The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-05 00:00:00

of November. On Thursday last the regiment was as-
sembled and square formed, when the colonel read Lord
Panmure's circular of the 27th of March. 227 men out
403 who had been sworn in prior to the 12th of May,
1354, were re-attested during that and the two following
days, and received the bounty of 1/. each. Not with-
standing the diminution sustained, the regiment now
musters fully 400 rank and file.
The strength of the Ist Cheshire Regiment, at Chester,
is now 442 of all ranks, exclusive of officers, but of that
number 120 are absentees and deserters. Recruiting for
additional men will commence in a day or two, and it is
expected that several more of those who have accepted
their discharge will be re-attested.
Recruiting still goes on with great vigour at Old-
ham. The 6th Regiment of Royal Lancashire Militia
has now been nearly completed, and is about to be
called out.

The Aberdeenshire Militia is fast assuming a soldier-
like appearance. More than 360 men in all have been ,
enrolled, but of these some 50 have volunteered into the
line, so that nearly 500 men are wanted to fill up the
complement of the regiment.
The Government have at length authorised the expen-
diture of 1,0001. on the erection of temporary barracks
for the accommodation of the militia regiment of the two
counties of Forfar and Kincardine, in order to relieve
the inhabitants of Montrose of the serious burden which
has been imposed upon them for some time past. The
erection will be commenced without delay.
Storehouses for the East Devon Militia are about to
be provided at Exeter, and similar buildings for the De-
von Militia Artillery and the South Devon Militia at
Plymouth and Devonport. The cost of the sites alone
is nearly 4,5001., which was granted at the meeting of
the magistrates at Exeter on Tuesday. Another 4,0001.
will also be required for the buildings.
Nearly 300 men of the Northamptonshire Militia have
left Dublin for England, for the purpose of being disem-
bodied.

On Saturday last, being muster-day, the Longford
Rifles re-assembled to a man on parade, numbering 440
men of all ranks. The Lieutenant-Colonel (Musters)
said he was glad of the opportunity afforded him (now
that the regiment was completes') of asking the men
whether they intended volunteering into the line, as it
was his orders to write to have an officer sent down to re-
ceive such volunteers ; he also stated the amount of
bounty each man would receive. Upon this the men
cheered most vociferously, and said they would follow
their officers anywhere, but not unless they were accom-
panied by them. Col. Musters told them he should let the
Government know their wishes, and that he was proud
to gay that the Longford Rifles were the first corps in
Ireland that had, after completing their numbers, volun-
teered in a body for foreign service, and that, although
it would much inconvenience him leaving this country,
being married, and leaving his property behind him, still
he would lead the Longford Rifles wherever they would
follow.

ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP A MANUFACTORY.

SHEFFIELD, Wednesday.—Yesterday (Tuesday) night
the manufactory of Messrs. Crookes, Roberts, and Co.,
the Argus Works, Doctor's-fields, was the scene of an
explosion, not the result of accident, but of design as
malicious as it was cunningly executed. Between half-
past 8 and 9 o'clock in the evening, Mr. Thomas Richard-
son, a nephew of Mr. Roberts, while alone on the pre-
mi,:es, heard a smothered explosion at the basement of the
building which shook the edifice to its foundation. The
authors of the mischief had taken care to retire, but
their work was sufficiently apparent. The instrument
used to effect the explosion was a sort of hand grenade,
a very strong steel canister firmly and elaborately bound
together with wire, and having the remnant of a fusee
attached. The size of the canister was 18 inches deep,
and the same in circumference, the capacity being suffi-
cient to hold a very formidable charge of powder. In order
to render the charge as effective as possible, the explo-
sive matter had been deposited in the steel warehouse,
which is on the basement floor. Apparently the vessel
had been tied to the iron stanchions of an unglazed win-
dow at the front of the building. Through this aper-
ture the fusee had projected, so that it could be ignited
at the outside, after the person had deposited the powder
and got safely off the premises. Had the apartment been
a confined one the destruction would undoubtedly have
been very extensive. But fortunately the expanded air
obtained vent at two windows, which are entirely open,
except that there is in each of them a row of upright
iron stanchions, as already intimated. Another outlet
was afforded at the door, which was blown open. Had
this been all the plot would have been a failure. But so
great was the force of the explosion that the wooden
floor of the room above, called " the rough warehouse."
was lifted up several inches towards one end ; while at
the opposite end, immediately over the canister and
powder, an anvil and stock, weighing about half a ton,
was dislodged and lifted a little out of its place. This
weight, and other heavy objects, helped to keep the floor
in its place. All the goods in this warehouse were thrown
into confused heaps. The doors were forced open, or
twisted out of the perpendicular, the door-frames dis-
jointed, and the walls cracked here and there, as though
the foundation had been shaken by an earthquake. The
window at that end of the room where the floor was
most displaced, was altogether blown out, and the win-
dow at the opposite end, close by the anvil, was shat-
tered, while the centre window remained uninjured.
Still, by reason of the powder not being pent up, there
has been no extensive damage to the building or other
Noperty. How the depredators obtained access to the
premises is not apparent. It is supposed in Sheffield
that this is a trades union affair.

LOSS OF THE BARQUE FLORA.-CONTICTION
OF THE CAPTAIN AND CHIEF MATE.

Advices from Port Elizabeth, dated the 18th of Jan.,
received at Lloyd',,, report the wreck in Algoa Bay of
the British barque Flora, Robinson, master, with a
cargo of merchandise from London, and the subsequent
conviction of the master and his first mate, Mr. Barns,
before Mr. Alfred Wylde, acting magistrate of the Court
of Admiralty, on a charge of drunkenness and misde-
meanour.

From the evidence given at the investigation by Mr.
John Sully, second officer of the Flora, it appeared that
after the vessel had arrived at Algoa Bay, on Dec. 30,
about 11 a.m., Captain Robinson went on shore, leaving
the chief officer, Mr. Barns, in command. The ship was
riding heavily at two anchors, 20 fathoms on the starboard
chain, and 35 on the port. About 1 p.m. the witness
called up the chief mate from below, and advised him to
give the ship more cable. Barns, who was drunk, per-
sisted, notwithstanding Mr. Sully's earnest caution, in
having the port chain slackened first, by which the strain
became so great on the starboard chain that it parted.
Barns then lit his pipe, and went to bed, having first hid
the signal flag by which alone it could be signalised to
the captain that they had parted anchor and wanted
another. About a quarter before 10 o'clock the vessel
parted from her port anchor and went on shore, where
she struck on a rock. The chief mate then came on deck,
but did net seem conscious of what he was doing. Mr.
Sully and the seamen managed to send a warp on shore,
and by moans of a cradle seven men and a female servant
were got safely to the beach. Capt. Robinson was hardly
ever sober day or night during the passage. Other wit-
nesses proved that the ship was lost through the negli-
gence of the captain and chief officer in not properly
mooring the vessel, And seeing to the security of her
cables. The weather was not very bad at the time. No
other vessel in the bay suffered any damage.
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