The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-03 00:00:00

THE BILAKLA➢A RAILWAY CORPS.

Yesterday afternoon, Lord Henry Clinton and a large
party of gentlemen assembled at Blackwell, to witness
the departure of the second London detachment of the
men engaged by Messrs. Peto and Bette, to construct the
rklaya to the trenches before the heights
iaroundlway fromSeb i3sla
Sebastopol. They go out in the fine new vessel
the Hesperus, 800 tons, built in the Tyne, by Messrs.
Marshall, and seemingly in every way admirably adapted
ler this particular purpose, combining compactness with
great capacity. Her engines are 150 horse-power, aid she
made the trip from the Tyne to the Thames in 30 hours,
her average speed per hour being 10{ knots. She carries
full burden, 800 tone of rails, sleepers, and other ma-
terials, with fuel for twelve days, but presents no ap-
pearance whatever of being unduly laden ; and, should
the weather be but moderately favourable, it is antici-
pated that she will reach Malta without stopping at
ibraltar to coal, and accomplish the voyage to Bala-
klava in three weeks. She is commanded by Captain
Crookshank, an able and experienced officer, well ac-
quainted with the seas he is about to navigate, and on
Thursday will be followed by the Prince of Wales and
the Earl of Durham, the following carrying 80 and the
latter 50 navvies. The number now taken out by the
Hesperus is 80, nearly all young men in the prime of
vigorous manhood, and presenting all those evidences
of stalwart strength and endurance for which their class
is proverbial. They are amply provided with warm and
durable clothing of the most suitable description, and,
apart from a little of the confusion and excitement con-
sequent upon their first experience of a sphere so entirely
new to them as that of the deck of a steamer, they ap-
peared in the best possible spirits, and thoroughly satis-
fied with everything that had been done for them. A
large crowd assembled en the Brunswick Pier to witness
their departure. Shortly after two o'clock the men were
mustered on the fore deck in their new clothing to hear
addresses from Captain W. S. Andrews, managing di-
rector of the North of Europe Steam Navigation Com-
pany, and 'Lord Henry Clinton, who, with a party of
gentlemen connected with the enterprise, were on a
platform amidships.
The steam being shut off, and silence obtained, Capt.
Andrews, to whose practised vigilance and general activity
so much of the efficiency of all the arrangements of this
noble undertaking is due, addressed the navvies in brief,
but homely and energetic terms, which elicited hearty
plaudits from his hearers. He told them that though
the accommodation to be found on board ship necessarily
differed considerably from what they hadj been accus-
tomed to, yet nothing had been neglected that could
contribute during the voyage to their comfort and the
preservation of that health and strength on which so
much reliance was placed, not only by their employers,
but by the whole country. Everything that could be
done had been done, as far as human foresight could
effect it, for them ; aid if they would only be united and
cordial among themselves—exhibited good temper, cheer-
fulness, docility, and confidence and respect towards
those placed over them on board, they would be as happy
as the circumstances of lthe case would possibly permit
in a lengthened voyage at this period of the year. For
his own part, he could unhesitatingly say, that he never
knew an emigrant vessel—and he had known many--
that had furnished quarters in any respect preferable to
those on board the Hesperus. He then explained the
more immediate objects of the expedition, :and dwelt
upon its importance as an auxiliary to the operations of
our gallant countrymen in the Crimea. They were going
to the aid of our heroic defenders, who had not only to
fight—and how they fought the whole world would for
ever admiringly testify—but had also to work and per-
form many duties for which it could not be expected that
soldiers were so well adapted as the skilled and trained
men who were now going out to relieve them, and
leave them at full liberty to deal with the enemy as
they had done in the dashing rush at Alma and the
immortal conflict at Inkerrnann. The future suc-
cess of the siege operations and of other operations too
in the Crimea would depend in a great measure on
the present expedition ; and it might be said accordingly
with far more truth of Peto's navvies than of more
aspiring experimentalists, that " the eyes of Europe
were upon them." They must expect, and would ,not
