The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-05 00:00:00

A RUSSIAN OFFICER.

The public have been informed that the Russian
frigates Aurora and Navarin have been allowed to enter
Portsmouth harbour for purpose., of repair. Some little
time ago some of the sailors belonging to those ships not relish-
ing the service in which they had been compulsorily engaged,
determined to take advantage of the immunity afforded
to them by the laws of our free country, and to leave the
service of the Czar. Accordingly six of them having contrived
to got on shore at Portsmouth, proceeded towards London,
and had nearly reached Guilford, when they were over-
taken by an officer of the Russian frigate Aurora, accent-
ponied by an English inspector of police, and were by
them brought back by railway to Portsmouth. Here they
were placed on board the English ship Victorious, that ves-
sel having been placed at the disposal of the captain of the
Aurora, for the accommodation of himself and his crew
during the execution of the repairs required by their
frigate the Aurora. The deserts, thus brought
back, were confined on board the Victorious, and
as it is asserted were submitted there by the Russian officers
to severs corporal punishment. These infractions of the
law of England became known in London. Persons pro-
ceeded to Portsmouth to ascertain the circumstances of the
case, and on their instructions an affidavit was made in due
form, and a writ of Habeas Corpus was issued by Mr. Jus-
tice Wightman, directed to Rear-Admiral Martin. the Ad-
miral Superintendent of Dockyard at Portsmouth, and as
such isommandieg all the ships in ordinary in that harbour;
to Capt. Edward Hinton Scott, the captain of the Guard-ship
of the Ordinary; to Capt. Iwan Nikoiajewies Izelmetiew,
commanding the Russian frigate Aurora, and to any other
person having the custody of the sailors in question (their
names being set out at length), commanding them in the
name of the Queen of England to have the bodies of the
said sailors immediately before the Lord Chief Justice of
England. On this writ being served on Rear Admiral
Martin he declined to obey it until he had communicated

with the Admiralty. Captain Scott being absent on leave,
could not be served, but the writ wu served upon Com-
mander William Wonfold, officiating for Captain Scott in
his absence. This officer's answer was that he would con-
sult the officer commanding in chief at Portsmouth. The
writ was nest taken to the Captain of the Aurora. The
Russian declined receiving it (although its nature was fully
explained to him) except through the Russian Ambassador
or consul. The consul being absent the vice-consul was
waited on and his assistance requested, but he positively re
fused to iaterfere, alleging the absence of his superior as his
excuse. The writ was then again taken on board the
Aurora, but the person bearing it was refused acctss to
the captaia mid not allowed to come on board, and when it
was tendered to the lieutenant, who appeared at the
gangway, that officer declined receiving it. The bearer
then, as he went down the side of the ship, placed it
in through one of the port holes, hut the lieutenant having
perceived this, took the writ up and threw it from the ship,
and it fell into a boat alongside. There are witnesses ready
to attest all these facts.

It now remains to be seen whether Russian officers can
with impunity, whilst in this country, and whilst on board,
not of their own ships, but of British men-of-war, despise
the authority of the Queen of this realm delegated to the
judges of the land. Also whether the Queen's uniform
can exempt Rear• Admiral Martin and the other naval
officers at Portsmouth who are concerned.

THE STEAM-SHIP GOLDEN AGE. This vessel,
whose detention in the Mersey by an accident, was noticed
last week, has completed her repairs, and is expected to be
ready for sea again this afternoon (Monday.) She was in
the dry dock on Saturday, where her beautiful model was
examined by several of the scientific and nautical gentle-
men of Liverpool. Since her detention in port she has bad
an addition of about twenty more passengers. An address
has been presented to Captain Porter by the passengers,
expressing their entire confidence in the capabilities of the
ship and her machinery, and complimenting the captain
upon the coolnesv he displayed at the time of the unfor-
tunate accident, the vessel not being under his management
at the time.

----•
FORCE OF THE BRITISH NAM—From a careful
calculation of the force of the royal navy at the present
time we find that there are 217 ships in actual commission.
If fully manned according to the established scale of comple-
ments, each for the service for which she is employed, the ag-
gregate complements of these 217 ships would be above 44,000,
of which number 30,300 may be called seamen, 7,200 ma-
rines, and 6,500 boys. But from the great scarcity of sea-
men and the numerous desertions that have taken place,
probably the effective force of the navy dine not amount to
above 41,000 of all deism—Standard.