The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-19 00:00:00

,
VA:6 AND MIL TAI4Y INriaLIGENC.S.

This evening mails for the land and sea forces in Tine
key, the Piraeus (Greece), the Criutea, and the Black
gea will be made up and despatched, via Marseilles,
from which port they will be forwarded by French
packet to their destination. As a distinct mail will be
made up for and landed at Scutari as the packet passes
by that place, letters intended for persons residing there
should be specially addressed " Hospital, Scutari," which
will obviate any delay that might otherwise be occasioned
by the correspondence being conveyed to the army in
the Crimea or the fleet in the Black sea. Persons send-
ing letters to any of the above-mentioned places are cau-
tioned to have them pre-paid, otherwise they will be de-
tained at the General Post-office. The same regulation
is applicable to letters addressed to persons in the tran-
sport service.
The advanced or flying squadron about to sail for the
Baltic will consist of the following ships :—lmperieuse,
Suryalus, Arrogant, Esk, Archer, and Conflict ; the pre-
sent orders are to sail to-morrow morning for the Downs.
To each of the screw line-of-battle ships about to proceed
to the Baltic a steam gun-boat will be attached, and to
assist in manning them five additional marines have
been embarked in each of these ships.
Ad vices received from Nyberg, under date of March
14, describe the ice in the Belt as still fast, not a bit of
open water to be seen, and from 3 to 4 degrees of frost ;
at Fredericksha.vn the sea was covered with ice as far as
the eye could reach ; the light vessels at the mouth of
the Weser and Cuxhaven had returned to their stations.
The opening of the Baltic navigation it was considered
would be later than usual this season.
Letters from the fleet off Sebastopol, dated the 27th
and 26th ult., supply ns with the fact only surmised in
Lord Raglan's last despatches relative to the sinking of
more of their fleet by the Russians:—" During the night
of the 25th the Russians sank three more of their line-
of-battle ships and a frigate inside the boon* at the mouth
of the harbour of Sebastopol, and, by what we can see
through glasses, they appear to be making with them
another barrier across the harbour, and, as it appears as
yet only half-way across, I suppose, when ready, they
will sink some more to complete it, which will leave but
two or three of their boasted Black Sea Fleet. We are
erecting new batteries which would have commanded
their ships ; so, sooner than see them destroyed by me
they are sinking them in the most advantageous posi-
tion ; that is the only conclusion we can come to.",
There were in harbour at Balaklava on the 26th ult.
the Leander, 50 ; Diamond, 28 ; Wasp, 14 ; Vesuvius,
6 ; Spiteful, 6 ; and Caradoc, 2. The Spiteful was to
sail for the fleet directly the weather moderated. The
Megxra troop-ship was employed in running between
Sinop° and Kamiesh Bay with cattle for the supply of
the fleet.
The Cressy was ordered by signal yesterday morning
to prepare to receive dockyard artificers to-day. On
. Friday she sent away her shells, powder, and some of
her guns, preparatory to going into dock. On Saturday
the orders for her going into dock were countermanded,
and the guns, stores, Tic., reshipped. The necessary
repairs are now to be effected at Spithead.
Great inconvenience is experienced and heavy expenses
incurred by the officers and men of the fleet at Spithead
having to provide conveyance for themselves in water-
suen's boats to and from the shore. The officers of one
ship are paying between 4/. and 51. per week for a wherry
to attend on their mess.
The Crcesus, steam transport, left Portsmouth on Sa-
turday with the troops before reported for Malta and
Corfu.
The fleet at Spithead yesterday was augmented by the
arrival of the Tartar, 21, Capt. Dunlop, from Devon-
port, making the following at that rendezvous :
Ships. • ()funs. Commanders.
Duke of Wellington
Royal George lO2 Captain C•drington,
St. George
Neptune l2O Captain Hutton.
Nile 9l Captain Mundy.
Majestic
Exinouth 9l Captain W. K. Hall.
Calcutta
Cressy Bl Captain Warren.
Ajax
Imperieuse
Enryalus 5l Captain G. Ramsay.
Arrogant 46 Captain Yelverton.
Tartar
Esk
alagicienne l6 Captain Vansittart.
Archer l6 Captain Heatheote.
Falcon l6 Commander Pullen.
Cruiser
Ariel
Conflict
Dragon
Bulldog
The Blenheim, 60, Captain W. H. Hall, is ready to
join the force this day ; the Edinburgh, 58, Captain
Hewlett, has refitted, left the basin, and is now read-
justing her compasses, ready to join ' • the Hastings, 60,
Captain Caffin, and the Pembroke, 60, Captain G. 11.
Seymour, newly-fitted out blockships, were reported out
of the artificers' hands, on Satnrday night ; the Centaur,
6, Captain Clifford, is also out of hand and ready to
join ; the Caesar, 91, Captain Robb, was reported off the
port last night ; and the Starling, Thistle, Snap, Lark,
Magpie, Weasel, Redwine-, Dapper, Fancy, Pelter,
Ruby, Pincher, Gleaner, 'Snapper, and Madger (new
screw and sailing gunboats) have been put in commission
as tenders to the line-of-battle ships.
