The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-20 00:00:00

ACHE sin :LONDON, MONDAY MVENING, AUGUST 20, 1860.

The launch of the Orestes from the Sheerness
Dockyard took place on Saturday, and, notwith-
standing the unfavourable weather, the wind blow-
ing very strongly at the time from the south-west,
it was witnessed by some thousands of spectators,
among whom were the Commander-in-Chief at
Sheerness, Viee-Admiral W. J. Hope Johnstone ;
Captain Wise, aide-de-camp to the Queen, and
superintendent of the dockyard; Captain Schoen-
berg, chief of the steam reserve ; Captain Luard, of
the flagship, and other officers of the Royal Navy.
The ceremony of launching and naming the vessel
was performed by Miss Hope Johnstone, the daugh-
ter of the commander-in-chief, and took place at a
little after 12. The following are the dimensions of
the vessel :—Length between perpendiculars, 225
ft; length of keel for tonnage, 196 ft 81 in; extreme
breadth, 40 ft 8 in ; breadth for tonnage, 40 ft 4 in;
breadth moulded, 39 ft 8 in; depth in hold, 24 ft ;
burthen, 1,172 tons ; draught of water forward, 9 ft
4in ; aft, 15 ft 11 in. Her engines will be of 400-
horse power, and are being constructed by Messrs.
Napier, of Glasgow. She will carry 20 8-inch guns,
9 ft long, each weighing 60 cwt, besides one 68-
pounder 10 ft pivot gun, weighing 95 cwt, which
can be removed at pleasure to either the forecastle
or quarterdeck. Her full complement of men will be
260.

Great activity prevails in the Sheerness Dock-
yard. The Virago, 6, paddlewheel steam sloop, 300-
horse power, is undergoing thorough repair in the
basin. The Collingwood,Bo guns, is being converted
in No. 2 dock into a 400-horse power screw steam
vessel. In No. 1 dock the Leander, 51 guns, having
been lengthened amidship upwards of 40 feet, is
being converted into a screw steam vessel. The
Severn, 51, screw steam frigate, 500-horse power,
will be taken into dock this day to be fitted for the
pennant,
The Tartar, 20, screw steam corvette, 200-horse
power, which has just been commissioned by Capt.
John M. Hayes, hoisted her pennant on Saturday,
and is being fitted in the basin of the Sheerness yard
for sea service.

Her Majesty's ship Firebrand arrived in Har.
wich harbour in the course of last week.

The Colosses, 80, screw, Capt. F. Scott, C. 8.,
while riding in Yarmouth Roads during the night
of Thursday last, sheered about so wildly in the
run of the tide that she parted both her chains.
Steam was immediately got up and the ship pro-
ceeded to Spithead, where she anchored, as reported
in The Sun of Saturday.

The Himalaya, screw troopship, Capt. S. Sec-
combe, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from
Liverpool. _ _

It is reported at Plymouth that the stay of Ad-
miral Erskine's division of the Channel fleet at
Milford Haven will be about a fortnight.
The new screw steamship Gibraltar, 101, which
was launched on Thursday at Devonport, has been
hauled under the north crane in Keyham steam
yard to receive her boilers and machinery.
The screw steam sloop Curlew, 9, has been re-
moved from her moorings at the head of Hamoaze,
and placed alongside the sheer hulk for the purpose
of being masted.
The coppering of the screw steamsloop Jason, at
Devonport, is completed, and the crew are receiving
spare spars, and rattling down the rigging.
The trial of the machinery of the gunboat Violet
having proved satisfactory, she has left Plymouth
for her destination, Pembroke, where she does duty
as tender to the Coastguardship Eagle. The com-
mander of the gunboat, Lieut. Eugene C. Batty,
who burst a
.blood vessel while on duty, and was
obliged to go into the Royal Naval Hospital, is so
far recovered as to be able to proceed on six weeks'
leave of absence, after which he will rejoin the
Violet.
The Prussian war steamer Ida, Lieut. Riebath,
from Stettin, bound for Syria, put into Falmouth
on Friday morning to coal.
We understand that several vacancies exist for
mail agencies both for Commanders and Lieute-
nants of the Royal Navy.
At the request of Commander Deakin, of the
Matilda Wattenbach, we make the following ex-
planation in reference to the statement in The Sun
of the 14th inst. that the ship had put in at the
Mauritius and the islati of Flores, for fresh pro-
visions and water, on her voyage home from India
with invalids. Commander Deakin says :—" These
steps were taken, not on account of the actual pro-
visions in the ship in any way running short or
proving insufficient to meet the requirements of the
men, but because, on nearing the Mauritius, I re-
ceived an urgent communication from the officer in
command of the detachments on board requesting
me to touch at the island as the medical stores
shipped for their use by the authorities at Calcutta
were found quite inadequate to meet the numerous
demands of the invalids, and unless I had complied
with his request great loss of life would, in all pro-
bability, have occurred. I put in at the island of
Flores again at the solicitation of the commanding
officer, who had discovered that scurvy had broken
out among his men."
Some experimental trials of a somewhat similar
character to those recently carried out on Jones's
system of angulated armour for ships' sides have
been during the past fortnight conducted at Ports-

mouth, under the supervision of Capt. R. Hewlett,
C.B. The experiments on Jones's target were in-
tended to prove the correctness or incorrectness of
a principle. Those in the instances to which we
are now alluding were intended:to test the powers
of resistance offered by plates or other forms of ar-
mour in a vertical position to round shot. The
Sirius frigate was the craft selected to carry the
targets, and was moored up Porche3ter Lake for
practice upon them from the Stork gunboat. Five
different targets were affixed to her side, three of
which may be termed " plate" and the two re-
mainder " chain armour." These two last were

