The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-04 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The depots of the Ist and 2d Battalions of the
10th (North Lincoln) Regiment have arrived at
Chatham from Preston, and joined the 3d depot
battalion of that garrison. The strength of the depot
companies of the 10th is 300 non-commissioned offi-
cers and men, together with the folowing officers :
—viz., Capt. 0. H. Strong, Capt. J. L. Kelly, Capt.
J. D. Power, Lieut. J. Carr, Lieut. M. Cake, Lieut.
A. Glen, Ensign G. F. T. Parker, Ensign J. W.
Lang, and Ensign E. B. Burnaby. The depot com-
panies of the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment, num-
bering 158 men of all ranks, have also arrived at
Chatham barracks, from the 11th depot Battalion
at Preston. The following officers arrived with the
29th depot :—Capt. K. V. Bacon, Lieut. R. A. Os-
wald, Lieut. J. Tennyson, and Lieut. R. W. Elliot.
The remainder of the regimentaldepots, which are
to be stationed at Chatham, in accordance with the
recent orders from the Horse Guards, are the depots
of the 40th and 65th Regiments from Birr ; the de-
pots of the Ist and 2d Battalions of the 15th Regi-
ment, from Pembroke ; and the depot companies of
the 80th Regiment, from Buttevant.
The Bth company of Royal Engineers, which re-
cently arrived at Chatham garrison from China.
has been raised to its proper complement from the
depot, and other companies at Bromptou barracks,
and will shortly leave the-Royalngineer establish-
ment for Woolwicfi, there to relieve the 9th coin -
E
pany. The Bth company, from its lengthened ser-
vice in China, returned to this country more than
one-half below its proper strength.

The. depot of the 41st Regiment, consisting of
five officers and 160 men, besides women and chil-
dren, has arrived at the camp at Colchester, from
Preston, and has been attached to the 4th depot
Battalion.

Major Palliser's experimental gun, after having
fired 800 rounds at the proof but in Woolwich
Arsenal, has been carefully examined by Major
Freeth, Inspector oflOrdnance remains awaiting the
Secretary of State for War. After firing the 750th
round it was discovered that the inner tube was split
about two feet. The Ordnance Select Committee
then desired the proof to be continued. It was gene-
rally expected the gun would burst almost imme-
diately. The 800 rounds were, nevertheless, com-
pleted without, as it appears, injuring the other
portions of the gun or fracturing the inner tube.
The object of making the tube in two parts is stated
to be to break the continuity of fracture in the event
of the interior of the gun becoming destroyed by
continuous and rapid firing. It is stated that the
split in the tube was caused by the round bottomed
shells employed on the occasion. They formed a por-
tion of some condemned stores ordered to be used up
for that purpose by way of economy. The form of
the base admitted the gas into the grooves before
the shell had moved and guttered them, which, it is
believed, led to the tube being split. Major Freeth
has recommended that the damaged tube shall be
bored out and replaced by a new one, when the
course of experiments may be continued.
Instructions were yesterday received at Wool-
wich, from the Adjt.-Gen. of the Royal Artillery
announcing that the Field-Marshal Commanding-
in-Chief had sanctioned the movement, of the 2d
Battery sth Brigade from Pembroke to Woolwich.
They will embark at Milford, according to present
orders, on Tuesday next, in her Majesty's troopship
Urgent, for conveyance to Greenhithe, when they
be transhipped in a similar steamer, and go up the
river to Woolwich. The battery consists of '2 offi-
cers, 99 men, 14 women, and 28 children.

The Gentlemen Cadets of the Royal Military
Academy re-assembled yesterday evening at Wool-
wich, at the conclusion of the Christmas vacation,
and will resume their studies this morning. The
civil branch of the establishment has been reduced
by the removal of sif of the masters.
An official inspection has beta going on for some
days past at the Herbert Hospital, in course of com-
pletion near Shooter's-hill, in consequence of the
dilapidated condition of the building. It was found
necessary to shore up the wall to prevent its entire
destruction. The Secretary of State for War has
been in attendance for several days past.
The War Department steam vessel Balaclava, Mr.
William Pellatt commander, laden with gun, shot,
and general stores, for Portsmouth and Devonport,
yesterday went alongside the Talbot floating maga-
zine, at Woolwich, and filled in her magazines with
powder, for Portsmouth.
The sailing vessels Lord Raglan, Mr. Wilkins
commander, and the Sir George Murray, yesterday
commenced shipping guns at Woolwich, for the Hec-
tor and other ships at Portsmouth, and Engineers'
tools, and other army materials for Aldershot.
The screw steam sloop Gannet, 11, having had a
thorough repair in No. 3 dock at Devonport, was
removed to the sheer-hulk in Hamoaze, where she
received her masts. The Gannet is now under orders
to be placed in Keyham-yard, where she will be
fitted for the first division of the Steam Reserve.

