The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-12 00:00:00

PRUSSIAN FIRE-ARMS.

A. standing committee has been appointed in Berlin
under the presidency of the Prince of Prussia, for the
examination and testing of all improvements in fire-
arms and projective implements of war, and all matters
connected therewith—whether foreign or indigenous,
It is to this important branch of the service that the
War Department pays constant and deserved attention,
under the direct eye of the King ; and it will lae seen, if
ever the Prussian army should take the field, that all
her line battalions and field batteries will be equal, if
they do not surpas, on the aggregate, those of all other
armies, as regards armament and field equipment.
The gradual introduction of 12-pounder instead of
6-pounder foot batteries is determined upon. At pre-
sent, however, only four out of the twelve field
batteries (ninety-six guns), attached to each corp 3 d'armec,
are of the former calibre. The remainder consist of one
heavy howitzer, three light horse, and four heavy six-
pounder foot companies. The nine corp d'arnule furnish
864 field-pieces, the whole of which are now manned,
horsed, and ready for work. The proportion of field-
pieces to bayonets and sabres, as the effective army now
stands, on paper (say 135,000 men), is therefore enor-
mous, being more than six per 1,000. Supposing re-
serves and first-class Landwchr to be called out, and
the army placed on its normal war footing of 344,060,
including garrisons—or say 300,000 bayonets and sabres
fel- field work—the proportion would not fall far short
of three guns per 1,000 at starting, and would exceed
that number after a few weeks' campaigning had thinned
the ranks.

EXPORTS 01? LEAD AND GVNPOIVDER,

A letter from Be.riin receivei this morning contains

`o followin4 :

" According to mercantile reports large -.quantities
of lead are being imported into Dautzie. This lead
thence finds, or will fiade, it way into Russia, there to
he converted into btlls to be fired at the Allied
troops. It is high time that the Board of Trade, or
some other board, should look to these matter,:. In-
deed, it is high time that every article susceptible of
being convette 1 into warlike purpctes should be for-
bidden to be exp,.,red to any ports or places • north-east
.4 Dunkirk. Tl.ii would he an ty:t of defence, not of
agg:esskn • and sonic such measure must be adop;.ed if
we sincerely intend to prevent supplying Russia,,
through Prussian agency, not only with raw materials'
for her factories, but with contraband of war to be em-
ployed against curselves. Why, let it be asked, is this
or that class of English meichants to be benefitted or
spared at the expense of the community at large,
who must pay in blood and treasure for their special
profit 1 Forbearance and consideration for special inte-
rests have been carried to their utmost limits. We are
rapidly approaching the season for reopening navigation.
A. different system must then be pursued. Every
month's prolongation of that hitherto adopted has only
served to augment in a double proportion the resources
of the direct enemy, and to strengthen Prussia, the more
than indirect friend of our enemy.
" Something is said of Prussia having forbidden the
export of powder seawards. It is not aided that she
has done so landwards. Against whom then is Use mea-
sure directed ? Certainly not against Russia, for all the
Russian ports are ice locked, and will continue as fir at
lertit seven or eight weeks. At Memel, for instance, the
sea was covered with ice as far as the eye could scan on
the 4th."

THE PRESS OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE:

(From the Moniteur of Saturday.)

It is useful to remind the pres-s, both in France and
abroad, of the imperious duties of discretion which the
security and interest of our troops impose on their pa-
triotism and impartiality. For the purpose of gratifying
the impatience, otherwise so legitimate, of their readers,
the journals publish, on the military operations of
the Crimea, information, sometimes correct, but more
frequently false, which is transmitted to them from
the theatre of war, or taken from letters written by
officers and soldiers to their families. When these re-
citals are false they mislead public opinion ; and when

true are attended with a still more serious incon-
venience—that of giving the enemy some idea of the
plans and means of attack combined by the Generals-in-
Chief in their secret councils ; and so everything that
ought carefully to be kept secret is revealed. In both
cases this publicity is dangerous, and eves culpable, and,
if it cannot be repressed in countries where discussion
is free, it will certainly be sufficient to point out the
danger of such indiscretions to render them henceforth
impossible. Every one must, in fast, comprehend
that letters written from the Camp of Sebastopol, on
the operations of the siege, are not intended for the
Russians. To change these confidential letters into
articles for journals, is to expose the lives of the
heroic besiegers. In a time of war, silence is some.
sacred duty
;diuftyjoufronraltsholsoese wsohmoetehvinergybyduday
this,
far as their interest goes, they gain considerably in self-
dt ne
dress the
respect. We are no longer in that state of war abroad
that it should necessarily lead to dictatorship at home.
The Governments which hmve accepted the honour and
responsibility of a great struggle, entered into for the
purpose of insuring the independence And balance of
power in Europe, have found it necessary to decree laws
of public safety. They have relied on the intelligence
of public opinion, as will as on the heroism, the patience,
and the abnegation of their armies and their fleets ; they
have not been deceived on any point, neither will they
be disappointed when they request from the press of
all countries the patriotism of discretion."

FIRS IN THE HACKNEY-ROAD. —A. fire of a very de•
structive character, and attended with a great loss of
property, happened yesterday morning, in the premises
belonging to Mr. Smith, a boot and shoe maker, situate
in the Hackney-road. The police having aroused the
inmates, they fortunately managed to effect a safe re.
treat.

poured
atheroene.
bervni.°rningDESTßUCTlVE FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.—A destructive
t
fire took place in this town on Saturday
the fire was
on the premises of Messrs. Lilley, carriage
manufactur-
ers, Summer-row. The flames were
ionbes-
poud
o'clock, and although the variousle ebnug.ding
tinuous stream of water uplonhotuir. building
:. The adjoining pre-
mises, extinguHied for sever,
iron hollow ware, also took
the, extraordinary g “.
rinses, occupied by Messrk.
fi‘.7„!,iiZthieniarnpuafeakuitnUr!rrsounfi
was nearly destroyed.
..y exertions
hated damage
of the firemen the extensil e flour mill
madij,.oißniandggel\ri,esirsrass.
to the entire preserve .
pre-
Uses is between two and these thousnnd pounds. Thy
property was insured in the Unity Fire office.
ISIitstEdIaNCIuTif:ReYet°4rEIY:sIiTabIeMIATEID;O:toPRINTING AND STA-
-0 n Saturday, a supplementary estimate for
printing
and stationery for the year ended the 31st
3 next was :printed. For "ordinary expense,"
rbeyondliaNrcEh Yn
then.
required, and for "extraordinary expenses, occasioned
by the war," 76,0001. is required, of which 11,0001. is
for the Admiralty and departments; 4,0001. for the
Comtni!,:sitriat depastmnent ; - 12,0001. for the War-office
and departments; and 49,000/. for the Ordnano• dt
par talent.