The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-09 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Vice-Admiral Sir S. C. Dacres, K.C.8., the late
Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet, is it is
reported, about to take a seat at the Board of Ad-
miralty. The gallant officer's high professional
qualifications and his -well-known personal energy
will render him a most valuable addition to the
Board, should the report prove to be well founded.
Vice-Admiral J. E. Erskine was offered the vacancy
at the Board, but he has declined the proffered ho-

•
nour for the present.
Her Majesty's 6-gun paddle-sloop Spiteful, re-
cently commissioned at Woolwich by Commander
Archibald D. W. Fletcher for service on the Bra-
zilian coast, again returned to Woolwich yesterday
from Portsmouth, having been found unfit for

foreign service. On her arrival at Woolwich she
proceeded to the powder-buoy off the Royal Arsenal
and discharged her war stores, preparatory to being
redocked and undergoing a thorough survey. Before
sailing from Woolwich, it was stated in The Sun that
it was feared the Spiteful would be detained beyond

the time appointed for her departure in consequence

of a rumour that soine of her lower timbers were
rotten, and that she would require considerable re-

pairs before proceeding to sea. A survey was or-
dered by the Admiralty accordingly, and the ship
was pronounced in proper condition for the voyage.
The nature of her defects will be ascertained forth-
with. She was repaired throughout at Deptford
yard, at an expenditure of, it is stated, some £lO,OOO,
and subsequently fitted out at Woolwich, whence
she took her departure a few days ago. She has been
in the shipwrights' hands at Portsmouth since Mon-
day last, but the work is not completed..
The paddle-wheel steam frigate Magicienne, 16,
Capt. William Armytage, recently returned from
the Mediterranean, was towed on Thursday from
Devonport dockyard to the sheer hulk in Hamoaze,
and had her masts taken out. Her crew will pro-
bably be paid off on Tuesday.
The screw steam sloop Petrel, 11, was placed on
Thursday in No. 2 dock in Keyham Steamyard for
the purpose of being repaired.
The screw steam corvette Satellite, 21, has been
placed in No. 1 dock at Devonport Dockyard, where
she will be repaired and fitted for the first division
of the Steam Reserve, Hamoaze.
The Turkish frigate Abdul Aziez, Capt. Comyn,
was removed from Devonport Dockyard on Thurs-
day, and taken outside Plymouth breakwater,
where her crew were exercised at the guns. This
frigate and her consort the Sultan Mahmoud,
with many other ships in Plymouth Sound, rode
out in safety the heavy gales which have recently
occurred there, and which were unexampled in their
duration. The Abdul Aziez had, however, a very
narrow escape in consequence of the drifting of
another ship. On the 22d of November the French
ship Paulista, which was to windward, drove from
her moorings and came across the frigate's bows.
She thus broke the chain cable of the frigate's star-
board anchor and drove into her quarter. Capt.
Comyn, who had been on duty all night, after much
difficulty induced the master of the French ship to
slip her cable, or both would have gone ashore.
Steam had been kept up on board the frigate, but
her screw could not be used, as it was fouled by the
French vessel's cable. With the aid of a sheet
anchor she continued in safety, although struck sub-
sequently by a Prussian brig, which also drove from
her moorings. As soon as the weather abated
divers from the dockyard removed the chain from
the screw, and the Abdul Aziez -went up harbour to
Devonport.
The Dutch transport St. Jane, from. Schiedam,
with 100 soldiers for Batavia, put into Plymouth
Sound on Thursday with water casks started in
consequence of the late stormy weather.
The further progress in building the screw sloop
Danae, 4 guns, 1,081 tons, and intended for engines
of 300 horse-power, at Portsmouth Dockyard, has
been suspended for the present by order. The
Danae is about four-fifths complete in her frame,
having been but recently laid down from designs by
the Chief Constructor of the Navy.
Major Mould, R.E., and the officers accompany-
ing the troops brought to England from Auckland,
New Zealand, in the sailing transport Bombay,
have presented a very gratifying written testimo-
nial to Commander Sellars, in which, after speak-
ing in high terms of his conduct in the management

of the ship " during dense fogs, surrounded by ice-
bergs, in vast fields of floating ice, and in heavy
gales," Major Mould and his brother officers say:—
" However delighted we may be at reaching Eng-
land, from you personally we part with regret, and
should we have again to cross the ocean, we cannot
hope for a better ship than the Bombay or a more
skilful commander than Captain Sellars."
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. G. W. J. Aldham to the
Datintless ; and J. Rothery, engineer, to the Spiteful.