termed " Howell's patent ship armour." They con•

sisted of half-inch bars interlaced or woven into a
fascine of 6'feet in length by three feet in breadth.
Six of these layers were placed together, and the
whole mass bolted together, and about 11 inches
through. This affair stood nowhere in its resist-
ance to the tremendous flight of the round shot at
200 yards. The next plate on the Sirius's side is
Apra the side of the Trusty, but this has not been
tried yet. The two remaining plates were manu-
factured by the Thames Ironbuilding Company.
They are of two separate qualities of iron ; the
upper plate is three-quarter " scrap" and one-quar-
ter " puddle" of the same quality as the 950 tons
now nearly completed by the same company to
place on the 'Warrior ; the under plate is all " scrap."
The edges of both plates are fitted with, the one a
tongue and the other a groove. In this they differ
from the Warrior's plates. Each plate is 15 feet 9
inches in length, 3 feet 2 inches in breadth, and 41
inches in thickness. The result of the firing at
these plates has been that of 11 shots, only one has
fractured them, and that was caused by the very
unusual circumstance of a shot having struck in the
very centre of an indentation made by a former
shot. The outer edges of the plates have bulged,
as in Jones's target, from want of support. This
may be noted as the first instance of any plates
placed in a vertical position resisting solid shot at
the same range. The edges of the plates where
they fitted with the tongue and groove stood the
concussion of the shot as well, if not better, than
the central portion of the plate ; neither did it
S 1
-o.‘v the slightest inclination to bulge. To fully
ranthe tenacity it is necessary for a4?-inch
to
possess to resist a solid 68-pounder at short
ge' 's necessary to pay a visit to Portsmouth
'platesp,
izoo‘vhere lie some hundreds of tons of old
broken upnirtd steel, that have been knocked and
daring former
experiments.
conceivable form and shape
The following Promotions have been made in the
Sheerness dockyard „..., ,
'3lr- S. Stevens, second-class
clerk, promoted to the
first class, and selected by
Capt.-Superintendlent Wise as his secretary, vice
IVIr. J. Creasy, appointed store-keeper ; Mr. C. Pen-
nell, promoted from the third
to the second class,
vice Stevens. . .

The followingeppointments Were made on Sat
nd-
day at the Admf:Talty :—Commander O. Borland
to the Cumberlan 4; Lieut. L. W. Peyton to the
Pembroke, for service in the Coastgard ; Lieut. G.
R. Trefasis to tl be Algiers Lieut. H. W. Mist to

the Royal Albert ; Robert Brown, master, to the 1
Firebrand ; George A. Stable, master, to the Rus-
sell ; James Long, surgeon, to the Firebrand ; Henry
Richardson, surgeon, to the Eagle ; C. H. Slaugh-
ter, assistant-surgeon, to the Espoir ; Henry
Richard, assistant-surgeoz, to the Cambridge ;
William E. Dillion , assistant-surgeon, to the Tartar;
Andrew Cornish, third-class assistant-engineer, to
the Fisgard, as supernumerary ; and John G.
O'Connell, second master, to the Rolla.

THE ARMY.°

Lieut.-Gen. Sir Harry Smith, G.C.8., is, we are
happy to learn, nearly recovered from his recent
indisposition, which at first occasioned some un-
easiness among the gallant General's friends.
We understand that the division of the Guards
will not change quarters on the Ist of September,
as usual in previous years, but on the Ist of Oct.
The Ist battalion of the Grenadier Guards goes to
Dublin to relieve the 2d battalion.

