The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-25 00:00:00

TERRIFIC TIIUNDER-STORM.

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PORTSMOUTII, Friday.—A dreadful storm of s thunder,
lightning, hail, and rain burst over Portsmouth and it
neighbourhood last night, commencing about 10 p.m,
and lasted for three hours. The torrents of rainedu
choked up the drains and flooded the oath. and
principal streets for a mile out of Ports Thou-
sands of pounds' worth of goods were ruined. We fear
the damage has been great amongst the cut corn.
CHATEram, Friday.—A most violent thunder-storm
burst over this part of the county of Sent about mid-
night of Thursday. About 1 o'clock in the morning the
lightning became most vivid. The rain fell in torrents,
and continued to do so for nearly one hour. About a
quarter before 2 o'clock there was a
like rapid
sheets increase
wate of ther
water, which came rushing down of
watchman
had The main street of Chatham, towards the lower
o n
thet street
panadrt,m7iyaobfotuhteacefolloatrs of andtahehahlof and
udgeeespi,n thet
ofch
had to wade through the stream of water up to his knees ;
were partly filled. The general military parade ground
at Chatham Barracks is completely torn
loads of the gravel are washed away from UP, and waggon
founda-
tion. Such a storm has not been witnessed in this part
for many years. The harvest has not been much damaged,
as the wheat has been cut and
and the cornt
elds have been the
carried in many places ;
in prime condition. At
present there is no report of !m
Qum* dvarizeuA ..
r, y sdrioas damage having
"*" F.W' . ,

.. _ .. ._.. ~ 1.

Naval and Military Intellivilloes •
A letter from Balaklava, sated the 11th insk,-gilliithiss .1..
following movements of the fleet:—"ln HarbeurSi=the
Leander, 5 , flag of Rear-Admiral Fremantle; the Dias- s '
mood_ 28, Vasp, 14, and the Triton, 3. Lieut. Joliffes ....
s Ma ine Artillery, doing duty with the Mirk.
sie, has been sent to Therapia Hospital. Lieut. s ,
('the St. Jean.d'Acre, has been appointed to the
count-mai bf the Banshee, vice Reynolds. The Woo; Stbap
plated exchange between the commanders of thi 'gasp
and Prometheus steam-sloops (mentioned in a former
letter) has' been refused to be granted by Sir E. Lyesims
it Se thought on the ground of aim vessels being **in-
tent from each other ; and an' eroltauge betweeliCthes
surgeons of the Triton and the Fury has been refitted-fee ,
the like reason. Lieut. D'Aoth, doing' gay, sear_ to e
Naval Brigade, died of cholera, 10 liciutosiftir seim'.
Capt. Hamilton, of the Diamond, has returned from his
cruise in the Dauntless to the coast of-Chi:amiss It is
reported that this ship will shortly leaie for Corfu; to be
stationed there."
The Clyde, steam-transport, No.' 145; 'left Spitheatl'on
Thursday afternoon -Tor the Thanes. s The Blenheim,
Capt. John Atkinson, with troops for Calcutta and a full
complement of passengers, left Spithead on Thursday
morning. ; The War Cloud, No. 56, sailing transport,
went into Portsmouth harbour on Wednesdap evening.
The Saldanha, No. 209, sailing transport, is refitting,
caulking,, and completing with water, in readiness to
take in troops at Portsmouth. The Perseverance stiiiiths
transport:is completing coaling in Portsmouth harbour.
The Robert Small sailing transport, No. 128, arrived
at Portsmouth yesterday morning from the East to be
paid off. She brought no news or invalids, but a few
mule fittings and a few Government stores.
The William M. Rogers, American freight-ship, corn.'
mender Thompson, arrived at Spithead yesterday Alter-
moil from Halifax, which she left on the Bth of August,
with a detachment of invalids, itc., from her Majesty's
76th Regiment, 357 recruits for the British Fore-teal.-
gion, 33 Royal Artillery volunteers for the Crimalvs Una '
. -
4 It .yal uppers and Miners. 1
The Sir William Pu'teney, of Aberdeen, freigh . ittill, '
,
receiving a cargo of shot from Woolwich Arsens.4,, lot
Southampton, and is expected to sail this day.
The steam-sloop Vixen, 6, which arrived at Plyloottk
from South America on Thursday, has been in smintnis-
sion three years and eight months, during which timeshe was principally employed in the River Plat.. On
her first arrival she lost four seamen by fever, bat. no
deaths hove occurred from sickness for three years. 'Oa '
the 26th; of August, 1854, 10 of her crew were droWE4
in c msequenee of the capsising of her paddle-box boot
when in ow of a steamer in the river. Three of her
officers ave been promoted, viz.—Lieutenant Alfred
Lucraft, to command the brigantine Spy,* 3, rice' Com-
mander akeley, invalided home ; Mr. Abereronibie,
mate, tothe flagship Indefatigable ; and Mr. Lennon, to
the scre# steam gun-vessel Rifleman.
In addition_to_tha vessels noted yesterday, the Vixen
spoke August 4, in lat. 9.55 N., long. 23.30 W., an
English ship, 2d distinguishing pennant 3,524. Aug. 11,
in lat. 22.40 N., long. 22 10 W., an English brig; 2d
distinguishing pennant 2,614, steering S.W. Aug. 15,
in lat. 32.13 N., long. 18 W., an English ship, 2d dis-
tinguishing pennant, 5,629, and an English barque, 2d
distinguishing pennant 1,420, steering S.W. Aug. 16,
in lat. 43.15 N., long. 33.19 W., an English ship, 2d
distinguishing pennant 4,315, steering S.W. Aug. 18,
in lat. 38.54 N., long. 14.8 W., an English ship, 2d dis-
tinguishing pennant 8,254, steering S.W. Aug. 21, in
lat. 45.6,N., long. 9.9 W. the ships Burmah and Kate,
steering! S.W. in lat. 45.40 N., long. 8.40 W. ; the
schooner Grasshopper, steering S.W. in lat. 47.46 1V-s
long. 7.23 W., French brig Alma from Havre-de-Grace,
steering'S. W. The Vixen during the after part of her
voyage experienced continued north-east winds, whioh
will probably retard homeward bound ships.
The invalid officers and crew of the Spy, who returned
from Rio Janeiro in the Vixen, speak in very grateful
terms of the attention and kindness exhibited towards
them by the Spanish medical officers in the Fever Hos-
pital at Vura Juba, where they left 12 of their fellow-
sufferera_
The
Smith, ,
bound t
pointed
suite.
The
Limeho
of 48 s
to be b
Mare, (
24 of tt
Wool wi
Order
SapperE
the am
mitted
is antic
service:
to. A
tl-.0 inE
Smith.

