The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-29 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, April 22.—Her Majesty's ironclad
frigate Resistance, 18, Capt. H. S. Hillyar, C. 8.,
arrived here on the afternoon of Friday, the 19th
inst., and, having been ordered to prepare to enter
dock and make ready for sea again with every pos-
sible despatch, she was admitted into the dry dock
this morning. She left the Piraeus at 4 p.m. on the
16th inst., having been relieved the preceding day
by the Endymion, 21, Capt. C. Wake, from Malta.
The Resistance brought here as supernumeraries
Assist.-Paymaster-in-Charge John L. Page, Mr.
J. Harris, engineer, Mr. John Kelly, assistant-
engineer, and Mr. Alfred Roberts, gunner, all of
whole proceed home in the Peninsular and Oriental
Corn pay's steamer Syria, arrived to-day from
Alexandria; Captain S iyer, and Mr. and Mrs.,
Munday, also arrived by the Resistance. The
ships of war at the Pirtwas were the French
frigate Renomme (bearing the flag of Rear-Admi-
ral Simoom), the Russian frigate Grand Admiral,
68 guns, the Greek frigate Hellas, and three Greek
gunboats. Prince John of Denmark had arrived at
Athens to take the office of Regent during the
King's intended absence. Her Majesty's ironclad
ship Enterprise, 4, Commander G. S. Bosanquet,
returned on the night of the 19th inst. from Tunis
and Gerbah, bringing from the latter place several
Maltese concerned in a murder committed in the
Regency of Tunis. Letters have been received from
H.M.S. Cruiser, 5, Commander Morgan Singer, on
the coast of Syria, to the 3d inst., stating that, in
consequence of a slight uneasiness prevailing be-
tween the Mahomedans and Christians, she was
likely to remain at Beyrout for the present. Her
Majesty's gunboat Wizard, 2, Lieut.-Commander
P. J. Murray, arrived from the island of Candia
this morning, having left Canea on the morning of
the 19th inst. Omer Pasha, Generalissimo of the
Turkish army, and the newly-appointed Governor-
General of Candia, had arrived, and was making
preparations for a de.isive struggle against the in-
surgents at the close of the Bairam, which termi-
nated the day the Wizard left. Omar Pasha seemed
impressed with the magnitude of the task imposed
upon him, and it is believed that what his prede-
cessor failed in effecting with double the number of
troops and a local knowledge of 30 years' expe-
rience, he can hardly be expected to accomplish
with the small means at his disposal. Want of
military roads and the insufficiency of the blockade
appear to be the chief obstacles to putting down the
insurrection. If sufficient time were granted to him,
however, he might be able, as in Montenegro, by
the construction of roads, to bring the disaffected
to terms, if not to submission. Coroneos has gone
to be present at the defence of Sphakia, and
throughout the whole island every man capable of
bearing arms has joined the insurgents. It is even
affirmed that the women of Sphakia are dressing
themselves in men's clothes, and arming themselves
for the final struggle. Whatever may be the result,
we may feel assured, uuder the direction of Omer
Pasha the conflict will be carried on in a more
orderly and humane manner than hitherto. Instead
of the hordes of Cretan Bashi-Bazouks accompany-
ing the army under no control, and only seeking
revenge and plunder, the new Commander-in-Chief
has organised a force of 4,000, who are to be regu-
larly paid, and have already received two months'
in advance. This force will be under the immediate
orders and control of the military, and will do much
towards mitigating the sufferings of the unhappy
women and children. Mr. Campbell Johnston,
nephew of the Duke of Argyll, has arrived in Crete
from England and the Piraeus. His Excellency Sir
Henry Storks, having resigned the Governorship of
Malta, took his final departure from this island on
the 17th inst. for England, via Marseilles. Major-
General Ridley, the senior military officer, has
assumed the reins of Government until the ar-
rival of the new Governor, Sir Patrick Grant.
Dr. Sutherland, the Sanitary Commissioner, took
his departure by the same vessel. The English
yacht schooner Marcia (having on board Mr. Sheri-
dan, M.P., and family) left ois the 17th inst. for
Candia and Smyrna. The English yacht schooner
Bell, Capt. R. A. Smythe (proprietor), left on the
18th for Algiers. The English yacht schooner Red-
gauntlet, having on board Mr. Haig and family,
left on the 19th for Alexandria. The English yacht
schooner St. Ursula, having on board Mr. A. Ken-
nard and family, arrived on the 19th inst. from
Syracuse. The following appointments have been
made by the Commander•in-Chief :—Mr. David
J. Low, Assistant-Paymaster, supernumerary of the
Victoria, to the Hydra, vice Andrews, appointed by
the Admiralty to the Donegal, coastguard ship. Mr.
E. G. Ashworth, supernumerary engineer of the
Ocean, to the Royal Oak, as supernumerary en-
gineer; Mr. Robert Spiers, assist.-engineer, first
class, of the Victoria, passed on the 17th for en-
gineer. The quarantine imposed here on the 17th
inst. on arrivals from Calabria and Sicily was re-
moved on the 18th, in consequence of the official
communication from her Majesty's consul at
Palermo having been misunderstood. The only
port in Sicily on arrivals from which quarantine is
established here is Girgenti, where cases of cholera
have continued to manifest themselves throughout
the winter and spring. Her Majesty's ship Hydra,
Capt. Shortland, left Malta on the 17th instant for
Sicily, to resume hydrographic operations on the
coast. A confirmation was held on the 17th inst. at
St. Paul's Church by the Lord Bishop of Gibraltar.
Owing to the absence of so large a portion of our
fleet the number of candidates was this year smaller
than usual. Last year there were 200 applicants
for the rite ; this year the whole number confirmed
amounted to about 120, 80 of whom were present
on the 17th, while 40 men and officers from one ship
only, the Endymion, had been confirmed the
week previous. On both occasions adult in-
dividuals who had not been baptised in their
infancy
presented themselves previously for bap-
tism in order to qualify themselves to take part
in the confirmation at these annual opportunities.
To-morrow the new English church at Silema,
built chiefly through the exertions, and, in a great
measure, at the expense of the Right Rev. Dr.
Trower, bishop of the diocese, will be consecrated,
when a farewell sermon will be delivered by the
Bishop, who has come to the decision of resigning
this see on account of Mrs. 'Tower's health. It is
proposed that on the occasion cf his departure
means should be taken to show the sense of the
English community in regard to the very high
esteem and respect in which his Lordship is held in
this island.

The paddle frigate Terrible, Capt. Commerell,
C. 8., V.C., &tiled from Spithead on Saturday for
the 'Mediterranean. She takes out supernumeraries
for the ships serving on the station.

The Prussian brigs of war Rover, Captain
Prandt, and Mosquito, Captain Berger, arrived at
Spithead on Saturday front the Mediterranean,
and after taking stores on board sailed again the
same evening for Kiel, to which port they were
ordered to proceed without delay.

The Imperial Russian ships of war Askold and
Variag, lying at anchor at the Motherbank, off
ityde, commenced the celebration of the Easter
festival of the Greek Church at 12 p.m. on Satur-
day by a salute of 21 guns from each ship. The re-
ligious service on board commenced at the same
t'me, and lasted till 2 a.m. yesterday. To-day
being the birth-day of the Emperor, the ships will
" dress in colours, and at noon fire a national
salute in honour of the day.
The Lords of the Admiralty having decided on
disposing of the stores of ballast iron at Chatham
dockyard, better known as " Seely's Pigs," orders
have been received for 2,000 tons of the iron at
that establishment to be at once sold, and the pro-
ceeds cArried to the public account. The whole of
the arrangements for the sale of the iron have been
intrusted by the Admiralty to Afes.,:rs. Ryland,
of Birmiugham, who will be paid a commis-
sion of 5 per cent. on the amount realised. The
iron will be disposed of by tender, the minimum
price to be received having been fixed by the Admi-
ralty. The tests of the ballast iron in use at Chat-
ham doelTyard show there are four or five different
qualities, the best kind being very valuable. The
quality of the iron, however, can only be ascertained
after each pig has been split asunder to allow of the
crystals being seen, and as the method in which the
iron is broken has been found to materially affect