The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-12 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, July 5.---The French steamer Euxine
leaves to-night for Leghorn and Marseilles, taking
a mail, which will probably reach London in antici-
pation of the China and India mails, whose arrival
at Suez has not yet been signalled. Her Majesty's
screw frigate Arethusa, 35, Capt. Macdonald, has
left Malta for the Piraeus of Athens, to relieve the
screw line-of-battle ship Gibraltar, 81, Captain R.
Coote, which has been stationed there for some time.
The Assurance, 4, Commander "'yin, is the only
available vessel of war at present at Malta, and she
will leave us in a couple of days to convey the next
mail to the Commander-in-Chief, who is sailing on
the coast of Greece in the vicinity of Patras. The
Turkish paddlewheel yacht Sultania, Capt. Izzet
Bey, left Malta on the 29th ult. for Constantinople,
after undergoing repairs in the naval dockyard.
The harbour extension works are so far completed
that the agent of the contractor has waited on the
naval authorities at this island to intimate his readi-
ness to make them over to them as soon as the
necessary soundings have been taken to show that
the stipulated depth has been attained. The steam
dredgers are now putting the final touch to the
work. Great credit is due to the contractor, Mr.
Gabrielli, for the rapidity with which he has com-
pleted the work. A letter has been addressed to the
Government by the elected members of Council on
the subject of the sanitary measures which should be
taken in regard, to vessels arriving from ports in-
fected with cholera. The Government has conse-
quently issued a notice imposing seven days' qua-
rantine on arrival from Liverpool, where some cases
of cholera are reported to have occurred among the
German emigrants. The tendency of public opinion
in Europe, based on the facts of the late visitation,
is in favour of quarantine as a precautionary mea-
sure. But no regulations can, it is evident, accom-
plish the end in view in these days of rapid commu-
nication between countries. A vessel, for instance,
arrived at Malta from Liverpool, soon after the
determination of the Government became known,
having a clean bill of health, with all well on board.
She was 22 days out, but of course no exception
could be made, and she is now performing the esta-
blished term of quarantine in the Marsamusoetto
harbour; while to-morrow persons who may have
been in Liverpool or other snspected towns four or
five days ago, and have taken the overland instead
of the sea route, will be permitted to land inValetta
without molestation. It should be observed, how-
ever, that at Malta, as at Gibraltar, the authorities
are singularly placed, and can scarcely save them-
selves, whether they like it or not, from imposing
quarantine on arrivals from suspected places, owing
to the jealous watch constantly kept over them by
the boards of health of neighbouring countries, on
which they depend for supplies. Spain, Sicily, and
Greece are ever ready to punish relaxation in this
respect by immediately closing their ports against
offenders. A telegram has'just reached Malta stat-
ing that the Board of Health of Gibraltar hasplaced
a quarantine of five days on arrivals from Malta and
Alexandria. Farcy among horses has lately broken
out in Malta. This disease, which is quite new to
the island, is supposed to be introduced from Bom-
bay. An ordinance has been passed in council to-
empower the Government to cause all animals suf-
fering from it to an incurable degree to be slaugh-
tered, and to segregate others affected with it, but
which afford hopes of recovery. It is also proposed
to place all animals coming from Barbary in a qua-
rantine of observation.

Commander Hunter and the officers and crew of
Her Majesty's late screw sloop Amazon, with the
exception of one boy, arrived at Portsmouth yes-
terday at 3 p.m., and were received on board the
Duke of Wellington, Capt. Fellowes, pending the
court-martial, which it is expected to be held on
board the Victory. The boy alluded to is missing,
and it is feared must have gone down in the ship.
There are of course all kinds of rumours relative to
the collision between the Amazon and Osprey, to
the lights shown by such vessel, the directions in
which the helm was shifted at the moment prior to
the collision, &c., but it would be unwise to repeat
such rumours when the whole matter will be imme-
diately investigated by a court-martial.

It is to be regretted that the two fine Gi ton 7in.
rifled guns which formed the main armament of the
Amazon have gone down in the vessel, and in a
position in the Channel where there is no possiblo
chance of their recovery. At the present moment,
when the rearmament of our navy has just com-
menced, the loss of these two guns is almost of
greater importance than the loss of the Amazon her-
self.

