The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-20 00:00:00

THE CITY BURGLARIES.

Mr. GOVER moved the adoption of a report of
the Law, Parliamentary, and City Courts Com-
mittee on the several references made to them in
June last, relative to felons' goods, in which they
recommend that the sum of £5O realised by the
goods found upon the felons who had committed
the great burglary a couple of years ago upon Mr.
Walker, the jeweller in Cornhill, be banded over to
the latter.

Mr. MEDWIN moved an amendment that the sum
to be allowed to Mr. Walker be £240 instead of £5O.

The amendment, after a long and animated dis-
cussion, was rejected.
The original motion was then carried, and the
court adjourned.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE,

VALETTA, Sept. 15.—1 n my last letter it was
announced that there had been several deaths from
cholera in the newly-arrived 14th Regiment. Since
then, according to official information, there have
been five more deaths from the same cause in the
wing quartered at Pembroke Camp, two on the
9th, two on the 11th, and one on the 13th inst. A
case has also occurred in the other wing at Fort

Manoel. The poor fellow was seized while on guard
in another part of the fortress, and died in 12 hours.
Yesterday morning the wing at Pembroke Camp
was sent in her Majesty's steamer Hearty to Gozo.
It is to be quartered in Fort Chambray, one of the
healthiest and most comfortable barracks which the
island affords, and it is hoped the change will be
beneficial. On the morning of their embarkation an
attack of cholera took place among them. Happily
the other troops in garrison, up to the present time,
are free from all taint of disease, and the fever in
the Ist battalion of the Bth Regt. has disappeared.
The issue by Malta of foul bills of health has been
followed by the anticipated consequences. Mar-
seilles, the non-infected ports of Italy, Alexandria,
and Tunis (the latter country having herself only
just been delivered of the pest) have imposed various
terms of quarantine on arrivals from our island.
The cases during the week among the population
have scarcely ever exceeded two or three a day. As
we are now nearing the cooler season, hopes are
entertained that all traces of this baneful disease
will disappear. The new Indian troopship Croco-
dile, which was to leave England on the 15th inst.
with reliefs, will, I hear, coal at Gibraltar instead
of at Malta, to avoid quarantine at Alexandria, and
will not communicate in any way with this island.
The Hydra, surveying steamer, Capt. Shortlaud,
received orders to-day, by telegraph, to proceed to
the Arabian Gulf, calling at Gibraltar for further
instructions. She is to be employed in taking
soundings between Aden and Bombay, preparatory
to the Anglo-Indian Telegraph Cable being laid for
establishing telegraphic communication between
these two points, in connection with a line to Europe
by the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. She has
been fitted, provisioned, and stored for a year's ser-
vice, and will sail to-morrow morning for her long
voyage. A number of officers accredited to the In-
dian Government have passed through Malta during
the week on their way to the East, chiefly in con-
nection with the supplies for the expedition to Abys-
sinia. Deputy-Assist. Commissary-Generals Furse
and Casolani, and a commissariat clerk left Malta
a few days ago for this purpose in a small steamtug,
the packet Delta having declined to take passen-
gers from this island, as such a step would subject
her to quarantine on arrival at Alexandria. Some
260 mules have been secured in Malta for the ex-
pedition, and the number will probably be made up
to 300. The light pack mules have been selected.
The cost of these animals before they reach the Red
Sea will, it is thought, amount to £5O a head, or
£15,000. If this kind of anim it is to be used in pre-
ference to bullocks, would it not be a great saving,
and be at the same time very desirable, to seek for
them on the shores of the Red Sea itself ? A com-
missariat officer, who served for some time in the
Mauritius, informs me that the countries bor-
dering the Red Sea will supply any number of ex-
cellent mules already acclimatised, and procurable
at a comparatively small cost. Six years ago first-
rate mules, he assures me, used to be imported into
that island from the neighbourhood of the Red Sea,
for the Commissariat Department, free of all other
expenses, at £l2 each. A few Maltese carts, with
harness complete, have also been purchased for
transport purposes, they being considered very light
and well adapted for hilly countries. Letters from
the squadron of the 9th of September came to hand
this morning, via Marseilles. Lord C. Paget, with
the ships under his command, arrived at Bastia on
that day, having left Porto Ferrajo on the 3d to
meet the Psyche and despatch the mails. They
were to return to Spezzia shortly, and were likely to
remain in that neighbourhood for some time, as the
crews continued healthy. Lieutenant Howes, of
the flagship, was to be tried by court-martial,
charged with being asleep twice in two middle
watches, once during a gale at Gibraltar and

