The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-26 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Sir Charles Wood, B irt., M.P., First Lord of the Ai-
miralty, and Rear-Admiral the Right Hon. Sir Maurice
F. F. Berkeley, K.C.B , M.P., Senior Naval Lord of
the Admiralty, accompanied by his son and private secre-
tary, Mr. Berkeley, arrived at Portsniouth on Monday
right, and were entertained at the Admiralfy-bonne by
Vice-Admiral Sir George F. Seymour, K.O B , G.C.H.,
where they slept. Yesterday morning, at 10.30, steam
o as ordered to be got up on board the Admiralty yachts
Black Eagle, Master-Co nmander retley; Vivid, Master-
Cowman er W. H. Alen, and Fire Queen, Master-Com-
mander F. W. Paul ; and about 11 o'clock the Lords
of the Admiralty before named, accompanied by Sir
Gore Seymour, Captain Codrington, C. 8., and Cap-
tain the Hon. J. R. Drummond, C. 8., embarked in
the Blsck Eagle for Spithead. The Vivid and Fire
Queen followed, and, as her Majestfa steam yachts
Fairy and Eifin were going out at the same time to
try their machinery, &e., prior to being reported
ready for the service of the Court, the scene pre-
keoted was a very interesting one. The Vivid had on
board Lady Csdrington, Mr. Berkeley, Commanders Risk,
Crofton, and Saumarez, R.N. The Fire Queen had on
board Lord de Blaquiere, Sir Wm. Jolliffe, M.P., and
Sir Win. Stewart (friends of the Cominaeder-in Chief,
Vice-Admiral Sir G. Seymour). The Admiralty squad-
ron steered towards the fleet, on the way to the Mother-
bank, the flag-ship Victory having previously made sig-
nal for the Colossus, 81, Capt. the Hon. Henry Keppel,
C. 8., and the guieboat flotilla under his command, to
get under way, signal having previously been made from
the flag ship at Spithead early in the morning for all to
get up steam. When their Lordships arrived at the
Motherbank the gun-boat squadron (comprising between
20 and 30 four and two gun steam-vessels) weighed in
two columns, following the Colossus, and proceeded to-
wards the westward. The gun-boats, in addition to their
steam, made all sail to keep theirallotted stations.; in doing
this the fleet-keeled Vivid acted as a sort of whipper-in,
being ever and anon sent by the Admiralty ahead to order
such and such a boat t r get upend keep berstation. When
off Osborne Vice-Admiral Sir G. Seymour and friends
reArned in the Fire Queen to harbour, and landed at 3
o'clock. The Black Eagle, with the Lords of the Admi-
ralty ()is board, proceeded with the flotilla for Portland,
where they will muster and-isiiiriteuvre them, and not re-
turn befog Thursday. The whole force passed over the
" Bridge" ( .ff the Needles) at about 2 o'clock, at which
spot the Vivid left them, making all speed towards
Portland in two lines, one on each quarter of the Colossus,
and each keeping position as yell as it could according to
the seniority of the respective commanders. Tile Admi-
ralty 'netlike:re were to sleep on board the Black Eagle last
evening and resume their manoeuvring of the squadron
this morning in Portland Reads. The Vivid returned to
Portsmouth harbour at half-p ist 4to land her visitors and
to recoal, and will proceed to Portland this morning with
Admiralty despatches. So extensive a movement in con-
uexion with the fleet at Spithead, combined with the
beauty and clearness of the weather, caused quite a corn-
inetion at Pertsiuouth and Ryde. Her Maj -sty arid the
Court are expected to revisit Osborne on or sabout
the 10,n proximo, when the salute by the fleet will be a
very interJsting feature should the weather prove as
favourable for a spectacle as yesterday. When the gun-
boati are competed arid commissioned we believe they
will be formed into a coast blockade should the war be
ended and their services not required with the fleet.
The last coast blockade was abolished by Sir J. Graham
when he was first Lord of the Admiralty about 1831.
The Wanderer, 6, new screw despatsh gun-vessel,
Commander Luce, went out of harbour and joined the
flotilla at the Motherbank yesterday, and accompanied
it t r Portland.

Th© steam-sloop Geyser, Commander Tower, went out
of Foamy uth harbour yesterday, and Failed for the
westward.

