The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-01 00:00:00

211 E NAVE

We have received the following letter from our
Malta correspondent, dated Valetta, July 26 :—Her
Majesty's ship Queen, 86, Capt. C. F. Hillyar,
arrived yesterday, under sail and steam from Bey-
rout. She brought one warrant officer, Mr. Gibbs,
and three seamen for Malta Hospital, and seven
seamen, invalided at Beyrout, en route for England.
She brings two men under sentence of imprison-
ment awarded by court martial. One seaman be-
longing to the Mars, died on the passage from
injuries received by a fall from a horse on shore, at
Beyrout. The Queen left Beyrout on the 11th
inst., at which time the Mars and Firebrand, and
the French frigate Mogadore were the only ships
of war there. The Icarus, 11, Commander Salmon,
V.C., sailed the same day for Jaffa. The Firebrand,
6, Commander Piers, arrived on the 7th inat. from
Malta with provisions and stores for the squadron.
The court martial alluded to above was held at
Beyrout on the 10th inst., to try two seamen be-
longing to the Mars, upon charges of insubordinate
conduct. The Court consisted of Capt. C. F. Hill-
yar, President ; and Commanders S. B. Piers, Her
Majesty's ship Firebrand; R. Dawkins, Her Ma-
jesty's ship Mars, N. Salmon, V.C., Her Majesty's
ship Icarus; and H. B. Woolcombe. Her Majesty's
ship Queen. Mr. W. H. Fitzpatrick, officiated as
Judge-Advocate. Alfred Jones, able seaman, was
first brought to trial for striking the master-at-arms
and the officer of the watch, both being in the
execution of their duty. He was found guilty, but
in consequence of his previous good character was
only adjudged to receive 48 lashes, and to be im-
prisoned for 18 months with hard labour. The
Court then proceeded to try William Devereux,
also an able seaman, upon the charge of making use
of abusive language to and striking the master-at-
arms. The Court found the prisoner guilty, and sen-
tenced him to receive 48 lashes, to be imprisoned for
two years with hard labour, and to be dismissed Her
Majesty's service with disgrace. The Queen is
under orders to join the Admiral at Corfu after
refitting and filling up with stores and provisions.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel frigate Magicienne,
16, Capt. his Serene Highness the Prince Leiningen,
left Malta harbour for Corfu on the 24th inst. This
vessel, it is stated, is to convey to Athens the Hon.
Mr. Scarlett, recently appointed Minister to the
Court of Greece, in succession to the late Sir
Thomas Wyse, and to bring back the Hon. Mr.
Mr. Elliot, who has been aetingpro tem. Brigadier-
General Bates, commanding the 2d Brigade, re-
turned to Malta on the 23d inst., from Italy in
the French packet Vatican. The only ships of war
in port are the Hibernia, receiving-ship (bearing
the flag of Rear-Admiral Codrington, C. 8.), the
Queen, 86; the Trident, 3; the Foxhound, 4; the
Alacrity, 4 ; the Surprise, 4 ; and the Wanderer,
4. The latter two are under orders to proceed to
Beyrout to strengthen the squadron on the coast of
Syria."
Yesterday morning the Lords of the Admiralty
arrived at Chatham for the purpose of making their
annual inspection of the dockyard, the division of
the Royal Marines, and the various naval establish-
ments at that port. The members of the Board
present were the Duke of Somerset, K.G., First
Lord ; Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir F. W. Grey,
K.C.8., Rear-Admiral C. Eden, C. 8., Capt. the
Hon. J. R.
Drummond, C. 8., and Mr. S. Whit-
bread, M.P.; Rear-Admiral Lord Clarence E.
Paget, C. 8., M.P., First Secretary to the Admi-
ralty ; Rear-Admiral R. B. Robinson, Controller of
the Navy; Col G. T. Green, director of Admiralty
Works ; and Capt. J. Moore, C. 8., Private Secre-
tary to the First Lord. Their Lordships arrived
at the Chatham Railway station, from the Admi-
ralty, shortly after 10 o'clock, and proceeded at
once to the Royal Marine barracks, where the
whole of the officers and men of the division,
numbering 1,200 of all ranks, were drawn up in
the barrack square. Their Lordships having in-
spected the front and rear of the ranks, the division
broke into companies and marched past, but owing
to the confined state of the parade-ground no other
movements were executed. Their lordships inspected
the barrack-rooms, schoolrooms, libraries, &c., and
proceeded to the west end of the barracks. There ex-
tensive works are in progress for the erection of a
