The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-28 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, Nov. 23.—The arrival of H.M.S.
Racer, 11, screw corvette, Commander L. Brine,
has already been announced. She left Malta on the
16th Oct. for Naples, arrived there on the 19th, and
went to Nisida to perform seven days' quarantine.
When thatperiod had expired she returned to Naples,
arriving there on the 26th. She was despatched
next day to Corfu, which she reached on the 30th.
After remaining at anchor 48 hours, during which
time the Gibraltar, 81, Capt. R. Coote, arrived from
Naples, she left for Cephalonia. The Gibraltar met
a very heavy squall off Stromboli on her passage
from Naples. In 30 seconds she lost her main and
crossjack yards, sprung the maintopsailyard, split
the mainsail, maintopsail, mizentopsail, spanker,
jib, and topmaststay sail—in fact, all the sail on her
at the time, except the foresail and foretopsail.
There was great discontent at Corfu, arising from
three causes—the partial failure of the crops, espe-
cially the currant crop, the changes of the Ministry
at Athens, and the losses experienced by the smaller
traders and employes in consequence of the cession
of the lonian Islands. The British Consul consi-
dered the presence of a man-of-war necessary for
the safety of the Bank and other public property.
There were four Italian vessels of war in Corfu
(three of them ironclads), under the command of a
rear-admiral. The Racer arrived at Argostoli onthe
4th of Nov., and although no disturbance had taken
place, fears were entertained that in the event of a
rising in the other islands a sympathetic movement
would probably occur there. Leaving the following
clay for Zante, she arrived at that island late the
same evening, and found that the prevailing discon-
tent was owing chiefly to the currant crop having
produced much below the average of former years.
She left on the 6th inst., and arrived at Malta on
the 12th, having experienced from the time of her
leaving Naples on the 27th of the previous month a
continuance of very wet and squally weather. The
Firefly, 5, paddlewheel surveying vessel, Comman-
der G. R. Wilkinson, left on the 18th inst. to coin-
plete the survey of the south coast of Tunis—pas-
senger, Lieut. Lindley, Ist battalion 22d Regiment.
The Surprise, 4, Commander G. Tyron, left
Malta on the 21st inst. for the lonian Islands,
taking with her despatches for the telegraphic
steamer Hawk. The Royal Oak, 35, ironclad,
Capt. F. A. Campbell, was admitted into the
dry doCk on the 20th inst. to have her sides pierced
with additional scuttles, and to be cleaned.
Her crew have been temporarily made over to the
Hibernia, receiving ship. The Pelican, 17, Com-
mander R. P. Cator, left this morning to attend on
the telegraph steamer Hawk, on the coast of Ben-
gazi. The Mediterranean squadron is at present
distributed as follows :—Malta Harbour—The Vic-
toria, 102 (bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir R.
Smart, K.C.8., K. 11.); the Hibernia, receiving ship
(bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral 11. Kellett, C. 13.);
the Orlando, 46; the Royal Oak, )5; the Terrible,
21; the Phoebe, 35; the Cossack, 20; the Racer, 11;
the Assurance, 4; the Psyche, 2, despatch vessel ;
the Cockatrice, 2; the Wizard, 2; the Tyrian, 1; the
Megmra, 4, screw storeship; the Azoff, sailing ten-
der, and the Hearty, tug. Of the above ships three
have received orders to sail to-day—the Orlando,
for Gibraltar; the Phcebe, for Corfu; and the Cos-
sack, for Athens. The Pirus—The Meoanee, 60.
The lonian Islands—The Gibraltar, 81 (to be re-
lieved by the Terrible as soon as the defects of the
latter are made good); the Chanticleer, 17; and the
Surprise, 4. Syracuse—The Caledonian, 31, iron
clad, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral H. R. Yel-
verton, C. 8.; the Resistance, 16, ironclad; and the
Enterprise, 4, ironclad. South Coast of Tunis—The
Firefly, 5, surveying steamer. Gibraltar—The Pro-
cris, 1, and the hedpole, tug. Expected at Malta
from Marseilles—The Caradoc, 2, despatch vessel.
The iron cased screw corvette Favorite, 10, 2,091
tons, 400 horse power ,is complete in her fitting aloft,
land will be out of the shipwrights' hands by the end
of the present month. There will be, however, some
delay before she is fit for sea, in consequence of her
armament being still undecided on. According to
orders received at the Ordnance Department, Chat-
ham, she is intended to carry guns of large calibre,
but the descriptionis not stated.
The paddlewheel steamer Barracouta, 6, 300 horse
power, fitting for the first division of the Steam Re-
serve in the Medway, has received her armament on
board from the gun wharf, Chatham, consisting of
one 110-pounder, one 12-pounder, one 9-pounder,
and one 6-pounder rifled Armstrong ; one 7-inch
and four 32-pounder smooth bores, together with
two brass field pieces.
The heavy wrought-iron gun carriage and slide
invented and brought forward by Lieut.-Colonel
Shaw, R.A., and manufactured in his department
-the Royal carriage branch of Woolwich Arsenal
—was yesterday tested at the proof butt in the
arsenal marsh. The trial was witnessed by an un-
usual number of superior officers of both services,
among whom were the following : Major-Gen. E. C.
Warde, C.B. (commanding the garrison), and Staff ;
Capt. Williams, Aide-de-Camp ; Capt. Nangle,
Deputy-Assist. - Quartermaster-General ; Colonel
Anderson, C. 8., Col. Gardner, Col. Crofton,Lieut.-
Col. Mackinnon, Lieut.-Col. Childs, Lieut.-Col.
Du Plat, Major Lucan, Major Ord, Capt. Ander-
B°ll, R.A., Capt. Inglis, R.E., Major Pallisser, 18th
llussars, Commodore Dunlop, C. 8., Capt. Wilms-
htile2.rNo.f
Stores, and a
UrSt) R.N., Capt. Connolly, R.N., Capt. Caffin,
C. 8., R.N., to the Queen, and Naval
officers, interested in the development
great
of
the of
system
ffi
of wrought-iron equipments and the novel method
sought to be introduced by Col. Shaw to dispense
with thd necessity of the present roomy anddanger-
ous port-holes. The gun, iveighinc, 121 tons,
having been mounted on the carriage before leaving
the arsenal, was conveyed to the proof-butt by
means of a large carriage made for that purpose,
the wheels of which are lift. Gin. height. The 1
weight of the carriage and slide was stated to be 41
tons, making a total of 16i tons. The gun, one of
the new Woolwich species, termed the " Somerset-
gun," is supported on the armpits of the carriage
by the ordinary kind of trunions shortened, and is
moved and pointed by its own gravity, without
pivotting or other support. The gun was fired three
rounds, with charges of 401 b of powder and 3001 b.
shot. At the first round the breeching or check
chain, intended to ,assist-the compressors, gave way,
and having been examined by Mr. Childs, the mas-
ter smith, who was in attendance, the breakage was
found to have been occasioned by defective welding
in one of the links. The compressors were then tight-
ened to the maximum point, and the experimental
trial continued. The result was pronounced to be
a complete success. The recoil in the first round
was measured at 7ft. 6in. the second round
4ft. B:l'in. and the third 4ft. ilin., the latter being

precisely the space between the muzzle and the port
required by the gunners for the operation of load-
ing, &c. It will be rendered self-acting bymachinery
now in progress, and expected to be shortly ready
for use. Before the departure of the visitors Col.
Shaw was warmly congratulated on the success of
his invention and the'issue of the trial.