The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-30 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

MA LTA, April 25.—N0 more ships of war have
been despatched to Gibraltar since the Ocean, 24,
ironclad, left on the 22d. The Royal Oak, 35, and
Prince Consort, 35, ironclads, whose arrival at Gib-

raltar has already been announced, haveorders to re-
main there for the present. We have here the flag-
ship Victoria, 102, Resistance, 16, and Enterprise, 4,
the two latter ironeladi, Arethusa, and a few smaller

vessels. The Eudymion; 21, is at the Piraeus, the
Racer,ll, at ratras. The Caradoc is at Constantinople
and the Cockatrice at her station on the Danube.

The Right Rev. Dr. Trower, Bishop of Gibraltar,
accompanied by his family, and theVen. Archdeacon
Cleugh, left Malta yesterday for England, by way
of Sicily, Corfu, and Venice. It is not the intention

of his lordship to retain the bishopric.
Yesterday being the birthday of the Emperor of
Russia, the Russian squadron now anchored at the

Motherbank, under the command of Rear-Admiral
Kern, her Majesty's ships lying at Spithead and in

, -
Portsmouth harbour dressed out in colours in honour

of the day, her Majesty's ships hoisting at their main
royal mast heads the flag of the Russian navy, a
blue cross, diagonal, on a white field. At noon her
Majesty's ship Victory led off with the first gun of
a general salute, taken up in succession by her Ma-
jesty's ships Duke of Wellington and St. Vincent in
the harbour, and the Bellerophon and Lord Clyde

at Spithead. The Russian ships Askold and Variag,
and the guns on Portsmouth town fortifications also
joined in the salute.
Rear-Admiral F. Warden, C. 8., at present the
second in command of the Channel Fleet, but its
intended chief in the trials of 1867, rehoisted his

flag yesterday morning on board his fligship, the iron
frigate Minotaur, Capt. James G. Goodenough, at
Portsmouth. The sails of this frigate were bent
some days since, but yesterday they were set for the
first time, when, to the astonishment of all who wit-
nessed the performance, the upper topsailswerefound
to have been made much too deep in their hoist, and
the lower topsails (the ship carries double topsail
yards on four of her five masts) as much too small.
ller Majesty's paddlewheel steoin sloop Virago, 6,
Commander H. M. Bingham, from Portsmouth for
Australia, which was off the Start, Plymouth, all
well, at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, broke down her
starboard engine subsequently, and at 5 yesterday
morning was in a disabled condition outside the
Breakwater. She has been brought into harbour
by the tugboat Trusty.
The paddlewheel steamer Adder, Master Com-
mander Blakey, completed her repairs yesterday,
and will resume her duties as tender to the Welles-
ley, 72, in Chatham harbour, this morning.
The 98th Regiment, under the command of Col.
Peyton, who returned to England during the pant
week from service in India, paraded yesterday morn-
ing for inspection by Lieut.-General Sir George
Buller, K.C.8., in the Governor's-green at Ports-
mouth. They look remarkably well.
The 4th. Rifle Brigade, at present serving in
Canada, is shortly expected to leave that colony for
England, and on arrival will be quartered in Ports-
mouth garrison.

The 15th (the King's) llussars and the 17th

Lancers, at Aldershott, have commenced their troop
competition for prizes and badges. Ihe dexterity
shown in the nse of the cavalry weapons by both
regiments has been highly praised. Prizes are
awarded to three men out of every 50 who prove
their superiority after repeated encounters on horse-
back. The best swordsman in each troop received
2d. per day extra and the badge of the cross-swords
in silver. The other two prizemen receive Id. per
day extra, and the cross-sword badge in worsted. It
is .understood that in the regimental competition this
year the competitors will engage with equal wearons,
sword against sword, and lance against lance, and
not, as on former occasions, lance against sword,
and vice versa. The champion in this competition
will receive 3d. per day extra, and the badge of the
sworC.s in gold. Great interest is evinced in the corn-
petition and the results, both by participants and
spectators. The troops at Aldershott have been en-
gaged in the ordinary spring drill during the past
week. Lieut.-Gen. the lion. Sir James Yorke
Searlett, K.C.8., commanding the division, bad
ordered a field-day of the infantry on Wednesday,
and of the cavalry on Thursday; but, owing to the
unfavourable weather, a counter-order was issued.
Yesterday a detachment of 150 non-commissioned
officers and men belonging to the various depots,
comprising the 2d battalion of infantry at Chatham,
arrived at the garrison from Gravesend, after com-
pleting their course of ball practice at the Govern-
ment rifle range, previous to embarcation.
In the afternoon a similar detachment of the
same battalion left the garrison and marched to
Gravesend to undergo the course of rifle instruc-
tion.