The Government having decided on strengthen.
ing the fortifications at the Island of St. Helena,
and adding to the strength of the troops and native
regimeat garrisoning the island, arrangements have
been completed for despatching a body of Royal
Engineers and Royal Artillery, together with nearly
200 other troops of the line, to that island. The
vessel chartered by the Government for the convey-
ance of the troops to St. Helena is the Akbar, which
is appointed to sail from Gravesend on the 30th
inst., taking out, in addition to the reinforcements,
a large quantity of material and other stores.
The Royal Engineers selected for service on the
island will be the first body of men belonging
to that corps who have ever been employed at
St. Helena, and during the time they are sta-
tioned there they will be engaged in repairing the
present fortifications and erecting additional bat-
teries and works of defence on the least protected
parts of the coast under an officer of Royal Engi-
neers of great experience selected to superintend
the works. The batteries will then be supplied
with 68 pounder guns, and manned by Royal Ar-
tillerymen, 51 of whom have been selected to pro-
ceed in the Akbar. In order to augment the ser-
vice companies of the St. Helena Regiment, rein-
forcements to the number of 182 men of all ranks
are to be despatched from the depot at Chatham,
which has latterly been considerably strengthened
by volunteers from other regiments.
A large range of building is about to be erected
by the Government at Brompton Barracks, Chat-
ham, to be used for the purposes of a lecture theatre,
schools of designs, class rooms, and schools for the
instruction of the officers and men of the Royal and
Indian Engineers attached to head quarters. The
site of the proposed erection is the vacant ground
on the eastern side of the barrack square, adjoining
the memorial arch now in course of building. The
cost of the buildings will involve an outlay of seve-
ral thousand pounds, but the entire sum has been
voted for the purpose by Parliament. Mr. Stump,
the Government contractor, who has been selected
to carry out the works, is to have the whole com-
pleted by the month of February next.
The reinforcements for the 73d Regiment, with
the officers, a list of whose names has already ap-
peared in The Sun, left Chatham garrison on Satur-
day morning, and embarked at Gravesend on board
the Gosford for Calcutta. The Louisa, with rein-
forcements for the sth Fusiliers, and the Daphne,
with troops for the 12th Foot, in Australia, sailed
from the Thames the same day.
There was a slight error in the account of the
memorial arch in course of erection at Chatham from
the designs of Mr. Digby Wyatt. The sculpture
which decorates the arch is described as having
been executed by Mr. Farmer, of Lambeth, with
the assistance of some Frenchmen. The fact is
that all the principal sculpture, both of figures and
ornament, has been wrought with the greatest care
and taste by Mr. John Thomas, the well-known
sculptor of the Alpha-road, Regent's Park.
The ship Earl Balcarres, Capt. Morris, with
troops from Bombay, arrived off Falmouth on
Thursday evening, and, having received instructions
through the medium of Lloyd's agents to proceed
to Gravesend, she continued her course up channel
about midnight. The Earl Balcarres has on board
330 men belonging to different regiments, under the
command of Capt. Curtis, of the Bombay Native
Infantry, together with 56 women and 100 children,
also a full cargo of produ' e.
On Thursday morning detachments of the 18th,
29th, 32d, 41st, and 55th Regiments arrived in
Preston. The body arrived in Liverpool on Wed-
nesday evening, on board the Himalaya, from Ply-
mouth.
The military and naval invalids on board the
Marchioness of Londonderry, whose arrival at
Spithead from Hongkong was reported on Satur-
day, were disembarked from that ship by the
Government steam tug on Satarday. The naval in-
valids were sent on board her Majesty's ship Vic-
tory. The military portion will be forwarded from
Portsmouth to Chatham by the South Coast Rail-
way this morning. They comprise—Royal Artil-
lery, 2 men, 1 woman, and 1 child ; Royal Engi-
neers, 4 men ; 2d battalion 1 Foot, 3 men, 4 women,
and 6 children; 3d Foot, 1 man; 12th Foot, 2 men;
45th, 1 man ; 67th, 3 men ; and medical staff, 2
men. The ship sailed from Spithead for the Thames

yesterday at noon.
The Adjutant-General, Sir Jas. Yorke Scarlett,
has issued a circular memorandum, dated the 6th
inst., of which the following is a copy :

" By the regulations of the service a soldier is
required to keep his cap on in the presence of a
superior; but as the contrary usage preTails in civil
life, the General-Commanding-in-Chief directs that
in a civil court, and before a magistrate, a soldier,
not under arms, shall remove his cap."

The following circular memorandum has been
issued addressed to the army at honie and abroad :
" Horse Guards, Aug. 7.
" With reference to paragraph 4, page 178, of the
Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Army, the
General Commanding-in-Chief desires, that in pre-
paring the discharge documents of a soldier already
in possession of one or more good conduct badges,
the Board will invariably state, at the foot of the
first page of the proceedings thereof, the date (when
within a month or two) on which he may be en-
titled to an additional badge.
" His Royal Highness also requests that, when a
soldier has been wounded in action during any part
of his military career, the name of the engagement,
and description of wounds received, may likewise
be inserted on the first page of the proceedings.of
the Board held to verify and record his services,
" By command,
" I AS. YORKE SCARLETT, Adjt.-Gen."

vordbearer. Had the weather been auspicious the
whole of the brigade, to the number of upwards of
LOCO men, and several of the metropolitan corps,
who bad been invited, intended to have been pre-
sent, and the evolutions, for which the ground was
well adapted, would have been interesting.
On Friday the 47th (Lewes) Sussex Volunteers
mustered in the afternoon at their barracks, and
marched from thence to the Down, where battalion
movements were gone through with great accuracy.
After this the line was extended and advanced,
firing on the supposed enemy in front; the firing
was continued for some time with great vigour. At

the close Col. Rose addressed the volunteers,
expressing his satisfaction at the way in which
they went through their movements.
A review of the companies comprising the Ist
Battalion of Kent Volunteer Rifles took place on
Saturday afternoon in the beautiful park of Sir T.
M. Wilson, at Old Charlton. About half-past 4
o'clock Viscount Sydney, accompanied by Sir T. M.
Wilson (colonel of the West Kent Militia) and other
officers, arrived on the ground, and were received
by a general salute from the whole of theibattalion,
which was drawn up in review order. At the ter-
mination of the proceeding, which occupied about
two hours, his lordship complimented the officers
and members of the battalion upon the efficient
manner in which the evolutions had been carried
out.

