The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-24 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligerce.

A battalion of 800 rank and file of the Royal Ma-
rine force, under the command of Colonel Strans-
ham, will proceed froth. Woolwich to Hyde-park on
Friday morning to take their place in the brigade
of infantry to be formed for the inspection of her
Majesty, on the occasion of her distributing the
Victoria Cross. The Woolwich division of Royal
Marines ordered to
.be present consists of Lieut.-
Col. Hopkins, C.B. ; Captains Parke, Wood,
Usher, Casey, and Fitzgerald ; First Lieutenants
Taylor, Shute, Gill, Travers, Dodson, Ley, and
Donellan ; second Lieutenant Fonblanque, Heriot,
and Hewett ; 20 sergeants, 12 drummers, and 400
rank and file. Two batteries of field artillery are
also under orders to attend—namely the J Bat-
tery, commanded by Major Grylls, and the Q Bat-
tery, in command of Captain Gibbon. They are
ordered to march from Woolwich with their guns
on Thursday morning, and will be commanded by
Lieut.-Colonel Phillpotts and Adjutant-Major
Dickson. The J Battery, of heavy -62-pounders,
did somo hard and successful work in the Crimea
under the command of Major Ward, recently ap-
pointed to a troop of Horse Artillery. These bat-
teries were at exercise on Woolwich-common yes-
terday, and fired 20 rounds of blank cartridge by
way of practice, going through the usual routine of
a day's drill, under the command of Colonel
Pbillpotts.
The head-quarters, staff, and A and B troops of
the Gth (Enniskillen) Dragoons, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel H. D. White, C. 8.,
wilt proceed from Chatham this morning for the
purpose of being present on the occasion of her
Majesty distributing the Victoria Cross. The fol-
lowing officers will leave Chatham with their head-
quarters—viz., Capt. W. J. Fitz Wygram, Capt.
R. H. Currie, Lieut. E. F. Dawson, Lieut. A. F.
Dawson, Adjutant W. Mole, Assistant-Surgeon 0.
Barnett, and Veterinary-Surgeon J. Collins. The
battalion of Royal Marine Light Infantry, num-
bering nearly 500 officers and men, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel G. Elliot, with the
divisional band and colours, left Chatham yester-
day for Loudon, to attend at the distribution of
the Victoria Cross.
The Sprightly steam tender, Mr. George Allen
master-commanding, embarked the baggage of the
remaining companies of the 23d Royal Welsh Fusi-
leers and Capt. Sprot's company of the 93 High-
landers yesterday, and transhipped it to the Mel-
ville hospital ship at Spithead, which will embark
the troops and sail to-morrow for China.
The Princess Charlotte, 104, barrack ship, Capt.
King, C.D., was officially inspected at Spithead by
the Commander-in-Chief yesterday, prior to her
being reported ready for sailing to China.
The Cumberland, 70, Capt. Dickson, ffag of Rear
Admiral P. W. P. Wallis, got under way from
Spithead yesterday afternoon, and dropped out to
St. Helen's, whence she will sail this morning fcr
the South-east Coast of America station, to relieve
the Indefatigable, 50, flag of Rear-Admiral John-
stone, whose period of service has expired.
The Ceres cutter sailed from Portsmouth yester-
day for the Channel Islands. -
The despatch screw steam ounvessel Victor,
Commander Algernon F. R. De 'horsey, which ar-
rived at Sheerness on Sunday last from the North
America and. West India station, is ordered to be
paid off there. During her
passage home she ex-
perienced very heavy weather. In consequence of
sides, &c.,
the defects of her decks, waterways,. top
forffioracerlewaktaogsee ,
ht
ahme rme
oe has not been
k or
cotliaseinthoelt '
In her engine and machinery baemenanor
per-
fectly saturated with water either by sea or rain.
department there are
no defects whatever. With 181 b. pressure she
makes 80 revolutions per minute, with a vacuum 91

27, making by log 10 knots under steam and me-
i derate sail set.
The engines of the Renown, 91 guns, new screw
' steam-ship, were tried in the basin at Sheernessl on
Monday by the engineers and superintendents of
Messrs. Penn and Sons. Mr. Hartree and Mr.
Wigzel superintended the trial. She made 52 re-
volutions per minute, with 201 b. pressure and a
vacuum of 26. There was no pressing or hot bear-
ings ; she has worked up to 3,000 horse-power ;
her engines are 800 horse power, nominal ; her
cylinders are 89& inches diameter, with a 4-feet
stroke. By calculation she will be equal to perform
12.3 knots par hour. The trial in every respect
was very satisfactory. She will shortly proceed on
a trial trip previous to her being delivered up to the
Admiralty authorities.
Some interesting trials of much importance to
the naval service took place last week at Woolwich
dockyard with Dr. Brown's patent masthead and
paddlebox lamps. On Friday evening at 9.30 one
of the lamps was hoisted on the mainmast of the
flagship Fisgard, displaying a red and blue light,
which was clearly visible many miles round. A
service lamp was likewise raised on the Fisgard's
mainmast at the same time to enable a comparison
to be made, and the newly-invented light was pro-
nounced infinitely superior. On Saturday one of
the paddlebox lamps was tested in the cellars of
the dockyard smithery. .It John G. Mugford,
commanding the flagship Fisgard, and Mr. James
Peake, assistant master shipwright of Woolwich
dockyard, were appointed to be present with Dr.
Brown during the prosecution of the trials, and
were ordered to report thereon for the information
of the Lords of the Admiralty. A favourable re-
port has been transmitted by them, setting forth
the advantages of the newly invented lamp.
Captain and Adjutant Parkin, of the 12th bat.
talion Royal Artillery, at Woolwich, having 'ob-
tained an attestation of the medical board, has been
permitted to retire from the service on the half-pay
list of captains of the Royal Artillery.
A lighther barge from the East India Docks,
freighted with one of the American breech-loading
guns, and four breeches belonging to the remain-
der, is now alongside the wharf at Woolwich arse-
nal. The gun is rifle-grooved and weighs 12 tons
without the breech, the latter weighing five tons,
the immense mass of metal of which the gun is cast
amounting to the enormous waight of 17 tons.
The paddlewheel steamer Myrtle went down to
Woolwich yesterday, and was to return to Sheer-
ness, having conveyed a party of seamen to Dept-
ford, as crews for her Majesty's gun-boats Jasper
and Jasour.

A general parade of the officers and troops be-
longing to the Provisional Battalion at Chatham
garrison took place on the Lines on Monday after-
noon, where the entire battalion was drawn up,
under the command of Lieut.-Col. R. N. Phillips,
for the purpose of witnessing the presentation of a
silver medal, with a gratuity of 51., which had been
awarded by the Duko of Cambridge to Private
John Prendergrast, 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers, for
long service and meritorious conduct while serving
with his regiment in India, whence he has recently
returned. The order from his Royal Highness the
Commander-in-Chief baying been read to the as-
sembled troops, Private Prendergrast was called
to the front, when the colonel presented him with
the medal in a short appropriate speech. Pren-
dergrast has been a number of years in the service,
during which period he has borne a most exem-
plary character. The money will be deposited for
him in the regimental savings-bank, where it will
remain until he receives his discharge.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. W. A. Cambier, to the
Princess Charlotte ; W. Bell, midshipman, to the
Hastings ; and J. R. Marsden, naval cadet, to the
Buscawen.