A detachment, numbering 25 non-commissioned
officers and men, with three officers, will leave Chat-
ham garrison to-morrow for Hythe, there to un-
dergo a course of instruction with the Snider breech-
loader rifle at the School of Musketry.
A letter from Kingston, Jamaica, dated the 9th
inst., received by a Southampton corrrtspondent,
gives the following information respecting military
and naval movements at that place :—" The 84th
Regiment arrived at this port in her Majesty's trans-
port steamer Tamar, Capt. Sullivan, on the 2d inst.,
landed at Kingston on the following day, and
marched for Newcastle yesterday, passing the 6th
Regt. on its way to Kingston for embarkation. A
company under Captain Simpson bad started for
Manchester, where they had quarters prepared for
their reception. The 6t,h Royal Regiment are in
great spirits with the prospect of returning home.
A pile of wood 12ft. high was built by the regiment
above Newcastle and lighted when the Tamar hove
in sight. During their stay in Jamaica the regiment
has been deservedly popular. The Tamar spoke on
the 17th March, in lat. 24 24 N., long. 32 11 VV.,
the English bark IVarrior, bound for Callao ; and
on the 23d, in lat. 19 46 N., - long. 39 23 W., the
English bark Samuel, bound homeward. There is
nothing new from Honduras. Col. Hunt, Royal
Marines, proceeds to Belize, in the Ornew, in a few
days to organise a militia force, and he will be ac-
companied by Deputy Assist.-Commissary-General
Archer and two officers of the 4th West India Re-
giment. Her Majesty's ship Cadmus arrived on the
sth from Port an Prince, where she had been sent
to preserve and protect the interests of British sub-
jects during revolutionary proceedings. Her Ma-
jesty's ship Doris left this on the 27th ult. for Hali-
fax, with 30 cases of yellow fever on board. The in-
fection had been brought from Carthagena, where
she had but recently come from. H.M.S. Niinble
is at present on a cruise. She had arrived at St.
Jago and had left there for St. Domingo and Porto
Rico. Her Catholic Majesty's steamer Concepcion,
28 guns, arrived here yesterday from St. Jago de
Cuba, ostensibly on a cruise, but more likely for the
purpose of protesting the Spanish mail steamer
Montezuma between the Havannah and Colon, via
Jamaica and Santa Martha, which there is some
reason to suspect is watched by the Peruvians. De
Cordova's Gleaner, some few days ago announced
some startling particulars relative to an attemp
that had been made in Kingston to put certa
Peruvian passengers' (persons in the interest of
Peru) on board the Montezuma for Santa Martha,
The captain, however, suspected that all was not
right, and their connection with a Peruvian priva.
teer, the Cuyler, that had left Carthagena, in the
interests of Peru and Chili, being whispered about
the city, they were refused a passige. These per-
sons on the other hand (on going on board the
Montezuma to inspect her after taking their ticket:),
iiniing that the Spanish Government haring some
scent of their intentions had the ship well armed
and manned for such an emergency, quickly re-
traced their steps, and cousentel to receive ace-
- half of their passage-money rather than go. Their
lug age, it is alleged, contained documents that
would have afforded too much information for
Spun. Since then some fears have been expressed
regarding her safety, as the Cuyler is believed to
be no great distance from Jamaica rat present. The
Montezuma being a fast steamer would be a valu-
able instrument against the Spaniards in the hands
of Peru, but the Cubans, having fully equipped her
for such an emergency, consider her quite equal to
aily hostile attack that she is likely to meet with."
The following appointments have been made at

the Admiralty :—Commander Henry Schomberg
Kerr, to the Bellerophon ; Frederick Henderson and
William N. Atkinson, midshipmen, to the Victoria ;
Robert H. Archer and the Hon. Jan. B. Willoughby,
midshipmen to the Galatea ; John E. Bond, George
Callaghan, and Arthur Wolrige, naval cadets, to
the Victoria ; and Charles Elphinstone, nominated
a naval cadet.

