The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-15 00:00:00

LAUNCH OF THE SULTAS HAHMOUD.

Yesterday a large and distinguished company
ueembled at the yard of the Thames Iron Works, Ship.
Engineering, and Dry Dock Company. Blackwall,
to witness the launch of a remarkably tine iron-clad frigate.
the Sultan Mahruond, for the service of his Imperial Ma-
jesty the Sultan of Turkey. The principal dimensions of
this eplecdid specimen of naval architecture are as follows :
—Let.gth between the perpendiculars, 293 feet ; ditto of the
keel for tonnage, 253 feet 9 inches ; breadth for tonnage,
55 feet 11 inches ; depth in midshipe from top of keel, 37
feet t.j jacket; burthen in tons, 4,•.:21 Slab ; with
engines of 900 hone power nominal. The time 6sed
foe the launch was hall•past one o'clock, and
by that time the guests invited to witness the ceremony
were assembled, amongst whom were J. Musnrus (tie
Turkish ambassador). Madame Murmur, Mille. Masora;
and several of the attaches of the embassy, Admiral Robin-
son (surveyor of the navy), Mr. Layard. 31. P. (Coder
Secretary for Foreign /train), Mr. Greases, M.P., Mr. Rolt
(chairman of the Thames Iron Company), Captain Ford,
(moaning director of the compan)). Colonel lite wygratn,
and about :100 ladies and gentlemen. At the appointed
hoer the ceremony of naming the vessel (the English enema
of breskinea bottle of wins against her bows being observed,
all Turk len as sho is notwithstanding) was performed by
Musuros, the ship glided safely into the river, and
was brought up amidst the cheers of the spectators.

EXTRA Caawnias HOLIDAT.—In addition to
the Ci.o I,cm* and others who have announced their inten-
tion to cl• se thrir establishments on Mond.r, the 21:41, and
some cues also no the lapwing day, for thu
purpose of affording those in their employment an oppor-
tunity of visiting their friside in Von country, Mears.
Neeretti and Z imbra havo decided on clueing their five
establishments on Monday and Tuesday after Christmas
La,y. The Anchor Brewery, Horselydown. of Messrs.
Courage and Co.. is among tho laro estaldishments is
London that will be closed on tie 21;:h inst. Messrs.
Vander, Vyver, and Co., of Flabstreet-hill. bsve grinted
a holiday to their eviploo,'s from Chi Eve, at 2 o'clock
p.m. until the Wednesday morniog. Upwards of fifty of
the principal salesmen com.ected with Nersinite Market
have speed not v transact env business no Monday, the
2Gth, fig-Indian Messrs. F. W. Firm°, 11. Wehb, U. Thomp-
son and Son, R. IL Holmes. Richard Saul, W. Bowyer, F.
Beyer, W. tirestres, W. Wailer and Co.,W. Hedges, Sr.
In the provinces the praisewortLy example of the lead-
ing firma in the metropolis has been very extensively fol-
lowed. _

Tug RUBBERY OP GOVERNMENT STORES.—
Througb the exertions of Inspectors Lined! end Ling, a
detective officer of the It division of Metropolitan pollee,
a complete elucidation has been strived at as to the mode
of can ving out the whei'.esale robberies •4 government coal
which have recnotly been discovered at Woolwich garrison.
During an investigation of the matter it became evident
that (hie system of fraud could not have prevailed without
the active co-operation of the nomminimissioued officer or
private whose duty it was to certify that the same number
of tons forwarded from the wharf had been actually re.
eeived at the department for which they were intended.
Acting upon this ascertained fact, le specter Linen' on Mon.
day apprehended Albert Davis, a private of the Army Hos.
pital Corp., who wee placed at the ba, before lira Train, at
the Woolwich police-court on Tuesday, on a eh age of
being concerned with the prisoners previously it: custody in
stealing several togs of coal forwarded by Messrs. Hunter
to the military hospital. It was stated that the prisoner
was specially employed to see that the number of tons
delivered mustiest to the quantity forwarded from the
wharf. Instead of doing so, however, the prisoner bad
received from the carman implicated the proper number of
checks or tickets, which he placed upon the file, well
knowing that the coal delivered was deficient by several
tons ; sod it had been ucertalued that the stoles coals were
sold to Burley, one of the prisoners in custody, at 1:3. per
ton. Inspector Linvill said he should be able to prove
that this system of peculation had been earned on for a
considerable period, the parties mimed in the conspiracy
sharing the proceeds of the plunder. The prisoner was
thee remanded until Saturday.

HOSPITAL FOX IRE DI.,EA‘Efi OF THE HEART, 67,
MAIWARET.STRENT. The cumber of p►uento :shoved
daring the week was 102,