be cast down by hardships and privations ; some of
these, perhaps, would not appear so very terrible in the
Crimea even as they would at home. There would be
no public house to go to ; but there would be plenty of
good substantial refreshments always available when
needed, and while that was the case he had no fear that
there would be much grumbling at whatever work might
be expected at their hands. They were not like Russian
serfs, who dare not call their souls their own, but who
mast slay and be slain without asking why or wherefore.
They were free Englishmen, volunteers at perfect liberty
to go or stay just as they pleased, according to their own
unbiassed judgment, without the least undue influence,
concealment, artifice, or exaggeration used to warp their
opinion one way or the other. All that was said or done
was to guarantee them good clothing, good food, good
pay, a good ship, and a good captain. They had a good
cause— the cause of the country, the cause of justice,
and fair play. They would bring good hearts to the
cause--English hearts that never recoiled from the obli-
gations of duty come in what shape they might,
whether at the point of the pick or the bayonet ; and he
doubted not that the British navvy would provelhirnself
as great a benefactor in repelling the evils of barbarism
abroad as he had been in extending the blessings of civi-
lisation at home. At the invitation of Capt. Andrews,
who was loudly applauded, three cheers were given for
the Queen, and three for Messrs. Peto and Betts.
He then introduced Lord Henry Clinton, who said
that it had been the intention of his brother, the Duke
of Newcastle, to have been present, as his grace would
have been proud to make the acquaintance of the men
who were going with so much alacrity to the aid of an
object he had so much at heart as the Balaklava and
Sebastopol Railway, but was unable to attend, owing to
a Cabinet Council being held that day and at that hour.
His lordship also dwelt on the iinpoitance of the under-
taking, and enforced Captain Andrew's admonition as
to the desirability of maintaining sobriety, unien, and
good humour in the face of every annoyance to which
they might unavoidably be exposed ; for then he was
sure that the energy for which they were so deservedly
famous would carry them triumphant over every impedi-
ment. The disinterested, iself-sacrificing promptitude
with which IM.r. Peto had acted upon the suggestion
which led to the present magnificent enterprises was
beyond all praise, even the praise it bad everywhere
been met with. As tt was raining, and time pressed, he
would not detain them with a long speech, but would
conclude by earnestly wishing them a safe and pleasant
voyage, and a speedy return to their families and to
their country, which they might be sure would welcome
them as they deserved.
Three cheers were given for his lordship, and three
for the Duke of Newcastle, by whom, on the part of
the Government, this undertaking has been entered ,
upon.
Captain Andrews then introduced Captain Raymond,
the Marine Superintendent of the intended works, and
Mr. Xellock, superintendent in the Crimea, who each
voles a few words of encotragement, which were re-
ceived with great cordiality, the cheering being renewed
as the visitors and officials put off for shore in a water-
man's boat.
The Hesperus then steamed down the river, amidst
the congratulations of all who observed the proceedings, which may be regarded as of a most auspicious character,
auguring well for the organisation of the whole of the
vast stuff and machinery at the
eltsposal of Messrs. Pete
and Betts.

A SCPPLIMIINT ____ __,..
GR.',
..., ----8, WITH TIIII WIHI ELT DIS-
PATCH, Dant IN MG UNTIL FURTHER NOTICZ. —The
unexampled interest which attaches to every incident
connected with the operations of the Allied armies in the
East has determined the proprietors of the TVeekly
from
to devote a greater space to tke intelligence from
the seat of war than the ordinary limits of this, the
largest newspaper published, could possibly afford, and,
with the view of giving the amplest details, they have
resolved upon the issue of a series of supplements,
gratis, which will include every particular of interest
connected with the Siege and decision of the contest at
Sebastopol, and will be continued whenever demanded
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voted to incidents of domestic and political importance
will be reserved intact, and the engrossing subject of the
War will receive the fullest anal most varied illustration.
A Supplement will be published on Sunday next (s),
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