The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-07 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

MALTA, Nov. 2.—The squadron, consisting of
the Victoria, 102 (flagship of Lord C. Paget) ; the
Prince Consort, 33, ironclad ; the Gibraltar, 81 ;
the Royal Oak, 33, ironclad ; the Enterprise, 4,
ironclad ; and the Cruiser, 5, sloop, returned into
port yesterday, from their summer cruise. The
Admiral had anchored off the Island of Favignano
on the 27th ult., and sent the Enterprise to Malta
for letters, with which she returned to him on the
29th. These ships are all now moored in the Great
Harbour of Valetta, and present a magnificent ap-
pearance. The Resistance, 16, ironclad, Capt. H.
S. Hillyar, C.B. ; and the Cossack, 20, Capt. R. D.
White, are also in port. The discipline and order
maintained on board the different ships are spoken
of in terms of the highest praise, and reflect great
credit on Lord Clarence Paget, who has managed
at the same time, by due consideration for the just
wants of the men and courtesy to his officers and
all under him, to render himself most popular in
the squadron. The Psyche, despatch vessel, which
left Malta on the 22d ult. for Brindisi, anchored in
that port on the 24th. Capt. Mends, together with
Capt. Willoughby, R.N., and Col. Ross, arrived at
Brindisi from England on the 26th, and embarked
in the Psyche that day for Alexandria. It is
probable Capt. Mends will call at Malta about the
middle of this month on his return to England.
The Wizard, 2, Lieut.-Com. P. J. Murray, was
still at Canea by the last advices, Oct. 19. Up to
that time no decisive action had taken place between
the Greek insurgents and the Turkish troops. From
the most trustworthy accounts, free from political or
national bias, it appears that the Turks were unable
to make any progress in suppressing the rising. Two
encounters had recently occurred. In the one
case, a party of Greeks, 200 strong, was cut off to a
man, the Turks taking no prisoners. In the other, a
Turkish detachment of 150 men, escorting ammuni-
tion, was defeated with the loss of all but cight,who
effected their escape. The ammunition, together
with the arms of the party, fell into the hands of the
Candiotes, who are said to be in possession of six or
eight rifled cannon. A grand engagement was ex-
pected to take place on the following (October 20),
which, according to accounts from other sources, is
reported to have ended in a victory for the insur-
gents. The United States screw frigate Ticonderoga,
bearing the flag of Commodore Steedman, arrived
on the 26th ult. from Alexandria and Tripoli, and
left the following day for Tunis without receiving
pratique. Thence she is to proceed to Gibraltar and
the coast of Portugal, to join Admiral Golds-
borough's squadron. The whole squadron is expected
to cruise in the Mediterranean, and is likely to visit
Malta. Her Majesty's ship Resistance will leave to-
morrow for the Piraeus, to be stationed there. The
English steam yacht Ceres arrived this morning
from Liverpool and Gibraltar. Her owner, Colonel
Maclver, together with his family and suite, arrived
the previous evening in the steamer Atlas, and will
pass their quarantine on board the yacht. A tele-
graphic despatch was received here on 27th Oct.
from Constantinople, stating that in consequence of
the satisfactory condition of the public health in the
ports of the Black Sea quarantinehad been removed
on arrivals thence, when furnished with clean bills
of health. Arrivals from England were admitted to
free pratique at Constantinople, after being subjected
to 24 hours' detention and examination in the Dar-
danelles. A notice has been issued during the week
by the Malta Government directing that the quaran-
tine on arrivals from the Black Sea, Alexandria,
England, and Scotland be reduced to ten full days
from the date of arrival.

