The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-18 00:00:00

COPIAPO EXTENSION.

The traffic receipts on this company's line for the
month of May amounted to $8,144, and the working
expenses to $5,628, leaxing a surplus of $2,516.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief is ex
pected to make shortly an official visit to the camp
at Colchester.

The Helicon, paddle, improved despatch vessel,
was commissioned at Portsmouth on Saturday by
Commaader Morgan Singer. Commander Singer is
a gii nnery officer of great P.xperioncc. He served for
some considerable time, previous to receiving hispro-
motion to commander's rank, as senior lieutenant of
the gunnery ship Excellent. Since his promotion from
the Excellent Commander Singer has been a member
of the Whitworth Armstrong Ordnance Committee.
The Helicon, with her sister-vessel the Salamis, is
ordered to proceed on a trial cruise in the Channel,
and thus supplement their trials of speed over the
measured mile in Stokes Bay with a competitive test
of their respective speeds over a given distance at
sea. In working out the figures given by each ves-
sel on her trial over the measured mile, and com-
paring the horse-power indicated with the midship
section of each and the actual weights on board, it
is believed that the advantage in point of speed does
not lie so much in favour of the Helicon as was at
first supposed. Hence, perhaps, the order for a
sea-going trial, which indeed we should be glad to
see established as a rule, to a certain extent, as
supplementary to all trials of her Majesty's ships
over the measured mile. The Helicon's engines
gave an indicated horse-power, on trial, at full
boiler power 1,610 horse ; half do., 877 horse.
Salamis, at full boiler power, 1,338 horse ; half do.,
636 horse.

The Euryalus, 35, screw frigate, Capt. M‘Dowell,
C. 8., now dismantling and returning stores at Ports-
mouth on her return to England from service as
Admiral Kuper's flagship in China and Japan, is
ordered to be paid out of commission on the 23d inst.
Previous to this taking place there will be a grand
parade of the troops in garrison at Portsmouth and
the seamen and marines of her Majesty's ships in
the port, on Southsea-common, to witness the pre-
sentation of Victoria Crosses to Mr. D. G. Boys,
midshipman ; Thomas Pride, captain of the after-
guard ; and William Seeley, ordinary seaman, all
belonging to the Euryalus, for special acts of gal-
lantry during the attack by the allied fleets on
Simonasaki, Japan, in September of last year. The
gallant and respected naval commander-in-chief at
Portsmouth, Admiral Sir M. Seymour, will present
the crosses to the recipients. There will be about
8,000 seamen under arms, exclusive of field piece
parties, training ships, boys, &c. The Royal Ma-
rine Artillery and Light Infantry, with Royal Artil-
lery field batteries and troops of the line, will pro-
bably muster over 3,000 strong on the occasion.
The 1,350 horse power engines of the Minotaur
iron frigate on the ship's trial last week at the mea-
sured mile in Stoke's Bay, gave an indicated horse
power of 6,639 horse. By a printer's error in a
report of the trial the " immersion" of the ship's
upper blade of the screw was given, whereas it
should have been "emersion."

The following appointments were made on Satur-
day-at the Admiralty :—Captain Charles Stirling,
to the Greyhound, commissioned ; Captain Arthur
Wilmshurst, additional, to the Fisgard, for service
in the Prince Albert ; Lieut. John B. Taller, to the
Formidable, additional, for service in the Lizard,
vice Challis, promoted ; Lieut. Robert Montray, to
the Princess Royal ; Alexadder Collins, surgeon, to
the Greyhound ; Benjamin Browning, surgeon, to
the Basilisk ; Nicholas T. Connolly, assist.-surgeon,
to the Lion ; Thomas R. Dinnis, paymaster, to the
Greyhound ; William Rogers, paymaster, to the
Basilisk; Edward M. 0 mmanney, assist.-paymaster,
to the Greyhound ; John E. Cooke, assist.-pay-
master, to the Basilisk; Edward W. Jago, assist.-
paymaster, to the St. Vincent ; W. 11. Symons,
master's-assist., to the Dee, as supernumerary ; and
Charles B. Hargrave, first-class assist.-engineer, to
the Princess Royal.
The following appointment has been made in the
Royal Reserve :—To be honorary Lieut., Richard
Brinsley Sheridan, M.P.

ABSCONDING FROM A REFORMATORY.—On Satur
day, at the Hampstead Police-court, a young woman, named
Rebecca Evans, was .charged with absconding from the
Hampstead Reformatory. Miss Nicholls, the matron, at-
tended, and described the prisoner as being More'fitted for
a penitentiary than a reformatory. She had been.sent for
five years by the magistrates of Worship-street police-
court. Mr. Inspector Webb said there were 100 inmates,
and the example of one escape was very bad. Mr. Fal-
coner, the magistrate, said it was a serious offence, and
asked what was to become of the girl when she left prison.
Miss Nicholls supposed she would return to the reforma-
torj. The magistrate committed her to the House of Cor-
reotioti for three months, with hard labour.