The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-24 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

This day at noon all the fleet at Portsmouth is ordered
to dress ships and fire a general Royal salute (a repeti-
tion of the official ceremony of Saturday last, in celebra-
tion of her Majesty's real birthday anniversary, and the
band of the Royal Marines has gone over to serenade
her Majesty on the occasion. The mortar vessels have
disembarked their mortars, which will be sent out in
lighters to Spithead to-morrow and hoisted into the Nets-
eerie, 120, Captain Hutton, from which ship they will
be slung into the Odin, 10, and Rosamond 6, steam-
vessels, which will leave with them and their respective
mortar vessels on Saturday for the Crimea. Commander
Robert Tench Bedford (1848), Gentleman Usher to her
Majesty, and Inspecting Commander of the Gravesend
district of the Coastguard, is appointed to her Majesty's
ship Neptune, vice Massingberd, promoted.
The City of Norwich steam-transport went into Ports-
mouth harbour to disembark her invalids yesterday
afternoon. Seven of the helpless cases were 'removed to
the General Military Hospital; all the rest walked ashore,
and were removed in vehicles to barrack quarters pro
tem. The Hawke, 60, Captain Ommanney, had the blue-
' peter flying at 6 o'clock last night ready for a start. All
the other block-ships, Cornwallis, Hastings, Pembroke,
and Russell, also carried the blue ensign, being placed
under the orders of Rear-Admiral Baynes, of the Retri-
bution, which also had the bluepeter flying yesterday.
We learn from Portsmouth that another alteration has
been made in the destination of Rear-Admiral Baynes'
squadron. The ships are now ordered to leave Spithead
to-day for the Nore, unless detained for a court-martial
about to be held.
receptiontcirveewtsoatth Spithead,
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were ordered to be made out for the payment of the
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landeec ordered Fleece
n3iog,hlifarlotta_,u the Crimea. She left
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May 6, and Gibraltar,
May 15. Ever since she left Malta she has been erne
harassed by strong contrary winds. She has brought
home 178 invalids, non-commissioned officers and privates
belonging to various regiments from Rululee,
ad 137
from Scutari, five women, 70 seamen and Marines from
the Naval Hospital at Malta ; nine ditto from her Ma.
jesty's ship Ceylon, at Malta ; and 16 ditto from Scutari;
alsO 17 seamen and one private of the 7th Fusiliers from
Kamiesch. Also, the following passengers :—From
Scutari, Mrs. Miller, Lieutenant Vickers, Surgeon
Graves, of the 38th, Veterinary-Surgeon Rollings, R.A ,
Dr. and Mrs. Powell, the Rev. J. Butt, Cornet Price,
4th Dragoons, Mrs. Barbage, and Mr. Atkinson, hos-
pital-dresser, Captain E. Pongin, Marine Brigade ; from
Constantinople, Messrs. Gabbitas and O'Shea, assis-
tant-storekeepers ; Captain Stevens, of the 3d Rifle
Brigade, Mrs. Skene, and family ; from Malta, Lieu-
tenant Echolaz, 55th, Lieutenant Wilton, 18th,
Captain Renny, R.A., Captain Gostling, 49th, Mr.
Jones, Master, R.N., Mrs. and Miss Browne, Mrs.
Hudson, the Rev. C. Fcrt, Mrs. Kennedy and family,
Mrs. Blech and family, Mrs. and Miss Borton,
Mrs. Hamilton and family, Surgeon Madden, 39th, Ye-
terinary Surgeon Harpley, Mr. W. Vickery, Mrs.
'Ramsay, J. Gale, M. Fiander, W. Wytlock, and T.
Hickman, distressed British subjects, Lieutenant Stave-
ley, 44th ; from Gibraltar, Charles Hissons, Mrs. King
and child, Mr. Burriss, 44th Regiment. Five of the
invalids died on the passage.
It is expected that before the 20th of next month
every available man in the United Kingdom belonging
to infantry regiments of the line will have embarked for
the seat of war. The 15th Regiment of Foot, one wing
of which returned last week from Ceylon, is stated to
have beta pieced under orders for foreign service. When
the left wing arrives, which is daily expected, the regi-
ment, includiug the depot companies, will muster nearly
600 bayonets. Recruiting parties have arrived iu Lou-
clot], and it is fully expected that by. volunteering
Irons the variouse depots of regiments serving in the
colonies and the militia, the corps can be embarked
above 1,000 strm,g, about the middle of June. The 51st
King's Light Infaiitry will muster about 1,400 bayo-
nets, in addition to the depot companies, which will
be left in England. A portion of the regiment will be
stationed with the reserve in the lonian Islands. The
80th Foot, and ;-id battalion of the 60th Rifle.;, are ex-
pected to embark in about ten days for the Crimea ; and
the 94th Foot, with large draughts for the let and 2d bat-
talions of the Rifle Brigade, will follow. Recruiting for
the 96th Foot, recently returned from India, is being
prosecuted with vigour, in order to complete it to the
war establishment of 1,200 men. This regiment did not
return more than 500 men, a very large number baring
volunteered into other regiments in India previous to
leaving. Very great exertions are being made by Govern-
ment to send a strong cavalry force to the Crimea ; two
regiments counting 700 sabres each, besides large draughts
from the cavalry depots, with remount horses, will be
embarked between this and the 12th of June.
Tho General Screw Steam-shipping Company's steamer
Cape of Good Hope left Southampton yesterday for
Deptford to embark military stores for the use of the
British army in the East.

THE LATE DESTRUCTION OF A GUN-

BATTERY BY FIRE.

Yesterday Layton Edward Hopper, a shipwright,
aged 25 years, who has been in custody since the Bth
instant on a charge of setting fire to a large gun-battery
lately constructed for her Majesty's Government, in the
ship-building yard of Mr. John Scott Russell at Poplar,
WO brought before Mr. Yardley, at the Thames Police-
court for filial examination.
Mr. Clarkson, instructed by Mr. Hobler, solicitor,
conducted the prosecution; Mr. Bal/antine, instructed
by Mr. Pelham, solicitor, defended the prisoner.
Mr. Ballantine, after commenting upon the conduct of
those having• charge of the prosecution, 'who, having ob-
tained two adjournments on the distinct undertaking to
bring forward additional and important evidence, were
now compelled to admit that they had only the testi-
mony of one witness to rest upon, proceeded to call eight
witnesses who accounted for the prisoner's time from
the moment he left the building-yard, where he was
employed on the day of the fire, until he went to bed
about eleven o'clock.

It was stated by the wi'nesses that the prisoner was
employed at wages of 10s. a-dny ; and that he was a
sober, quiet, and respectable young man. The most im-
portant witness for the prisoner was Mr. White, land-
lord of the Victory, Stepney, two and a half miles from
Mr. Russell's yard, who proved that the prisoner was at
his house from a quarter to 9 till 9 o'clock, which was
the time when the fire broke out. Another witness con-
firmed this statement.

Mr. Yardley said he did not mean to say that Collie
was not entitled to credit, but he might be mistaken.
Any way the case for the prosecution rested on his single
evidence. In opposition to him they had witnesses ac-
counting for the prisoner's time, step by step, moment
by moment, from 6to 11 o'clock. It would be a perfect
farce to send such a case before a grand jury, and gross
injustice also to the prisoner. The accused must be dis-
charged.
The magistrate's decision was received with loud ap-
plause by the shipwrights in and outside the court.