Her Majesty's screw steam ironclad ship Cale-
donia, 30 guns, Capt. Foley, flagship of Rear A0:1
miral Yelverton, got under way at Portland some-
what suddenly on Tuesday week, and proceeded in
a south-easterly direction after rounding the break-
water. Early on the morning of Friday last she
again returned to her former anchorage, accom-
panied by a screw steam vessel of about 250 tons,
brig-rigged, which the Caledonia had captured in
the Channel 20 miles south-west of Portland Bill.
The vessel, it is stated, has on board 200 or 300
naval men, who were being illegally conveyed to a
South American port to take part in the war now
raging between Chili and Peru. The vessel cap-
tured by the Caledonia is the Greatham Hall. Upon
sighting the Caledonia she put her lights out and
endeavoured to escape, but after a run of two hours
the Caledonia Came up with her, and, having
boarded her, Rear-Admiral H. Yelverton returned
with his prize to this harbour, and doubtless now
awaits instructions as to the disposal of the captured
vessel.

The two Russian screw,frigates Asshaba, Capt.
Kramer, and Viti9.z, Capt. Green, on a cruise from
Copenhagen, arrived at Falmouth on Wednesday,
and exchanged the customary salutes with her Ma-
jesty's ships Ganges and the Castle of Pendennis.
Rear-Admiral Possiett, who has been waiting at
Falmouth the arrival of these ships, accompanied
by the Russian Consul-General, hoisted his flag on
board the Assbaba, and will remain in port some
days.
The lighter Duck, with stores from Chatham,
arrived at Devonport yesterday.

H. Hoskings master, left The lighter Tortoise,
Devonport yesterday with stores for the dockyards
at Portsmouth and Sheerness.

The iron screw steamship Achilles, 26, Capt. E.
W. Vansittart, was placed in the Princes Dock, in
Devonport dockyard, on Monday. She will be re-
paired with all despatch, and may possibly leave
again on the 26th, to join the Channel squadron.
On the present occasion there will be no alteration
of her masts. The Achilles would leave the dock
sooner but for some repairs necessary to her ma-
chinery. One of the cylinders is split.

FRENCH VIEWS OF PROMOTION BY PURCHASE.
—To us Frenchmen (who are accustomed to look upon
promotion as to be gained by honourable service, by
seniority, or by distinction in the field), this turning of
army honours into mere shares, as it were, which are to be
bought and sold, appears simply detestable. So long as it
continues, I am persuaded that the English army will
never be what it might be, and that no other reforms in
their military system will, or can be, of much avail.
Its existence is the cause of an extraordinary system of pro-
motion called brevet, which takes some little time to un-
derstand, and which confused me not a little. With us, a
captain is a captain, and nothing more. If ho be rewarded
by promotion, he is made a chef d'escadron or. a chef de
bataillon either in his own or in another corps, as the case
may be ; so is he promoted in the English navy, from one
rank to another. But not so in the English army. Regi-
mental promotion, save in the exceptional cases of death
vacancies, or the augmentations of a regiment, or the for-
mation of a new corps, is not in the gift of the military
authorities. When an officer has to be rewarded with
promotion, ho gets brevet advancement. Thus—an officer
may be only a captain in his regiment, but have the brevet
rank in the army of major, lieutenant-colonel, and
eveh colonel. So long as he is with his regiment alone
this brevet rank does not tell ; but whenever his corps is
in garrison with another regiment, or part of a regiment,
ho has a right to assume his army rank. An English
officer told me of an extraordinary anomaly of this kind
which happened in India some time ago. A captain in a
cavalry regiment, who from having been mentioned in
general orders when on the staff had attained the brevet
rank as colonel, took command, by virtue of his seniority,
of a whole brigade of cavalry before the enemy : thus
superseding all the field-officers of his own and of every
other regiment of cavalry. When the campaign was over
he rejoined his regiment, and did duty again as a simple
captain.—Dickens's " All the Year Round."
WRo's TOUR DOCTOR ?—)10.11I$ON' PILLS.