The Nottingham Robin Hood Rifle Corps assem-
bles twice per week for battalion drill, and the
companies separately for ordinary and position drill
every evening. In addition to the nine companies
which at present constitute the corps, mustering
nearly 800 members, it is proposed to embody a
tenth, to be called the Armstrong company, in
order to complete the regiment. The latter com-
pany is to be formed from among those who are
not wholly able to equip themselves. Each mem-
ber, however, will be called upon for 305., or one-
third of the cost of the equipments, and a monthly
subscription of 10d. The outfit, the cost of which
is £4 10s., is to be the property of the company,
unless the volunteer pays £3 before the expiration
of three years. A subscription has been commenced,
and a number of gentlemen have already guaranteed
to provide two-thirds of the funds necessary to
equip 30 men.
The review at Knowsley Park on the Ist Sept.
promises to be a very successful affair. It will be
strictly confined to the Lancashire Volunteers ; but
already the acceptances amount to 10,500 men.
Lieut.-General Wetherall will command.
Lieut.-Colonel Gladstone and Major Tinley, of
the 2d Battalion Lancashire Rifle Volunteers, are
making arrangements for a county rifle contest on
their ground at Hightown, near Liverpool. The
meeting will commence on the 29th of October, and
is likely to last three days. One day will be de-
voted to all corners. It is intended that on this
occasion there shall be a prize for Artillery Volun-
teers, who will contest with carbines.
Lieut.-Colonel Bousfield's Ist battalion Lancashire
Volunteer Rifles are still encamped at Crosby, near
Liverpool, and appear determined, notwithstanding
the very bad weather, to remain there for some
time to come.
The Earl of Leicester, Lord Lieutenant of Nor-
folk, has appointed Tuesday, the 18th of September,
for a general review of the Norfolk corps at Nor-
wich. The review will take place on Mousehold-
heath, and will commence at 3 p.m. Major-Gene-
ral Wood, commandant of the camp at Colchester,
will be the inspecting officer, and the mancouvres
will comprise both battalion and light infantry
movements. About 1,000 to 1,200 Volunteers will
probably be assembled on the occasion, as the Nor-
wich and Yarmouth corps are 700 to 800 strong,
and companies more or less numerous will also be
present from Lynn, Fakenham, Aylsham, Swaff-
ham, Reepham, Loddon, North Walshana, and other
parts of the county. The proceedings altogether
promise to be of an interesting character.
The Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire) Rifle Corps
had a field-day on Thursday last, and were inspected
by Lieut.-Col. Turner. The men were put through
a series of movements, which they executed in an
admirable manner, and the gallant Colonel compli-
mented them on their approaching efficiency. After
the inspection the members of the corps were enter-
' tained at dinner by their officers.
A few days ago the ceremony of presenting colours
to the Sleaford (Bth Lincolnshire) Rifle Corps was
gone through at Leasingham Rectory by the ladies
of the above town. There was a large assemblage
of ladies and gentlemen on the occasion to witness
the presentation. The Volunteers received the
hearty applause of all present on their soldierly
appearance.
The First Huntingdon Rifle Volunteers are to be
shortly presented with a silver bugle, with banner
attached, as well as camp colours, by the ladies of
that locality.
The Ist Manchester Volunteers has become very
popular, in consequence of the admirable manner
in which they acquitted themselves at the New ton
review, and the applications from new Volunteers,
and from Volunteers in other corps, for admission
render it likely that the strength of the regiment
will be much increased. They have now 11 com-
panies, and on forming the 12th will be entitled to
a junior, or second Major. The 143 d Lancashire,
or Rusholme Volunteers, Manchester, which aimed
from the first at becoming a " crack" regiment, is
making very satisfactory progress. It is composed
of gentlemen who have agreed to purchase their
own arms and clothing, adopting the short Enfield.
They have built their own butts, and had them cer-
tified by the appointed officials. They maintain
their own drill-sergeant, resident near the ground ;
are training up a band (fife and drum) composed
of youths, with a competent instructor, at a rather
heavy cost, and the corps is consequently rather
expensive to its members. The object, however, is
to make it an efficient one. The young men ad-
mitted hitherto are tall, and of pretty uniform
height. They spare no pains at drill, and attracted
much attention by their soldierly bearing at
Newton.
The various Worcestershire Rifle Corps con-
tinue their daily and weekly drill with great regu-
larity. Colonel Winn Knight, M.P., at the head
of the Wolverley corps, the first that was esta-
blished in the county, is most zealous in the
movement, and has rendered great service to the
Volunteer cause.
The Volunteer movement is progressing in a very
satisfactory manner in South Wales. New corps
are being formed, so that the Volunteer spirit is ex-
tending throughout the whole of the principality.
Lord Portman, Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, is
completing arrangements for placing the Volunteer
corps of that county on a more complete military
footing. For this "purpose the county is to be di-
vided into three districts—an eastern district, a
western district, and a central district—and a
colonel and adjutant will be appointed to each. It
is intended to hold occasional divisional parades and
reviews in each district.

The Bristol and Glocestershire Artillery Corps
were inspected on Saturday afternoon by Colonel
M'Murdo, C. 8., Inspector-General of Volunteer
Corps, and Major Gustavus Hume, inspector for the
district. Each battery fired four shots and two
shells. The firing was excellent; in fact, two were
so good that Colonel M'Murdo expressed warm ap-
proval, and in one instance went down from the
position from which he viewed the practice and
personally complimented the sergeants, who laid
the guns, on their success. At the conclusion of

the firing the detachments were drawn up,
having been formed into three sides of a square,
were addressed by Col. WlNiurdo, who expressed
his satisfaction with the proficiency they had at-
tained.

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TILE INVASION OF CALAPRIA

(From the special Correspondent of the Times.)