Not very long ago a flagship was required for
Channel service, and the Minotaur, the representa-
tive of our largest anduntried class of ironclads, was
named for the duty, it being naturally considered
that in the trials then contemplated, and which have
since been made of our iron-clads, under steam and
canvas, it was essential to a full knowledge of their
capabilities that all classes should be represented.
The Minotaur has all the necessary cabin and other
accommodation as a flagship, no vessel could carry
the flag of an Admiral more imposingly, and it was
eertaiuly desirable that something should be known
of her capabilities. The Admiral, however, who
wanted a flagship objected to the Minotaur. It was
said she was too big, too fast, and altogether too
much of an experiment to be trusted with the flag of
an Admiral commanding a squadron. The internal
fittings aft were also understood to be entirely ap-
proved. Whatever cite cause, the Minotaur was re-
jected fox flagship duty, and another vessel selected
whose class merits could be ascertained from other
like vessels afloat and iu commission. The ship that
superseded the Minotaur was, however, an ironclad,
so that, after all, the gallant Admiral flew his flag
on board a true fighting ship, and no harm was done
beyond keeping the Minotaur in the steam basin of
Portsmouth dockyard to this date an untried ship.
The course followed with the Minotaur is about to
be copied, if we are rightly informed, on the change
of the command of her Majesty's ships on the North
American and West Indian station, and in the pre-
sent instance an endeavour will be made to carry it
out in a still more objectionable manner. The pre-
sent "situation" may be understood by a brief re-
sume of facts bearing upon the preparation and selec-
tion of a
ship to carry the flag of theA
m successorerican a
nt
do
Vice-Admiral Sir James Hope in North
West Indian waters. The armour-plated wood-built
steam frigate Royal Alfred, 4,068 tons, 800-horse
power, has been specially fitted for aflaggh• s duties,
and it is no secret that the Controller of the Navy •
most anxious that she should be placed.in commission
on the first opportunity, and such opportunity was
expected to offer itself on the relief of Sir James
hope. The Royal Alfred carries the thickest armour-
plating (Gin.) of all the wood-built armoured vessels
in her Majesty's Navy, and will carry a heavier
armament (12 tou 9 in. rifled guns) than any other
vessel of her class afloat. Her accommodations for
an Admiral and his suite, as also for her officers and
crew, are all that can be desired. The ventilation
of the ship is perfect ; her speed will be a good 12
knots under full steam, she will possess good ave-
rage sailing qualities, and her metal-coated bottom
renders her peculiarly suited as an ironclad for cruis-
ing in tropical waters. In June last Capt. E. W.
Turnour and Commander G. 0. Twiss were appointed
to the Royal Alfred, on the books of theN ctory, to
superintend her outfit, and the carriages and slides
for her guns are now being completed for her in the
steam factory of Portsmouth dockyard. In fact, it
may be considered that on Nov. 1 the Royal Alfred
was so far advanced in her outfit that she was then
ready for commission, and would be ready for 'ilea
with her new and formidable armament complete
by the time Sir J. Hope's successor was ready to pro-
ceed to his command. But now comes the change,
and the following of the precedent established with
the Minotaur. Captain Tumour and Commander
Twiss return to the half-pay list from the Royal
Alfred on the 15th inst., the frigate will be placed
on the inactive list of the reserves at Portsmouth,
and_ the wooded unarmoured two-decker Duncan,
flagship of Sir James Hope in the West Indies, is to
return with Sir James to England, undergo a
thorough repair and refit, and again return to the
North America
hi and West India station as the flag-
ship of Sir J.
No
successor, 'Vice-Admiral Sir G.
R. Mundy. ue, not even a Lord of the Admi-
ralty, would so
rash as to designate a wooden
built line-of-battle ship without armour as a fight-
ing warship. Still it
appears that such a vessel is
about to be again despatched from England h
an Admiral's flag at the fore, •
andwith
American station above all others, to the North
where we can
only expect to be laughed at for our • antiquated no-
tions and extraordinary preference of pomp and
luxury to real efficiency. In these days of ironclads
the Duncan is not a fighting ship, and therefore
is not a fitting vessel for the flagship of
ags lip of
a British Admiral in foreign waters. She can
only carry guns that are harmless in their fire upon
the sides of an ironclad, while at the same time her
own hull offers a huge target ready for burning by
the first broadside of an enemy's shells. If the
Duncan is refitted for the new Admiral's flag for the
West India command, a return of the cost of her refit
moved for in the House of Commons may be condu-
cive to Admiralty economy and wisdom in the future.
The Admiralty official Navy List for the current
quarter contains in its " List of the Steamships and