once at sea lately, besides being the worse for
drink. The youngest son of our present Gover-
nor, a child of about six years of age, died
on Wednesday last from choleraic diarrhoea. The
whole community have shown the deepest sympathy
with Sir Patrick and Lady Grant in their bereave-
ment. Letters from the Piraeus of the 3d September
say that since the middle of August the French
squadron had conveyed to the Piraeus from Candia
1,200 Cretans, the Russian ships 1,600, the Italian
390, the Austrian gunboat 300, and the Prussian
gunboat 250. The Greek blockade-runners had also
landed 1,000 at Nauplia. It is calculated that there
are now more than 30,000 Cretan refugees distri-
buted over Greece. The French squadron having
ceased bringing over any more of these distressed
people the various ships have been sent to the diffe-
rent stations. Th re has been a revulsion of feeling
against the French Admiral for having witnessed
the destruction of the Arkadi by the Turkish cruiser
lzzedin without interfering. The ships of war at
the Piraeus were the English corvette Racer, the
French war vessels Renommee and Promothile, the
Prussian gunboat Blitz, and the Greek corvette
Missolonghi.
We learn from Plymouth, by telegraph, that the
Lords of the Admiralty telegraphed at noon yester-
day to Port Admiral Sir W. F. Martin to prepare
for active service the screw;steam frigate Liffey,
31, Capt. Johnson ; the iron and armour-plated
turret ship Wivern, 4, Capt. Burgoyne; and the
gunboat Redwing, tender to the Cambridge. The
Wivern left the Sound by the western channel at
0 p.m., and then took a course for the Eddy-

stone, with the intention, apparently, of going to
the westward. The Redwing will probably fol-
low to-night. Capt. Johnson is absent on leave

'or ten days on account of a family affliction,

but he has been recalled, and will return to-night.
The Liffey was put into commission recently in place
of the Liverpool, and has been some time in the

Sound, expecting orders to cruise in the Channel ;
but counter-instructions were received on Monday.
She goes direct to Queenstown. This sudden Admi-
ralty order is attributed by some to the outrage at
Manchester on Wednesday, and the escape of Col.

Kelly and Capt. Deasy, while others attribute it to
the possibility of a second rising in Ireland.
The paddle-wheel steam yacht Black Eagle, Staff
Commander Thomas J. Whinier, from Portland,

arrived on Tuesday evening at Plymouth, with
the Secretary for War (Sir John Pakington) and
the Inspector-General of Engineers (General Sir

John F. Burgoyne), who are visiting the coast
fortifications. On Wednesday morning Major-Gen.

Spencer, K.C.8., Commander of the Forces in the
West, and Port Admiral Sir W. F. Martin, went on

board the Black Eagle. At noon Sir J. Pakington
embarked on board the steam tender Pincess Alice,
and accompanied by the Commander of the Forces,
Colonel A. Bean, R.A., Capt. Dunsford, and other

officers, proceeded up the Tamar, and having landed,
inspected the fort at Scraesdon, Tregantle, Pickle-

combe, &c. I.hey subsequently visited the fortifi-
cations on Straddon Heights, and then landed on
the breakwater in Plymouth Sound.
The St. George, unarmoured screw line of battle
ship, 72, 2,864 tons, 500 horse power, Capt. M. S.
Nollock, having completed her repairs and ordered
alterations to her internal fittings in Portsmouth
harbour, has rebent her sails, and will leave harbour
on Monday morning for Spithead, where she will
take on board ammunition preparatory to sailing for
Portland to resume her duties there as training ship.
The unarmoured screw line of battle ship Dun-
can, 3,127 tons, 800 horse power, Capt. Fellowes
(late of the Duke of Wellington), sailed from Spit-
head at daylight yesterday morning, for Queens-
ferry, Scotland, to assume her duties there as coast-
guard ship of the port and district.
The unarmoured screw line of battle ship Nelson,
2,736 tons, 500 horse power, Lieut.-Commander
Payne, Colonial Steam Guard and Training Ship,
is nearly complete in her outfit and receipt of stores
at Portsmouth, and will very shortly now sail for
het destination, Victoria. The Nelson takes out a
large quantity of stores for the colony, including
heavy rifled muzzle loading guns, with their iron
carriages and slides, large cast iron guns, bored out
and retubed with rifled steel tubes of 7 and 6.3 in.

