The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-18 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The following naval officersstudyingat the Royal
Naval College, Portsmouth, were examined at the
quarterly examination held at the college on the
12th, 13th, and 14th inst., and having passed have
received the certificates of qualification as steam
officers of her Majesty's Navy :—Commanders
Philip R. Sharpe, Henry G. Belson, John T.
Swan, Henry L. Perceval, Geo. Parsons, Henry J.
Challis, Edwd. T. Parsons, Claude E. Buckle, and
Lieut. E. D. Law.

A naval court-martial assembled yesterday morn-
ing on board H.M.S. Victory, in Portsmouth Har-
bour, for the trial of Capt. C. T. L. Usher, Royal
Marine Light Infantry, serving on board H.M.S.
Lion, Capt. J. H. Hayes, C.B. (Coastguard ship at
Greenock), on a charge of drunkenness on board
H.M.S. Lion on the 28th Nov. last. The Court
was composed of Capt. the lion. F. Egerton, C. 8.,
Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, of H.M.S. Victory,
president ; Capt. C. Fellowes, Duke of Wellington;
Capt. W. C. Chamberlain, Asia; Capt. H. Bur-
goyne, V.C., Wivern ; Capt. Goodenough, Mino-
taur ; Capt. M. Dunn, Meg:era. Senior Lieut. G.
E. Barnes, H.M.S. Lion, appeared as prosecutor,
and called Lieut. R. Ross, the Rev. Bartholomew
D.D., and other witnesses, in support of the
charge. In reply on his defence the prixoner read
to the Court a statement, in which he expressed his
pain and regret at finding himself in the humiliat-
ing position of defending himself against such a
charge after 19 years' service. Repudiating altoge-
ther the charge brought against him, he attributed
the appearances which led to the charge being made
to an overdose of chlorodine and brandy, which he
had taken as a medicine. He further called upon
Capt. Goodenough to testify to his general conduct
while formerly serving under him, and handed in to
the Court a number of written testimonials from
various other officers, all giving favourable evidence
to his character as an officer and a gentleman.
The Court found the charge proved, but, in conse-
quence of the prisoner's long service and the high
testimony given in his favour, sentenced him only
to be dismissed from H.M.S. Lion and a loss of two
years' seniority as captain in the Royal Marine Light
Infantry.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Orontes, Capt. H.
W. Hire, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday from Ire-
land. She will be paid out of commission by her
present captain, and afterwards recommissioned by
Capt. H. Phelps.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Megmra, Capt. M.
Dunn, arrived at Spithead yesterday afternoon from
Malta and Gibraltar, with military and naval in-
valids and passengers. The MegNra sailed from
Gibraltar on the 11th inst., leaving there her Ma-
jesty's screw gunboat Skylark and the steam-tug
Redpole. On the 13th, just after gassing Cape St.
Vincent, the Megiera met her Majesty's ironclad
frigate Ocean, under steam and fore and aft sail,
bound for Gibraltar. The weather was fine, and the
Ocean appeared to be making good progress and to
be moving along under ordinary frigate behaviour.
The invalids will be disembarked from the Megaara
at Spithead, after which, this morning, she will
proceed round to the Thames to discharge stores,
&c. Previous to leaving Spithead Commander Simp-
son will relieve in the command of the .Alegvera Capt.
M. Dunn, who has been appointed by the Admiralty
to the command of the new screw troopship Eu-
phrates.