MESSINA, AUG. 7.
While people in town entertained themselves with
the chances of another interview between the Dicta-
tor and Gen. Clary, and frightened each other with
the cancans of the fearful measures the Neapolitan
general intends to take in case of a descent on the
coast of Calabria, Garibaldi spent the whole of the
day at the Faro in superintending preparations.
He left, as usual, early in the morning with Gen.
Cosenz, who is called " his soul ; " but, by way of
change, he did not go by land, but embarked in a
boat. Garibaldi is one of those superior minds
who, however engrossed by an idea, and how-
ever overworked, always find a moment to give
to whatever is interesting, beautiful, or instructive
about them. As an old sailor, everything regard-
ing the Straits is of double interest to him at this
moment—the currents, their changes, the depth of
the water, the anchorage, the shipping, the boats,
the fisheries and the fishermen—in a word, what-
ever concerns these curious and beautiful waters.
He talks to the fishermen, looks on with interest
at the spearing of the swordfish, and tells, proba-
bly, an incident of his life in South America, or
makes a comparison with his experiences at some
other of the strange and numerous coasts which he
has visited. Then there are those beautiful Cala-
brian mountains, which look so well from the sea;
white Reggio, straggling San Giovanni, and black
Scylla. Yesterday the amphibious disposition of
the sailor-soldier already told, and he came back by
sea, and the attraction was so great that the boat
was likewise ordered for to-day.
But there was another object in view to-day, for
which a boat was handy. I have told you of the
two salt-water lakes on the low, sandy penin-
sula which ends at the Faro point. A narrow
but sufficiently deep canal connects them with the
sea, making of them a kind of natural port for
tolerably-sized boats. It was thus the very place
for making preparations. Twenty large barges,
most of them still marked on the stern as having
belonged to the service of the Menageries Imperiales,
were collected some time ago, and Colonel
Bodroni, an Italian by birth, but French by
education, was intrusted with preparing them
for the embarkation of horses and artil-

lery. Expert in naval construction and fill of
energy, Colonel Bodroni, completed his task in a
_ _

few days. The barges were covered in by solid
platforms, a railing was made on three sides, and
on the fourth a bridge on hinges to facilitate the
disembarcation. Each of the barges can carry 20
horses, and in the space below from 80 to 100 men,
for a short passage. Besides this, about 150 large-
sized coasting and fishing boats have been collected
all along the coast, each of them capable of carrying
from 10 to 20 men. Then there are three steamers,
the city of Aberdeen, one of the old wooden paddle-
wheel steamers, formerly used for peaceful traffic
along the east coast of England ; the Calabria, and
her companion the Duca d'Alba, which were taken
by the Turkori, alias Veloce. With these means
5,C00 men can be thrown across in less than half an
hour. The distance between the Faro and the
nearest point on the other side, " Torre Cavallo,''
is 3,700 metres. In peaceful times, people who
dine at the Faro are in the habit of sending across
an hour before dinner-time for their ice, or rather
snow.. There is at times a difficulty, on account of
the current; it changes every six hours, flowing in
turns up and down. It increases and decreases

with the phases of the moon, being the strongest at
full and new moon; just at this moment it is mild
enough, as you may judge by the Neapolitan
steamers, who in their cruisings let themselves float
_ _

down and then steam up again. During the greatest
strength of the current, ships cannot anchor, there
being the additimal difficulty of great depth close
to the shore.

All this day the Neapolitan steamers were very
shy in coming within range of the Faro batteries,
which increase in strength every day. Half of them
were playing abmt the Punta di Pezzo, and the other
half above Scyla, in the direction of Bagnara and
Palmi, both of vhich you can see distinctly, the
first forming acluster of houses close to the sea-
shore, and the se,cond visible on the top of the high
steep cliffs whic>l bound the coast beyond Bagnara.
It was evening before Garibaldi returned from
the Faro. He had scarcely come in when the
Commanders of Divisions and Brigades in
aMes-
sina, as well al the chiefs of the different military
departments,
'ere with him, expecting to hear
something
about the dispositions to be taken. Re-
gular councils of war are unknown with us, and
an immense
clvantage it is ; but every one who
has
for himself, or any observa-
tionsggostions to make, is listened to if he
chooses or anything
u to hing
suggestions
to say
present himself. As for the decisions,
there is one malt who takes them. It is most inte-
resting to watch the manner in which Garibaldi's
decisions are taken. The initiative comes almost
invariably from him ;, his mind seems the fullest
and most active. He knows better than any man
that in a popular movement, and with volunteer
soldiers such as he has, it is dangerous to stop long
and leave them n idleness. Besides, he is anxious
to finish his task, and return to his solitary island
of Caprera. while, therefore, the others allow
close on their laurels, he seeks for
fresh themselves
ones.
O
tters think invariably that things
are not enough prepared ; he, on the contrary, be-
lieves the means
is sufficient goodwill.A new plan once hinted at,
always sufficient provided there
other minds are let to work, and suggestions follow
which produce their effect; and during this inter-
mediate stage those who don't know Garibaldi
would almost mils
that energetic determination for
which he has the credit. But those who do know
him see in this
indecision the energetic work of
his genius, seeking for the right determination. It
Lasts i
it is as if Garibaldi awoke from a dream. All hesi-
tationtwmiwith
eh a till
fim
isrt
every the
n eeverse:3' moment of action. This come,
order follows order distinctly, and
But 11 Which shows that the decision is
irrevocable.
to work out these orders. They con-
tainmerely the general idea; the details are ]eft to
the discretion of the commanders. In battle Gari-
bildi is less what may be called commander-in-chief
Garibaldi expects at the same

