The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-06 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY 11\77ELLIGENCE.

VALETTA, March 25.—The telegraph steamer,
Hawk, Capt. C. Halpin, returned here on the 21st
inst., after an absence of upwards of two months,
passed in futile attempts to restore communication
by the Malta and Alexandria cable. Notwithstand-
ing unfavourable weather, the cable has been re-
paired in a dozen places, but as an unknown num-
ber of faults have yet to be made good, and fuel
running short, there was' no help but to suspend
operations until a fresh supply of coal could be ob-
tained. Much of the cable appears to be completely
worn through, and it is said that in one mile were
discovered no less than five fractures. On the other
hand, it is a consoling fact in submarine telegraphy
that all, or nearly all, the defects have hitherto been
found in shallow water—that is to say, within 20 or
25 fathoms. But at the same time it incontestably
shows that no confidence can be placed in the pre-
sent c,,ble, which having begin laid on wrong prin-
ciples, when submatine telegraphy was still in its
infancy, is constantly breaking. It is worse than
useless to lose tittle in patching it up, and our only
hope lies in the substitution without further delay
of a deep-sea line. Her Majesty's screw sloop Racer,
Commander L. Brine, which was all this time in
company with the If twk, returned here from Derma •
on the 22d inst., having been ordered to England
to be paid off. She is now awaiting instructions
from the Admiralty, and it is most probable she
will be sent again to assist in the cable repair, as a
vessel is required, and no other ship is available for
that purpose. Her Majesty's screw frigates Endy-
rnion, 21, Capt. C. Wake, and Arethusa, 35, under
the temporary command of Commander E. S.
Adeane, left port on Saturday, the 21st inst. The
former vessel, having on board Rear-Admiral Kel-
lett, C. 8., Mr. Thornhill, Flag-Lieutenant, and Mr.
Tollemache, M.P., and Mrs. Tollemache, will pro-
ceed direct to Naples, and is expected back on the
4th of April. The Arethusa is expected back about
the same time, and will visit Naples before return-
ing to Malta. Her Majesty's screw gunboat Wizard,
1, Lieut.-Commander P. J. Murray, returned into
harbour on the 21st inst., after a few days' cruise,
gun, and other practice. Her Majesty's screw iron-
clad sloop Enterprise, 4, Commander G. R. Bosan-
quet, is ready for sea, and is only awaiting the
weather to moderate to sail for the Piraeus, to re-
place the Lord Warden, which left, the telegraph
informs us, yesterday evening (the 24th inst.), and
she may consequently be expected here about the
27th or 28th inst. Up to yesterday there had been
eight cases of small-pox on board, which had been
landed at Salamis. The disease is believed to have
been brought to Greece by the Cretan refugees.
Sub-Lieutenant Worth, of the Caledonia, has been
appointed to the Enterprise, vice Littledale. Her
Majesty's Indian screw troopship Serapis has just
arrived from Portsmouth, on her way to Alex-
' andria, with Indian reliefs. The Prussian frigate
Hertha, 21, and corvette Medusa, 17, left Malta
for Cadiz on the 19th inst. A court-martial was
held on Tuesday, the 24th inst., on board her Ma-
jesty's ship Hibernia, Capt. Alan H. Gardner, of
her Majesty's ship Caledonia, president, Mr. J. L.
Kirkness, R.N., deputy-judge-advocate, to try
George Shreeves, gunner Royal Marine Artillery,
of her Majesty's ship Lord Clyde, for being absent
without leave, and attempting to throw a skin of
spirits on board the Enterprise. He was sentenced
to be mulcted of eight days' pay, imprisoned with
hard labour for 12 months, and dismissed from her
Majesty's service. Another court-martial was held
the same day on board the same ship, Captain
Gardner, president, and Mr. Kirkness, deputy-
judge-advocate, to try Mr. William Haddow,
assistant-engineer of the Hibernia, for drunken-
ness. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to
be dismissed from her Majesty's service. Dr. Fisher,
R.N., for the Endymion, and Dr. Meikleham, ar-
rived by the last Southampton steamer. Sir David
Baird, Lady Baird, and Capt. Baird, R.N., left
Malta on the 22d inst., in the steamer Sidon, for
Liverpool. Her Majesty's ships in port are the
Caledonia (bearing the flag of the Vice-Admiral
Commander-in-Chief Lord Clarence Paget, C. 8.),
Hibernia, Lord Clyde, Enterprise, lacer, Wizard,
Tyrian, and Caradoc.
The Wasp, 13, screw, unarmoured wooden sloop,
974 tons, 100 horse power, Captain Norman B.
Bedingfield, arrived at Spithead from the Coast of
Africa shortly before sunset yesterday, and awaits
orders from the Admiralty relative to her port for
paying out of commission. On anchoring she ex-
changed the usual salutes with the flagship of the
Commander-in-Chief.

