for
the Mediterranean,
is also to be sent toa
time.
theln
n •
10, ironclad cor-
vette,tvansttea,tion. On the 9th
Prince of Wales) a dejeiiner
inst. (birthday of the
daiian t was
ig a
te givenper byesv the
t,a ptain and officers of the
Russian
inereturn for the hospitali-
sfre
tics received here. The entertainment passed off
very pleasantly. The Peresvet left on the 11th for
Athens. Mr. E. B. Boyle, acting Sub-Lieut. of
the Cossack, has been appointed to the Orlando,
and Mr R. C. Leader, midshipman of the Orlando,
to the Cossack, in exchange. The Caradoc, 2,
paadnddl ee
rw heWilkinson, despatchhas a
iv.
reisyseei at Naples with Sir
henry Lieutenant-Com-
m
Henry Bulwer, on board, on her way to Marseilles.
The Psyche, 2, paddlewheel despatch vessel, Lieut.-
Commander A. R. Blane, has received orders to
hold herself in readiness for immediate service. It
is reported that these orders have reference to
the tour of Prince Alfred, who has left England in
the Racoon. Her Majesty's surveying steamer
Firefly, 5, Commander G. R. Wilkinson, returned
on the 9th inst. from the coast of Tunis. She left
Malta on the 22d September. After calling at Tra-
pani to perform quarantine, she arrived at Sousa on
the 12th of October, and found there a Tunisian
squadron of five steamers, which were collecting
conscripts for the Tunisian army. Thence she pro-
ceeds to Ras-Salaktah, and resumed surveying from
, this point, where she left off last year. Soundings
were taken round the dangerous bank off the Kar-
kenahs, which extend about ten miles to the north-