Vessels of the Royal Navy" one vessel thus placed :
—" 96. Captain, 6, iron screw turret-ship, armour
plated, 4,272 tons, 900-horse power ; bt ilding by
Messrs. Laird, Birkenhead." This, of course, is the
vessel about which so much has be3n said as having
been designed by the Messrs. Lair 1, under Captain
Coles's superintendence and directions, and which is
supposed to represent Capt. Coles's views on the
subject of turret-ships. As Parliament at present
stands prorogued, it is impossible to ask Sir John
Pakington in his place in the House of Commons
whether this vessel has any existence beyond the ap-
pearance of her name and description on the official
navy list. It is reported that she has no existence
beyond the list, and, although described there as
" building by Messrs. Laird," that no steps have yet
been taken for laying her down, nor is the contract
for her construction yet signed.

The contract for the extension of Portsmouth dock-
yard has been signed between the Admiralty and Mr.
George Smith, of Pimlico, and during the past week
the latter has been engaged at Portsmouth with Mr.
W. Scamp, the designer of the extension works, and
the Deputy-Director of Works to the Admiralty,
in making the necessary arrangements for the im-
mediate commencement of the undertaking. Five
years is the specified contract time for the com-
pletion of the works, but it is probable that
they may shorten the time by at least
one-fifth, and under such circumstances they would
become entitled to a certain premium from the Ad-
miralty in addition to the fixed scale of prices under
which the contract is taken. Messrs. G. Smith and
Co. have been for some years engaged upon Admi-
ralty contracts at Portsmouth and other yards, and
have constructed at the former the largest of the
existing docks (the Warrior and the Minotaur
docks), and buildings already existing in the yard.
The new yard—for such it may fairly be called when
completed, from its greater extent compared with
the existing establishment—will add to the resources
of Portsmouth harbour a " repairing" basin of 22
acres, or 1,350 feet long by 720 feet breadth, and
40 feet depth, with five large docks, rigging, and
tidal basins, and entrance locks, and mith all foun-
dries, fact ories, workshops, &c., on a proportionate
scale.

The Prussian screw frigate Gazelle, 28 guns, Capt.
Henke, anchored at Spithead yesterday from Bre-
men, bound for the Mediterranean, and exchanged
the customary salutes with the flagship of the Port
Admiral and naval Commander-in-Chief and of the
garrison. Capt. Henke landed at Portsmouth im-
mediately of ter the frigate's arrival at Spithead, and,
accompanied by the Chevalier Vandenbergh, the
Prussian Vice-Consul, paid an official visit to the
Lords of the Naval and Military Departments. The
Gazelle has put into Spithead with damage to her
machinery. This will be repaired by the Engineer-
ing Staff of Portsmouth yard, after which the Ga-
t zelle will resume her voyage to the Mediterranean.

The War Department screw steamsloop Earl de
Grey and Ripon, with war materials from the
Thames, arrived at Plymouth on Sunday,
It is reported at Plymouth that the armour-plated
screw steamship Ocean, 24, Capt. C. S. S. Stan-
hope, will be supplied with stores and provisions for
service in the Mediterranean, in order to relieve
the iron armour-plated screw steamship Resistance,
18, Capt. H. S. Hillyar, C.B.
The screw steam corvette Barossa, 21, Capt. H.
Boys, which has left Japan for England, may be
expected about the 20th of Febrary next.
The remains of the late Major-Gen. Sir Charles
Warren, K.C.8., Colonel of the 96th Regiment,
were interred on Friday, Nov. 2, in the cathedral-
churchyard of Bangor, North Wales, special per-
mission having been obtained from the Secretary of
State for the intramural burial. Sir Charles's ser-
vices extended over a period of 52 years, during the
whole of which time he was actively employed. He
served under the Duke of Wellington in 1815 ;
commanded the 55th Regiment in an expedition
against the Rajah of Coorg, in 1834; led a success-
ful assault on and captured the stockade of Kissen-
hally, and was severely wounded in an attack on the
stockade of Soamwarpettah ; served in China from
1841 to 1844 (medal, brevet of Lieut. C 01. and C. 8.);
commanded the 55th in the expedition up the Yang-
tae-kiang, and was severely wounded at the storm-
ing and capture of Chinkiangfoo, " where he was
personally engaged with three Tartars, whom he
killed with his sword; served the Eastern campaign
of 1854-55, commanded the regiment at the battle
of the Alma (where he received two contused
wounds and was reported for his " brilliant gallan-
try ;") siege of Sebastopol, and repulse of the sortie
on Oct. 26 ; commanded the Ist Brigade 2d Divi-
sion at the battle of lukerman, and was severely
wounded (despatch states he " had a finger shot off
while leading his men with his usual conspicuous
bravery;)" again slightly wounded on the head at
the attack on the Redan on Sept: 8 (medal and
clasps) ; officer of the Legion of Honour, Sardinian
and Turkish medals, and third-class of the Medji-
die ; afterwards commanded the troops at Balak-
lava until the evacuation of the Crimea, and also
a brigade at Malta until Oct., 1861. He was selected
for the coloneicy of the 96th Regiment, and was
knighted by her Majesty at Windsor on May 17,
1861.

