The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-16 00:00:00

211 E NAVY.

An inquiry was commenced at Portsmouth on
Saturday relative to the disturbance on board her
Majesty's ship Edgar during the past week at
Spithead. It is understood that proceedings will
be resumed this morning.

The screw gun-vessel Torch, 5, recently com-
pleted at Chatham, has proceeded on a trial trip for
the purpose of testing her engines and machinery,
under the direction of Mr. T. Baker, chief engineer,
and inspector of machinery at Chatham dockyard,
and the officers connected with the master ship-
wright's department. The course taken was
round the Nore, to about five miles below the
Nore light. The machinery was found to work
exceedingly satisfactory and smoothly, the speed
attained under a moderate pressure being ten
knots an hour. The Torch returned into Chatham
harbour at the termination of the trip, and will take
up her place with the steam reserve.
The Firebrand, 6, paddle, Commander James M.
Bruce, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday at 7 30
a.m., from Jersey, w ith Royal Artillery from Jersey,
under the command of Major M'Crea. They were
disembarked at the dockyard, and were marched
into quarters at the Gunwharf Barracks. The fol-
lowing officers and troops of the Royal Artillery
afterwards embarked on board the Firebrand,
which sailed for Plymouth during the afternoon :
Major Adye, in command; Capts. Vernon and
Stocker ; Lieuts. M'Laughlin, Cuming, Webber
Lewis, Goodenough, and Deshon ; 11 sergeants, 11
corporals, 199 gunners, 4 trumpeters, 81 women,
and 50 children.
Her Majesty's steam storeship Rhadamanthus,
Master-Commander Sturdee, having undergone a
thorough overhaul of machinery and boilers at
Woolwich, will leave the river this morning for
Portsmouth on her first trial trip, in preparation
for being fitted with the Hon. John Wethered's
improved apparatus for superheating and mixing
steam. After a prolonged trial of Mr. Wethered's
original method on board the Admiralty yacht
Black Eagle, and the steam storeship Dee, the
Board of Admiralty has ordered the apparatus,
under its improved system, to be fitted on board
the sister ship Rhadamanthus. The Rhadamanthus
has embarked 100 novices and 40 supernumerary
seamen for the fleet, from the receiving-ship Fis-
gard at Woolwich, and will perform the present
trip with a light draught of water—namely, 14
feet. The second trip will be performed laden with
boilers and machinery and a draught of 16ft. Tin.
of water, to ascertain the precise rate of speed and
consumption or fuel in shallow and deep water, im-
mediately after which she will be fitted with the
apparatus, under the supervision and direction of
Mr. Wethered, and at the cost of the Admiralty,
estimated at about £9OO.

A large number of shipwrights, caulkers, pain-
ter, &e., were on Saturday discharged from the
shipwright's department in Woolwich dockyard,
and about 600 artificers and labourers left the Royal
carriage and laboratory departments of the. Arsenal.
On account of the reduction ordered to be effected
in the two latter named departments of the Royal
Arsenal a much greater number had been furnished
with notices of dismissal, but numbers of them,
considered the most persevering and Efficient, and
belonging to the various branches required, were
transferred to the service of the superintendent of
the Royal Gun Factories.

Parties of shipwrights at Chatham Dockyard
have commenced converting and preparing the tim-
bers for three of the new- serow steamers ordered to
be constructed at that establishment—viz., the
Royal Oak, 91, the Belvedere, 91, and the Rein-
deer, 17.

A further discharge of GO shipwrights, smiths,
j oin..3r, and sawyers took place at Chatham Dock-
yard on Saturday afternoon.

The detachments of the 9th Lancers stationed at
Taunton and Trowbridge, and consisting of 5 offi-
cers, 125 men, and 111 horses, are under orders to
hold themselves in readiness to proceed to Dor-
chester.

