The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-06 00:00:00

THE TRANSPORT SERVICE.

The Himalaya steam transport, Commander Priest,
R.N., left Spithead yesterday afternoon for Southampton
to refit. The Rhadarnanthus steam transport, Master-
Commander Belam, R.N., arrived at Spithead yesterday
morning from the Thames, and went into harbour to
land machinery for her Majesty's steam-ships being fitted
out at that port. The boat flotilla for the Putrid Sea,
consisting of launches, furnaces, and cutters, fitted to
carry one gun each, is now ready at the various dock-
yards to proceed to its destination ; 22 have been fitted
out at'Portsmouth dockyard, 33 at Devonport, and 40
at the eastern yards, making a total force of 95—a very
formidable armament, and not one of them drawing
three feet of water. They are all to be armed at Ports-
mouth by the Ordnance Department with howitzer
guns, which will render them very effective. The Comet
steam-vessel conveyed a number of Royal Artillerymen
from Portsmouth to Hurst•castle yesterday, to garrison
the defences.

The sailing transport Herefordshire, No. 108, Captain
Stephenson, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from
the East. Sbe left Malta on the 29th of May, and
Gibraltar on the 18th of Jure. She brought 33 invalids,
11 seamen, 8 distressed British subjects, three convicts,
1 merchant seaman prisoners, 9 momen, 14 children, 166
Russian prisoners, 10 officers ditto, under a guard of 70
men from various regiments, under the command of Cap-
tain Selby, of the 89th Regiment.
The sailing transport Calphurnia, No. 125, Captain
Harding, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from
the East. She left Scutari, April 23,. Malta, May 19,
and Gibraltar June 11, with 151 military invalids and
two women, in charge of Lieutenant Young of the 47th
Regiment, and in the medical charge of-Staff-Surgeon
Hugh Mackay. Three were landed at Gibraltar. Lieu-
temaati Young was wounded at Alma and lukernian.

The state of the invalids' berths in this ship, the cleanli•
Less and quality of their bedding, and the order and
comfort of the invalids, should be seen to be appreciated.
Nothing has yet arrived at Portsmouth from the
Crimea equal to it. Dr. Mackay deserves the credit
of this. On the 15th ult. the Calphurnia boarded,
at 5 p.m., in le. 36 N., long. 11.10 NV., a-water-
logged vessel without masts.; bowsprit standing; found
the name obliterated ; timber laden (deals and staves) ;
had apparently been boarded before, as every moveable
article was gone ; the poop with the remains of a house
on it ; top-gallant forecastle, with two bower anchors,
and 15 fathoms of cable on the port one ; the starboard
chain hanging over the side ; female full figurehead,
square stern, deck lights cut out, and one pump, Ameri-
can built, and from 900 to 1,000 tons. The name of
"J. Bhobet" was cut out on the main rail. •

The Harkaway sailing transport, No. 39, Captain
Stephens, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from
the East. She was towed through the Straits of Gibral-
tar by.the Cambria. some time since arrived at Ports-
mouth. She brought no invalids.

Thie*Charlotte Jane.hired freight ship, Capt. Russell,
arrived at Spitherd from the eastward yesterday morn-
ing to 'embark draughts.of the 4tb, 20th, and 50th Regi-
meets for Malta.

The Southampton, Indianian, arrived at Spithead yes-
terday afternoon, from the Thames, to embark passengers
for Calcutta.

MILITARY. •
On Tuesday morning the Ellen Rawstone freight ship
arrived at Woolwich from the Cape of Good Hope, hay-.
ing on board Major C.'D. Robertson's company (NO. 15)
of the Royal Sappers andAtirierk9bnd '7O invalids be•
longing to the regiments serving at the Cape.
An interesting experiment was tried at the Royal
Arsenal, Woolwich, on Wednesday, in presence of
Lieutenant-Colonel F. Eardley Wilmot, Royal Artil-
lery, and several scientific gentlemen, to test the
effect of a new kind of vent. An iron 6-pounder gun
was brought down and fitted with it. The invention
consists of two pieces of brass made to. fit a groove
bored in the vent-field, the vent being through these
pieces ; on the pieces being inserted they were screwed
down, and on the top of them, in a line with the sur-
face f the gun, a nut was placed to hold them tight. If,
an enemy spiked the gun in an ordinary manner, by re-
moving the nut on the top by means of a wrench, the
vent was unscrewed, and the spike taken out. After
each round was fire I the vent pieces were taken out and
examined, and then replaced ; and after each round the
vent sunk deeper into the gun. Ten rounds wore fired,
and after the tenth a spike was driven in, which burst
the nut, and the pieces of the vent remained in the gun,
Every time the vent was taken out previously it was
found to be twisted.

The last detachment of the 98th Regiment arrived in
Chatham at 5 p.m. on Wednesday from Gravesend, con-
sisting of 11 sergeants and 149 rank and file, with five
officers—namely, Captain H. W. Goodwyn; Lieutenant
Martin Dillon, Lieutenant D. M. Farrington, Ensign
Geo. F. Webster, and Assistant-Surgeon N. H. Stewart,
M.D. Eight women and 13 children also arrived. The
troops came home in t,lie Maidstone from Calcutta,
which they left on the sth of February.
Everything went on welt until the 19th of April,
when a dense fog came on, and about 12 o'clock
at night the vessel ran on the sands of Murray Bay,
close on Robben Island—a barren island about 10 miles
from the Cape of Good Hope, and, as the tide left, the
ship lay nearly on her beam-ends. Great alarm pre-
vailed on board, but, as the tide flowed up again, she
was got off with the assistance of the crew and troops on
board and about 100 boats, which came to their assist.
ance from Cape Town, with the harbourmaster and a
number of kedges. At daylight the next morning the
Governor of the island came on board, and the troops
were landed. The ship did not float until 5 p.m. the
next day, when she was taken round to Table-bay, and
inspected by the divers. It was found that some of
her copper was stripped off. Site was repaired as soon
as possible. The cargo on board was valued at 12,6001„
consisting of rice, wool, copper ore, and wines. Cap-
tain Eastcourt did all he could to get the ship off with-
out assistance. The ship sailed for England on the-
26th of April, and arrived in the Thames on the 3d
inst. ; the pumps were kept going during'the voyage
day and night. On the passage three'men of the 98th
died, viz., John Morris, Michael Ranie, and Thomas
Davies, and also 4 children. The troops will be removed
to Weedon to join their head-quarters ; they are in ex-
cellent health, and a very fine body of men. It is ex-
pected that they will soon be sent to the Crimea.
A large range of wooden huts, capable of accommo-
dating a force of 1,000 men, is immediately to be erected
on ebb's Point, in the vicinity of Pembroke Dockyard.
The contract bas been taken by the Board of Ordnance,
and 6 weeks are allowed for their erection. When com-
pleted, a large body of militia will be located in them ;
the new regimentCoLGiomorganshire Artillery and the
Pembrokeshire Artillery, among other', have been
named, the waters of the haven affording excellent prac-
tice ground.