The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 20, 1861.

111 E NAVY.

VALETTA, Dec. 13.—The French steamer which
leaves to-day for Marseilles affords me an opportu-
nity of sending you a few lines. The naval autho-
rities here continue busy in getting vessels ready
for sea, to proceed to Gibraltar, where a large naval
force has been ordered to assemble. Her Majesty's
frigate Melpomene, 51, Capt. C. J. F. Ewart, which
had been recalled by telegraph from the Pirceus,
arrived here on the 10th inst. Repairs being neces-
sary, she was admitted into dock, and the work was
continued all night, so that no time should be lost.
She left for Gibraltar yesterday. The Agamemnon,
89, Capt. Hope, followed for the same destination
to-day; and the James Watt, 89, Capt. Codd, fol-
lows in a day or two, when her repairs will be com-
plete. The Cmsar, 89, Capt. T. Mason, will also
leave for the westward in about a week. The
Marlborough, 131 (flag of Vice-Admiral Sir W. F.
Martin, K.C.8., the commander in chief on this
station), is, I understand, to remain here for the
present. The Terrible, 21, Capt. F. H. H. Glasse,
C. 8., commissioned in 1858, left on the evening of
the 11th for Gibraltar and England. Her Majesty's
gunboat Foxhound, 4, Capt. the Hon. A. Hobart,
which had been ordered to Gibraltar, received
counter orders to proceed to Corfu. On the 10th
inst. (real oranvg were received, in consequence of
instructions by telegraph from England, and she
proceeded the same day to Marseilles, conveying
Rear-Admiral Daeres, C. 8., who has been selected
to the second in command of the West India fleet.
A telegram has been received from Corfu an-
nouncing that the Megmra, steam troopship,
Commander Henderson, had broken down, and
that her arrival at Malta would be consequently
delayed. The Trident, 3, which arrived hero a
few days ago from Gibraltar, proceeds to-day with
a mail to Corfu. Commander G. B. Nicolas, of
this vessel, was tried by court-martial on the

11th inst., on board her Majesty's receiving ship
Hibernia, for cruelty, in excessive punishment of
two boys of the crew for breaking their leave
at Gibraltar. He was found guilty, and sentenced
to be dismissed the service with disgrace. The sol-
dier Edwards, of the 3d Brigade, Royal Artillery,
who shot at the Adjutant, Captain Ideate, was tried
last week by court martial. The court closed its sit-
tings the day before yesterday, but the sentence is
not yet known. The prisoner confessed his crime,
but could give no reason for it; on the contrary, he
stated that he had no grounds of complaint against
any of his officers. Her Majesty's gunboat Lapwing,
4, Commander M. O'Reilly, has just come in from
Beyrou t.

MALTA, DEC. 12.—Her Majesty's steam corvette
Firebrand, Commander J. M. Bruce, arrived on Sun-
day morning from England and Gibraltar, having on
board three naval officers. On arrival she was im-
mediately ordered to proceed to Gibraltar, and left
on the following day. The liners Algiers, Captain
E. B. Rice; and Queen, Capt. C. F. Hillyar, sailed
for Gibraltar on Monday evening. The screw steam-
frigate Melpomene, Capt. C. F. J. E wart, arrived
on Tuesday morning from the Piraeus; having under-
gone some repairs in the dock, she leaves this even-
ing for Gibraltar. The liners Agamemnon and James
Watt are, it is said, also under orders to proceed to
Gibraltar. Her Majesty's screw gunboat Foxhound,
Commander the Hon. A. C. Hobart, took her de-
parture on Tuesday for Marseilles. The steam-
frigate Terrible, Capt. F. H. H. Glasse, sailed
yesterday evening for Gibraltar and England, to
be paid of; she was commissioned in June, 1858,
by Capt. Glasse. Her Majesty's surveying steamer
Medina, Capt. T. A, B. Spratt, C. 8., arrived early
this morning from Alexandria, where she was lately
onaployoa on cm 1-o) lug a lltieb. Thtl llutll libl; Lath
Captain Shadwell, which left Gibralter on the 28th
ult. for Malta, has not yet made her appearance ;
probably she is sailing under canvas. Her Majes-
ty's troop-ship Mega3ra is daily expected from
Corfu. The Marlborough (flag-ship), Cesar, Aga-
memnon, James Watt, Melpomene, Trident, Firefly,
Medina, and Boxer, are the only English ships of
war at present in port.—Malta Observer.

