The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-06 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, Oct. 30.—Several ships of the squadron
have returned to Malta during the week, and, being
provided with clean bills of health, have been ad-
mitted to free pratique. The Vice-Admiral Com-
mander-in-Chief the Right Hon. Lord Clarence
Paget, C. 8., with the Caledonia, 31, iron-clad
(flag), and the despatch vessel Psyche, was still at
Naples on the 23d inst., but is expected here shortly.
The Caledonia, Endymion, and Psyche left Spezia
on the evening of the 17th inst., for Porto Ferrajo,
and, after remaining there a few days, went on to
Naples. The Endymion, however, did not anchor
in the Bay, but received orders by signal from the
flagship, which had arrivel there before her, to
proceed at once to Malta, and she arrived unex-
pectedly on the 25th inst. The Arethusa, 35, screw
frigate, Capt. R. Coote, arrived here on the after-
noon of the 20th, and, after remaining a week to
refit, left early on the morning of the 28th for the
Piraeus, where she is to relieve the Racer and send
her to Malta. She took up several supernumera-
ries for the Racer, and Lieut. Elphinstone, who is
proceeding to Constantinople to assume the com-
mand of the Caradoc, vice E. H. Wilkinson,
promoted. The Tyrian, 1, screw gunboat, under
the temporary command of Lieutenant Cole,
arrived on the 21st instant from Spezia, and,
having been joined here by Lieutenant-Comman-
der E. J. Church, will leave about the 10th
proximo for Candia, to relieve the Wizard,
1, screw gunboat, Lieut.-Com. P. J. Murray, which
vessel returns to this island. The Cruiser, 5, screw
sloop, Coin. M. Singer, arrived from Spezia on the
morning of the 23d inst., and was admitted into
dock on the following day to repair the defects sus-
tained by her in the late gale on the coast of Italy.
The Enterprise, 4, iron screw sloop, Com. Bosan-
quet, arrived on the 28th from Beyrout, and is to be
replaced on the coast of Syria by the Cruiser which,
it is expected, will have completed her repairs before
the middle of next month. The new screw iron
troopship Serapis, Capt. J. C. Soady, passed this
island on the afternoon of the 25th inst., with In-
dian reliefs on board from England, on her way to
Alexandria, but did not communicate, clean bills of
health not having then been issued. The Simoom,
screw iron troopship, Capt. Lethbridge, was to leave
Q uebec on Oct. 9th with the head-quarters of the
10th brigade Royal Artillery, for this garrison. Al-
lowing three weeks for the passage, she may be ex-
pected here in a few days. The Prince Consort, 31,
Capt. E. A. Inglefield, and the Royal Oak, 35,
Capt. the Hon. G. D. Keane (ironclads), whose
arrival at Gibraltar from Spezia and Marseilles has
been already announced, left for Lisbon on the 10th
inst. to join the ironclad experimental squadron
under command of Rear-Admiral Warden, C. 8.,
which arrived in the Tagus two days previously.
Dr. H. C. Woods, R.N., assist.-surg., late of the
Royal Oak, has arrived here from Gibraltar, to take
up his appointment as assist.-surg. of the Royal
Naval Hospital at this island. The Empress (No. 14)
hired screw transport, which conveyed mules from
Spain to Alexandria for the Abyssinian expedition,
repassed Malta to the westward on the 25th inst.
A telegram from Alexandria of Oct. 29 states that
the Bolivar (No. 17) hired screw transport, left that
port the day previous, and would call off Malta, to
land muleteers. Telegraphic orders were received
yesterday from the Admiralty for a ship of war to
proceed to Leghorn to embark and bring to Malta
the brother of the Tycoon of Japan. Rear-Admiral
Kellett immediately ordered the Endymion on this
service; and in spite of it blowing a gale from the
north-west, with heavy squalls accompanied by bail
and rain, she put to sea, in command of Captain
Charles Wake. I am happy to state that the cholera
bulletins were discontinued on the 25th inst., and
on the 28th the Government resumed the issue of
clean bills of health. The quarantine on Sicily has
been reduced from 30 to 15 days from infected ports,
and vessels from all ports issuing clean bills of health
are admitted to pratique. The 14th Regiment,
which was removed to Goze, on account of the
cholera breaking out among the men, has resumed
its former quarters at Pembroke Camp. The health
of the garrison and the population is now every-
thing that can be desired. The despatch-vessel
Psyche arrived last night front Naples. She left
the Admiral there on the 28th on board his flagship
the Caledonia. The Psyche arrived on the 23d at
Naples with the mails from Vile Frauche. The
Commander-in-Chief intended to remain at Naples
for a day or two longer, and may be expected in
Malta about Saturday or Sunday. Her Majesty's
ships in port are the Hibernia, receiving-ship (bear-
ing the flag of Rear-Admiral Kellett, C. 8.), the
Cruiser, the R Leer, the Pysche, and the Tyrian.