than a general helper in difficulties, appearing
always at the most exposed point, and animating
and repairing the fight. With ordinary commanders
accustomed to routine, this would be dangerous;
but are rather inclined to take the
other course, o
here is not much danger of a want
of mostm a
nm ofd n
any point.
This evening we had an alarm. About 9 p.m. a
e oos ours
success
hin lerranuov a, where our outposts stand.
T of
musket shots were heard towards the
p
imagination of the Messinese, heated by the
story of the threats of Clary in ease of a descent on
the coast of Calabria, thought he had anticipated
his time, and the evening promenaders in the streets
were rather scarce in a few moments. I hastened
aea
d ioni
to
tspot, and found our men already under arms.
There several large monasteries in that part
which have been taken up as barracks; thus there
is a ready force at hand. It was not required in this
case. The alarm was caused by the Neapolitans
firing eoffdozen shots, and then running away.
The whole long line was abandoned when I arrived,
e are
and as far as you could see in the pale moonlight not
a man of the enemy was visible. All was clear as
far as the three lights which mark the entrance of
the fort. ?Medici, whose people furnished the ad-
vanced guard, and who is besides commandant of
the province and town, was already on the spot, and
everyone was puzzling his ahead to explain the
mystery of the disappearance of the Neapolitan out-
posts. The most probable supposition is that some
one tried to desert, and the sentries nearest fired,
spreading the alarm, which was caught up, and led
to the precipitate retreat of the outposts.

AUGUST 8.

1 All this day was a day of stir and movement.
Garibaldi off to the Faro, as usual, early in the
_
up ; the guides, usually the most
quarters almost deserted ; the Etat-
Major packing
morning ; head.
leisurely
gentlemen of the force, this morning and
all day running about on foot, or driving about in
carriages.
Everyone demanding of everyone else,
Are you going ? Who is going ? Who is remain.
iwg ? Are you going by sea or by land,—during
the day or in the evening ? The contractors posi.
tively distracted, and, with sweat on their brows,

seeking for comestibles, looking in at bakers', en-
treating shopmen, dealing in " colonies," macca-
roni, and rice, or bullying wine-shop keepers. The
townspeople putting their heads together, making
conjectures, and coming to the conclusion that
something was up. A general razzia on all carts
and carriages that could be laid hold of. The Com-
mandante di Piazza and the municipality com-
pletely demoralized and positively bewildered.
Even the blind could see and the deaf hear that
something unusual was going on, not excepting the
Neapolitan outposts, which had returned with day-
light. Besides this, the great search after boats
and the direction of those laden with all kinds of
baggage and stores towards the Faro could be
plainly seen from the fort. As almost the only
topic is the descent on the coast of Calabria, the
conclusion about the meaning of this stir was easy
enough. The long-talked of expedition must be
coming off.

ON BOARD THE CITY OF ABERDEEN,
AUG. a.
If Messina was yesterday the scene of unusual
stir and activity, the road to the Faro and the vil-
lage of Faro Inferiore, with all its neighbourhood,
was ten times more so. AU this space was like an
ant-hill--all in motion. In what is called a regu-
lar army two-thirds of this space would have been
taken up by carts and horses. With us irregulars
it is rather different. Baggage is a faint tradition,
train unknown, Commissariat dispositions shock-
ingly moderate. The soldier carries everything,
and that is very little. Happy he if he has an
extra shirt and drawers, which take little room in
the havresack, and leave plenty of space for biscuit
or bread, and happier still if he has a greatcoat
over his linen or cotton suit. Most have merely a
smaller or heavier blanket, which serves instead.
In this way our forces can be contracted like the
tubes of a telescope. Had it not been for this it
would have been impossible to get all the forces col-
lected which found room last night and.this morn-
ing on and about the Faro Point.

The whole of the artillery and field guns, as well
as of position guns, were already there, together
with the Engineers, Sappers and Miners, and all
the materiel which these arms require. The Faro
Point bad been the general port for all materiel
ever since we came to Messina. So you may
imagine that a good deal of room was monopolized
by these first corners. Yesterday the Division
Cosenz and the Brigade Sacchi had received orders
to come up. The first had been echeloned all along
the road from Messina to the very extreme point of
the Faro, its left wing resting on the outskirts of
the town and occupying two large monastries there ;
the rest disposed in the villages and hamlets along
the road. All this force had received orders to
start at nightfall, and to be by 11 p.m. as close as
possible to the place of embarcation at the Faro.
The Brigade Sacchi, quartered in the village and in
the neighbourhood of it, on the first heights above
the Faro Point, had orders to descend and follow
up the rear guard of the Division Cosenz. The
Second Br4ade of the Division Turr, quartered in
Messina, had to leave at night and be at dawn at
Pace, a village two-thirds of the road. The whole
force thus collected cannot have been less than
10,000 men, exclusive of the artillery.
Now about the object of this concentration.
Two plans presented themselves in pursuing offen-
sive operations, the first more brilliant and more
expeditious, but likewise more hazardous; it was
to collect the forces and transport them into the
heart of the continental possessions of the King of
Naples; the second to effect a landing in Calabria,
and work up our way through the country to
Naples. Were Garibaldi's views only directed to
Naples he would, I am sure, scarcely have hesitated
between the two, and chosen the more hazardous
one, as more suited to his taste. But his ideas aim
higher, to the unity of Italy, for which all Italy
should co-operate, Calabria as well as all the rest.
It is a practical way of completing the union this
passing from one end of Italy towards the other,
planting national ideas, making them take root,
grow, and mature ; teaching that example of sacri-
fice and devotion which Upper Italy gives to the
rest by sending her sons to fight, suffer hardships,
and die in the interest of the common cause. Cala-
bria contains elements which one day may be most
important in establishing and defending Italian in-
dependence. Besides this, there was a formal call
for Garibaldi by representatives of all the towns of
Calabria, asking for his speedy arrival—a call he
could not very well resist.

