The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-07 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The paddlewheel steamer Adder, Master W. J.
Blakey, embarked at Chatham, yesterday afternoon,
a party of 100 convicts, from the convict establish-
ment, St. Mary's, for conveyance to the Nore, where
they were received on board the convict ship Corona,
for removal to Western Australia. A convict guard,
consisting of 30 military pensioners, with their wives
and families, embarked on board the Corona previ-
ously to that vessel leaving the Thames. The guard,
on their arrival in Australia, will become military
settlers in the colony.

The official trial of the screw sloop-corvette Rein-
deer, 7, 200 horse power, which was to have been
made yesterday at the Maplin Sands, near Chatham,
has been countermanded by the Admiralty, to en-
able the trim of the vessel to be improved by the
addition of a supply of iron ballast.
Her Majesty's ship Medusa, Commander Thos.
Potter, which sailed from Woolwich on Monday
last laden with stores for transhipment on board the
Orontes, troopship, at Portsmouth, for conveyance
to Canada, has returned to the Thames with a large
portion of her ammunition still on board. It appears
that, after the departure of the Medusa, counter in-
structions were given to Capt. Hire, commanding
the Orontes, to embark troops at Queenstown, in
which case the order for the reception of ammuni-
tion was cancelled, and 1,000 quarter barrels of ball
cartridge only were taken on board the Orontes.
The remainder, consisting of 2,600 quarter barrels
of ball cartridge and 360 half barrels of blank am-
munition, has been returned to Woolwich. The
Medusa's arrival at Gravesend was yesterday tele-
graphed to Woolwich, whither she was under orders
to proceed by the earliest tide. Two foremen and
gangs of labourers belonging to the Military Store
Department awaited the Medusa's coming along-
side the powder buoy off Woolwich Arsenal, in readi-
ness to go on board and hand out the ammuni-
tion as detailed above, which was to be re-
placed in a couple of Sale's lighters, to be remitted
to Gravesend, there to be transhipped to the char-
tered steam transport Achilles, now in the Victoria
Docks, and ordered to proceed with all despatch to
North America. The transfer of the ammunition will
be the work of two or three days. The Achilles has
other Government stores shipped from the Tower.
Her Majesty's iron steam storeship supply from
Malta and Gibraltar, having landed her cargo of re-
turned stores at Woolwich, has been taken into the
fitting basin to be surveyed by the shipwright de-
partment, to undergo some necessary repairs in ship
and machinery.
An order has been received at Chatham garrison
directing the detachments of Royal Artillery, cavalry
and infantry, placed under orders to proceed to Ma-
dras, to be held in readiness to embark at Gravesend
on Tuesday,llth inst., onboard the Walmer Castle,
which has been chartered by the lion. Golincil of
India for the conveyance of reinforcements for the
various corps serving in the Madras Presidency.
It is stated that Col. Farren, C. 8., commanding
the 4th Depot Battalion at the camp at Colchester,
has been selected by the Commander-in-Chief to
proceed to Jamaica to sit as president of a general
court-martial to assemble for the trial of certain offi-
cers in connection with the recent outbreak in that
island. A draught of the 100th Regiment has been
ordered to be detained at Colchester until further
orders, the ship Tamar, which was chartered for the
conveyance of troops to Canada, having been em-

ploy ed on other service. Capt. Adcock, Ist battalion
16th Regiment, is under orders to join the depot at
Colchester to relieve Capt. Lea, who will proceed to
the service companies in India.

The hired transport Holmsdale, 1,257 tons, Capt.
W. J. Ferris, belonging to Messrs. Shaw, Lowther,
and Manton, from Auckland, New Zealand, arrived
in the Sound this morning. She brings the head-
quarters of the 40th Regiment and 16 officers, viz.,
Lieutenant-Colonel L. L. K. Nelson, Capt. and
Brigade-Major G. O. Bowdler, Capts. N. Armstrong
and J. S. Mansergh, Lieuts. A. Moller, M. Morphy,
E. Stack, and C. F. Hulme, Ensigns F. H. King
and J. D. Gregson, Adjt. J. T. Whelan, Paymaster
H. C. Ryder, and Surgeon G. W. Peake, wife, and
two children ; Chaplain L. Parsly and Deputy Pur-
veyor Adamson. Mr. Pring, purveyor, died on the
passage. Mrs. Hassard, widow of Col. Hassard,
who was shot in the New Zealand war, is also a
passenger. The total of the troops is 16 officers,
3 ladies, 29 children, 329 non-commissioned officers
and men, 31 women, 60 children, and two officers'
servants. The Holmsdale sailed June 17, rounded
Cape Horn on the 30th, and crossed the line on the
47th day out. Off the Cape several large icebergs
were observed. This ship left England seven months
and 15 days since.; she went to Melbourne, thence
to Auckland, and back to Plymouth.