THE SUN, lON

NEW ROUrES FROM THE ATLANTIC
TO THE PACIFIC.

-
•The steamship Colorado has departed on her
second trip from San Francisco, for Yokohama
and Hong Kong. Besides a full freight, she
carried 20 cabin and 250 steerage passengers, with
$150,000 in treasure for China. As an instance of
what the trade is becoming between San Francisco
and Hong Kong we may mention that the Jeannie
sailed for the latter port an hour before the
Colorado. with a cargo of flour, wheat, and
$390,000 in treasure. In view of the magnitude of
this trade, the importance of rapid communication
between San Francisco and the Atlantic ports is
attracting marked attention throughout the United
States. The different routes are being now keenly
discussed, and all the information attainable
is being laid before the public. Mr. SAMUEL
ADAMS has furnished a special report to the
War Department of the Rio Colorado of the West.
Mr. ADAMS considers that this river furnishes the
best central route between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. It is navigable for large steamers to a
point 620 miles up the stream, draining the terri-
tories of Utah and Colorado on the western slopes
of the Rocky -Mountains. It derives its main sup-
ply from the Great Valley of the Colorado lying
between the Snowy Sierra and the Sierra Wasatch.
It therefore penetrates into the neighbourhood of
the Great Salt Lake, furhishing the population with
a comparatively easy mode of transit into the Gulf
of California. From Callville to the Salt Lake City
the road is excellent. Mr. ADAMS is of opinion that
if the advantages presented by the Colorado are im-
proved, and a railroad run from a point on that river
to a point on the Mississippi, an outlet would be
gained both to the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans
for Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and
Arizona.

Dr. BUSIINELL has come forward as the advocate
of the purchase of Russian America, with a view
to the construction of a railway to the Pacific

,hrough that territory. Preposterous as this sounds,

if Dr. BUSTINF.LL'S statements are true, the plan is
not ridiculous. We will leave him to speak for
himself, with the remark that we are happy to see
the attention of the country stongly directed to the
_ _

important matter of securing the speediest and best
communication between the Atlantic and Pacific
sea-boards. Dr. BUSHNELL says, speaking of
Russian-America :

" What is more important than all, it is likely
to be found hereafter, that the shortest and best
way to China and Japan is here. The British
possessions occupy a short trip of coast between
us and the territory in question, but these will
naturally fall into our hands at no distant period,
and if they do not our friendly relations will
secure us a passage, as they have already through
the Canadas. Starting then from the western
point of Lake Superior, in a north-westerly direc
tion, we strike the Saskatchawan country, which is
the richest and best country of British America—
having abundance of bituminous coal, a compara-
tively soft climate, so little impeded by snows that
a railroad can be easily kept open the whole year,
a surface so nearly level that it can be graded with-
out difficulty, and a fertility of soil scarcely sur-
passed on the continent. Pressing still on towards
the north-west, and finding the climate soften, as
we near the coast, we strike one or two rivers,
certainly one, that cuts the Rocky Mountain
range down to its base, and opens a gate to let
us through, and then deflecting to the south-west
we strike the coast south of the great promon-
tory of Alaska ; or, if that is impossible, we go
down the slope of the great river Kwichpak,
navigable itself for a thousand miles, and enter one
of the bays south of Behring's Straits. The advan-
tages of this route, whether we strike the coast
north of Point Alaska or south of it, are (1) that
we encounter no mountains or mountain passes ; (2)
that we have midland supplies of coal and timber ;
(3) that we avoid the immense mountain snows
that will make the Rocky Mountain roads impass-
able for at least six mouths in the year, and (4) that
having a line which is very nearly concident with
the great circle of the globe, we get the shortest
passage to China and Japan that can be found. If
it should turn out, as appears to'be quite probable,
that we can reach the coast at the southernmost
point of the territory in question, our line of road
will be a great deal shorter than any other, and will
come to its terminus in about the same latitude as
Glasgow, and having about the same climate."—
Anglo-American Times.