Court - curtrfir

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, July 11.
The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon with
Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein ; and her
Majesty walked in the grounds this morning, ac-
companied by their Royal Highnesses Prince and
Princess Christian, Princess Louise, and Princess
Beatrice.

Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess
Christian, Princess Louise, Prince Leopold, and
Princess Beatrice visited the school during the
afternoon, attended by Lady Caroline Barrington,
Lady Susan Melville, and Lieutenant Stirling.

The Rev. GeOrge and Mrs. Prothero received their
Royal Highnesses.
Lady Augusta Stanley has arrived at Osborne.
Mr. Engleheart has also arrived.

PRINCESS HELENA AND PRINCE CHRISTIAN.-
To-morrow their Royal Highnesses the Princess Helena
and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein will take leave
of her Majesty and royal family and embark from Osborne
in the Victoria and Albert yacht, which will steam direct
for Cherbourg, under the command of Captain Prince
Leiningen. The Prince and Princess will be attended by
Major-General and Lady Sarah Melville, Major-General
Seymour, Count Rantzau, and Mr. Kenny, her Majesty's
courier. The royal party will not disembark before the
following morning. From elle' bourg their royal highnesses
will proceed on a continental tour, and will return in time
to accompany her Majesty to Scotland.

His Excellency the Brazilian Minister, Baron
du Penedo, left Cavendish-square yesterday for the Con-
tinent. The Commandeur Barboza da Silva is the Charge
d'Affaires during his absence.

The Marquis of Hastings has left the St. George's
Hotel. _

The Earl and Countess of Scarborough leave
town on tho 12th inst. for the season.

The Countess of Portsmouth has arrived at
Cataldi's Hotel from Harrogate.

MARRIAGE IN HIGH DAY.)—This
morning a marriage was solemnised in the parish church
of St. James„Westminster, between the Earl of Brecknock,
M.P. for Brecon, oldest son of the Mar-pig Camden, and
Lady C. Churchill, daughter of the Duke of Marlborough.
Thera was a very large attendance of the nobility and
distinguished persons. Among the 200 guests present Nye
noticed the following : —Earl and Countess Vane, Lady
Derby, Countess of Macclesfield, the Ladies Parker, Mar-
chioness of Ormonde, Lord and Lady Churchill, Mar-
chioness of Ailesbury and Lady Foley, Lord and Lady
Rokeby, Lord and Lady Henniker, Duchess of Wellington,
Countess of Shaftesbury, Sir John and Lady Pakington,
Baroness North, &c.

Funeral of the Marquis of Lansdowne.

The funeral of the Most Hon. Henry, fourth
Marquis of Lansdowne, K.G., who died suddenly
on Thurfiday last, took place this day about one
o'clock in the family mausoleum at Bowood, Wilt-
shire, which stands in the woods about two miles
from the house itself. The body was removed from
Lansdowne House, Berkeley-square, at six o'clock
on Tuesday evening, and lay in state yesterday.
The chief mourners who :followed, or were pre-
sent, were the Earl of Kerry (now sth Marquis of
Lansdowne), Lord Edmund Fitzmaurice, son of the
deceased peer, and Lady Emily Fitzmaurice, daugh-
ter of the deceased ; the Marchioness of Lansdowne,
the Hon. C. A. Gore and the Countess of Kerry
(sister-in-law of the deceased), and the Hon. J.
K. Howard and Lady Louise Howard (sister
of the deceased), Mr. W. Hearn (secretary),
Mr. Spencer (agent of the Bowood estates), Mr.
Shearn (steward) and the household. The service
was read by the Vicar of Calne. The executors are

the Hon. C. A. Gore and the Hon. J. K. Howard.
The hatchment is being put up over Lansdowne
House this afternoon.