These reasons decided him to choose the longer
but more complete and surer road towards his great
aim. The Calabrese soldiers who fought in 1848 in
Upper Italy showed what this element might be-
come in good hands, and Garibaldi is not the man
who would forget this in his " great national re-
cruiting tour," as this campaign may be called.
Once the resolution was taken to disembark in
Calabria in preference to going higher up, the
places which offered the greatest facilities became
self-evident. It was the line from Torre di Cavallo
to the Punta di Pezzo, about three miles in length,
and with a good beach. Higher up you have
rocks and breakers, and at Scylla a stronger cur-
rent. Lower down you are just on the line of com-
munication between Messina and San Giovanni and
Reggio, exposed to the batteries of the first, besides
the steamers which take their berth at the last two
places.

Torre di Cavallo, which is likewise the nearest
point of the opposite coast, is a small plateau, about
100 feet above the road, which is itself a little above
the beach. It forms a horseshoe, from which cir-
cumstance I suspect it has derived its name. To the
north, in the direction of Scylla, the rock is almost
perpendicular, and comes down close to the road ;
it seems rather fragile, for you can see the buttresses
by which the road is protected. You can see like-
wise a small stonework, which is said to mount
about 20 guns. On the southerly point of the
plateau is another fort, mounting about the same
number of guns. This latter is called the fort of
the Fiumara, overlooking as it does a little moun-
tain torrent, or rather, its dry, gravelly bed. Then
follows a succession of gardens for two miles, inter-
sected only by two other little dry river beds, and
then Comes the straggling village of Cannitello,
which extends to the Punta di Pezzo. The road
after skirting Torre di Cavallo, and crossing the
first Fiumara, loses itself among the gardens, pas-
sing several clusters of houses on its way. This
makes the part from Torro di Cavallo down to Can-
nitello look rather quiet, and just the place for a
descent. The garrison, as far as one: could ascer-
tain from the best sources, is not more than 150 or
200 men. Towards the sea the fort is open, it being
inaccessible from the height and steepness of the
rock. The chief defence is on the land side, where
it is well protected.
From the first it seemed desirable to surprise one
of the positions on the opposite side, the possession
of which would facilitate the landing of the main
force. The question was between this Fort of the
Fiumara and the Fort of Scylla. According to the
information received this latter had a very small
garrison, scarcely 30 men, which circumstance
turned our attention towards this point. In order
to ascertain the exact circumstances, Major Missori,
of the Guides, was sent across in disguise. He
succeeded in landing without difficulty, remained
two days on the other side and returned. This
facility would be surprising, if anything in Neapo-
litan tactics could surprise. People cross over from
one side to the other without difficulty and without
any question being asked. A number of officers
belonging to Calabrian families have more than
once gone over to see their relations, from whom
they have been separated by an exile of years.
Well, Major Missori went over like so many
others, and saw what there was to be seen at Scylla.
The Fort of Scylla is perched on a detached rock with
almost perpendicular sides, and connected by a
drawbridge s ith the town, which lies on a moun-
tain spur, and extends down to the beach on both
sides. Close to the Fort is a church, and in front of
it an open space, used as a market place. From the
corner of this a narrow passage of about 25 yards
leads up to the drawbridge. Until quite lately there
was one sentinel at the drawbridge and another
over the gate. In expectation probably of coming
events, the garrison was lately increased to 120 men,
and had taken precautions against a surprise. A
detachment was encamped before the church, and
two sentinels placed at the entrance of the passage

towards the drawbridge. This made a coup de 9tain ,
more difficult, because it required a greater number
of men, and therefore exposed you to being dis-
covered. Once the drawbridge up there was no
chance, except in a regular attack with guns.
Notwitstanding this increased difficulty, Major
Missori, having examined the place, projected a plan
for a coup de main. A hundred chosen men, dressed
as country people and provided with revolvers, were
to be taken over in batches of five and six, and to
unite at one or more places. They were to come to
the market place in the morning, when the draw-
bridge is down, and mix with the people and soldiers
before the church. The two sentinels were, at a
given signal, to be overpowered, and a determined
rush made by one portion of the assailants over the
drawbridge, while the other was to detain the sol-
diers and prevent their helping their companions.
The plan had its merits ; but several reasons fa-
voured a coup de main on the Fort of Fiumara. The
chief of these was that the coup de main on the lat-
ter could be best undertaken at night time, and im-
mediately followed up by the landing of a consider-
able force, while that on Scylla could only be under-
taken in the day time, when the drawbridge was
down, but when, at the same time, there was more
danger from the Neapolitan steamers.
An attack on the Fort of Fiumara was, there-
fore, chosen as the preliminary to a descent in force.
Major Missori was chosen to carry it out. He re-
ceived about 40 guides, all proved young men, 100
men of the brigade Sacchi, and about 50 men
chosen from different corps under the orders of Col.
Le Flot. They were to embark at the Faro, at
10 p.m., in boats, and row right across to the
Fiumara, below the fort, make a rush at it and
escalade it, for which purpose they were to carry
ladders and other material with them. Three can-
non shot were to be the signal that the coup de
main had succeeded.

In the meantime the Division Cosenz was to be in
readiness. About 2,000 were to be embarked in
three steamers, and the rest prepared to embark in
the boats, which were drawn up on the beach, the
boats prepared for the gins and horses to be laden
in the little lake, and brought out at the moment,
to be taken in tow by the steamers. As soon as the
disembarcation was happily executed the steamers
were to return and continue to embark the different
corps.