Vacancies, Promotions, and Appointments
in the Civil Service.
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(From the Civil Service Gazette)
INDIA-OFFICE—Mr. R. G. Crozier has been ap-
pointed to be a temporary clerk.
BOARD OF TRADE—Mr. W. H. F. Hardinge has
been appointed to be a temporary clerk.
SCIENCE AND ART DEPARTMENT—The office of
engineer and architect, science and art department,
South Kensington, has become vacant by the death
of Capt. Francis Fowke, R.E.
THE ADMIRALTY.—A commissionarship of Green-
wich Hospital has become vacant by the death of Sir
R. M. Bromley. Mr. E. Stigant, second class in-
inspector, has been promoted to be first class in-
spector of shipwrights, Chatham Dockyard, vice
Mr. Parrott, promoted to be foreman at Pembroke
Dockyard.
OFFICE OF WORKS.—Mr. G. Soltan has been ap-
pointed to a clerkship.
LAW DEPARTMENT.—Mr. F. C. B. Wright has
been appointed a clerk in the Master's Office, Ex-
chequer of Pleas, London.
CONVICT SERVICE.—Mr. C. J. Hopping has been
appointed a schoolmaster in Pentonville Prison.
THE POST-OFFICE.-Mr. H. Heritage has been
appointed a surveyor's stationery clerk. Mr. T.
Taylor has been appointed a temporary clerk in the
Savings' Bank, London.
CUSTOMS.- Mr. Cuthbert Wills has been pro-
moted from the fourth to the third class of clerks in
the Comptroller of Account's Office, for warehous-
ing and general duty, London. Mr. William
M‘Bride has been promoted from the fifth to the
fourth class of clerks in the Comptroller
dyofuAt;c
Ac-
count's office, for warehousing and general
London. Mr. Joseph G. Boyle has been promoted
from the sixth to the first class of clerks in the
Comptroller of Account's office, for warehousing
and general duty, London.
INLAND REVENUE.—Mr. J. Barker has been ap-
pointed a clerk in the warehouse department;
Somerset-house. Mr. James Beavan, officer, Bide.
ford aide, Barnstaple collection, has been appointed
second clerk, Barnstaple collection.
TIIE EAST INDIES.—Mr. G. Banbury has been
appointed to act as collector and magistrate of the
Madras district, during the absence on leave of Mr.
Fane. Mr. S. T. M'Carthy has been appointed
assistant to the collector and magistrate of Kurnool.
Mr. A. L. Lister has been appointed assistant to
the Collector and magistrate of Cuddapah. Mr. D.
Buick has been appointed assistant to the collector
and magistrate of Bellary. Mr. W. T. Blair, offici-
ating Inam Commissioner, has been appointed to
act as Civil and Sessions Judge of Coimbatere,
during the absence on leave of Mr. G. A. Harris,
Mr. R. A. Dalyell has been appointed to act as sec-
retary to the Board of Examiners, durinr, the ab-
sence of Mr. Master on leave. The Rev. J. W.
Wynch, M.A., has been appointed to act as joint
chaplain of Black Town, until further orders. Mr.
G. M‘Watters has been appointed assistant to the
collector and magistrate of Trichinopoly.~lr.w.
A. Happell has been appointed assistant to the col-
lector and magistrate of Godavery. Mr. T. von D.
Hardinge has been appointed assistant to the collec-
tor and magistrate of Bellary. Mr. L. B. Burrows
has been appointed assistant to the collector and
magistrate of Madura. Mr. E. N. Overbury has
been appointed assistant to the collector and magis-
trate of Malabar. Mr. F. E. Hall has been appointed
assistant to the collector and magistrate of South