Col. Edward Keane died on Friday last, at Wor-
thing, at the age of 81. He served with the 23d Re-
giment in the expedition to the north of Germany
in 1805 ; and afterwards in Portugal and Spain
under Gen. Sir John Moore, including the retreat
and the battle of Corunna. He served in the Penin-
sula with the 7th Hussars, and as Aide-de-Camp to
Sir H. Vivian from Nov. 1813, to the end of the
war in 1814, including the battles :of the Nive,
Orthes, and Toulouse. He served also in the cam-
paign of 1815 in the same capacity, and was present
at the battle of Waterloo and the capture of Paris.
tie went on half-pay in March, 1833. The late Col.
Keane had received the silver war medal, with four
clasps, for Corunna, Nive, Orthes, and Toulouse.
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Commander D. Boyle to be in-
specting commander of the Coast Guard at Galway;
Lieut. E. B. Boyle, Lieut. F. G. Gambier, and
Lieut. R. M. Sperling to the Racoon ; Lieut. P.
Storr to the Irresistible, for service in the Coast-
guard ; Lieut. H. A. Monteith to the Tamar ; E.
Wise, master, to the Indus, for the Euphrates ; S.
W. Browne, master, to the Tamar ; Dr. H. 11.
Smith, surgeon, additional to the Indus ; J. 11.
Ferguson, and A. King, first-class assistant-engi-
neers, to the Oetavia •; G. E. M. Keep, first-class
assistant-engineer, to the Irresistible; W. F. Rowe,
first-class assistant-engineer, to the Donegal, for
tenders ; and B. J. Little, second-class assistant-
engineer, to the Octavia.

f the Ee st alludes
The Paris correspondent O onomi
to the report of a French commission charged to
estimate the value of imports and exports. Some
of the recommendations of this report are valuable
in the largest sense ; one, however, particularly
addresses itself to England. The commission ob-
serves that the wines of Roussillon and of the South
pay higher import duties in England than the Bor-
deaux wines, which are tenfold more valuable; the
reason being that wines in England are taxed ac-
cording to alcoholic strength, and the Southern and
Roussillon wines are strongly dosed with brandy to
suit the English market. The Economist draws the
moral that the alcoholic basis of taxation ought to
be set aside. But though the result of this basis is
undoubtedly to tax less valuable wines more highly
than those of greater excellence, it does not follow
that a purer taste would be encouraged among
the English by a readjustment of the prin-
ciple. By taxing alcoholic wines more than pure
wines we ought surely to enable pure wines to be
sold more cheaply than brandied wines. No doubt
those consumers who have no taste, and who judge
things merely by their price, prefer those wines
which pay the highest duty ; but others who have
I nt
hoi srteetraeosrtte.
iobrr than means will not be loth to profit by
to 11. Newall is writing a
volumes,illustrate the various phases ofri
We are happy oAvmeleriicnantlwifoe
Es teol
fl e
with
tehs
and manners.
to announce the successful debut
architect, Mr. Alfred BeauxTh Arts" of a young American
great odrirgence to the adaptation of the
vi nottehdQhimi This gentleman has de-
French system of architect'
will be prepared on his returnuret to
the United States, and
into apartments, and thus meet an o construct houses divided
our large cities, immediate necessity of