The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The weather was so bad yesterday at Portsmouth
that small vessels could not " fetch" the ships at anchor
there, some of which were pitching bows under by the
force of the gale and the swell prevailing. The fleet
dressed ship and prepared to salute the Queen on her
Majesty's passage from Osborne to Gosport, on the re-
turn of the Court to Windsor, and all the naval and
military staff were on duty as usual at the Clarence-
yard, but the Fairy was not trusted across the usual
course to Portsmouth, and ran to Southampton instead.
The cold at the same time was more severe than has
been remembered on that coast for many years. The
Queen of the South steam-transport, Capt. Beale, put
to sea with draughts for Malta, before sunrise yester-
day morning, in spite of the heavy sea and fierce gale.
The Hydaspes steam transport, Capt. Baker, went into
Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning, to land invalids
and stores. The Blenheim, 60, screw, Capt. W. H. Hall,
was docked yesterday at Portsmouth, to have defects
repaired.
The Duke of Wellington, 131, screw, Captain Cald-
well, has paid down today upwards of 16,0001., and the
crew granted a three weeks' run. The system adopted
by the Admiralty of employing the paymasters of the
Royal service, instead of pay clerks of Somerset House,
has been productive of the greatest possible benefit to
the navy. A thousand men are ❑ow paid down in less
than one-third of the time, besides a considerable saving
of expense in travelling and want of knowledge afloat.
The following appointments, made at the Admiralty,
appeared in our late edition of last night _ _

Capt. E. S. Sotheby, to the Pearl ; Capt. L. G. Heath,
to the Seahorse.

Captain the Hon. Fredk. Pelham is appointed a Naval
Aide-de-Camp to her Majesty.
The following officers are now decided to take the
command of the 4 divisions of gun-boats • intended for
the Baltic next year :
Capt. Codrington, C. 8., Capt. the Hon. H. Keppel,
Capt. H. R. Yelverton, C. 8., and Capt. A. Cooper,
Key, C.B,
Six hundred of the 3d Light Infantry of the German
Legioe, now stationed at Bristol, will embark for the
seat of war on Monday next.
Tbo Monkey, steam tug-vessel, mecumd master r_synaei-
combe, proceeded from Woolwich to Northfleet yesterday-
morning to the building-yard of Messrs. Pitcher, for the
purpose of bringing up more gun-boats to be masted and
rigged
.and finished in the shipwrights' department, in
which very great activity at present exists. The last,
gun-boat which arrived, named the Charger, was this
morning taken into No. 1 dry dock to be coppered, &c.
Two of the patent collapsing life-boats have been re-
ceived at Woolwich, one of which was forwarded yester-
day morning to Sheerness, to serve as a pinnace to the
flag-ship Waterloo, The length of these boats is 32 feet.
They have undergone some experiments successfully,
carrying a 121 h. howitzer, from which 12 rounds were
fired to test the substance of the material, which it
was feared was of too slight a texture for the requisite
purposes. Contrary, however, to expectation, they
stood the trial well.
The iron mortar-boat which was towed to Woolwich
two days ago to discharge her split mortar has returned
to Shoeburyness with a fresh piece of ordnance and a
further supply of ammunition, so as to put the boat (it
being the first of that series) through a thorough proof.
The gun-boats Bustard and Banterer, having been
coppered and masted, have been taken out of dock and
received into the Woolwich basin to complete their fit-
tings. The riggers are consequently employed in extra
hours, no as to expedite the arrangements in fitting out
for service the accumulating number of this useful class
of vessels, which arrive in rapid succession in fulfilment
of the Government contracts.

The Merlin and the Dee were yesterday morning re-
ceived into the basin in Woolwich dockyard. The latter
vessel is being laden with machinery to supply the Fury
and the Shannon, at Portsmouth. The Inflexible is like-
wise taking in machinery and boilers for Devonport, and
will sail about Monday week.
Capt. Dudley C. Hill, late of the 75th Regiment, and
recently exchanged to the 40th, is to be appointed in-
structor of musketry of the Depot Battalion, Temple-
more, Ireland.
The Government ground wit'ain the fortifications of
Brompton, opposite Mansion-row, has been measured,
with a view, it is supposed, of constructing some addi-
tional huts, the two companies which have just arrived
occupying 12 of the 24 which have been already built.
Although the Land Transport Corps has been draughted
off in large numbers, there are still many hundreds bil-
leted in Bristol and quartered at the Horfield Barracks.
A selected body of 300 of the best men will remain at
the barracks after their comrades have been sent off, for
the purpose of raising a large additional body of men.
These men are to be dressed in high cavalry boots,
glazed caps, and showy uniform ; and the men so raised
will be employed as drivers to the Royal Artillery, it
having been determined to keep the gunners to their
more immediate duties.
Fifty-five non-commissioned officers and privates of
various regiments, sent home as invalids from the Cri-
mea, having been found unfit for any further service by
a medical board, passed yesterday for discharge on pen-
sions by the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital.
Lieut. Henry C. Maine, 86th, has obtained from the
Horse Guards leave from Chatham garrison until he re-
tires from the service.
A party of Crimean invalids from the camp before Se-
bastopol arrived at Chatham yesterday afternoon, from
Portsmouth, from the steam-ship Thames, in charge of
Captain Henry Heberden, Royal Artillery, and Staff
Medical Officer Dr. Hawkins, the total number of all
ranks being 39, with one woman and one child. The
invalids were medically inspected in the Supplemental
Hospital by the chief medical officer, Mr. H. Cooper
Reade.
p et
aju
The Royal Marines for the floating battery, 16 guns,
at Blackstakes, consisting of one serjeant, one bugler,
and 18 privates, under the command of First Lieutenant
Knight, left the Chatham Division, and embarked yes-
terday afternoon from the dockyard on board the Adder
for the Thunder ; and a party of 16 Royal Marines for
o
the Majestic, 80, to replace those who have volunteered
tant-General, S. R. Wesley, paid an official visit to Col.
Into
oilltihpe Royal
the Commandant Mmarainndean Artillery.t
r The De y-sArddy
the s,Division, yesterday.
st
The object of the General's visit is supposed
to relate to
the volunteering into the loyal Marine Artillery, as 56
are immediately required.

tiaa. tionletd is
wfhtihthe Isti at Devon epvroen seMntilist
THE MILITIA.
The Hon. John Fortescue has resigned the Colonelcy
o
astai dNetwhaptortthe eg
i,
teered for foreign service.
The North Durham Militia left Sunderland on Wed-
nesday, under the command of Major Cockburn, and
proceeded to Burnley, Lancashire.
The steam-ship Niagara arrived at Liverpool yesterday
hasrvmo leun ,
nt-
from Dublin, having on board the Roscommon Militia,
about 700 strong, under the command of Colonel
D'Arcy. Their destination is not yet known, but it is
believed they will not proceed to Alder.qhott , but will be
placed on one of the North British stations.

TESTIMONIAL FROM ♦ FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO A
BRITISH MERCHANT CAPTAIN.—The Government of the
United States recently forwarded to this country, to the
Earl of Clarendon, a silver speaking-trumpet for pre-
sentation to Captain Boedet, of the British barque
Helen, in acknowledgment of his services in rescuing
the master and crew of the American ship Pilgrim,