The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-13 00:00:00

With respect to the aim, the comparative number of I
hits and misses mentioned above speak for them-
selves ; but we may mention that volunteers and
regulars fired the guns by turn ; now fired Royal
Artillery, then fired volunteers, and the latter sent
their shot right through the holes whit`► had been
made by the former—never in a single instance
showing unsteadiness of aim or unreadiness in firing.
The practice will be continued day by day until the
final demolition of the tower has been achieved ; but
yesterday's firing was quite conclusive as to the
comparative merits, at long ranges, of the old and
new ordnance. It is consolatory, however, to learn
that inasmuch as the sailing vessels have not been
entirely superseded by the steamers, neither is the
smooth bore likely to be put altogether out of com-
mission by the rifled gun. It seemed to be the
general opinion on the ground yesterday that with
smooth bores—although thirty-twos may as well
be given up as against stone walls—very good prac-
tice may yet be made by sixty-eights at short
ranges. It is considered that with these guns, when
fired from a distance not too great to spoil the aim,
the shot will so shake the walls as to do more con-
clusive mischief than the conical projectile, which
goes right through. But it must be admitted that
it is very doubtful whether any enemy possessed of
rifled cannon would let our honest old sixty-eights
near enough to display their peculiar excellences.
It is not believed that the destruction of any
more martello towers will be necessary, except such
as may be in the condition of that which is now
suffering at Bexhill. This is so far satisfactory, as
they are a legacy of Nelson's times, and are said by
good authorities to be still available as a means of
preventing a hostile landing, and it is further con-
sidered that, if armed each with an Armstrong
gun on a traverse, they would effectually prevent
anything like a surprise by a hostile army. Another
plea for their preservation is that each cost the
country £3,000,—a rather considerable sum to be
pounded away in a day's experimental firing.
A sergeant's party from the photographic depart-
ment of the Royal Engineers was in attendance, and
took impressions of the effect of each shot and shell.

JIIE NAVY.

A letter from Malta, dated Valetta, Nov. 8, says

" Her Majesty's line-of-battle-ship Victor Em-
manuel, Capt. W. J. C. Clifford, arrived on Tues-
day last from Corfu. There have been no other
movements among the ships of war since my last.
Admiral Martin was still at Corfu by the last ac-
counts. The frigate Melpomene, Capt, C. J. Ewart,
is to leave for Corfu, with the mail just arrived in
the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Vectis, from Marseilles, for the fleet. Admiral Mar-
tin's family are to proceed in the Melpomene.

" The Right Hon. Sir J. M‘Neil arrived to-day
by the French steamer from Marseilles,
" A solemn requiem was performed yesterday
throughout the island for the souls of the faithful
who have fallen in defence of the Pope, and at the
Cathedral Church of St. John in Valetta the Bishop
of Malta performed the ceremony of high mass to a
large audience.
" Great activity is at present being displayed in
garrison in consequence of an order from the Ge-
neral Commanding in Chief, his Excellency Sir J.
Gaspard Le Marchant, that all the batteries should
be placed in a state of defence, so as to be able to
meet any attack at the shortest notice. 6,000 men
are now employed moving guns and munitions of
war for this purpose.

" Major F. Vane, 2d battalion 23d Regiment,
and Major Burke, 3d Buffs, returned to-day from
leave, to resume garrison duty.

" A letter from Alexandria of the 4th inst. says
that her Majesty's surveying vessel Firefly, Com-
mander Mansell, entered that port on the 2d inst.,
from Syria. She brought no news of importance.
Her stay at Alexandria was likely to extend to
two months.

" The first of the French transports left Galle
for Suez before the Colombo, so that the troops
who have been so long in the port of Alexandria
may now soon leave."
The hired transport Sultana, Commander A.
Sharp, laden with 700 tons of war stores, yesterday
hauled alongside the Arsenal pier at Woolwich for
the purpose of embarking troops for Hong Kong,
whither she is destined with her cargo.
The War Department steamers Lord Panmure
and Balaklava, T. H. Moore and W. Pellat, masters
in charge, arrived at Woolwich yesterday from
Devonport and Portsmouth, calling at Purflect and
the Tower, and have commenced loading with
Armstrong shot and shell and other military stores
for the western ports.

The Undaunted, 51, one of the two improved
screw frigates now being built at Chatham, is or-
dered to be launched on the Ist of January next,
and every effort is being made to have her com-
pleted by that date. Her engines and machinery
are intended to be of 600-horse power (nominal),
and her armament is intended to consist exclusively
of Armstrong guns. The Belvidere, the other 51-
gun screw frigate building at Chatham, is progres-
sing very rapidly.

The Orpheus, 21, screw corvette, 400. horse power,
being fitted at Chatham for the steam reserve, hav-
ing been coppered and completed, has been removed
from the second dock, into which the Cormorant, 5,
and the Linnet, 5, screw despatch gun vessels, have
been taken to be completed for the steam reserve
ordinary at Chatham.

The Ariel, 9, screw, Commander Alexander, left
Spithead under sail yesterday, at 10 a.m., by the
Western Channel, for Plymouth Sound.
The Eagle training frigate, Commander Strode,
will proceed this morning from Portsmouth to her
moorings in Southampton-water.
The Meteor, 16, floating battery, has been placed
in No. 1 dock, in Portsmouth yard, for overhaul
and repair. A number of her timbers have been
found very defective and will have to be removed.
To enable the workmen to remove the timbers the
iron bolts are being knocked out of her two upper
rows of plates.

The Volcano, 6, floating factory, has been re-
moved from the ship basin to the steam basin in
Portsmouth yard, where she will r eceitre her machi-
nery, &c.

The Diadem, 32, screw, Capt. Cockburn, was ye 4
terday warped out of the steam basin at Ports_
mouth, on the completion of her repairs, and berthed
alongside her hulk in the harbour.
_ _

The following appointments were mach yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Commander Isf. B. Beding-
field to the Prometheus, vice Ce
mmander Skip-
with, invalided ; Lieut. R. Ilor,e to the Illustrious,
for service of the ordinary_ ; Arthur H. Kelly,
Assist-Surg., to the Ilibe-,rnia ;
Thomas West and
ting %hird-class assist: engineers,
to Samuelthe
as supernumeraries ; Robert
Jago, acting th;_
rd-class assist.-engineer, to the
Indus as suP'arnumerary ; and Henry Gray (a),
paymaster, additional, to the Formidable.