The Gl.itton, 14, steam-battery, Captain Cumming,
was doe, el yesterday fur refit.
The AlgiJrg, 91, Captain Codrington, C. 8., was un-
docked ye t, rday at Porten:meta after refit.
The screw steamer Andes, of the Canard line, has ar-
rived at Liverpool from Portsmouth, where she landed
invalids from the seat of war. Sue is still retained by
Government as a transport, under orders to be prepared
for sea when required. The steam-ship Alps is also in
port, waiting Government orders.
Yesterday Mr. Jobn Laird launched from his Liver-
pool shipbuilding yards two iron mort-►r-boats. To-day
be will launch two more, one from Liverpool and the
other from Birkenhead.

The following instructions have been issued fr.rn the
Admiralty relative to the regulations to be observed in
the gunboat flotilla. It is tie direction of the Com-
mander-in-Ghiet that the following arrangements be at-
tended to :

" The gunboat flotilla has been divided into three large
squadrons : Red squadron, under C.ept. Codrington, C. 8.,
White squadron, under the Hon. Capt. Keppel, C.B. ;
Blue squadron, under Capt. Yelverton, C.B. ; and the
left squadron under Capt. Key, C. B. Toe gunboats are
to be painted black on the outside, the funnels and mast-
heads above the rigging to be painted as follows : —Red
squadron, red ; blue squadron, blue ; white, white ;
light, black and two white rings. The red, white, and
blue squadrons will carry ensigns according to the colour
of squadron. The light squadron will carry a blue en-
sign. The three large squadrons have been divided into
four subdivisions, and will be d'oitingnished by vanes at
the main as follows : Ist subdivision, two colours per-
pendicular ; 2J, two colours horizontal ; 3d subdivision,
colours as let subdivi• ion, with ball on two bars ; 4th
subdivision as 2d subdivision, with ball on three bars.
The light division divided into two or more subdivisions,
will be distinguished by vanes at the fore. Ist subdivision,
same as great division ; 2d subdivision, same as great
division. When a ball is hoisted with a signal, it is to be
considered as addressed exclusively to gun-boats. If a
divisional flag is hoisted with the ball, the signal is to
t' at particular division of gun-boats. When gun-boats
of different divisions have the same pendant, the divi-
sion,l flag will b's fi,isted with th, pendant, to denote the
particular gun-bostiutended. The divisional flags for
the gun-boats are as follows :—R-td squadron, Q; blue
squadron, R ; white, P ; light, S."
The large new lunatic asylum for insane soldiers, in
course of erection at Fort Pitt, Chatham, for the use of
soldiers arriving from foreign stations, is nearly Cara-
pitted, and wilt shortly be ready for the reception of this
class of patients. The asylum forms a most desirable
building for such a purpose ; it is situate within the ram-
parts which surrouud Fort Pitt, and is in a fine open si-
tuation, commanding a beaut.ful prospect in every direc-
tion. A large corridor extends the whole length of the
building, which is intended for the use of the patients,
who will thus be enabled to take open air exercise daily,
regardless of the weather. The ramparts form a bar-
rier to the rear of the asylum, and in the front is a taste-
fully-arranged garden, railed off, in which the insane men
will be allowed to walk, and from which they will be
able to see arid converse with their convalescent com-
rades. The internal arrangements provide accornmoda-
' Lien for a large number of patients, and the various wards
are admirably adapted for the use they are intended.
Captain George Goldsmith, the newly-appointed Cap-
tain Superintendent at Chatham dockyard, formerly in
command of the Sidon, on the Mediterranean station,
has arrived at Chatham and taken up his command at
the dockyard, succeeding Rear-Admiral Wyvill, who has
been promote].
The Surprise gunboat., Commander Harcourt Vernon,
has arrived at Chatham from the Thames, to be fitted
for sea, and is to be brought forward with all despatch.
The launch of the Etna, 16, floating battery, now
nearly completed, at Chatham dockyard, will, it is un-
derstood, take place on the 3.1 of April.
The screw transport Eagle, 171, Captain Maclean,
having discharged her cargo of condemned stores from
the East, was on Monday evening paid out of tho.trans-
port service, and her number cancelled. She will be
docked for examination.

The gunboat Ft neat was Jeeterday morning ordered