bark Frowning Beauty, of London, Captain
,rrived at Plymouth from Liverpool yesterday,
) the Falkland Isles, to embark the newly-ar
Governor, Captain Moore, R.N., family, and

rarious shipbuilders of Northfleet, Blackwall,
iso, and Cowes are engaged in the construction
un-boats and 18 despatch gun-vessels, wkich are
lilt for immediate ser►ice by Messrs. Pitcher,
men, Wigram, Young, Fletchei and White.
number are to be fitted in the+ dockyard at
;b.

n s have been received at the quarters of the Royal
at Woolwich to issue instruetious forthwith for
entation of that corps. Volunteers are Per-
o join from any of the Militia regimeats, and it
pated that the call to enter the ranks of this fine
ble body of men will be most readily responded
detachment will be sent to Aldershott, under
truction of Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick

nant-Colonel Payne, of the Royal Marines, new
I at Woolwich, has received orders to hold him-
;adiciebs for immediate departure for the seat of

Upwiards of 100 fine young men arrived at Heligo.
land mil, the 20th inst. from the north of Germany, and.
yesterdtty another batch (136) landed on the island and
reported themselves to the commanding officer. Colonel
von Steinbach is quite adored by the troops, who speak
of him 'with the warmest enthusiasm. On the whole,
the number of recruits sent to England amounts to
1,750, so that the second thousand will now be com-
plete. ,The first division of the German Legion, form-
ing the Rifle Battalion, numbering upwards of 1,000,
are under orders of readiness for the Crimea, and, ac-
cording to the present arrangements, will leave Shorn-
cliffe about the 28th inst. for embarkation. The 'first
division of the Swiss Legion is also expected to leave
Dover for the seat of war in the ensuing week.
The coast of South Wales has been surveyed by the
Board of Ordnance for the purpose of selecting sites on
which to erect batteries of heavy guns and other perma-
nent defences, for the better protection of this portion
of the coast. The attention of the authorities has long
been drawn to this matter, the shore being perfectly de-
fenceless ; for from Milford Haven up the entire
length of the British Channel there is not a single
battery of guns. The harbour of Swansea is to be
provided with heavy metal, and the important road-
,teads (under Penarth are also to be on duty guarded
by a heavily-armed fort or battery on the 'heights. Se-
veral other defences are also spoken of, and it is ex-
peeted !that they will be used for practice by. the several
regiments of artillery militia which have been raised,
particularly the Glamorganshire New Artillery Militia.
Thirty-seven carriages arrived on Thursday, from Bris-
tol, ati the Plymouth station of the South Devon Rail-
way, containing a portion of Captain Calder's company
,illery—viz., four officers, Dr. Holahan, Lieu-
a Wilson and Niel, and Veterinary-Surgeon liar-
-139 men, 84 horses, and all the equipage, except-
guns, which are waiting at Constantinople. Cap.
ilder was under orders to embark for the Crimea
lay, on board the steam-ship Indian, lying along-
e Devonport dockyard.
following appointments were made yesterday at
dmiralty :—Mr. James Browne, surgeon, to the
Illustrious ; Mr. Charles W. White, surgeon, to the St.
Vincent ; Mr. John A. Corbett, surgeon, to the St.
Jean d'Acre ; Mr. 11. Trevor, surgeon, to the Miranda.
On Wednesday his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge presented colours to the British Swiss Legion at
Dover, on which occasion the officers entertained a nu-
merous party at a dejeuner, and at a ball in the evening.
In acknowledging the reception of the colours Major