diameter, on 11Iajor Palliser's plan as it is generally
termed, a large quantity of studded shot and shell
for the rifled guns, carefully packed each in a coarse
hempen bag, a transporting waggon for the 12i ton
guns for coast battery service, &c. The Nelson was
built at Woolwich from the design of the then Sur-
veyor of the Navy office, and after her launch she
was sent round to Portsmouth. Her only trip out-
side the latter port since that time was her trial of
speed over the measured mile in Stokes's-bay, on
being fitted, after alterations and conversion to a
steamship, with screw machinery.
The screw troopship Orontes, 2,812 tons, 500
horse-power, Capt. Henry Phelps, arrived at Ports-
mouth yesterday afternoon from Queenstown, Ire-
land, with the depot of the 60th Rifles on board.
The depot will be disembarked this morning, and
forwarded on to Winchester.

The foundation of the Shovel Rock Fort, inside
tthhreeberyeaekarws sinceate by having been completed some two or
the Admiralty, was then passed
into the control of the War Department, whose pro-
per office is, it appears, to erect all that portion of
the fortification which is above high water mark. It
appears that the War Office has at length deter-
mined to commence operations. The breakwater is
built
part,nea lyingrlyeast and west, and underneath the eas-
ternnearly Borth and south, is the
Shovel Rock. It is upon the inner or northern por-
tion of this rock, separate from the breakwater, that
the foundation is laid. The lower part of the foun-
dation consists of granite blocks and cement and con-
crete blocks faced with granite ; the inner portion is
filled in with cement concreteblocks brought up to high
water mark in one solid and compact foundation.
Upon this the basement is built, the till of the case-
mates being about 16ft. above high-water mark.
The inner, or north, side of the basement will con-
tain the magazines, and the sea, or south, side will
be fitted up as ablution rooms and accommodation
for men. From this basement communication will
be had by two circular staircases of stone to the
casemates over. We now come to a description of
the new work. Hitherto this erection has been called
the Shovel Rock Fort ; hereafter it will be termed
the Breakwater Fort. Although close to it, the
breakwater is unconnected with it, and there appears
no present intention of forming a connection. The
foundation is oval ; the fort will be the same, and
will extend to within four feet of the verge. The
masonry basement is 150 ft. east and west by 120 ft.
north and south. The casemates will be above 45ft.
deep, leaving open in the centre a space some 50ft.
by 30ft. The battery will mount 18 guns, which
will be nearly equidistant from each other, and will
point in all directions. The face of the battery is
lift. high, with a rake, like a ship's side, of 18in. ;
it will consist of three layers of 5-in, wrought iron
plates, bolted against perpendicular wrought-iron
ribs, about 3ft. apart. Three feet behind the ribs
there will be at intervals some wrought-iron cylin-
ders filled with the best concrete. They are to be
7f t. by 3ft., with the broadest part facing the ribs.
The roof of the casement will consist of arches of
brick covered with concrete 6ft. thick, and faced
with Seyssel asphalte to keep the casemates dry.
The accommodation for artillerymen is not very
extensive, but it is contemplated that, during peace
at least, it will not be necessary for many to be
stationed there. It is understood that Messrs. Hub-
bard, who have had several contracts at Plymouth
from tl.e Government will erect the Breakwater
Fort. After a minute inspection of the breakwater,
Sir John Pakington returned to the Black Eagle,
in Hameaze.
The detachment of non-commissioned officers and
sappers of the Royal Engineers selected for service
with the Abyssinian expedition are undergoing a
course of instruction, at the Royal Engineer estab-
lishment, Chatham, in day and night military sig-
nalling, under the direction of Capt. F. J. Botton,
12th Regiment. According to orders received from
headquarters, the detachment is to consist of 25
non-commissioned officers and men, half of whom
will be selected from the Royal Engineers' Train,
and the remainder from the companies at head-
quarters. The officers detailed to accompany the
Royal Engineers are Lieut. A. R. Puzey, just re-
turned with the party of Royal Engineers employed
on signal service in Ireland during the Fenian out-
break, and Lieut. J. L. Morgan, assistant instructor
of musketry at headquarters. A party of photo-
graphers will accompany the Royal Engineers for
the scenic views of the various localities passed
through by the forces comprising the expedition.
An order has been received at the headquarters
of the Royal Engineer establishment, Chatham, for
volunteering to be opened from the companies
companies
Brompton Barracks, for the three dp
iae st
service v India.
areia.
of Royal Engineers aboutbeingg
form e d inr ie
military requiredrufnhdeevrgonluinngteaeresenrsenf
for
this special
instruction in engi-
neering, topography,
and sapping and mining, pre-
viously to leaving for India in February next. It
is intended to form three skeleton companies of
Royal Engineers in India,
ltioldbßnn
eiistationedmy. respec-
tively at Calcutta, Madras,
Yesterday Major-GeneralJ.ol O.
MarinesTras Lighters, e.B. ,
Inspector-General of the Royal
engaged for the last few
Infantry, who has been
days in the inspection of theChathamdivistnioenoi of
Royal Marines Light Infantry,
completed
in-
spection of the Royal Marine establishment, and
will proceed this morning to visit
establishment at Gravesend, thelvhere
Marines are undergoing a course of instruction Royal
completion of the barrack insp
the use of the Snider breechleaecleitnicf r
n tihfl.
eelnsOn peettehre-
battalion of the Royal Marines,
General proceeded to Chatham linnesu,niwbheerrinegaasbmoaultl
400 men of all ranks, was drawn up under the com—
mand of Lieut.AColonel E. A. Wylde, for the
purpose of enabling General Trayers to test the