Rear-Admiral Sidney C. Dacres, C. 8., arrived at
Dent's George Hotel, Portsmouth, yesterday, from
London. At noon he hoisted his flag as second in
command on the North American and West Indian
station, on board the Edgar, 89, screw, Capt. Mends,
anchored at Spithcad. The salute from the flagship's
guns, customary on such occasions, was omitted in
the present instance owing to the decease of H.R.H.
the Prince Consort. The Edgar has taken in an
extra 100 pounder Armstrong gun for conveyance
to the station. The Edgar is expected to leave on
Sunday for Lisbon, to meet that portion of the
fleet from the Mediterranean to be placed under his
command, and wait
,further orders consequent on
the reply from the American President. Should
war be the result, Admiral Dacres will then pro-
ceed to join Admiral Milne, as second in command;
but should peace still be preserved, the ships from
the Mediterranean will return to that station, and
the Admiral to Spithead, in the Edgar, which will
immediately refit, and he will proceed to the Medi-
ter, anean in her as his flag-ship, in the place of
Rear-Admiral Mundy, who has returned to Eng-
land in ill health.

The Shannon, screw steam-frigate, in the steam-
basin, commenced shipping guns yesterday. Her
external appearance is improved, not only aloft, but
hor sides are being painted, and she looks more like
a man-of-war ready for sea.
An attempt was made yesterday to dock the
Black Prince in No. 10, but as there was not suf-
ficient water, it was postponed until to-day. She
is to have her bottom coated over with Mr. Hay's
solution, as is also the Wallace, paddle-wheel
steamer, for which purpose she is put into No. 6
dock.

The Stromboli, 6, paddle, Commander Lord El-
phinstone, and the Devastation, 6, paddle, the for-
mer fitting out at Portsmouth, and the latter at
Woolwich, are each ordered to take on board two
100 pounder Armstrong guns with their carriages,
equipment, and ammunition complete, to the North
American station, where they will be disembarked
for service in the shore batteries. The guns have
been selected from the ordnance stores at Ports-
mouth, and the Devastation will call in at Spithead
to receive her allotted number on her way down
Channel.

Her Majesty's screw steam corvette Rattlesnake,
21 guns, 1,705 tons, which has recently been built
at Chatham, was this day taken from Sheerness
harbour to Maplin Sands for the purpose of trying
her speed and machinery at the measured mile, The
engines, which are of 400 nominal horse power,
are constructed by Messrs. Ravenhill and Co.
The vessel was in charge of Captain Schomberg,
R.N. Mr. Price, inspector of machinery afloat
at Sheerness, and Mr. Baker, chief engineer of the
Chatham Dockyard, attended on the part of the
Government. Tho contractors for the engines were
represented by Mr. Hodgson, the engines being in
the charge of their foreman, Mr. Elliott. At the
time the trial took place the vessel had to contend
against a very strong gale, notwithstanding which
the results were most satisfactory viz., mean speed,
13.3 knots per hour; revolution of engines, 86;
25; with half-
-10.455 knots;
pbroeilsesrupreowoefr,sstpecaemd,, 20 ; vacuum,
pitch (Griffiths's
screw),
231 t. 6in., variable from that to 28ft.;
orsfelwfintod'be one of
7. The
vesseldiameter
has of
accordingly s cre w , l6fpt . force
r o;
ved
the fastest ships which has yet been tried in these
waters.

