The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-03 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Mr. William Morrison Richards of the storekeeper's
office in Devonport dockyard at this port has been ap-
pointed for service in the store department of the dock-
yard at Constantinople, with an allowance of 10s. per
diem in addition to his salary as clerk in the home
yard.

THE TRANSPORT SERVICE.
The Tigris, sailing transport, left Portsmouth on
Saturday for Balakla.va, with upwards of 800 tons of
victualling stores for the Royal Clarence-yard, consisting
of bread, pork, beef, tea, sugar, rum, rice, &c. The mill
i❑ the Clarence-yard resumed work on Saturday after
some weeks' suspension, and the steam bakery will re-
commence work to-morrow.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-ship
Colombo, Capt. Methuen, screw transport No. 61, as
stated in The Sun of Saturday, sailed from Southamp-
ton in the afternoon of that day for the Crimea. The
Colombo has T 1 board the following passengers :—For
Malta, Mr. Fredericks. Clerk of the Royal Engineers,
and Mrs. Fredericks—For Constantinople, Capes. Beck-
with, C. F. T. Skettowe, J. Thornton, G. F. C. B.
Hawkes, and T. Knight, Major T. Plaskett, and a ser-
vant of Capt. Evans, Turkish Contingent. For the
Crimea, Staff Surgeon Warren, 50th Regiment, Lieuts.
Norton, 23d Regiment ; Frazer, 41st Regiment ; and
Eschalez, 55th Regiment ; Messrs. W. Skelton, T. G.
Hill, and C. C. Lowe, assistant-engineers, to the Black
Sea fleet ; Lieut. Young, of Colonel Beatson's Irregular
Cavalry, for Constantinople, but if possible to be landea
Qt the Dardanelles; Jordan alias Giovanni, prisoner of
war ; Capt. Kuper, R N., and servant, her Majesty's
ship London ; Capt. H. Edgel', R.N., her Majesty's
ship Tribune ; Major Moore, Major Green and servant,
and Capt. Griffin and servant, of the Turkish Conting-
ent. The Colombo also conveys 2,386 shot and shell,
equal to 202 tons, 15 large and 10 small huts, measuring
400 tone, 18 boxes of fusees, and one box of implements.
Corporal Church and David Lloyd, sappers and miners,
are likewise passengers by the Colombo.

THE WYE DISTILLING VESSEL.
The Wye steam distilling vessel did not leave on Fri-
day for Balakiava, but proceeded from Portsmouth to
Cowes, in order, it was understood, that she might be
inspected by the Prince Consort, She returned to Spit-
head the same night. For the purpose of practically
testing the efficiency of the distillin, apparatus with
which this vessel has been fitted on the plan proposed
by and under the superintendence of Mr. T. T. Grant,
F.R.S. (Controller of Victualling), for the supply of
fresh water distilled from the sea, for the use of the
army in the Crimea, a final trial was made on Saturday,
the result of which proved that neatly 4,000 gallons of
perfectly fresh and palatable water can be obtained
daily, and of the same temperature as the source from
which it is taken. The Wye is also fitted with neces-
sary apparatus for either delivering the water thus ob-
tained on shore or on board other vessels ; and she has
been stowed by Mr. Davies, R.N., Master Attendant of
the Royal Clarence Victuallinff-yard at Gosport, with
tanks capable of containing a reserve of water equal to
about 300 tons. The Wye will proceed immediately to
her destination (Baliklava), and there is reason to believe
that means will be taken for pumping this water from
the coast to the camp.

