The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-14 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

VALETTA, Dec. B.—Her Majesty's despatch ves-
sel Caradoc, 2, Lieut.-Commander E. N. Wilkin-
son, which had been ordered by the Admiraltyfrom
Constantinople to Marseilles to convey Sir Henry
Storks to Malta, broke down in her machinery on
the passage, and put into Zante and Messina. She
arrived here on the afternoon of the 4th inst. Not
having communicated with Sicily she has been placed
in only 10 days' quarantine, the term imposed on arri-
vals from Constantinople. As the Psyche, despatch
vessel, 2, Lieut.-Commander Sir Francis Blackwood,
had already been sent to Marseilles on other ser-
vice, she will remain there to carry out the Cara.
doe's original orders, and may be expected at Malta
with Sir 11. Storks, who has written to say he hopes
to land on the morning of the 17th inst. Orders
were received a few days ago by telegraph from the
Admiralty to send home the Gibraltar, 81, screw
line-of-battle ship, Capt. Coote, to be paid off. This
vessel has been upwards of three years on the sta-
tion. The Ocean, 23, ironclad, Capt. C. Stanhope,
is expected from England to relieve her on this sta-
tion. Her Majesty's screw storeship Megmra, Capt.
Dann, left Malta on Friday last for Spithead. The
Enterprise, 4, screw ironclad, Commander Bosan-
quet, will sail on Monday for Patras, to relieve the
Tyrian, 2, Lieut.-Com. Hon. V. Montague, which
will probably be ordered to Malta. The Wizard, 2,
Lieut.-Com. Murray, is under orders to proceed to
Candia. It is reported that the Cruiser, 5, screw
sloop, Commander M. Singer, will also leave port
soon. Her destination is said to be the coast of
Syria, to relieve the Racer, 11, screw sloop, Com-
mander L. Brine. The Bishop of Gibraltar and
family returned last night from England, via Mar-
seilles, by the Poonah. The Malta and Alexandria
telegraph has been repaired by the Hawk, and com-
munication by the cable has been re-opened to the
public. Much of the delay was occasioned by the
late tempestuous weather.
An official trial trip of a ship's launch intended
for the Spanish Government took place on Wednes-
day down the river. The craft is similar to those in
use in her Majesty's navy, and was engined by the
Thames Ironworks, Shipbuilding, Engineering, and
Dry Dock Company, at Blackwall. The boat got
under way at 12 30 p.m. from the Thames Iron-
works yard, and proceeded down to the measured
mile in Long Reach, doing the run from Roff's-
wharf, Woolwich, to Erith-pier, against a strong
flood tide, in 55 minutes. Four runs were made on
the measured mile, with following results :—First
run against the tide, 7.004 ; second ditto, with the
tide 10.112 ; third ditto, against the tide, 7.143 ;
and the fourth, with the tide, 9.626, giving a mean
speed of 8.548 knots per hour. ',['he engines made
from 340 to 350 revolutions per minute, which,
with a pressure of from 751 b, to 801 b. per square
inch at the gauge, gave 55 indicated horse-power.
The total weight of boat and engines ready for
steam is 9 tons 0 cwt. 2 qrs. 91b. The weight of
machinery, water, and chocks is only 1 cwt. 3 qrs.
141 b. per indicated horse-power, which, it is stated
is the lowest weight yet obtained in this class of
engines. The boiler, it should be remarked, is made
of wrought-iron throughout. The boat is to be at-
tached to the Spanish ironclad frigate Victoria,
launched recently from the same yard, and near
completion in the Victoria Docks. The boat drew
2ft. of water forward'and 3ft. aft, with one ton of
coals, some stores, and 16 persons on board. She
was in command of Capt. Gammence, who will com-
mission the Victoria, and who was present on behalf
of the Spanish Government to inspect the proceed-
ings. The trial was very satisfactory.

It was yesterday announced at Chatham that the
screw wooden frigate Galatea, 2G, 3,227 tons, 800-
horse power (nominal), is to be at once placed in
commission by Captain his Royal Highness the
Duke of Edinburgh, for whom she is to be forth-
with prepared for a cruise in the Mediterranean.
The Galatea has been attached to the Steam Reserve
since she was last in commission, and but few of her
bulkheads and fittings having been disturbed when
paid off, a short time only need elapse before she can
be made ready for sea.

The line-of-battle unarmoured screw steamer
Rodney, 78, 500-horse power, Mr. W. It Harris,
master in charge, is being hastened forward for com-
mission, in the fitting basin at Sheerness, a large
number of shipwrights and other hands being em-
ployed on board in preparing her for the pennant.
She is being fitted with additional cabins and offices
for a flag-officer's retinue, as she is intended as the
flagship for the China station. Her lower and run-
ning rigging has been set up, and she is nearly com-
plete aloft.
The screw steam sloop Rapid, 11, Commander
W. B. Stubbs, from the Cape of Good Hope, and
the Gibraltar, 81, Capt. Robert Coote, and the
storeship Megacra, 4, Capt. Montague B. Dunn,
both from the Mediterranean, are hourly expected
at Plymouth.
The armour-plated screw steam sloop, Research, 4,