ward of the spot indicated in the existing charts.
The vessel arrived at Sfax on the 22d October, and
remained there till the 26th, and she continued her
work as far south as the Nathor Tower, in the Gulf
of Kabes. Want of coal obliged her to return to
Malta., looking in at Sfax, where she communicated
with the new Vice-Consul, Mr. Edward Carleton,
who -now occupies the post of his deceased brother.
On b.er passage back to Malta the Firefly continued
her 'examination of the southern edge of the Kar-
kenah-bank which it is important should be well
known to navigators, as in some parts of it, out of
sight of land, there is but 15ft. of water. As itshoals
gradually, there is, however, but little danger, if ap-
proached with caution, using the lead. The Firefly
leaves some time this week to complete her work in
the neighbourhood of Sfax. Her Majesty's ship
Terrible, 21, paddlewheel frigate, Capt. G. J. Na-
pier, arrived on the 10th inst., 20 daye from Ply-
mouth, and the Megrera, 4, screw storeship, Capt.
M.D. Dunn, came in on the same night, 13 days from
the same port of departure, after very boisterous
passages. Mr. R. Munday, secretary to Rear-Ad-
miral Kellett, and Mrs. Munday, arrived by the
latter ship. The Tyrian, 2, screw gunboat, Lieut.-
Com. W. G. D. Selby, arrived on the 11th inst., 12
days from Naples. The Meeanee, 60, and the Gib-
raltar, 81, are in Greece, the former at the Pincus
and the latter at Corfu. The Racer, 11, arrived
yesterday from Corfu, and Zante. In Greece fresh
disturbances are apprehended.
The launch of the screw steam frigate Endymion
took place on Saturday at Deptford, under the super-
intendence of Mr. Ladd, master shipwright of the
establishment. Ample arrangements had previously
been made in anticipation of a large number of visi-
tors, of whom it was calculated there were 1,000
present. At 18 minutes before 2 o'clock, when the
tide was about to turn, the dog shores fell, and
without any pressure or artificial appliance, the fri-
gate slid down the greased way, and took her place
in the river amid the cheers of the spectators. The
ceremony of christening her was performed byMiss
Ffrench, daughter of Major Ffrench, late of the
74th Foot. The new vessel, with a number of per-
sons on her deck, floated a short distance up the
river, and was brought about by the Widgeon,
Monkey, and Bustler, steamtug vessels, belonging
to the Deptford and Woolwich yards, when her fine
lines were seen to great advantage. She was sub-
sequently made fast to one of the buoys of the dock-
yard, where she is under orders to remain until to-
morrow, preparatory to being despatched to Sheer-
ness, as previously announced. The Endymion is
one of the old class of frigates destined to carry 36
guns. She was laid down on Oct. 20, 1860, and
was under construction until Feb. 1, 1862, when
the work was suspended. She was again taken in
hand on Feb. 7,1864, and a number of shipwrights,
ranging from 150 to 200, were kept on until she
was complete. The principal dimensions are as fol-
low:—Length between perpendiculars, 240 ft; length
of keel for tonnage, 207 ft 11-fn ; breadth extreme,
47ft 10in ; do. for tonnage, 47ft 4in ; do. moulded,
46:t Bin ; depth in hold, 17ft 3in ; tonnage, 2,478
30.94 tons. The engines, which are supplied by
the firm of Messrs. Napier, of Glasgow (formerly
stated in error to be that of Messrs. Maudslay), are
of 500 nominal horse power. The length of her
engine room and boiler space are 64ft 9in. Her
armament will consist of four 100-pounder Arm-
strong rifled muzzle loading guns, weighing 125
cwt each, and 14 8-inch guns, weighing 65 cwt
each on the maindeck, and 9 110-lb breech-loaders,
weighing 82 cwt each on the upper deck, as swivel
and pivot guns. Her complement of officers, men,
and boys will be as underneath :—One captain,
one commander, five lieutenants, one master,
one sub-lieutenant, and one midshipman, one
second master, one gunner, one boatswain, one car-
penter, two master's assistants, and four naval cadets;
One chaplain, one surgeon, one paymaster, one naval
instructor, one assistant Faymayster, one clerk's
assistant, and six engineers ; 433 seamen and toys,
, making a total of 465 of all ranks.
At Deptford-green dockyard—which has become
a branch of the Millwall Ironworks—Mr. Charles
Lungley launched one of the last ships built on his
own account on the 18th inst. The vessel was the
iron cased twin screw gunboat Vixen, for her Ma-
jesty's navy. She is an interesting experiment of the
combination of wood awl iron principle. Her 41-
inch armour plates arc sheathei with wood, so that
she can be coppered, and thus not have her speed
ret;rded by the fou!ncss to which iron ships are
liable, while she is quite their equal in strength. The
Vixen is 160 ft. in length, 321 in breadth, 131 in
c.epth, and her builders' measurement is 740 tons.
Her tw'n screw engines are 160 nominal Norse power.
She is to be arme.: with two3oo-pounder shunt guns
and two 21-pounder howitzers. her complement of
men will be:80, and she will carry 97 tons of coals,
sufficient for six days' consumption at full power, or
12 days' ordinary steaming; 10 tons of water for
four weeks' use ; and 10 tons of provisions for 12
weeks. Her total displacement, when fully equipped,
will be about 1,121 tons.
The Bristol, 35, screw frigate, Capt. L. E. 11.
Somerset, flagship of Commodore G. P. Hornby,
the succe:;sor of Commodore E. Wilmot, C. 8., the
present senior officer on the West Coast of Africa,
sailed from Spithead yesterday at 10 a.m. for Ascen-
sion and the West Coast, taking out with her a large
number of supernumerary officers and seamen for
ships on the station. The Bristol left Spithead by
the Eastern Channel. The wind was fresh from the
S.W., accompanied with rain in occasional squalls.
The Royal Sovereign, 5, turret ship, Captain A.
Herbert, on Saturday completed a very satisfactory
course of experimental firing from the two guns
in her forward turret in testing the new winch
purchases fitted to the gans, under the super-
intendence o 2 Captain C. P. Coles. The Royal
Sovereign is expected to return into Portsmouth
harbour to-day, unless renewed trials are ordered,
and will most probably afterwards remain there for
the winter.

The Arethusa, 35, screw frigate, Capt. Reginald
J. J.G. Maclonald, anchored at Spithead onFriday,
from tha eastward, and sailed again on Saturday
for the Mediterranean.