Ilafelin said—" The soldiers of the Ist Regiment of
the British Swiss Legion are overcome with pride and
felicity at receiving from your Royal Highness's hands
these beautiful colours, the honoured gift of her Majesty
the Queen. No one present who is familiar with the
past history of the Swiss nation, and its high military
character, will for a moment doubt the enthusiasm with
which they receive these symbols, which we shall always
feel it our greatest happiness to be considered worthy of
bearing sal displaying in the field of victory, for victory,
I feel assured, will ever attend her Majesty's arms. I
stand here in the name of the Swiss soldiers present to
say that their fidelity to the British Crown shall never
he open to question, and that their attachment to the
Government of her Majesty is as strong and as e;nthts-
hiastic as that which l rave men ever entertain for their
Sovereign and their home. The sight of these syMbels
inspies the Swiss soldiers, individually and collectirt
with the greatest ardour, and every man feels.sitat,
will defend them and the glorious cause in whiCi.l_,,tbey:
are so soon to be unfurled with the last drop of blood
which circulates in his heart. We beg that yoursie Beentail.
Highness will do us the honour to convey
othst
IrribleanjefstBtoyf, tahnedlltArliteisxhprSewssisstoLehge
fer Ted upon us, and for the confisenese
ironmtoaihesetrymour grOograrm_iofnuel
thanks for the high honour whichd haltsnhceeof it tehri smhda
saa
jya
itc
is-
been,reposed in us. . oWofhanevedryoveraratnheeeef
Pride which
That is
Godth e may bless
nits the ardent prayer
trustcolours i n otuor
ohoorn oruerg
inndNeVnfiitt:lhetlihtyi:`
iwBthi ice h
of laberasts high d
lwithth)? that
our services in her M
of every Swiss soldier present upon this eremeraorable
and happy
essqyld'isehrecae. husw

Victoria state that the English
90
there is days old. This •
news theytof the • la tpeculiihrly
n accoun
an° with Russia. The colo •
in the war
,iotnheoafuthcteisoeneeestrast,es,lusts are about to Bead
mails themselves to Point de Galls.
their
SALE OF THE WESTMINSItR•BRID E GE STATEN.—TOS•
terci,y, at the Auction Mart, Messrs. Norton, Hogged,
Late adgviectes7from.
cofferedons i
stet i publicne o f
groundsuction
with reversions to the freehold property on the expiration
of the present leases. These freehold estates are sitnatei
at Charing-cross, Spring-gardens Parliament-street,
athnidrdTpriosrtt
Abingdon street, Cannon-row, Ring-street, Charles-
street, Bridge-street, and Westminster-bridge-road. The
property was originally purchased out of the residue of
the moneys raised for building the present Virestmineter•
bridge after the cost of its construction was defrayed,
and are now sold by direction of the Board of Public.
Works and Buildings under the authority of the set
passed in 1853 for building the new bridge in order 'to
defray the cost of its construction. 'The rents of the
property under the original leases now amounts to abotst
7,5001. The portion offered to public auction yesterdat
was Nos. 91 to 94, Bridge-road, on the Surrey side of
Westminster-bridge, let on lease for an unexpired term of
31 years, at a ground rent of 701. knocked down at 2,3001.;
Nos. 95 to 98, in the same road, for an unexpired tans
of 28,.4 years, at a ground rent of 1501., sold for 3,9801.;
Nos. 99 to 102, in the same road, let on lease for an
unexpired term of 13i years, at a ground rent of 241. per
annum, sold for 3,150/. ; a ground rent of 20/, per as-
num with reversion in 1891, on the premises, No. 77.
Bridge-road, occupied by the Royal British Bach?' told
or COL Total prodg,e's oft VS,* 104,030 i. th..
.C:taulli WIJ 0,1 ilL— N bati Sataithsgil lo elti`e"'