The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-08 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

The unarmoured screw corvette Wolverene, 1,703
tons, 400 horse-power, Captain Thomas Cochran,
arrived at Spithead yesterday afternoon from th o
West Indies. She will be dismantled and paid out
of
.commission, and awaits orders at Spitheacl. from,
the Admiralty as to what port she is to enter for
that purpose.
The War Department vessel Alfred, Mr. Pellatt,
master, yesterday sailed from Woolwich Arsenal,
laden with guns, shells, ammunition, and sundry
other stores for the armament of Upnor Castle ;
and the Marlborough, in the same service, also took
her departure, conveying a couple of batteries com-
plete to Dover, for the military encampment at
Shorncliffe. The Thames, Mr. llornby, master, in
the same service, arrived yesterday at the gun wharf,
Woolwich, and discharged the heavy 68-pounder
guns, weighing 95ewt. each, together with their
carriages, slides, &c., which have been lying for
some considerable time past at Shernmead, below
Gravesend, and, on account of the soft state of the
surrounding soil as well as the sliding condition of
the embankment, were found unfit for the service
desired. The freightship Ironsides, with obsolete
war, stores, from Auckland, New Zealand, has de-
livered over her cargo for the stores department in
Woolwich Arsenal, and the War Department vessel
Inkerman, from Dublin, yesterday completed the
discharge of her cargo of returned stores at Wool.
with. One of the old 32-pounder cast-iron ord-
nance guns, of which a vast number have encum-
bered the gun park for many years, and some of
which have been handed over to Major Palliser for
conversion to 61-puinders bored out an I strengh-
cued on his principle, has been in course of trial at
the Woolwich butt during the past two weeks. Th o
gun has fired 100 experimental charges per day, and
yesterday it went through the 1,500 th round, with-
out showing the smallest sign of weak❑ess. It is
intended to apply the maximum test of 2,000 proof
rounds. As much depends on the success of the
new system of using up the useless stock of old
guns, the trials are witnessed with considerable in-
terest.

Yesterday an order was received at Chatham

garrison from the Horse Guards, directing detach-
ments of 26 non-commissioned officers and gunners
of the Royal Artillery, 28 non-commissioned officers
and sappers of the Royal Engineers, and 33 men of
all ranks of the 61st Regiment to be held in readi-
ness to embark at Gravesend, on board the char-
tered troopship Isabella, on the 12th inst., for con-
veyance to Bermuda.

Orders were received at Chatham yesterday di-
recting two officers and thirty non-commissioned
officers and privates of the 2d battalion of the 15th
Regiment to embark for Gibraltar, in charge of a
number of convicts. The officers, on arrival at
Gibraltar, will return to the depot of their regiment
at Chatham.

The new T pier about to be erected in Woolwich
Arsenal is ordered to be commenced without fur-
ther delay. It is intended to facilitate the ship-
ment of the heavy ordnance now introduced in our
service, and will be fitted with cranes capable of
hoisting 30 tons weight. The pier, with its T
platform, will extend 300 ft. towards the bed of the
Thames, from the wharf fronting the Royal gun
factories, and will be 25ft. broad, so as to contain
three lines of tramways. The T platform or head
of the pier will be 100 ft. in length, constructed so
as to admit of its being lengthened should an in-
creased demand for shipping space arise even-
tually. The principal portions of the pier are to
be of iron, the cost of which has been estimated
at upwards of £20,000. It will be built by con-
tract, under the supervision of the works depart-
ment of the Royal Engineers, and tenders will be
issued shortly.

Mn. DOULTON, M.P.—What good can result
from an open verdict in the case of Mr. Frederick
Doulton, M.P.? Obviously such a termination of a great
cause would be alike injurious to the public interest and
to the reputation of the member for Lambeth. Yet the
Metropolitan Board of Works yesterday arrived at what is
substantially an open or suspended verdict, tempered by a
protest from Mr. Doulton, denouncing the Board for its
cowardice and want of equity in not expressing an opinion.
With the spirit of Mr. Doulton's protest we entirely agree
—judgment, one way or the other, ought to be given. The
allegations against him are so serious that he has the fullest
right to demand distinct condemnation or positive acquittal.
No middle course will meet the just requirements of the
case. To leave the accusation suspended in mid-air re-
flects equally on the accused and his judges; leaving the
accused under a stigma, and the judges under a suspicion
that they desire to burke inquiry and frustrate the legiti-
mate demand of the public for full explanation and une-
quivocal conclusions. If there were a design to escape
from the shadow cast upon the Board of Works lately,
no better course could be devised than the sort of free
fight which seems to have raged yesterday in the Metro-
politan chamber. We deliberately abstain from discussing*
the merits of the question ; but, on behalf of the ratepayero
—so profoundly touched in their pockets —we are bound to
flamand a full and free deliverance. The Metropolitan
Board of Works must vindicate its character, for its chtr
racter is the thing really at stake. Should that body fail
to perform the necessary operation, the case must go to
the House of Commons—the grand inquest of the nation ;
tied that body, with ample power to send for persons and
papers, will effectually overhaul the transactions which
lily° excited public mistrust. If honest men have bee!n
injured justice requires that they should be righted;
if
there be delinquents among the worthy members—if there
be irregularities, corruptions, bribery—then the misdeeds
should be brought into the lig it of day, and the delinquents/
whoever they may be, pilloried and punished. Mr. DJul-
ton's case is not judged, and judgment must be obtained.
—Telegraph.
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cents of the
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