Rear-Admiral Michael Seymour hoisted his flag at
Spithead in the Exmouth, 01, Captain W. K. Hall, on
Friday evening, and the Commander-in-Chief of the sta-
tion, Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, K.C., rs-
hoisted his on Saturday night. Yesterday, at 1 p m., all
the ships mounting above 10 guns in the port fired a
general Royal salute, in honour of the Bth annivertary ef
the birthday of tier Royal Highness the Princess Leuisa
Caroline Alberta. The Ceinmsnder-in-Chief of the Fleet,
Rear-Admiral the Hon. R. S. Dundas, C. 8., struck Lis
flag on board the Duke of Wellington on Saturday night
and went on 48 hours' leave to complete his personal
preparations for sea. The Odin, 16, Captain Willcox,
was reported off the port last, night. The " flying
squadron," signalled to prepare for sailing yesterday,
bad not unmoored or made any appearance of starting
when this left (by the last train), at 5 o'clock last even-
ing. Heavy gales had been blowing all (lay on Saturday
and yesterday, which would render any getting away
from the anchorage more than problematical.
The following ships and vessels are in Portsmout'
harbour, or in the basins and docks, fitting out or rdii
tiug to join the above fleet :
Ships. Guns. Commanders,
James Watt 9l Captain G. Elliot.
Blenheim 6O Captain W. Ramsay,
Edinburgh
Pembroke
Hastings
Retribution
Centaur
Gorgon 6 Commander Crawford.
Basilisk 6 Commander Joiner,
iEolus, shell magazine.
This is exclusive of harbour guard, training, and gun-
nery ships, Admiralty yachts, steam and sailing tenders,
port tugs, troep-ships, transports, &c.
By the arrival of the mail steam-ship Iberia at South-
ampton on Saturday night, we receive the following
items of naval and military intelligence from Gibraltar :
The French Government steamer Phcenix, from Lisbon,
arrived at Gibraltar on the 3d inst. ; the British steam-
transport Gibraltar, seven days from Cork, with detach-
ments of different regiments for Gibraltar and Malta,
arrived on the sth ; the British steam-transport No. 185,
without troops, passed from west to east on the morning
of the Bth ; the detachment of Royal Artillery, consist-
ing of three non-commissioned officers and 51 gunners
and drivers, which embarked from Southampton in the
Iberia, landed at Gibraltar on the 9th init. ' • the officers,
who were only sent in charge of the men, have returned
in the Iberia. The British steam-ship Argus, seven
days from London and Plymouth, having on board the
electric telegraph cable which is to be submerged be-
tween Balaklava and Varna, arrived at Gibraltar on the
Bth ; after coaling, she left for the slack Sea. Her Ma-
jesty's ships Bellerophon and Hecla were at Gibraltar—
the latter under repair, preparatory to proceeding to
England.
The Talbot, late 22, Arctic discovery ship, now at
Chatham, is ordered to be brought to Sheerness, and
to be immediately fitted as a floating magazine for the
use of the Baltic fleet.
The following are the latest appointments :
Lieutenants—Wm. Menzies, recently serving in the
Geecaan, to the Exmouth ; Edward Burstall, and John
Ward, to the Firefly ; Augustus C. Stroke, to the St.
George ; Alex. R. B. Carter, from the Wickham, to the
St. Vincent ; S. B. Piers, to the Duke of Wellington,
for service in the Starling gunboat tender ; David Spain,
to the Royal George, for service in the Thistle gunboat
tender ; Charles A. Wise, to the James Watt, for ser-
vice in the Snap gunboat tender; George T. S. Win-
thorp, to the Exmouth, for service in the Leila gun-
boat tender ; Bedford C. T. Pine, to the Orion, for ser-
yoiete_ in the Magpie gunboat tender ; Robert G. Craigie,
tr,„
aise Caesar, for service in the Weasel gunboat tender •
e,sk ries S. Forbes, to the Nile, for service in the Red:
wing gunboat for service
in tnder ; Arthur Barrow, to the Majestic,
G. Crylls, to theh Dapper gunboat tender ; and Charles
gunboat tender.
e Cornwallis, for service in the Fancy
Matek—Henry li,. Lee, to the Cressy, tor in Stewart, to the Cruiser ; W. F.
xeiZs.l.oessus,
G. Rain,
tBoertsi.:.ce_in the Pelter gunboat ten-
der ; Henry
Ready gunboat tender for service in the
Stewart, to the Blenheim,
guntotat tender • Archibald G
for service in the Pinch'ier
Bogle, to the Ajax, for mervice in the air: gnbat,
arid
W. Commit*
service
tender ; Arthur J.Villiers, to the Edinburgh
garileoautrateraur'
in the Snapper gunboat tender,
to the Hogue, for service in the Badger
Acting Clerk.—Charles W. Roadie, to the Il.„91.
steam-sloop, at Woolwich.
The following promotions have taken place in the U„.
pital Staff :—Staff Surgeon of the second class W.Parry,
to be Staff-Surgeon of the first class, vice Hurufrey, who
Las been promoted. Surgeon. R. Wilson, , from
the 6th Dragon to be a Staff-Surgeon of the second
class, vice Baxter, who exchanges.
On Friday the whole of the Royal Artillery in Wool-
wich garrison, with. the exception of those on duty, ae-
Nobbled in review order et 11 o'clock, find here formed
into hollow square on the euardeaountirg parade under
the command of Colonel Anderson, to witness the pre-
-sentatiou of the geod conduct inedale to the 21 recipients
at present at Woolwich, out of the 56 awarded. Mall
of the nou-cointnissioned officers and men to whom i
medals and gratuities have been awarded are at present
serving in the Crimea.
One company of the 79th, consisting of 120 men, Las
been draughted from Aberdeen for service in the Crimea,
proceeding in the first place to Malta. Being what is
called "Lord Panmure's own regiment," the depot has
thus become more than ever popular, and received about
400 recruits at Aberdeen—a number unprecedented in