The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-02 00:00:00

STATE 'OF AFFAIRS AT BALAKLATT.A.

(Prom the Special Correspondent of the Morning Berald.)
There is no improvement to notice in the general con-
duct of affairs at Balaklava, and to expect any now
seems hopeless. Guards have been mounted on the
powder ships since the fire which lately occurred on
board one, but the vessels themselves still remain indis-
criminately mixed with others. Captain Heath is
still seeking for signatures to his testimonial as to hit
character as a seaman from the commanders of mer-
chant transports. Such assiduity and perseverance as
Captain Heath has shown in getting up this "testi-
monial" deserves greater success than be has hitherto
met with, for I amm informed that only the cap-
tains of the screw colliers, lately come in, have
signed it. The signatures of two masters of sailing
vessels are also appended, but one of these was
affixed during the temporary absence of the master by
his chief mate. It was affixed without either the know-
ledge or consent of the master, who, I am informed,
sent to Captain Heath to protest against his name being
used, but up to the time I write it has not been with-
drawn. During the time the snow lay thick upon the
ground, it was determined to make snow sledges for the
conveyance of provisions to camp. The ships' carpen-
ters were drawn from the vessels in harbour, and first
sent to one authority to get the necessary stores, but the
authority was not to be found, when they were sent to
another, who was to be found, but who had no stores.
The carpenters then, having wasted half a day, were sent
back ; and I believe at one time it was seriously intended
to send to England for snow sledges, which could be
made here in a day. So the idea was for a moment
abandoned until a rapid thaw set in, when everything
being turned into mud, the importance of suoh a means
of transit was at once admitted ; and now, with every
prospect of heavy rains, the sledges are rapidly advanc-
ing towards completion.
The Nubia left Balaklava yesterday with sick, and
the Cleopatra and the Brandon have since been filled
with the same miserable freight, and leave to-day. The
Cleopatra is said to be dirt.f, over-crowded, and un-
wholesome.

The Adelaide has arrived with the 82d Regiment on
board. The 39th Regiment has left the Golden Fleece,
and taken up the quarters at the bead •f the harbour,
lately occupied by the 18th Royal Irish.
One of the vessels freighted with necessaries for the
use of the troops, and all of which are to be sold at cost
price, has now been in the harbour 10 days ; but though
all the articles on board are bitterly wanted, not one
thing has yet been touched. The reason alleged for the
dilatoriness is, that no non-commissioned officers have
yet been " appointed" to superintend the sale, and for
this cause all have to go without th• little comforts
which would soon be distributed throughout the camp
by the sale of this vessel's cargo. . _ _

- The Simla has arrived with a number of horses. The
Trent was at Constantinople, and expeeted up here each
day with 250 mules. These animals are worth any
money to us in our present position. The Lien
steamer has returned from a trip to a little below
Odessa, where about 120 tons of hay were purchase'
from the country people. The Lady M'Naughten, sail-
ing transport, has been sent from Balaklava to a little
port near Perekep, where the inhabitants are willing to
supply 300 oxen, and some sheep. I think the fact of
the allies being able to purchase sheep and cattle near
Perekop should at once put an end to all conjectures
about the enemy being short of provisions. It is not
likely that the Russian army is starving while the
country people sell their supplies to us. Such a system,
under the circumstances, would be preposterous even in
England, where a man does as he likes with his own.
How much more so, then, must it be in Russia, where
the most arbitrary Government in the world has only to
claim and to take the property of any citizen.
P.S. The Australian came into Balaklava last night
laden with ordnance stores, and at the same time arrived
the Emeu from Malta with the 14th Regiment on hoard.
There is not the least sign of such a thing as the rail-
way being extended this winter.
The authorities here seem quite determined that there
shall onl♦ be mails when they wish. Lord Raglan's
despatches never miss, though seldom the general mail
gees unless there is good news to communicate.

The Earl of Cardigan, it is stated, has, by an unani-
mous vote of the members of the United Service Club,
been invited to become au honorary member, in conse-
quence of his distinguished gallantry at the battle of
Balaklava.

We are glad to learn that Lord James Stuart has re-
covered from the very severe indisposition under which
he has been suffering for some weeks past.
We are sorry to announce the demise, after a short
illness, of the venerable Sir Thomas Grey eullum, Bart.,
who expired on the 26th instant, at his seat, Hardwick.
house.

The second annual general meeting of the East Indian
Iron Company will be held on Friday, the 16th inst.
The non-commissioned officers of the troop 16th
Lancers, now in Limerick, gave a ball and supper at
the Artillery Barracks, on Monday night, in commemo-
ration of the battle of Aliwal. The officers were present,

The gallant Sir Joseph Thackwell was seen a few
days since walking for hours on the Mallow mountains,
ankle-deep in snow, active and nimble as the moun-
taineers who accompanied him.
Walter R. Nolan, gazetted to a cornetcy in the 17th
Lancers, and only 15 years of age, is second son of the
late John Nolan, Esq., of Pallinderry, county Galway.
A violent storm was witnessed at Genoa on the 20th.
Most of the vessels in the port were more or less
damaged, notwithstanding the exertions of the crews.
A letter from Borne, in the Moniteur, states that ex-
tensive preparations are being made in Switzerland for
the Grand Universal Exhibition.

THE ROYAL MARINES.—The :Admiralty have ordered
that the corps of Royal Marines shall hitherto bear the
designation of " Corps of Royal Marines 'Light Infan-
try.' " This is a compliment to this gallant arm of the
Royal service, but " Rifles" would be a more popular
distinction.

Two prisoners confined in the jail at Geneva, one of
whom named Contratti had been condemned to ten years'
imprisonment in irons for making counterfeit coin,
effected their escape a few days ago. They had cut
through the stout iron grating of their window, and then
lowered themselves down from it by a rope which they
had ingeniously twisted out of strips of leather, after
which by means of a plank they climbed over the outer
wall, and escaped. No trace of them has been discovered.
M. Foyatier, the sculptor, whose fine statue of Spar-
tacus in the garden of the Tuileries has been always so
much admired, has just terminated an equestrian statue
of Joan of Arc, ordered for the city of Orleans. This
statue has just been cast and will shortly be exhibited in
Paris.

DAVIES V. PRATT.—Mr. Whately, Q.C., the arbitra-
tor in this case, eat again yesterday. Mr. Serjearit Wil-
kins resumed his observations on the evidence adduced
on behalf of the defendants, and, at the conclusion of his
address, the court adjourned until Tuesday next, when
Mr. Ballantino is to reply in the whole case.
A special general meeting of the Mexican and South
American Company will be hold on the 12th instant, for
the purpose of considering the prospects of the branch
establishments at Caldera, and the expediency of raisin:
additional capital for rendering the same effective.
According to an Orleans newspaper, the Government
intends authorising a grand lottery at the period of the
grand Exhibition. The amount to be raised is, it says,
to be 10,000,000 f. ; and it states that there are to be one
large prize of 500,000 f., four of 100,000 f., and a great
number of smaller amount.