separate block of buildings or wing, which will afford
additional accommodation for some 800 officers and
men of this branch of the service. Their lordships
were shown over the works by Col. Greene and
Mr. Rivers, principal clerk of the works at Chatham.
In the course of their inspection they expressed the
hope that every effort would be made to complete
the new building as speedily as possible, the greatest
inconvenience being now experienced from the want
of sufficient barrack accommodation for the Royal
Marines, several hundred of whom are compelled to
be quartered with the troops of the line. The cost
of the new building, including the purchase of land,
is estimated at £60,000, more than' half of which
sum has already been expended. After leaving the
Royal Marine barracks the members of the board
proceeded to the naval hospital at Melville, where
they were received by Deputy-Inspector-General
C. R. Kinnear, M.D., and the medical staff of that
establishment. Their lordships visited a few of the
wards, which are made to accommodate several
hundred patients, and expressed themselves gene-
rally satisfied at the excellence of the arrangements
for the accommodation of the inmates. Before
visiting the dockyard they directed a certain num-
ber of the non-commissioned officers and men of the
Royal Marines to be marched to the gun-shed, in
order to witness the manner in which they went
through the gun drill. The battery is constructed
to represent the exact shape of the broadside of a
line-of-battle ship, and is fitted with 110-pounder
and 40-pounder Armstrongs, and the 68-pounder
and 32-pounder ordinary guns. The party of Royal
Marine gunners were under the command of Capt
D. Blyth, instructor of gunnery, who put the men
through an extended course of gun drill. Not-
withstanding the great size and weight of the guns,
they Were moved about, cast loose, pointed,
lowered, and fired with the greatest appa-
rent "Be, the facility and promptitude with
which all the movements were effected eliciting the
commendation,o their Lordships. After spending
nearly an hour at the gun battery, the Duke of So-
merset and the other members of the Board pro-
ceeded to the dockyard, Where they arrived at 12
Just asbody of
o'clock, j the workmen were leaving
the yard for dinner. After transacting official busi-
ness at the office of Captain-50perintendent Fan-
shawe,,their Lordships in spected the stock of anchors
t
accumulaed at th
and other stores Anchor-wharf,
and also visited the roperY, Where the process of
spinning the largest ships' cables by %eau
a of passing
along in full operation, p
ful steam machinery
along beneath the shedsReindeer 16
where the %Being
250-horse power, and the paddlewheel steamer ,
•
lamis, 4, same power, are buildings their Lordsh-
in
in spected the works which have been some time
progress for widening and deepening the entrance
to No. 1 dock. The operation of hanging the gates
at the entrance to this dock was completed the pre-
viouslday. The dock, however, will not be used for
me,
the reception of any vessels for some time to co
as the whole of its surface has been covered over, and
the area thus obtained converted into a workshop
for the men employed on the iron ship now building
at Chatham. Adjoining the first dock is that in
which the large iron frigate Achilles, 51, 1000 horse
power, is under construction, and here their Lord-
ships spent some time in inspecting the progress
made since the occasion of their former visit. From
the present state of progress, it is calculated that
the Achilles will not be completed and afloat before
the end of two years from this time. The Pylades,
22, 400-horse power, undergoing extensive repairs
in No. 4 dock ; the Menai, 22, the Belvidere, 51,
and the Myrmidon, 4, steamers, were also inspected.
The Bulwark, 91, the works connected with which
have been expended for upwards of a year, is
nearly half completed. She is intended to be the next
ship cut down either
for an iron-plated frigate of the
Royal Oak class or for a cupola shield ship on Capt.
Coles's principle. The last vessel inspected was
, n
the Royal iron
armour-plated ship, Which is
already far advanced in
her Plating, and will 'oe
launched in the course of a few
- eted- Their go into No. 3 dock to be
. cornisleees' when she will
inspecting
lord-
ships were some time beth the exterior
and interior of this vessel. They also
inspected the
yal
new building just erected, adjoining the Ro

