The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-05 00:00:00

The Elk and Hornet, composite-built, unarmoured
gun vessels, each of 2 guns, 464 tons, and 120-horse
power, have been commissioned at Portsmouth, the
former by Commander Algernon G. Wootton,
and the latter by Commander Duncan G. David-
son. The latter officer, like Capt. Brooker, has
made for himself by his past services a reputation
in China. He was attached to the Naval Brigade
at the storming of Canton in December, 1857,
at which affair he assisted Capt. Sherard Osborn
in burning the houses in the vicinity of the North
Gate, a service, according to " O'Beirne," of
considerable difficulty, and executed under a sharp
fire from the enemy. He also assisted at the de-
struction of the Peiho Forts.

Capt. E. B. Rice on Thursday entered upon his
duties as the officer commanding her Majesty's ship
Asia and the Steam Reserve at Portsmouth.
The following officers at Chatham Garrison have
received orders from the Horse Guards to hold
themselves in readiness for embarkation, to join
their respective regiments at the stations named
Major W. F. J. Rudd, 2d Battalion of the Ist
Royals, to embark for India ; Major F. Connor,
Lieut. 11. Flood, and Lieut. Shirley, Ist Battalion
of the 2d Royals, to embark for Bombay ; Lieut.
R. L. Leir and Lieut. W. F. 11. Majendie, 31st
Regiment, to embark for Malta ; Lieut. J. H.
Campbell and Ensign F. F. R. Burgess, 109th Re-
giment to embark for Calcutta ; Ensign G. L. H.
Star, and Ensign J. Ritchie, 3d West India Regi-
ment, to embark for Jamaica.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. Frederick R. Board-
man and Lieut. John R. E. Pattison, to the Scor-
pion ; Lieut. Edward C. Hall, to the Juno ; Lieut.
John Bruce, to the Asia ; Lieut. Robert H. C. Law-
son, to the Warrior; Sub-Lieut. Thomas Heath-
cote, to the Hornet ; Sub-Lieut. Frederick Mait-
land, to the Elk ; Dr. William B. Balby, surgeon,
additional, to the Britannia ; Francis G. Toms,
surgeon, additional, to the Implacable ; Edward
H. Jago, assist.-paymaster, in charge, to the Elk ;
Alfred Clement, assist.-paymaster, in charge, to the
Hornet ; John. S. Andrews, assist.-paymaster, to
the St. Vincent; Charles Baxworthy, assist.-pay-
master, to the Excellent ; John H. H. Swale, chief
engineer, to the Scorpion ; Joseph L. Rastrick,
Thomas Andremartha, and Henry White (b), en-
gineers, to the Scorpion ; and Alfred Woodward,
clerk, to the Juno.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—John B. Palmer, acting
navigating sub-lieut., to the Victory, as supernu-
merary ; Stuart B. Roupell, midshipman, to the
Hercules ; Henry F. Haszard, midshipman, to the
Warrior ; Frederick J. Robins, paymaster to the
Scorpion ; and James Drysdale, clerk, to the
Scorpion. _ _

It having been brought to the notice of the Sec-
retary of State that cases have recently occurred in
which filled shells have been found among empty
shells returned into the charge of the Military Store
Department ; also that filled cartridges, Weller
matches, and other dangerous substances have been
mixed with empty cartridge cases delivered into
store, under clause 6, Army Circular, 1867, Secre-
tary Sir John Pakington has called attention to the
very serious danger, both to life and property, aris-
ing from such acts of carelessness, and desires to
impress upon all officers and others concerned the
necessity for the exercise of the utmost care and
vigilance, in order to prevent the introduction of
any foreign substance whatever among the Labora-
tors stores returned to the military store depots or
to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich.
Intelligence has been received of the departure
of her Majesty's Indian troopship Malabar from
Suez on the Ist inst. for Bombay, with the 3d Hus-
sars and drafts.