The preliminaries were successful enough. Men,
steamers, and boats were all in readiness, and at the
given time 32 boats laden with the little band
chosen for the first trial. They started under
favourable circumstances enough, the night being
rather dark, and the Neapolitan steamers at a good
distance. Three other boats started a little later,
having been detained by the embarcation of mate-
riel. All was expectation during the next half-
hour, and, as the greatest silence prevailed on the
other side, and no stir was audible, every one hoped
that all was right, when all at once the flash
and report of a gun, followed by a few shots of mus-
ketry, dispelled this illusion, and hope gave way
to anxiety for the fate of this forlorn hope. It
was a painful half hoar, as you may imagine: The
sound of oars made an end of it, a rush followed
towards the beach, and soon after, one after
another, in came the 32 boats, bringing the news
that they had landed their men without being ob-
served, and were just preparing to return, when
the alarm gun was fired from the fort. How
the alarm was caused remained a mystery which
as yet is not sufficiently cleared up. Soon after
the three other boats returned ; but with their men.
They had missed the road, or had been carried to
another point by the current, and the alarm was
given before they could land their men. The most
probable supposition is, therefore, that they had
attracted notice and awakened attention. That the
alarm was given most thoroughly there could be
no doubt, for the three boats tried several times to
go across, but always returned, having heard the
drums beat.
Still the hope remained that, the attention of the
the enemy being attracted towards the sea, those
who had landed might escape observation, and thus
succeed in their enterprise. But hour after hour
has passed since without bringing the desired sig-
nal of the. three cannon shots. Towards morning
two rockets were sent up ; this was the only sign
of life which was visible on the other side. Ever
since day has broke glasses are in constant requi-
sition. Eyes are strained to see whether there is not
some sign, a cloud of smoke, or roll of musketry, or
movement of troops. Towards 10 a.m. about a com-
pany of infantry, a peloton of lancers, and two guns
were seen along the road under the Fort of Fiu-
mara. They came down and advanced almost to
the sea. They had all the appearance of a recon-
noitring party, with all the precautions of a march
in face of the enemy. From time to time they
hastened their march, which seemed now and then
almost a rush; they halted and formed in order of
battle ; in one word, they looked as if they were in
search of some one they suspected to be there.
Weary with expectation and from the effects of a
sleepless night, most of the people on board have
sought a corner to lie down for a moment's rat ; the
General himself has retired for a moment to his
room, and the heavily ornamented and faded look-
ing saloon of the old City of Aberdeen is filled with
reclining figures which look picturesque enough on
that venerable-looking dark crimson velvet. In one
corner is the tall thin figure of Cosenz, still showing
on the neck the traces of the wound received at Me-
lazzo, with the never-failing snectacles near him,
and attired in his uniform as brigadier of the Pied-
montese army. In the opposite corner lies General
Sirtori, the chief of the Etat-Major. In another is
the gray head of Guzmaroli, the faithful follower
of Garibaldi, whether he be in Caprera or in Lom-
bardy, Rome, or Sicily. And then comes the smaller
fry of more or less unknown faces, for there has
been an influx of the staff lately ; not a day passes
without bringing more than one individual who has
already belonged to some force commanded by Gari-
baldi, or is recommended to him as the most capable
person to do everything in general, but having a
special inclination to belong to his staff. The descent
in Calabria was, of course, too brilliant an affair to
lose, and so every one who could tried to get on
board one of the steamers by fair means or subter-
fuges—ltalians, and people of all corners of Europe,
soldiers and civilians, speaking a babel of languages,
and wearing a regular curiosity shop of costumes ;
priests, monks, publicists, newspaper correspondents,
artists—in one word, every sort and kind of mix-
ture. Besides those on deck and between decks a
battalion of riflemen, artillery, sappers and miners,
sailors, engineers, and stokers—nay, even ladies, one
of them in the costume of the Guides, as a disciple
of Miss Nightingale, and the other in a elegant
morning costume as she had left Messina yesterday.
On shore nothing but soldiers, eating, drinking,
sleeping,
playing, lounging about, talking, joking,
quarrelling; busy officers running about or trying
to get their recalcitrant steeds through the crowd;
artillery drawn up in line on the beach; bullock
carts standing in the way, with denser crowds round
them waiting for the distribution of the rations; in
the distance the Neapolitan steamers exhibiting
considerable curiosity about our proceedings. All
this gives a picture worthy of the best pencil.

AT THE FARO, AUG. 10.
Yesterday, about noon, all minds were relieved
by the news which came of the forlorn hope on the
other side. They were all safe at St. Angelo in the
mountains, and had been already joined by a num-
ber of Calabrese insurgents. They hoped to be soon
numerous enough to undertake something. This
news was not alone welcome as reassuring about the
safety of the chosen lot, but likewise important as
it brought another feature into the whole affair.
Of course, according to all the laws of warfare, an
adversary may follow up his success as he best can,
so I suppose no one would have a light to complain
of a descent of Garibaldi's on the continent. It was
simply using the right of warfare. An insurrection
in Calabria, besides being an assistance in military
operations, has the advantage of silencing all objec-
tions which might be raised. It was, above all, with
a view of attracting attention to the sea, and thus
giving time to the insurrectionary force to increase,
that last night steam was got up and several feints
were made to go across. The feint succeeded, and
all night long the steamers, gunboats, and the gar-
risons of the forts were kept on the alert. There was
a continual signalling, going to and fro, showing
again) but scarcely any
lights, putting them out