Mo,uN'r ETNA IN ;ERUPTION.—A despatch front
Messina announces that an eruption of Mount Etna took
place during the night of Jan. 31, after several shocks of
earthquake. The lava was flowing rapidly, and several vil-
lages were in danger.
THE WEATHER IN THE NORTH.—The rough
stormy weather of the early part of the week has been fol-
lowed in the county of Northumberland by dense fogs,
which made navigation very difficult off the Northumber-
land coast on Wednesday night and Thursday. The snow
was rapidly disappearing from the hill districts in the west
of that county on Thursday. Storm warnings were up at
tho mouth of the Tyne on Wednesday night and Thurs-
day, but sea and wind were tranquil on Thursday night.
Is CANADA TO BE ABANDONED ?—A rumour has
long been current in political circles that the British
Government, fearing the responsibility of defending Canada
against the United States, has determined to sever the po-
litican connection before the termination of the American
war, so that the finest provinces of the British empire may
be seized by the Yankees without forcing England into a
war. We have discredited—we dare not even now believe--
that her Majesty's Government entertain a policy dishonour-
able to the mother country, shamefully unjust to Canada,'
and detrimental to the best interests of England and Ca-
nada. Yet it must be confessed that circumstances have o
ur
occurred that seem to show that in this instance
Canada have been discussed, the tone of the
ePnrt has been
speaks the truth. When the defensive preparations of
which
f
represents the views of her Majesty's Gov
fellow-sub-
sole object had been to disgust our American
Next, it is worthy of
jects with the Imperial Governmte.nn
of the provinces was
most unfriendly and irritating to ;the
mCaerne:rndls, as if the
note that the plan of a confed.eurahoito
haste, and is cordially
accepted by the Government in
Parliament is not sitting.
approved during the time
the Canadian Parlia..
We need
the Confederation as a fitting oppor-
tunity for the "creation
hardly say that,
if nt'oannywith h th e
t e er Country, we shallbe
LGastovelYrnLwo:Gheeanre(l3-fa
regards ho
declaration
Canada,t im e thteelol if telling the
Canadians
desire Viceroy,
tthe
of a new. nationality."
o
last to oppose the separation; but we protest against
the mother country giving her colonies notice to depart.
That is neither just nor generous. But to desert Canada
from a craven fear, to give up Canada to the ravages of the
the
er political connect
Yankee army when that army is free from work in the
South, would be peculiarly infamous. In a few days Parlia-
ment will meet, and we trust that a matter which so nearly
its falsehood
BtvER shouldActE beHoem exposed.—hi
concerns the welfai e and honour of England and Canada will
be thoroughly sifted. If the rumour is false it ismost impor-
tant
BEVERAGE.--Homoeopathic BREAKFASTthat toners,
and the medical
profession generally, recommend cocoa
as being the most healthful of all beverages. When the doc-
trine of homoeopathy was first introduced into this country,
there were to bz obt fined no preparations of cocoa either at-
tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach ; the nut
I was either supplied is the crude state, or so unskilfully
manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of London,
Ilomeeopathic Chemist, was induced in the year 1819 to turn
his at !eaten to this subject, and at length suceseded, with
the assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the first
to produce an article pure in its composition, and so refined
by the perfect trituration it remeives in the process it passes
through, as to be most acceptable to the delicate stomach.
For general use Epps's Cocoa is distinguished as an invigo-
rating, grateful breakfast beverage, possessing a most deli-
cious aroma. Dr. Hassan, in his work, "Food and its
Adulterations," says -"Cocoa contains a great variety of im-
portant nutritive principles—every ingredient necessary to
the growth and sustenance of the body." Again : "As a
nutritive, cocoa stands very much higher than either coffee
or tea." Directions—Two teaspoonfuls of the powder 01.1n a
ea
breakfast cup, filled up with boiling water or milk-
ets,vTld sold by
in tin-lined ilb., flb., and li labelled packet
all grocers, confectioners, and