Yesterday the force of Royal Engineers selected
for service in Abyssinia, including the parties of
surveyors, photographers, telegraphists, well-borers,
and siguallers, with the 10th company of the corps,
left headluarters, Chatham, and proceeded by rail-
way to Woolwich, where they will embark on board
the chartered screw steamer Mendoza, 900 tons bur-
den,which conveys them to Massowah. Shortly after
9 o'clock the officers and men formed up on the pa-
rade ground at Brompton-barracks, the whole of
the officers and men not on duty turning out to wit-
ness their departure. On Saturday evening Major
G. D. Pritchard and the other officers proceeding
with the expedition were entertained at a farewell
nner by the officers of the Royal Engineers, in the
officers' mess room, Col. J. L. A. Simmons, C. 8.,
presiding. In proposing the healths of the officers
who were about to proceed to Abyssinia, Colonel
Simmons spoke in the highest terms of their fitness
for the duties they would be called on to discharge.
Yesterday morning, after inspecting the officers and
men prior to their departure, Colonel Simmons de-
livered a farewell address, in which, after giving
them some suitable advice on the nature of the ser-
vice on which they would be likely to be engaged,
he exhorted them, by their discipline and conduct,
to maintain, in a new and unknown country, the
high character always borne by the corps of Royal
Engineers. A round of cheering followed the con-
cluding observations of Col. Simmons, and imme-
diately afterwards Dr. J. B. Cockburn, the principal
surgeon of the corps, who came to the parade ground
to witness the departure of the expedition, was also
loudly cheered, some of the men expressing to him
the wish that he was going to accompany them.
The Royal Engineers, headed by their band,
marched from Brompton Barracks to the railway
station at Stroo-3, the troops at Chatham Barracks
turning out and giving them a parting cheer.
Oa arriving at the railway station they left for
Woolwich by the 11 a.m. train. Before going
down to Woolwich the Mendoza shipped the
major portion of the cargo in the London Docks,
including the No. 2 mountain battery of 7-
pounder guns sent up from Woolwich. The steve-
dore's gang were engaged during the whole of Sun-
day last in shipping, at the red buoy off Wool-
wich Arsenal, Snider ammunition, consisting of
4,840 boxes, weighing 140 tons, a large number of
rockets and shells for the mountain batteries in
cases, and other stores. At the moment of sailing
yesterday it was found necessary, for want of space,
to reject 600 rockets, which were consequently kept
for transport in some future vessel. Twenty staff
surgeons appointed for the expedition to Abyssinia
also joined the Mendoza. The Woolwich passenger
boat Penguin was taken up by the Indian Board to
convey the officers and troops, together with their
baggage, from the pier, and was constantly plying
to and fro during the morning. The vessel sailed
from the buoy about 3 p.m., and went down the
river on her voyage to Alexandria. Judging from
the appl luso which greeted the departure of the
troops, there is no doubt that the expedition meets
with general approbation.
Lieut.-Col. Milward, Assist.-Director of
Ordnance at the War Department, having been
selected by Geu. Sir Robert Napier to command the
mountain gun and rocket brigade attached to the
Abyssinian expedition, is ordered to hold himself in
readiness to embark on board the Indian troopship
Crocodile, to sail on the 21st ins'. Col. Milward
has been granted six months' leave of absence, his
duties at the -War-office to be carried out in the
meantime by Col. Younghusbaud, R.A., now in
Paris.

Yesterday morning Lieut. Hiller, with one ser-
geant, two corporals, 25 drivers, and 82 gunners—
total 110—of the 19th and 23th Brigade, lbt Depot

Royal Artillery, left Sheerness for Bengal, to fill
up the 19th Brigade, Royal Artillery, now at that
station. They proceeded by train to Gravesend,
where they embarked on board the sailing vessel
Countess Russell, and will at once proceed on their
journey to their destined stations.
Colour-Sergeant Collins, of the 32d Regiment,
committed suicide, at Colchester, on Monday, by
shooting himself with his rifle.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Crocodile, Capt.
G. W. Watson, is expected to arrive in the Channel
from Alexandria, with her first batch of returned
Indian troops on board, about the 12th hist. She
will most probably call in at Plymouth to land the
2d Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, which forms the
major part of her freight, and, if so, will convey
round to Portsmouth the 40th Regiment for Alder-
shot, now under orders in Plymouth Garrison to
move to the great camp of exercise.
The iron steamship Limerick, having embarked
300 tons of war stores at Woolwich Arsenal, yes-
terday left for the London Docks to complete her
cargo for the Mediterranean. The stores from
Woolwich consisted of gun carriages and slides of
the new Woolwich construction for the ships of the
squadron, and timber to be used for building pur-
poses at Malta. The Dorothy, sailing transport,
having shipped ammunition and other war stores
at Woolwich, has sailed for Trincomalee, and also
the War Department vessel Inkermann, with Pal-
liser shot and shell and guns, for Devonport, in
transit for India.
The turret-ship Royal Sovereign, tender to the
gunnery ship Excellent, Capt. H. Hood, C. 8.,
steamed out of harbour yesterday afternoon, and
anchored at Spithead, preparatory to making a
course of practice from the turret-gun mounted on
the new pattern iron carriage and slide, and other
experimental firing.
The Plover, double screw gun vessel, 6, Com-
mander Poland, has returned to Spithead from her
three days' cruise in the channel. She has a few
defects to make good before sailing for the West
Coast of Africa.
A private telegram received at Portsmouth yes-
terday from Devonport announced the arrival in
Plymouth Sound of her Majesty's screw troopship
Shnoom, Capt. T. B. Lethbridge, from Quebec and
Gibraltar, with troops.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Orontes, Captain
Henry Phelps, has to be docked and otherwise com-
pleted in her refit at Portsmouth, previous to her
being again despatched on a round of troop relief
service.