The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-12 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence•

VALETTA, Jan. 6.—Lord C. Paget, taking ad-
vantage of the departure of the Caradoc to fetch
Capt. Clarke, director of Admiralty Works, left in
her on Tuesday last for Naples, where he is likely to
meet with Mr. Gladstone, Sir G. Grey, and others
of his old colleagues who are at present sojourning
in Italy. The Caradoc, bearing the flag of the naval
Commander-in-Chief, returned at 9 o'clock this
evening. It is understood he had hastened to return
as his services may soon be wanted for the investi-
ture of the Viceroy of Egypt as Grand Cross of the
Bath, and it is, I understand, the wish of the Queen
that the ceremony should be performed by the pre-
sent naval Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterra-
nean. It will be rendered as grand and imposing as
possible, and for this purpose a squadron of British
ships of war will assemble at Alexandria, for which
place of rendezvous several vessels have already
taken their departure. The Endymion, 21, screw
frigate, Capt. C. Wake, left on the 2d inst. for Alex-
andria, and the Resistance left on the 3d for the
Piraeus, to relieve the Arethusa, 35, screw frigate,
Capt. R. J. Macdonald, which, it is rumoured, will
proceed to Alexandria to await his lordship's arrival.
The Cruiser, 5, screw sloop, Commander M. Singer,
has sailed for Beyrout, to relieve the Racer, 14, Com-
mander L. Brine; both these vessels, it is probable,
will form part of the complimentary squadron.
H.M.S. Cossack, 20, Capt. R. D. White, left Malta
harbour on the 3d inst. for Spithead and Sheerness
to be paid off. The Prussian screw corvette Gazelle,
28, left on the Ist inst. for Naples, and the screw
gunboat Blitz, 4, of the same nation, left on the
same day for the Piraeus and Constantinople. The
United States' screw corvette Canandaigua, 9,
Capt. H. Upshur, has received orders to join Ad-
miral Goldsborough, whose flagship, the Colorado,
is at anchor at Nice. The greatest cordiality has
prevailed between her officers and crew and those of
her Majesty's ships and the regiments in garrison,
and hospitalities have been exchanged. She leaves
on the Bth inst. A party of naval officers, consist-
ing of Commander Fairfax, Commander Hopkins,
Lieut. Kennedy, and Mr. Brown, R.N., took their
departure on New Year's-day in the cutter yacht
Melita, of 24 tons, to shoot hares, woodcocks, deer,
and wild boars on the Albanian coast. A court-
martial assembled on the 31st ult., on board her
Majesty's ship Hibernia, to try Mr. Purkis, assist.-
engineer, first-class, of her Majesty's ship Psyche,

on the fallowing charge :—Returning-,,, on board iu a
partial state of intoxication, creating a disturbance
on the upper deck, and conducting himself in a dis-
respectful manner towards Mr. Fleitzel, his superior
officer. Capt. Hilyer, C. 8., commanding her
Majesty's ship Resistance, presided, and Mr. H. 11.
Shanks, secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, offi-
ciated as judge-advocate. The accused was found
guilty, but in consideration of his previoT high
character was only sentenced to be severely repri-
manded and dismissed his ship. The Court having
been dissolved, re-assembled to try another assist.-
engineer, first-class, Mr. Blackwood, of the Caradoc,
on a charge of drunkenness, which being fully proved,
he was sentenced to be dismissed from her Ma-
jesty's service. The Roman Catholic Arch-
bishop of Malta entertained Sir Henry Storks at
dinner on the 31st ult., and the Governor gave
a return dinner on the 3d instant, to the Arch-
bishop. Lady Clarence Paget gave a splendid
ball on the evening of the 31st ult. Among the

guests were the officers of the American sloop
Canandaigua and the Prussian war vessels Gazelle
and Blitz. The Governor has issued invitations for
balls at. the Palace on the 10th of January and the
6th of February. The folloA ing appointments have
been made by the Commander-in-Chief :—Lieut.
Nuthall, of the Resistance, to the Victoria, as addi-
tional Lieut. ; Mr. George Watson, engineer-in-
charge in thayrian, to the Psyche, recommissioned ;
Mr.J.W. Nott, engineer, additional of the Victoria, to
the Tyrian, as engineer in charge, vice Watson ; Mr.
E. J. Behenna, second master; Mr. W. Wyvil, en-
gineer ; and Mr. J. Wright (b), engineer, all addi-
tional, of the Victoria, to the Psyche. On the 4th
inst. two Government notices were issued reducing
the quarantine on arrivals from Sicily with foul bills
of health from 21 to 15 days, and intimating that
the quarantine on arrivals from the same island with
clean bills of health shall remain as notified on 27th
December last--that is to say, seven days. The
other notice referred to the importation of cattle,
and directed that cattle arriving at this island from
the regency of Tunis, or from Algiers, be admitted
in free pratique.
The Orontes, iron troopship, Capt. H. Phelps, in
dock at Portsmouth, and preparing for foreign troop
service, had her hull below the water line examined
and reported upon yesterday by the officials of the
yard. The Orontes has been eight months out of
dock, and the greater part of this time has been on
foreign service ; but her bottom plates are now nearly
as clean as when she was first put out of dock prior
to her last trip. She is paid over below the water-
line with the Admiralty, or Hay's preventive and
anti-fouling composition. A portion of the plating
just below the water-line has been slightly indented
by rubbing against some wharf, or iron troop boat
--such as is made use of at Ascension for the embar-
kation and disembarkation of troops ; but the da-
mage is but slight, and can readily be repaired, and
without any loss of time in dock. The Orontes is
under orders to sail from Portsmouth for the Cape,
China, and Japan about the 23d inst., and will call
at western ports on her way down channel. Sixteen
naval engineersand 96 stokers are ordered to embark
on board her on the 21st inst. from the Ports-
mouth Steam Reserve for passage to China. They
will be at the disposal of the Commander-in-Chief
on that station, for service in gunboats and other

vessels.
Tier Majesty's screw troopship Himalaya was put
through a trial of her machinery and speed at the
measured mile in Stokes Bay, yesterday, on the com-
pletion of her repairs, alterations, and refit for further
troop service on re-commission. Commander Wells,
H.M.S. Asia, was in charge of the ship, and the trial
was conducted by Messrs. Ward and Murdock, Chief
Inspectors of Machinery Afloat, of the Steam Fac-
tory and Reserve ; and Mr. Brain, Assistant-Mas-
ter Shipwright. Six runs were made over the mea-
sured mile with the ship drawing 18ft. lin. of water
forward and 20ft. aft, the mean speed of the ship
being 13.637 knots. A full circle was turned to port
in 9min: 3sec., and to starboard in 9min. 32sec. The
machinery worked satisfactorily, and the Himalaya
returned to Portsmouth harbour to complete the
necessary measures for immediate commission. It
is reported that Capt. Shute B. Piers will now eon-