for the reception of the machinery for'
preparing
rieliP'
ngthe plates which will encase that ship,
afterwards retraced their steps, visiting the mill-
wright's shop, smithery, metal mills, and other
establishments. The additional bui,dings erecting
adjoining the millwright's shop wer also inspected.
Their lordships then visited the ea tern end of the
dockyard, and inspected the piece of land which has
been taken possession of by the Government for the
enlargement of Chatham dockyard by the formation
of numerous additional docks, basins, and factories.
The excavations, and all the heavy portion of the
undertaking, will be performed by upwards of 1,000
convicts, several hundred of whom have been em-
ployed for more than a year past in manufacturing
the bricks which will be used in the work. The pro-
posed extension of the dockyard is a work of such
magnitude that it is calculated it will be, at least,
six years in progress. After completing their in-
spection of this portion of the dockyard, the mem-
bers of the Board embarked in the Admiralty steam
yacht Osborne, and steamed down the harbour to
inspect the two forts which are being erected at
Folly Point and Bishop's-marsh, for the better pro-
tection of the entrance to Chatham harbour. Their
Lordships remained on board the Osborne last
night, and this morning will complete their inspec-
tion of the naval establishment at Chatham, after
which they will proceed to Sheerness.

Yesterday the foliowing draughts were despatched
from Colchester Camp to join the service companies
of their regiments in India :-34 rank and file, 44th
Regiment, accompanied by Lieut. C. Maguire, En-
sign Stanley, and Ensign R. R. O'Grady; 1 drum-
mer and 33 rank and file, 56th Foot, under Capt.
Clutterbuck ; 1 officer, 2 drummers, and 30 rank and
file, 66th Regiment. This completes the draught
from Colchester Camp, and gives a total of 15 offi-
cers, 4 sergeants, 7 drummers, and 258 rank and
file who have embarked for India during the month
of July.
One hundred and fifty men of the depot Royal
Artillery yesterday went down to Gravesend from
Woolwich, on board the Monkey steamtug, to em-
bark on board the troopship Dartmouth, for India.
The hired transport, the Bard of Avon, yester-
day commenced shipping war stores from Woolwich
Arsenal for Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The following appointments have been made in
the Royal Naval Reserve :—To be Honorary Lieut.
—Charles Hyne. To be Sub-Lieuts.—Henry Her-
bert Skinner and Philip Kerslake Hancock.

OPERATIONS AGAINST THE TAEPINGS.