Ilis Prussian Majesty's corvettes Medusa and
llertha, from the Mediterranean and Cadiz, put
into Plymouth Sound yesterday morning, bound
for Kiel.

The screw steamship Prince Consort, 31, at De-
vonport, was put in commission on Thursday for
the home station, by Commander W. Hornby, for
Captain William Armytage. Her burthen is 4,045
tons. She is armour plated, and has engines of
1,000 horse power. Her complement will be 605
officers and men.

The double screw composite gun vessel Gnat, 2,
was taken outside Plymouth Breakwater on Satur-
day, and her engines, which are of 150 horse power,
were tested by the Government authorities.
The crew of the screw steam corvette Pelorus,
21, Captain W. H. Maxwell, were inspected on
Friday by Port-Admiral b.ir W. F. Martin, K.C.8.,
after which she was removed from Plymouth Sound
into Harnoaze, where she will be paid off.
The Chilian corvette 0. Higgins, 8, Capt. Mor-
den, from Gravesend, passed down Channel off
Plymouth on Friday, at noon, under steam and
canvas, bound to South America.

Vice-Admiral R. S. Robinson, Controller of the
Navy, accompanied by Mr. H. W. R: Walker, in-
spector and auditor of dockyard accounts, and other
officials connected with the department, visited
Chatham Dockyard on Friday, and were occupied
some time, with the leading officers of the establish-
ment, in investigating the dockyard accounts, in-
specting the vessels building and fitting, and in the
transaction of other official business.
About 200 workmen of various trades were dis-
charged from Woolwich dockyard on Saturday, and
in the course of the present month there will be a
further reduction of men in the factory department.
The Meanee, 60 guns, which left this port last
week for Sheerness to complete her fitting for an
hospital ship at Hongkong, has been commissioned,
and the following officers appointed to her :—Com-
mander Henry Miller, Licuts. Seymour Smith,
Albert Cole, and W. Which, Sub-Lieuts. C. G.
Gissing, E. G. Shaw, and C. F. Barnard.
The War Department,
in consequence of the in-
conveniently early hour at which the Foot Guards
quartered at Windsor are compelled to attend
Trinity Church, has determined to erect anew church
near the Osborne-road, for the especial accommoda-
tion of the military in garrison.

DISHONEST TRADESMEN.—At the Newington
special seesions on Wednesday, 42 tradesmen wore fined
for using unjust weights, scales, and measures. Tho black
list comprised five licensed victuallers and bier retailers,
nine chandlers, two corn chandlers, eight bakers, two
cheosemongers, three butchers, ono colour maker, six
coal merchants, two marine-store dealers, one rope maker,
one zinc and copper merchant, one confectioner, and one
gutta-percha dealer. The fines amounted to £67. South
London Press.

ENGLISH BIRDS IN NEW ZEALAND.—The Ven-
ture of the Acclimatization Society to bring out from Lon-
don by the Warrior Queen au extensive importation of
English song birds has proved a complete success, under
the careful management of Mr. Edward Bills and his son.
Out of those shipped there are 521 on board, all of which
have arrived in tine health and condition. They com-
Priso 110 starlings, 95 thrushes, 65 b!ackbirds, 42 chaff-
-60 linnets, 22 hedge sparrows, 40 goldli aches, eight
green linnets, eight yellow-hammers, 50 larks, thr e house
sparrows, two mountain sparrows, two reed sparrows, and
ten red poll linnets. There are also three white swans,
a peacock and peahen. The greatest mortality was
among the robins and the sparrows, all the robins having
died.
LIE ALTON MURDER.—A subscription has been
raised at Alton, and a neat headstone,
oaringbe the follow-
ing inscription, placed over the grave n Adams,
the child murdered at Alton : —" Sacred to the memory of
fourFea rninoontt h
thems , who
which
Fanny Adams, adgeAduegiugshtt2y4e, airBs6a7r.i d
cruelly murdered
kill the body, but rather fear Was who is able to kill both
body and figul iu nvll."_!