The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-02 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Forte, 29, screw frigate, 2,364 tons, 400
horse power, was taken into the large basin of
where she will
Sheerness dockyard yesterday,
undergo a thorough survey and repair, previous to
being placed in the First Division of the Sheerness
Steam Reserve.
The Pylades, 17, wooden screw corvette, 1,278
tons, 350 horse power, was taken out of dock
and placed in the large basin of Sheerness dock-
yard, for the same purpose, previous to being put
in commission. She will not be out of the dockyard
departments' hands before November next.
The Trafalgar, 72, screw ship, 2,900 tons, 500
horse power, late Coastguard ship at Qieen's Ferry,
was taken into dock yesterday for examination, and
to be prepared for furth.u. Coastguard service.
The Meanee, 60, 2,591 tons, 400 horse pow.er, late
of the Sheerness Steam Reserve, having had the
whole of her internal fitments, bulkheads, &c., re-
moved, left Sheerness yesterday for Woolwich, to
be prepared for a military hospital ship at Hong-
Kong.
The Scylla, 21, screw steam corvette, 1,467 tons,
400 horse power, Capt. Richard W. Courteney, re-
cently returned from China, where she has been
stationed during the last four years, is now in the
large basin of Sheerness dockyard, returning stores,
&c., and will be paid out of commission on the 6th
inst., and be placed in the third division of the
Sheerness Steam Reserve.
Yesterday a detachment of 30 non-commissioned
officers and men of the Chatham division of Royal
Marine Light Infantry left head-quarters and pro-
ceeded to New Tavern Fort, for service at that
station.
The detachment of Royal Marines Light In-
fantry, recently serving on board the 35-gun screw
frigate Sutlej, flag of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Joseph
Denman, in the Pacific, paid out of commission
yesterday at Spithead, returned to head-quarters,
Woolwich, yesterday. The detachment consisted of
Capt. Thos. Magin, First. Lieut. C. A. L. Moore,
and 30 non-commissioned officers and rank and
Die. Their term of service afloat has ranged over

a period of five years within a few days, and,
from the advantages of a long sea service, they are
now entitled to arrears of back pay, amounting to

considerably more than £l,OOO. To those whose
homes are in England will be granted five weeks'
furlough, and to those -who are natives of Ireland
and Scotland will be given an additional week's
leave to visit their friends. The average sum due
to each man will exceed £35. Lieut.-Col Joseph
11. Jolliffe, Royal Marines Light Infantry, Wool-
wich Division, has been promoted, and is permitted
to retire on full pay from the 30th ult., with the
rank of colonel.
The remaining four companies of the 54th (West
Norfolk) Regiment arrived at the camp at Alder-
shott yesterday from Manchester. The strength of'
the detachment was 14 officers, 210 men, 27 women,
and 19 children. The regiment is quartered on the
South Camp (G and H lines), and is attached to
Major-Gen. Renny's Brigade.
The 17th Lancers at Aldershott are under orders
to move next week headquarters and four troops to
Brighton, and four troops to Shorncliffe.
The 15th (The King's) Hussars received an inti-
mation yesterday to hold themselves i❑ readiness to
move as follows (no date specified) :—Headquarters
and two troops to Norwich, two troops to Ipswich,
two troops to Birmingham, and two troops to
Coventry. The 15th has been stationed at Alder-
shott about 16 months.
The Ist battalion Grendier Guards will arrive at
Aldershott to-morrow, and will be encamped on
Cove-common.
To-morrow the Ist battalion of the Grenandier
Guards leave the Tower of London for Aldershott,
and will be replaced by the Ist battalion of the
Coldstream Guards from St. George's and Chelsea
Barracks.

THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES.

The following letter has been addressed to the

Editor of the Tinies:—

"If it were done, when:tis done, then% were well

" It were done quickly."

Sir, —ln a vast amount of correspondence that
has appeared in various journals up)n the Ah,,,s-
siniau question there appears to be the smageit
amount of knowledge of the real difficulties of the

country. The maps that are now carefully studied

are of little assistance to the 'War Department, as

- - -
distances that appear trifling may be insurmountable

from several Causes—the total absence of water,

the want of means of transport, and the failure of

supplies.
Having an intimate acquaintance with that por-
tion of Abyssinia upon the Egyptian frontier, I
have regarded with astonishment the various sug-
gestions for an invasion of the country from the
coasts of the Red Sea, where every disadvantage
exists with which nature, unaided by an ally, can
bailie a military expedition. _ _

This perplexing case may be thus simply de-
scribed:—Englishmen, including a Consul and an
Envoy, have been wrongly imprisoned and insulted.
All redress is refused by the King of Abyssinia, and
it has become the imperative duty of England to
liberate the captives and to avenge the insult. Should
we fail, or even should we delay, the national honour
will not only become ridiculous, but the prestige of
England will be entirely destroyed in our Eastern
empire, the security of which depends upon our
reputation.
Accepting this fact, and discarding the effeminate
proposals for " purchasing the liberation of the cap-
tives," which would disgrace the name of an English-
man and reduce him to the value of a slave, how are
we to effect our effect ?
Public opinion objects to an alliance with Egypt,
and advocates aft independent action. If we are

determined to reject such valuable aid, we must be
extremely cautious in our operations. If we decline
the co-operation of Egypt, to prevent the occur-
rence of future complications, let us at once con-
sider the delicate question of Egyptian frontier,
which we cannot invade.
Not only does the entire coast of the Red Sea
belong to Turkey and Egypt, with the exception of
a small desert point opposite to Aden, but that
portion of Abyssinia upon the east bank of the
Atbara river is for a breadth of about 150 miles
contested and claimed by Egypt. Thus, the fron-
tier throughout the Egyptian territory is not only
disputed, but is a constant battlefield, and is to a
great extent deserted by the inhabitantE, from the
insecurity of life and property. If, therefore, we
are determined to act independently of an alliance
with Egypt, to prevent complications, how shall we
avoid the complications of boundary questions
with that country should we invade Abyssinia?
I see no difficulty whatever in a joint expedition
by England and Egypt ; very little difficulty should
England act independently, with permission from
Egypt to use that territory as a base of operations •,
and extreme difficulties should we attack from the
Red Sea, without the moral support of Egypt.
Were our object simply to conquer Abyssinia,
however difficult the first steps might be, we should
succeed at a certain sacrifice ; but our object is to
release the captive 3 at the least possible sacrifice, to
redeem the lost prestige of England, and to .omplete
the affair speedily.
Whatever may be urged in favour of independent
action, it will be next to impossible to act without
permission from Egypt to occlpy her territory.
The regular military route from Egypt to the
depot at Cassala, on the Ahyssini tin frontier, is
direct from Souakitn. I was at Son.lkiin in August,
1t:,63, when the troops were despatched in a great
emergency from Cairo, under General Giaffar Pasha
to quell the mutiny of 6,000 black troops at Cas-
sala. In four days and a half the Egyptian regi-
ments were landed at Sou aim from Suez. Camels
were quickly provided by the Arabs; stores and
supplies, with fresh Nile water, were regularly
despatched from Suez, Cairo forming the base of
operation, whence inexhaustible stores could be
furnished by rail and steam. In 20 days' slow
marching from Souakim, through an easy desert
route abo ending in fodder for the camels, Cassala
is reached ; this is the head-quarters for Egyptian
forces and military stores. -
The Egyptians are admirable movers; there is
o " red tape " iu that country, and as Sonakira