The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-22 00:00:00

petent to fill. (Cheers.) Mr. Muntz concluded by
moving,—
" That the monopoly of the honourable and lucrative of-
fices of the State by one class discourages men .of ability from
qualifying themselves for entering the service of the nation ;
and this meeting, while it disclaims any desire to exclude
the aristocracy from that share in the direction and con-
duct of public affairs to which their ability or their special
fitness may entitle them, is of opinion that the most
prompt and effective remedy for the official mismanagement
from which the country is now suffering is the substitution of
the test of merit and fitness for that of rank and family con-
nexion in all official appointments."
Mr. G. DAWSON seconded the resolution, which was
supported by Alderman BALDWIN, and carried unani-
mously.
Mr. T. LLOYD urged the necessity of union, and
argued that as the Reform Bill and the repeal of the
corn laws had been carried by association and combina-
tion, there was no fear but that the measure they now
proposed would be accomplished by similar means, lie
concluded by moving the following resolution :
" That an association be now formed in Birmingham for the
purpose of promoting administrative reform, and the follow-
ing gentlemen be requested to form a committee (with power
to add to their number), to define the constitution of the
society, prepare laws for its government, and to take mea-
sures for enrolling time names of members."

After some speeches in support of the resolution, a
number of men belonging to the working classes pre-
sented themselves, and proceeded to advocate universal
suffrage and the ballot ; and one of them moved an
amendment to the effect that these measures were the
only remedies for the evils of Government of which the
promoters of the meeting complained.
The amendment was put, and the original motion
carried by a large majority.
A petition founded upon the resolutions was then
adopted.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

Trafalgar, 120, is taking in ballast at Sheerness, pre-
vious to hauling into the Medway, in ordinary.
Imperieuse, 51, screw, Captain Watson, C. 8., and
Tartar, 20, screw, Captain Dunlop, having been injured
by collision with each other in the Baltic, are expected
to return to Sheerness to have the damages repaired.
Horatio, screw, Hon. Captain A. Cochrane, is still in
the basin, Sheerness. Her alterations for Nasmyth's
patent guns are fast drawing to a close. She bent sails
yesterday morning, but is indifferently manned. She is
just fresh painted, but her definite time for leaving there
for Liverpool still remains unknown.
Scylla, screw corvette, 22 guns (which is building in
Sheerness yard), is partially, n frame. Three gangs of
shipwrights (60 in number) are working to finish her
with all despatch.
Odin, 18, paddle, Captain Wilcox, will go into Ports-
mouth harbour. The mortar-boats are undergoing very
necessary alterations, to make them seaworthy and effi-

cient.
Trusty, 16, screw floating battery, is in the basin,
Sheerness. Her masts are all on end. Although the
rigging is not set up, she makes, we hear, about three
inches of water in the 24 hours.
Glutton, 16, screw floating battery, is still in No. 1
dry dock, Sheerness. The caulking that had been
found defective has been done over again. She was ex-
pected to haul out to-day.
Enterprise, exploring ship, Captain Collinson, C. 8.,
is still in the outer basin, Sheerness. If possible the
crew will be paid off on Wednesday • they are now
busily employed dismantling her, the lower rigging is
all off the mastheads, but orders have been received for
the crew to take all the stone ballast out of her, &c.
/Eolus, shell vessel, has hauled out of the fitting
basin, Portsmouth, to make room for the Royal yacht,
which vessel has been masted, and will haul into the
basin immediately for completion.
The Peruvian frigate Apurimac, Commodore D. J.
M. Salcedo, and the sloop Loa, Captain Rees, sailed
from Plymouth Sound for Lima on Monday morning.
A full-rigged American transport, with horses from
Havre for the Crimea, was off Plymouth on Sunday at
noon, in tow of a bark-rigged steamer.
The steamer Stella, from Constantinople for London,
was observed off Plymouth on Sunday evening, by the
screw steamer Ondine, Captain G. C. Smith.