ACTIVITY AT SHEERNESS.
Unusual activity prevails throughout the whole of the
victualling department of Sheerness dockyard, under
the charge of Mr. Thomas Hockings, paymaster in the
navy, in consequence of the general overhaul of all the
salted provisions now under his care (which is unusually
large). The casks in qnestion are all opened and filled
up with fresh brine. We hear. as yet, that the meat
has turned out satisfactorily. No. l'and 3 dry docks; in
this yard are being lengthened by Mr. Josiah Hall, of
Queenberough, as fast as can be expected, considering
the magnitude of the undertaking, and the weight of the
pieces of granite and stone with which these docks are
lined, independently of the thick massive brickwork at
the bed, to support the above stones. The iron founda-
tion-plates for the boiler sheers for the basin are being
let in, and the boiler factory will soon be in full work.
as the coat and plate furnaces, encased with fire-proof
brick-work, are being erected inside, and shafting ma-
chines fixed, &c. Punching machines are at work, and
already many minor pieces of machinery are fitted and
repaired. This building is admirably planned for the
purpose of carrying on an extensive manufacture and
repair of boilers, which, taking into consideration the
proximity of this yard to the Baltic, coupled with the
screw being now almost indispensable in the navy, ren-
ders it imperative that a building of this sort on a large
scale should be used here.
The steam transport Jura, No. 14, Captain Wickham,
arrived at Spitbead on Saturday from the East with in-
valids, &c. The following officers left her at Malta, and
proceeded homewards via Marseilles :—Lieutenant the
Hon. A. Crofton, late ith Fusiliers ; Captain James,
20th Regiment; Lieutenant APPlierson, 80th ; Captain
Aplin, 3:1; Major Crawley, 39th ; Lieutenant Coulon,
49th Ensign Hunter, 19th ; Drs. Kirwan and Pratt,
Mr. Wright and Mr. Bruce. The Jura went into Ports-
mouth Harbour yesterday afternoon for the convenience
of landing her invalids. The "Colonel Lockyer" men-
tioned in the Friday's report from Malta is Major-
General Lockyer.
The Urgent, screw-transport, Commander C. G. Phil-
lips, is lying over on the east side of the basin at Shaer-
ness, rigged, rattled down, and studdingsail-booms on
the yards, ready for bending sails. Stalls are being
made on shore, and will be brought down to the ship
ready to erect on the quarter-deck, to carry only eight
horses, sheep and poultry pens. Artificers of all grades
are actively engaged in getting her ready for sea as
quickly as possible, to convey troops to the Crimea,a
part of which, consisting of Royal Artillery, are now in
these barracks. The appointed time was the 22d, but
we hear now she will very likely be ready a week sooner,
when report says she will leave for Southampton. Her
machinery is complete, and in every way satisfactory.
We bear they are now putting felt on the boilers in case
of accident. She has amidship, on the upper deck, a
spare composition fan, weighing upwards of seven tons.
She has taken in about 300 tons of pig-iron ballast, and
is expected to fill up with coals this week.
The circular tower erected on the Isle of Grain spit by
Messrs. Kirwan and Parry fast approaches completion.
The two iron tanks are being fitted below, and capable
of holding four and a-half tons of water each ; the era-
sures for the gun carriage wheels to travel on being made
by mechanics from London, and the flooring timbers are
being laid, &c. This formidable little battery will mount
three guns of enormous calibre, and situated as it is at
the entrance to the harbour, and directly opposite Gar-
rison Point, will be enabled to form a cross fire with
those batteries upon any ships attempting to enter the
Medway. The advantages of a battery of that descrip-
tion and situation are too well understood by those who
understand naval tactics to need further comment.

MISCELLANEOUS.
The Lords of the Admiralty are expected to commence
their official inspection of the Government establishments
at Plymouth and Devonport on Wednesday.
Second-class Surgeon 'William Braybroke, owing to ill
health, has returned from the medical charge of the army
of reserve stationed at Malta, under the command of
Brigadier-General Randall Rumley.
Sixty civilian labourers came up the river on Saturday
and shipped on hoard the Germania at Woolwich, to
take passage for Balaklava. The Germania is awaiting
orders, and will most probably sail this day (Monday).
The Dee, Commander Pullen, came up to Woolwich

The Hibernia, 104, fitting a receiving ship for
Malta, is complte in her rigging, and is daily taking in
stores of all descriptions at Devonport. It isaid she will
take out 2,000 tons for Malta yard and the fleet on the
station.

The Implacable, 72, training ship, Captain Lowe,
went out of Devonport harbour on Saturday, and took
up moorings in the Sound, where she is to be stationed.
The Phaeton, sailing frigate, 50, is in the basin, Sheer-
ness, having latterly undergone many repairs preparatory
to bringing her forward for commission, as she is consi-
dered one of the fastest sailing vessels in the navy.
The Eurotas frigate is in Sheerness dock, being
lengthened for a screw propeller.
The Persian, Scylla, and Chut.—The latter two ves-
sels are building at Sheerness ; the former brig under-
going a thorough repair.
The Castor, sailing frigate, 36, Lieutenant Wood in
command, is still lying up at Black Stakes, River Med-
way, manned and provisioned. Report says she is off
to the Cape of Good Hope about the middle of the
week.

The Siren, sailing brig, 16, Commander R. I. Otway,
has completed repairing her copper, at Sheerness, and
hauled out of No. 1 dry dock into the basin on Satur-
day. She is wholly rigged and ready now for bending
sails, &c.

The Lucifer, 2, paddle, has undergone extensive re-
pairs at Portsmouth, and will proceed to Pembroke
shortly with riggers and gear for the new 91 screw,
Repulse, which is on the e►e of being launched at the
above dockyard.