The Thunderer target ship is being prepared at
Portsmouth for her first trial of experimental and
sample armour plates. In all previous trials of ar-
mour plates at Portsmouth, whether for ships or
forts, the conditions have been a distance of 200
yards from the muzzle of the gun to the armour
plate, with the latter bolted on to the side of some
old wooden frigate moored for the purpose in the
upper waters of Portsmouth harbour, and the gun
mounted on the deck of a gunboat. With the Thun-
derer the conditions are entirely altered, both gun
and plate being mounted on board the ship at only
25ft. distance from each other. To attain this ob-
ject the Thunderer has been cut down to her lower
deck overhead beams, and 25ft. space of the lower
deck converted into an iron-lined roofless room or
proof house, one end of the room being formed by
a timber-built bulkhead of immense strength, on
which is bolted the armour plates under trial, and
the other end by an armour plated bulkhead with
portholes for four guns. The guns are first laid
at any particular part of the armour plate required,
and are afterwards fired by means of a voltaic
battery from below. Of the plates now ordered
for trial one is for the iron-cased hydraulic
vessel Waterwitch, a vessel building for the
Admiralty by the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuild-
ing Company, at their yard, Blackwall. This vessel
is remarkable as having been designed on a plan
expected
a p ect etudbr toturbine
iilesuckinglh‘, in
esupersedeel all other steam-vessels, screw
or paddle, by proving the practicability of propelling
vessels
arrangement
rcaonl
gu
emn or rope"through
o u g h ofa
bottom, and squirting it again out of the ship through
her sides. It is feared that,
whatever results may
be obtained, they illboeirueent
idoenr.e dluineimplpaotrte
faonrtthbiys
excessive cost of their pr
ship's armour, sent up as a sample from Messrs. J.
4,
Brown and Co., of the A.tlasWorks, Sheffield, is 1
inches thick, and under the drilling machine in
Portsmouth Dockyard Steam Factory gave indica-
tions of being a very superior piece of metal. The
other armour-plate being drilled in the same work-
shop for trial in the Thunderer has a new form. It
has a ridge and furrow outer surface on a peculiar
and patented design. Extraordinary results are
expected from the trial of this plate which will be
watched with considerable interest.
The paddlewheel steam frigate Gladiator, 6, Capt.

F. H. Shortt, which arrived in Plymouth Sound
from Ireland on Friday, discharged her powder on
Saturday, and was taken up Hamoaze to repair de-
fects caused by collision with a merchant vessel in
the Channel.

The Spanish frigate Gerona, 50, Capt. B. Escalera,
was appointed to leave Plymouth yesterday morn-
ing at daylight, with the Duke and Duchess de
Montpensier. Should the weather prove unfavour-
able, their royal highnesses will land at Ferrol ;
otherwise the frigate will proceed to Cadiz, near
which the duke has a residence whichhe will visit.

The Turkish yacht, the Sultan Mahmoud, went
down the river last week on a trial of speed and ma-
chinery. She is an iron frigate, ironclad with siin.
plates, and is upwards of 4,000 tons burden. She is
engined by Messrs. Ravenhill, Hodgson, and Co.
The ship was built by the Thames Iron Shipbuilding
Company. She was tried and commenced her offi-
cial run at the Maplin on the 15th inst., and after-
wards proceeded on her voyage to Constantinople
calling at Plymouth. The Turkish officer in charge
was Capt. Hassan Bey. The speed of the ship was
over 12 knots per hour, the engines making 55 re-
volutions per minute. The engines are of excellent
workmanship, and showed no signs of hotbearings,
nor the slightest indications to induce a delay of her
voyage home. The boilers furnished steam abun-
dantly. The British Government authorities were
represented on board by Mr. Trickett, chief engi-
neer of her Majesty's dockyard at Woolwich ; the
shipbuilding company by Capt. Ingledew, late su-
perintendent of the Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany's fleet at Southampton, manager of the com-
pany ; and the engine-makers by Mr. Hodgson, one
of the firm. The ship was launched about a year
ago, and has not been docked since, consequently
her bottom is exceedingly foul. She and the Turkish
frigate Abdul Aziz, Capt. Huessein Bey, from
Greenock, arrived at Plymouth on Saturday. While
in the Sound they will, it is said, embark 1,600 tons
of coal, and will not therefore be under the neces-
sity of taking in any Awl between Plymouth and
their port of destination—Constantinople. It is re-
ported that on her passage down Channel the Sul-
tan Mahmoud ran into and damaged a merchant
schooner or brig.