The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-20 00:00:00

THE SICK AND WOUIVDED.

The sick and wounded soldiers from Balaklava and
the Alma arrived at Strood station at half-past four p.m.
yesterday, by express from London. The invalids con-
sist of 26 detachments, with 11 women, in charge of
Staff Surgeon Gordon. Most of the men are severely
wounded. To meet them, and to render aid and support
to the sick, the military authorities at Chatham Garrison
had in readiness a strong fatigue party from the bar-
racks, consisting of two serjeants !and 30 men, under
command of Serjeant-Major Coulin, and they rendered
great assistance to those who were cripples. They were
removed from the railway carriages and placed on
stretchers, and thus removed to spring vans engaged for
the purpose of conveying them with as much comfort as
possible, and without loss of time, and they were within
half-an-hour at the hospital at Fort Pitt. There were
three officers from the garrison present, to see everything
was properly arranged, and to 'facilitate their removal—.
viz., Brigade-Major Charles Ducie, Adjutant George
Rand, the Invalid Depot and Assistant-Surgeon Bay-
ook, from the hospital at Fort Pitt. On the arrival
of the invalids at the hospital, they were placed in the
sick wards, and immediate medical attendance was given
them. These detachments came by the ship Cambria to
Liverpool, at which place they arrived on Sunday night,
the 14th inst., and came to London by train via Co-
ventry.

In consequence of the great dissatisfaction which was
caused at Portsmouth, on the arrival of the Himalaya
with sick and wounded from the Black Sea, by the delay
consequent upon the rigid examination which was made
of the baggage, &c., by the Custom-house officers en-
gaged at that port, and also for the purpose of prevent-
ing, under any circumstances, a repetition of such objec-
tionable conduct, her Majesty's Commissioners of Gus-
toms have issued orders to the collector at Southampton,
in which they express their most positive commands that
upon the arrival of any ship with sick and wounded, and
more especially in such cases where it may be ordered
that the passengers should land, none of the bags or
knapsacks belonging to the wounded men shall be exa-
mined ; but in doubtful cases, where the attendance of
an officer may be considered necessary, that he shall pro-
ceed direct to the hospital or other place to which the
sick or wounded man is sent, and there satisfy himself
that the privileges given have not been taken unfair ad-
vantage of. This arrangement, if carried out, will, no
doubt, put matters upon such a footing as to render it
impossible that any blame of delay can in future be
thrown upon the Customs' officials, and we hope prevent
a repetition of bygone scenes.
The greater portion cf the sick and wounded troops
who lately arrived from the East have left Liverpool for
London, but the remainder, consisting of 35 men, will
not leave the parish hospital in that town until conva-
lescent. They are suffering principally from dysentery.

The following simple but eloquent and grateful address
was presented on New Year's day by the sick sailors in
Therapia Hospital to the English ladies who ministered
to their wants, in anticipation of the arrival of the Ad-
miralty nurses :

" Therapia Hospital, Jan. 1, 1855.
" I was sick and ye visited me.'
" We, the wounded and sick in this hospital, beg on this
the first day of a new year to offer our grateful and heartfelt
thanks to Miss --, Miss , and other kind and benevo-
lent-hearted ladies for all the attendance we have received
from you. You come daily to our bedsides, through wet and
cold—you speak kindly to us—you write for us—you console
the dying—you know how, for you have come to do this across
the stormy sea, suffering from sea sickness and many hard-
ships, while you might have been living comfortably at home.
Can We consider this and be silent ? Be pleased, then, kind
ladies, to accept our gratitude and our thanks ; it is all we can
offer. We thank God, who has put it into your hearts to
come and see us, and may God bless you all, and long pre-
servo you to do such kind and benevolent offices to the sick,
wounded, and dying
" In the name of the wounded and sick,
" WILLIAMPLA.YFAIR."