Her Majesty's steam sloop Devastation, Com-
mander M'Crea, having embarked a portion of her
cargo, consisting of Armstrong guns and ap-
purtenances, shot and ammunition,intended for the
flagship Bacchante and Clio, in the Pacific, yester-
day left the basin at Woolwich for Greenhithe to
adjust compasses for sea. She took charts for the
Pacific, and will find in her magazine and receive

the remainder of her freight at Greenhithe, to be
forwarded in lighters from Woolwich.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :
Lieutenants—E. W. Fitz Gerald, Henry Izod, and
Charles Chute to the Nile, for disposal ; John S. Eaton,
to Pelorus for disposal ; Bernard Moore and Francis C.
R. Baker to the Marborough, for disposal.

Master—Alfred J. Veitch to the Orlando.
Second Master—John J. Covey to the Dee; Richard
Reed (acting) to the Hawke, for Coastguard.
Assistant-Engineers—Abram Gray promoted to acting
first-class in the Arrogant; Edwd. Watson, acting second-
class, to the Asia, as supernumerary; D. Crichton (A),
confirmed second-class in Edinburgh.

and file, viz. :—Adriatic--Staff, 3 officers ; Grena-
dier Guards, 33 officers, 841 men; Military Train,
15 officers, 300 men ; Artillery, 6 officers, 113 men ;
total, 57 officers, 1,254 men. Parana—Scots Fusi-
liers, 32 officers, 887 men ; Royal Engineers, 5
officers, 120 men ; total, 37 officers, 1,007 men.

As the Adriatic moved out of dock the large
shields on her paddleboxes, emblazoned with the
stars and:stripes, reminded everybody of the remark-
able coincidence that an American-built steamer,
and until within a few months the property of
American owners, should be one of the first em-
ployed in the transport of British troops to the
northern part of the American continent to operate
rrobably against the country in which she was built.
-On the two vessels leaTingthe docks the volunteer
band took up a position on the extreme end of the
jetty, and as the Adriatic slowly moved past they
played the appropriate airs of "I wish I was in
Dicey," and " The British Grenadiers," followed by
" Cheer, boys, cheer," and " Should auld acquant-
ance be forgot," as the Parana passed, in each case
closing with " God save the Queen," after which
several parting rounds of enthusiastic cheers were
exchanged between the multitude of spectators on
shore and the gallant fellows on board the vessels.
It was understood that the Adriatic and Parana
would not put to sea till this morning, but nothing
certain was known on the point.

The Magdalena will embark her troops (39 officers
and 900 men of the 16th Foot) on Saturday morning.
Each of the above-named vessels carries out an
immense supply of stores and clothing, and it will
be gratifying to the country to know that the men
are well provided with warm clothing to protect
them from the rigours of a Canadian winter. All
the steamers are fitted with Clifford's boat-lowering
gear, the Adriatic having it applied to four of her
boats.

The despatch of these ships has been effected with
remarkable speed. The order for chartering the
Adriatic and Parana was only received here on
Wednesday se'nnight, and the Magdalena on the
following day. Seven days have, therefore, sufficed
to prepare and fit them for sea, in a manner which
has given the greatest satisfaction. As illustrative
of the work which has been accomplished in that
time it may be mentioned that the Adriatic has
taken in 1,500 tons of coals, 14,000 gallons of water
(in addition to which she has an apparatus on board
capable of distilling 1,000 gallons of water per
diem), and three months' provisions for troops and
crew, besides the erection of all the fittings through-
out the ship for the accommodation of so large a
body of troops. Similar results have been achieved
in the case of the other vessels. The excellence and
completeness of the arrangements for embarkation
were manifested by the fact of between 1,700 and
1,800 men walking comfortably on board, the whole
embarked, and the two steamers moving away from
their berths in about a couple of hours from the
arrival of the first detachment.