The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—John L. Palmer, surg.,
additional, to the Chesapeake ; Robert Atkinson,
assist.-surg., to the Jackal; Arthur B. Johnson,
assist-surg., acting, to the Cornwallis ; W. H.
Thompson, paymaster, to the Jackal; Peter Greet-
ram, second-class assist.-engineer, to the Fisgard,
for charge of machinery of the Dart ; Thos.Spence,
acting third-class assist.-engineer, to the Supply ;
Horace H. Small, acting third-class assist-engineer,
to the Cumberland, as supernumerary.

THE ARMY.

The following General Order has been issued
from the Horse Guards :

" Her Majesty having been pleased to command 1
that officers of artillery, cavalry, and military train
shall discontine the use of peaks to their forage caps,
and also that officers of :cavalry and military train
shall wear gold lace stripes, as in full dress, in lieu
of the els% stripes, on the undress trousers, with
the addition of leather booting, the same is hereby
promulgated for information and guidance; and
general officers and officers commanding the regi-
ments concerned are enjoined to enforce adherence
to this regulation from the Ist May next. It is to
be understood that the leather bootings are to be
worn on all mounted duties. .

" This order does not apply to the Household
Cavalry.

" By command,
" W. F. FORSTER, Deputy-Adjt.-General."
The following circular from the War-office has
been issued by the Secretary of State for War :
" With reference to article 3, page 68, of the
Medical Regulations the Army, in which it is
laid down that all repairsol
to hospitals shall be exe-
cuted under the direction
et of the purveyor Mr. Sec-
retary Herbert has misirneeadultahtaiotnusnhtailll fbuertlie
orders the operation fethr
sus-
pended, and that theo following shall be substituted
for it
" Repairsrs of an ordinary character to hospitals,
from the immediate non-execution of which no arise, will be
in-
convenience to the sick is likelyginee De
r to
hitherto existing.
in
executed by the Royal En
accordance with the regulations
"In the case, however, of the principalmreedi4l
officer considering that the necessity of an
of an incidental nature is urgent, and that no delaypalr
ought to be permitted to occur in its execution, the
purveyor is empowered to communicate at once with
the engineer, triennial contractor, or with his agent,
and to order the necessary work to be performed.
"In the event of unreasonable delay occurring
in the carrying out of this order, the purveyor is
further empowered to order the execution of the
work through any other source which may be at
hand.

" The purveyor when thus ordering the execu-
tion of a work by the engineer or contractor will
simultaneously report his having done so to the
commanding Royal Engineer of the district, with
the grounds of the urgency of the case. The com-
manding Royal Engineer will take the necessary
steps for causing the work to be inspected, and it
will be measured, paid for, and brought to account
by the Royal Engineer department in the usual
manner;

" The purveyor will similarly report to the com-
manding Royal Engineer, should he find it neces-
sary on account of delay on the part of the con-
tractor to order the work of other tradesmen, in
order that the commanding Royal Engineer may
take the necessary steps to charge the contractor
with any extra cost which may be involved in so
doin
4 t Commanding Royal Engineers will communi-
cate to the present triennial contractors the powers
hereby granted to purveyors, and will make the
necessary provisions in future terms of contract.
The followin " B. HAWES."
gGeneral Order, relating to a so-
ciety established for
pensioners
purpose of providing si-
tuations for all oners of good character dis-
charged from her
Majesty'sisud f
naval and military
forces, has lately been
Guards :Lora the Adjutant-
General's-office, Horse
Guards,
lighness the
Marchl 22.
" Sir,—l am directed
" Horse
by his Royal
ocuorm:atten_
General Commanding•in-Chief to call
yzd
tion, and that of the officers under yourm
omy to the Army and Navy Pensioners Employment
Society, which has lately been reconstituted, underni
the management of a committee of officers repre-
senting every branch of the service.
" His Royal Highness considers the objects of
the society to be excellent, and that its results can-
not fail to exercise a beneficial influence both on
the present soldiers and those classes from which
they are recruited. The support which her most
gracious Majesty has given to the institution since
its formation will be an additional recommendation
to all yfho have the interests of her serf ice at heart,