The following extract from a private letter gives
some idea of the nature of the warfare in China :
SHANGHAI, MAY 5.
"I was obliged to miss last mail, because we were
away on an expedition to Cardeen. The guns started
last Saturday week in boats up the Soo-chow Creek.
I went on Sunday week in boats, with 26 men ; the
rest of the men came up on Monday. The troops
marched up on Friday. We took up our quarters
at Naysian (I spell it as pronounced), about 17 miles
from Shanghai. About 400 yards outside the town
were stockades and a fortified joss-house, with about
4,000 rebels. On Saturday the troops, with four
small field-pieces, attacked the place, and after they
had fired all their ammunition the General, who
wished to avoid getting men killed, sounded the re-
treat, so they returned to their quarters without
taking the stockades, one officer and one man being
badly wounded. By Monday the Naval Brigade
and our guns had arrived, so we attacked them again
on Tuesday. I went with the pontoon bridges, with
26 men, an Engineer officer, and a few Sappers.
We had to advance in front of the force to the left,
and as soon as the rebels saw us advance they sent
a round shot at us, which nearly took off the Engi-
neer officer's legs, striking the ground close to his
feet. The guns then opened fire, and in about a
quarter of an hour the place was ours. We did
not go back to our quarters, but advanced straight
on to Cardeen, which is about six miles from
the stockades. Cardeen is a very large walled
town—they say, seven miles round the walls—with a
broad deep ditch. It looked a formidable place. We
encamped in a large straggling village, nearly in
ruins, scarcely 400 yards outside the town, the re-
bels sending several shots into the village while we
were there. We did not do anything the rest of
the day, nor the next either, except fit scaling
ladders, as the French were not ready. On Wed-
nesday evening the orders came out from the
General—one company from each regiment (31st,
67th, 99th, sth Native Infantry, 22d Native Infan-
try, and Punjab), and one company of the Naval
Brigade, to form the storming party ; the 2d com-
pany was chosen. Every one had to be up by 2
o'clock in the morning to place the guns in position;
so at 2 o'clock we were all out, and the men worked
hard till half-past 4, getting the guns in position.
At 5 a.m. all the guns opened fire. Altogether,
French, naval, and artillery, there were 32 guns;
so you can fancy how astonished the rebels must
have been to find so many guns not 10 yards off,
particularly after we had waited a day and a half,
and they began to think we were frightened at
them. However, they returned a very smart fire.
The 2d company of the Naval Brigade, being the
storming party, were ordered to lie down behind
some slightly raised ground, where there were some
bushes and a small tree. I should think about 30 shots
struck the tree behind which we were lying. One of
the blue jackets was shot through both his thighs,
and while the doctor was attending to him a bullet
went through his right arm. I should think it was
over an hour before we silenced their fire. Then a
rocket was fired as a signal for the boats to advance
and form a bridge; then a second rocket, which was
for the stormers. We advanced with the ladders and
scaled the walls (over 40ft. high) ; but there was no
one to resist us, the rebels being in full retreat for
the north and south gates, where the 67th and Pun-
jabees met them. There were about 500 rebels
killed, and 2,000 prisoners taken. They had a
force of 8,000 men, and we had—Fngliah, Indian,
and French troops-5,000. Our company had none
killed, and only about ten or twelve wounded.
"We started to come down from Cardeen on
Friday afternoon, and did not arrive until Sunday
morning, because we had to come down Soo-chow
Creek, with the flotilla and nine prize war junks.
Altogether, I think there will be about or over
100,000 dollars prize money, but it is not at all cer-
tain whether the officers will get any, or whether
it will all be given to the men. I shall keep my
letters open, as the mail does not go for about ten
days more; but, as we are going on an expedition
to Tsing-poo tomorrow, we may not be back in
time.

" NAVAL BRIGADE, MAY 17.

"We left Shanghai last Thursday, and arrived 1
off the creek which we were to go up the same even-
ing. Half the naval force were left at the mouth
of the creek until ordered to proceed up, but on
Saturday orders came to proceed up with all
reePatch. The whole force arrived on Sunday
rooming, and in the evening the naval force ad-
ven,,,, .
strong hitah
wilieliu
ii,n boats within 400 yards of Tsing-poo,
strongly fortified town, having a
a moat
a.:17a1l and a good many guns, with
rebels heard round. While advancing, the
shots at us, :us,: and fired a good many
sight half
but luckily did not hurt
several of our men °f which struck a boat with
aalf our company had to
any one. That
iut‘iaguard for the guns.
Bsleefeopreonwtehbeawdeltaignraadoswn
were wet through, so yen cat'
t: hour our blankets
, ut
mortars
a very comfortable night's rest,
cY we did not have
trout; force—four 12,„.: of which we
next morning the artillery opened tArtes o'clock the
,had a pretty s rottud
aval 32-pounder, er Arm-
strong French r"
two n
how . , three
guns,
itzers 13'
fioneled24- pieces,poun 24-pounder,
a n d
someartillery
heavy
guns, The
,_
rebels stood remarkably well. Wo were hard
at it
until nearly 8 o'clock,
when a rocket was fired as a
signal for the 2d company of the Naval Brigade to
advance and form a bridge across the moat, and
place the scaling ladders. The first Iwo men on
the wall were two French blue jackets,
both of
whom were shot down ; but the rebels soon ran
after the troops began to scale the walls. One, man
from the Iti3perieuSe flagship was killed, and one
wounded. Ido not think any of the troops were
killed, although some were wounded. Two of the
French were killed and several wounded.
" The mail arrived at Shanghai on Saturday, and
. , was forwarded to us. The letters we received dur- '4