efficiency of the officers and men in battalion
exercises, and subalterns were singly called to the
front, and ordered to put the battalion through the
required movements. Gen. Travers also inspected'
the schools of the division. The inspection of the
Chatham division of Royal Marines, completed
yesterday afternoon, is understood to have been
highly satisfactory.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Captain J. Corbett, of the
Mersey, to the Britannia, vice Randolph, ap-
pointed Commodore at the Cape of Good Hope ;
Commander C. Parry to the Cordelia, vice Do
Wahl, promoted ; Commander 11. M'C. Alexander,
to the Alutine, vice Sw•inburne, invalided; Coin-

mander 11. L. Perceval to the Falcon, vice Blake,
promoted ; Lieut. J. M. D. Elphinstone, to the
Caradoc, vice Wilkinson, promoted ; Lieut. E. J•
Church, from the Excellent, to the Tyrian, vice
Montagu, promoted ; Lieut. B. S. Hamilton, from
the Revenge, to the Sharpshooter, vice Bas, pro-
moted ; Lieut. J. J. Martin, from the Duncan to
the Penguin, vice Garforth, prOmoted ; Navigating
Sub-Lieut. Thomas E. B. Cope, to the Challenger ;
and the Rev. J. Cawston to be chaplain to the
Royal Marines at Fort Cumberland.

ADHESION OF LIQUIDS.

- 4 -

Some of our readers may remember our giving,
many months ago, an account of a series of experi-
ments by Mr. Tomlinson, Lecturer on Experimental
Science, King's College School, London, relating
to certain manifestations of cohesion and adhesion
when a drop of a certain liquid is gently deposited
on the surface of another, such as water for
instance. Thus, a drop of oil of turpentine de-
posited on water will form an island, indented all
round in a peculiar way, different from that which
would be assumed by a drop of another substance,
the cause of the variety of figures.obtained being a
struggle between two contrary forces : that of cohe-
sion between the particles of the deposited liquid,
tending to contract them into a sort of convex lens,
and that of adhesion of the deposited liquid to the
water, tending to sp-ed out the former into a film.
Mr. Tomlinson has now published another series of
experiments on these cohesion-figures, in which he
took creosote on water as a standard. The former'
on being deposited on water, immediately assumes
the shape of a disk, indented like the rowel of a
spur, and of the size of a franc-piece. 018
will last about five minutes ; but if the tempera-
ture be below 10 degrees Centigrade, it will almost
instantly split open, and form a kind of ore-
gular arc, which soon after is shivered into a number
of separate disks, each resembling the original one:
The results of our author's experience are as f.°l
lows :-1. Creosote may be rendered inactive 0.6'1
stationary) by heat. 2. The adhesive force of the
liquid surface declines as the temperature is rasa':
This is shown by the creosote figure being either
not formed at all, or having, when formed, its daTe-
tion considerably extended. 3. The duration of to
.0.
figure is increased in a hydrogen, and diminished I_o
a carbonic acid atmosphere. 4. The adhesive force
of the surface is diminished by the addition to the
water of small portions of liquid and solid boch
soluble therein. 5. The adhesive force of the Sera
face is diminished or destroyed by placing 011 it „f
film of some other liquid. 6. The adhesive force
a film for the surface of water may be estimated by
the the displacing power of creosote, or by the increase'
duration of the creosote figure.