Iroumasters' Quarterly Meeting.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday Evening.
The quarterly meetings of the ironmasters of this
district commenced here to-day. The attendance
was scanty, and comprised almost exclusively those
who are engaged in the trade in this locality and in
North Staffordshire, scarcely any of the Liverpool
exporting firms, or those similarly engaged in other
parts of the country, being represented. So far as
relates to actual business this meeting might as well
not have been held; there were scarcely any buyers
present, and none of them evinced any disposition
to enter into engagements, though they might have
done so on good terms, as all, except a very few of
the makers who stand in the highest repute, have
confessedly not sufficient orders in hand to keep
their mills and forges more than half engaged ; in
that respect alone the trade is in a worse condition

than it has been for several years, and other circum- ,
stances are operating prejudicially for all who are
engaged in it. The specifications in the market are
scarcer than they have been for a long time past.
The foreign houses are doing next to nothing, and
home consumers avoid buying a ton beyond their
immediate requirements. Had the Bank rate been
lowered somewhat of a better tone might have been
imparted to this meeting, and in the event of a re- •
duction taking place to-morrow it may help to en-
liven the Birmingham assembly, whereas its reten-
tion at 10 per cent. will contribute to make this the
quietest quarter day ever experienced in this locality.
For every description of finished iron the demand
falls very far short of the average, and even under
the most favourable circumstances relative to the war
and to the money market it is not likely that for the
next six weeks, at least, any material improvement
will take place. In the meantime the second-clash
firms will be glad to take orders at the best prices
they can command.
Pig-iron is dull of sale. There were no transac-
tions in it at this meeting, and a nominal quotation
was given-ss. per ton below last quarter-day, but
the price is still too high as compared with that for
which the manufactured commodity is selling.
The district has borne the pressure of the last two
months wonderfully, having regard to the peculiari-
ties of its position, and there are good grounds for
the hope that it will now tide over without further
casualties of importance.

NATIONAL STANDARD THEATRE.---Mr Frederick
Maccabe, the inimitable humorist, mimic, and
ventriloquist, commenced an engagement on Monday night
i
at this popular theatre, and on Tuesday night repot,"

"musical, dramatic, and ventriloquial entertainment,"
titled "Begone Dull Care," in which his marvellous poWer
of changing the voice, figure, and face, together with the
rapid and picturesque changes of costume, won the admirtv
tion and excited the continued laughter of a crowded house'
His powers of mimicry and imitationare certainly amushigi
and his character representing an old pursy gentleman
making an after-dinner speech was so comic, and withal se
correct, that everyone present was convulsed with laughter
Then, again, his impersonation of Miss Mary May, 14
sentimental young lady, in dress, voice, deportment/
action, and manner, was a finished performance, and We •
could not help wondering what a marvellous change Nva°
effected, from an old gentleman making a speech at e
dinner-party, to a young lady reciting her love advea-
tures, and that in a few seconds. There is an original
sketch of " Lord Dundreary," which is very amusing, hut.the " Wandering Minstrel," in two pictures—Romance tie'
Reality—set the audience in roars of laughter. Mr. g"-
cabe, ;vial his other accomplishments, plays and singe
well, so that his appearance as a Troubador in magnificent
costume,with a guitar in hand, singing a very pretty song!.
had really a very pleasing effect ; but the other side of
the picture was one of the most amusing represeet3-
tions that could be witnessed. The Romantic Troubador
is followed by one of those poor, miserable beings too often'
unhappily, seen in the streets of this great metropelis'
clothed in rags and playing a penny whistle, to attract the
notice of the humane and induce them to throw hiln
copper. The music and the songs were irresistibly conic'
and made the whole audience actually shout with 'mug'''.
ter. Mr. Maccabe next gave specimens of his extraordi-
nary powers of ventriloquism, sometimes holding a ee/2.;
versation with three imaginary persons ; and allogether_lt
was one of the most amusing entertainments given in tilv‘
most populous neighbourhood for a very long period.
At the Bank of England yesterday there was
further withdrawal of £215,000, in gold, for Paris'
A call of £2 per share has been made by the 10170
and Malt Exchange and Warehouse Company
the shares upon which £5 is subscribed, payable ov'
or before the 3d of August. the
At a meeting to-day of the shareholders o ._d
Oriental Commercial Bank, it was resolved to virl'
up the affairs of the establishment.