The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-30 00:00:00

TIIE NA VY.

Rear-Admiral Robert Smart removed his flag on
Saturday at Plymouth from the Revenge, 91, to the
paddlewheel steam-sloop Virago, 6, Commander H.
Johnson, and in the afternoon left the Soufld for

Queenstown.
The Warrior, 40, iron frigate, Capt. the Hon. A.
A. Cochrane, C. 8., at Portsmouth, having completed
the fitment of her temporary iron tiller, it is intended
to take her out of the harbour to-day or to-morrow

under steam, for the purpose of testing the new til-
ler's powers upon the rudder.
The Pandora, 5, screw, Lieut. the Hon. J. T. Fitz-
maurice (of the Majestic, 80, screw), sailed from
Portsmouth on Saturday for Liverpool, where she
will be attached to her Majesty's snip Majestic,
from which ship 40 men came to navigate her round
to Liverpool. Prior to leaving Portsmouth she
took in her powder and shell. She also took on
board her mooring anchors, chains, and buoy, to be
laid down for her in the Mersey. This vessel also
received before leaving two 25 pounder Armstrong

guns, in addition to naval stoics, &c. The gun-
boats Amelia, Lieut. Cheyne, and Escort, Lieut.
Woodman, also sailed from Portsmouth for the same
destination at 8 o'clock the previous evening.

The Edgar, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral
Sydney Colpoy nacres, C. 8., second in command
on the North American and West India station, is

expected to sail from Spithead this morning, call-
ing at Lisbon. This ship was to have sailed from
Spithead last Monday, but has been detained by
reason of a court-martial sitting on board the Vic-

tory, flag ship at Portsmouth, to try one of her first
class petty officers. As the charges compelled the
attendance of Capt. Mends as prosecutor, and seve-
ral witnesses belonging to the ship, her detention

was absolutely necessary to carry out the ends of
justice, although it is much to be regretted that
a ship like the Edgar should be kept at Spithead
for nearly a week on account of th© gross miscon-

duct of a quartermaster.
The Terrible, 21, paddle frigate, Capt. Glasse,
C. 8., arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from
_ _ _ _

the Mediterranean. She sailed from Malta on the
11th inst., arrived at Gibraltar on the 18th, and

sailed again thence on the 22d. The Amphion, screw
frigate, sailed the same day for Lisbon. Fine wea-
ther was experienced as far as Ushant, when strong
north-east gales were met with, which continued up
to the time of reaching Spithead, where she awaits
orders.

The Chanticleer, screw steam-sloop, Commander
Stirling, has received orders to be held in readiness
to proceed to the North American station.
At Chatham the utmost despatch is being exhi-
bited in embarking the supplies of shot and shell,
together with the guns, required for the various
vessels fitting for commission at Chatham and
Sheerness. On Saturday the War Department ten-

der Bomarsund was placed alongside the centre
wharf, and during the day shipped 12 of the large
10-in. 95cwt. cast iron guns, together with four 100-

pounder Armstrongs, carriages, sights, screws, &c.,
for the Galater, 26, 800-horse power, whic‘i will
also receive two more Armstroogs and eight east,

iron guns. The advanced gun-vessels belonging to
the first-class steam reserve in the Medway, in-
tended for the gunboat flotilla, have also been fully
equipped from the Chatham stores, and in addition
to being furnished each with a 100-pounder and
40-pounder Armstrong, together with a quantity of
shot and shell, each gunboat took on board a num-
ber of short sea rifles and sword bayonets, as well

as a supply of small arms. Transports arrive almost
daily at the Ordnance-wharf from Woolwich with
supplies of shot and shell, chiefly of the Armstrong
kind, for distribution to the various ships. A few
days since 1,400 empty 8-in. shells and 100 32-
pounder hollow shot were despatched from Chat-
ham to Woolwich. Large supplies of tents and
blankets have also been issued from the stores for
the use of the troops proceeding to Canada.
The screw frigate Galatea, 26, 800 horse power,
having nearly completed fitting, was on Saturday
towed out of Chatham harbour by the Adder and
Monkey steamers, and removed to Folly Point,

where she will be stationed for a short time, when,
according to present arrangements, she will pro-
ceed to Devonport. Most of her stores are on
board, and she only awaits the appointment of her
officers and crew to be ready to proceed to any part
of the world. She shipped her spare fan on
Friday. Admiralty instructions were on Saturday
received at Chatham by Col. Rea, commandant of
the division of Royal Marine Light Infantry, direct-
ing 50 additional men of the Royal Marines to be
employed in the dockyard in assisting to complete

the iron steamers Defence and Galatea.

The Rattlesnake, 21, 400-horse power, at Chat-
ham, had her topmasts on Saturday, and is rigging
as rapidly as that work can be performed by the
riggers of the establishment. She is to be ready
for sea by the middle of January, when it is under-
stood she will be despatched to the West Indies, or
some portion of the seaboard of America.
The Royal Adelaide, 104, flagship of Rear Ad-
miral Sir Thomas Pasley, second in command at
Devonport, will be paid off to-morrow (Tuesday)
and recommissioned the following day for the flag
of the commander in chief, Vice Admiral Sir Hous-
ton Stewart.
The Impregnable, 101, Captain Vesey, at present
carrying the flag of the commander in chief, is also
to be paid off the same day, and recommissioned on
Wednesday by Captain W. K. Hall, to take the
place of the Royal Adelaide, as a training ship. Sir
Thomas Pasley will hoist his flag on board the
Indus, guard ship of steam ordinary, pro. tem.
The orders for the Emerald, 51, screw, Captain
A. Cumming, at Plymouth, to proceed to the North
American station, have been countermanded, and
she is under orders to proceed to Liverpool in con-
voy of the Amelia and Escort, two gun boats, to be
employed as tenders to the Majestic, at that port.
The Emerald awaits the arrival of the gun boats
from the eastward.
The iron frigate Defence, 16, is to be put out of
No. 3 dock, at Chatham, on Thursday next, to be
masted with iron tubular masts. These are made
of the best iron and are nearly half an inch in thick-
ness each. Each of them has iron hooping inside,
which adds materially to their strength. It is said
that shot will not affect them on being struck, un-
less in close quarters.
VALETTA, Dec. 23.—The event of the week in
this garrison has been the execution of the gunner
John Edwards, of the 3d Brigade Royal Artillery,
for having fired his carbine at Capt. Keate. At his
trial by general court-martial he made no defence,
gave no reason for the act, and expressed no regret
at having committed it. He was about 30 years of
ago, and bore an indifferent character in the corps
to which he belonged. He is said to have served in
the Royal Marines, but little is known of his past
history. In the condemned cell he continued to main-
tain a dogged silence, simply replying " Yes," or
"No,"to the questions put to him. The execution was
witnessed by the entire garrison on Friday morning
last. The highest points of the walls and the tops of
the houses were crowded with anxious spectators.
The prisoner appeared at a few minutes before eight
o'clock, his arms pinioned to his sides, and in
the undress of a gunner of Artillery. After his
eyes had been bandaged by the Proyost-Marshal the