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

Naval and Military Intelligence.

We learn by electric telegraph that the screw steam-
ship James Watt, 91, Captai❑ George Elliott, arrived
at Plymouth yesterday morning, after a passage of only
four days 17 hours from Kiel.
The Orion, 91, Capt. J. Erskine, which left Kiel in
company with the James Watt, arrived shortly after her
at Plymouth.

The Majestic, 80, screw steam-ship, Capt. J. Hope,
C. 8., arrived at the Great Nore, from the Baltic, on
Monday, at 3.30 p.m. She was towed into Sheerness
Harbour yesterday. _ _ _

The Manilla and Telegraph steam transports left Ports-
mouth for Southampton on Monday evening, and the
Queen of the South went into Portsmouth harbour yes-
terday to land a few stores, and prepare for the recep.
tion of upwards of 1,000 troops for the East. The Tran-
sit steam troop-ship, Commander C. R. Johnson, R.N.,
is also ordered to take in trove, to be ready to embark
them by the 14th inst. The Thalia, 42-gun frigate, being
converted to a floating chapel for the Roman Catholic
seamen of the fleet at Portsmouth, and the Gleaner gun-
boat, were taken out of dock yesterday.

Rear-Admiral Dundas of the Duke of Wellington, 131,
saluted the Port Admiral of Portsmouth yesterday morn-
ing, and afterwards landed to report himself.
The Blenheim, 60, screw,' Captain W. H. Hall, went
into Portsmouth harbour yesterday afternoon.
The hired steam-transport Europa, No. 55, Captain
Leitch, from Portsmouth, which arrived at Plymouth on
Sunday, having on board Col. M'Beath, 68th Regiment,
Lieut. Heywood, and 49 non-commissioned officers and
privates of the 3d Buffs, Lieut. Pursdo, Ensign Hubert,
and 31 non-commissioned officers and men of the 46th
Regiment, and 65 members of the Medical Staff, for the
Crimea, went into Hamoaze on Monday, where she is
appointed to embark about 400 men of the Land Trans-
p )rt Corps, expected from Bristol yesterday. She will
nbably sail to-morrow.
The keels of the steam gtin-hosts Ant and Antelope,
now being built in slips Nos. 2 and 4 at Devonporr,
were laid on Monday.
The Thunder, 14 guns, floating battery, was commis-
sioned at Sheerness yesterday by Capt. G. G. Randolph,
promoted from the Rodney, Nov. 18, 1854. The Trusty,
14 guns, floating battery, was also commissioned yester-
day by Capt. F. A. Campbell, promoted from the Har-
rier, Sept. 13, 1854.
Capt. Luce yesterday presented himself to the Com-
mander-in-Chief, at Sheerness, on his appointment to the
Wanderer, 4, screw steam-vessel, of 200-horse power,
now building at Blackwall.
The Merlin having completed her repairs has been
taken out of dock at Woolwich, where she has been re-
placed by the store-vessels Alma and Inkerman, which
are to undergo a complete overhaul.
The labourers at Woolwich have been withdrawn from
the demolition of the Janus, and the greatest activity
prevails in the Master Shipwright's department in fitting
out the mortar and gun boats. The iron mortar-float,
No. 2, will embark her ammunition, and proceed to
Shoeburynees for experiments daring the course of the
week.

A new species of knapsack has been produced at
Woolwich, and now lies for the inspection and approval
of Lisut.-Colonel Yorke at the head-quarters of the
Royal Sappers and Miners. The invention belongs to
a private of that corps. The framework of this new
knapsack consists of two steel plates curved and padded
so as to fit the shoulders without inconvenience. Un-
derneath the shoulder•pads are loops, through which two
cloth straps are to be passed, to cross over the shoulders
azd button t• the plates, provided with two centre studs
for the purpose. A steel lever is affixed, and formed so
as to pa,s over the head and rest upon the plates. This
lever is sufficiently wide to admit the knapsack, which is
secured to the end of the lever by two additional straps.
That part of the lever which covers the chest is formed
in the centre as a regulator, by which it can be reduced
or expanded to the requisite fit. The end of the regula-
tor is pierced in order to hook the waist belt on either
Bile of the plate. The waist belt is.also provided with a
li❑k and buckle, which are placed in the centre of the
belt at the back. Another strap containing two links is
attached to the coat straps, going round the knapsack,
and buckling to the runner, which prevents it from
moving. The advantage which this improvement holds
out as an inducement, to supersede the old knapsack is
that it relieves the chest and back from pressure and sets
the arms at perfect liberty ; it can likewise be put off
and on without assistance by the wearer in 10 seconds.
The aggregate weight of the knapsack and kit are 181 b.
Some cases of smallpox having manifested themselves
during the past week in the garrison at Woolwich, occa-
sioned by the extremely crowded state of the barracks
there, the whole of the troops have undergone a special
medical examination, and, where necessary, have been
vaccinated.

It is in contemplation to make a complete alteration in
the management of canteens in barracks en horns sta-
tions. The rent usually paid by the master of the can-
teen for a house, together with the monthly charge per
10 men, is to be abolished. A board of officers is to
assemble every month fur the purpose of fixing the prices
of such articles as are usually sold in canteens ; by which
change the canteen will be let, subject to certain rules
laid down by the authorities, the soldier being greatly
benefitted.

Acting Assistant• Surgeons B. C. Kerr and W. B.
Hall are ordered to proceed forthwith, the former to
Portsmouth, the latter to 'Winchester.
The Rev. Charles Hart, for several years the inde-
fatigable Chaplain of Dublin Garrison, is about to em-
bark immediately as one of the chaplains to the army in
the Crimea.
Colonel Lord West, 21st Fusiliers', arrived in London
from the camp before Sebastopol on Monday evening
last.

APPOINTMENTS.
The following appeared in our late edition labt
night :

LIENTINANTS.
J. A. Vanronen, to the Thunder.
William Clark, to the Trusty.
Hon. R. A. Capel, to the Forth.
J. A. R. Dunlop, to the Sampson.
G. W. Carter, to the Forth.
A. G. