The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-22 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intellience.

VALETTA, March 17.—The squa•lron of heavy
ships under the personal command of Vice-Admiral
Lord Clarence Paget, C. 8., suddenly gotunder way
on the morning of the 11th inst., Lnd proceeded to
sea. It appears that at half-past 6, after the men's
breakfast, a signal was made for the Victoria, Prince
Consort, Arethosa, and Ocean to take on board four
weeks' provisions in their own boats, and soon after-
wards the resources of the Victualling-yard were
taxed to their utmost in loading and getting away
the boats. This was accomplished with great expe-

dition, and in good order under the eye of the
Admiral-Superintendent. The Royal Oak, in order
to have something to do, being already filled up with
provisions, was told off to tow with her boats the
buoys of the above vessels, as well as her own, from
the dockyard to the respective ships. At 8 45, the
buoys having been shackled on to the different
moorings, and the boats hoisted in, the outermost
ship, the Royal Oak, 35, ironclad, steamed slowly
out of harbour, followed at intervals of about ten
minutes from each other by the Prince Consort, 35,
[ironclad ; Victoria, 102, liue•of-battle ship (bearing
the flag of the Commander-in-Chief) ; Ocean, 21,
ironclad ; and Arethusa, 35, frigate, all at half-
boiler power. When outside they formed in line,
the Victoria, of course, taking the lead, and the rest
following according to seniority, and proceeded very
slowly round the east and south coasts of the island
towards Tilflai. When abreast of this rock each ship

fired several rounds, and then bore up in succession
and stood southward before the wind. The report of
the cannonading was distinctly heard in Valetta and
its vicinity—a distance of eight or ten miles, al-
though the wind was in the opposite direction. Lady
C. Paget, with a party of friends, accompanied
Rear-Admiral Kellett in the Hearty steam tender
to witness the practice. In the afternoon, when the
firing had ceased, the squadron was reinforced by the
Assurance, 4, gunboat, which had left port. about
noon, under sail only. The period of 10 or 12 days
which the cruise is to last will be usefully employed in
target practice and in exercise under steam and
sail. At this time of the year opportunities will
probably not be wanting to try the sea-going qua-
lities of the several ships in heavy weather ; in fact,
they had some squalls of wind and rain the first
night at sea. In one of these the Assurance carried
away her jibboom and sustained some other trifling
damage, for the repair of which she returned to
port the following day. On making good her de-
fects this vessel will be transferred to the west coast
of Africa, orders having been received to that effect
by the last mail from England, and it is expected
that she will sail for that station about the 23d inst.
The Victoria also carried away her fore and main-
top sails, and most of the other shipssuff;rdeideiomuosirye
or less. The squadron being, however,
vytim sea
e
way. The ships were signalled s
during the 12th, and early in
kept to leeward of the island, ineointphae ratively
smooth water, the ironelads escaped
severe
.
straining they would have suffertewdoionr
threeailea
theeven south-east coasot,
shelter in Marsascirocco, on
the ing they tok
and exercised
where they remained until early in the morning of
the 14th. They then weighed anchor,
great guns at sea. On Friday; 15th, they hove in
sight, and that evening returned to their former
anchorage. They are to sail early to-morrow for
the coast of Sicily, and will probably return to
Malta about the end of the week. The activity
displayed under the present command is in marked
contrast to the old system, when ships were allowed
to lie for a period of ten or twelve months at a time
in harbour without getting underway. The Enter-
prise and Endymion expected from the eastward have
not yet made their appearance. The Megmra has
completed unloading, and is taking in return stores
for England. It is expected she will sail about the
24th inst., with some 100 naval time-expired men,
invalids, and supernumeraries for newly commis-
sioned ships in the English ports, besides military.
It is stated here, on good authority, that the Gala-
tea will not visit the Mediterranean in the course of
her cruise. Telegraphic comnAcAiriwaftsegehred
a few days ago that three . deif6ers, bandsmen of
-H.M.S. Bellerophon, were on Board the Peninsular
and Oriental Company's steamer Nyanza, which left
Southampton on the 4th inst. for Gibraltar and
Malta, but on strict search being made on board on
her arrival no trace was found of any such persons.
The U.S. screw sloop Canandaigua, 7-guns, Capt.
J. 11. Strong, arrived on the 13th inst. in three days
from Fort -Mahon, on her way to Candia and the

four months. She put in here to
hours afterwards for the eastward. At the time of
her leaving Port Mahon the Whole of the American
Mediterranean squadron was there—viz , the Colo-
rado frigate (flagship of Admiral Goldsborough),
the Ticonderoga, Frolic, and Augusta sloops, and the
Miantonornah, all steam vessels. The Prussian steam
corvette Gazelle, of 250 horse power and 28 guns,
commanded by Capt. Henk, which lately called in
at Malta, arrived at Smyrna on the Bth inst. The
English schooner yacht March, 173 tons, the. pro-
perty of Mr. R. B. Sheridan, M.P., arrived here on
the 14th just., in two days from Cagliari. She is
bound for th:: Grecian Archipelago. The screw
steamer llawk returned ye-terday from Messina.,
having been employed in repairing the old and lay-
ing some new telegraph cables across the Straits.

She has laid three new cables, ripaired two, and
taken up two. The Nyauza, which passed Pantel-
icria Oil the afternoon of the 12th inst., reports that

that isl.,nd was observed to be in a state of eraptiJa
The lower pat was enveloped in mist, and dense
volumes of smoke, with a strong glare of reflected
light, were seen to issue from the summit."
The steamship St. Lawrence, Capt. James, with
returned army stores, from Bermuda, arrived at
Woolwich yesterday morning, and entered the Vic-
toria Docks to discharge her cargo.

The screw steamship Hellenis, Captain Amlott,
trading between London and Gibraltar, Malta, the
lonian Islands, and Tunis, has made fast at the
pier of Woolwich Arsenal, and yesterday commenced
shipping a half cargo (about 350 tons) of heavy
guns, victualling and other stores, for the Mediter-
ranean stations. She is exp:cted to be ready for sea
to-morrow (Saturday).

—Her,Majesty's- double' screw gun vessel Plovei.,
built at Deptford, and fitted in Mr. Peuu's dock
with a pair of engines of 160 horse power, has been
sent to Woolwich to be cot.spleted for service. She
was yesterday masted and commenced rigging down.
Her Majesty's 17 gun screw sloop Chanticleer,
930 tons and 200-horse power engines, paid out of
commission last year, from the Mediterranean
station, by Commander W. H. Fenwick, having
been fitted with one of the Hon. Capt. Cochrane's
patent vertical tube boilers, and otherwise improved
and repaired throughout, at Woolwich, yesterday
hoisted her topgallant yards, and is expected to be
commissioned in a few days. Her compliment is to
consist of a commander, two heats., master, surgeon,
paymaster, sub-lieut., assist.-surg., assist. -pay m as-
ter, and 175 seamen, stokers, and lads, all told.
It was yesterday stated in the departments of
of Woolwich Arsenal that Sir John Pakington,
Secretary of State for War, has signified his will-
ingness to accord leave of absence proportionately,
as recommended by the heads of offices, to the mem-
bers of their departments who may desire to visit
the Paris Exhibition this summer.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. Henry F. Yeatman
to the Irresistible, additional for service in Tender;
Sub.-Lieut. C. H. Warren to the Vestal ; E. S.
Clarke and R. W. Fawkes, midshipmen, to the
Vestal ; A. E. Allen, midshipman, to the Niobe ;
R. A. Carbonnell, midshipman, to the Bellerophon ;
John S. Acheson to be staff-surg. of Woolwich
dockyard, vice Baynes, retired ; Richard F. Bridg-
ford, assist.-surg., to the Trinculo ; and Charles E.
Gouldsbury, clerk, to the Aboukir.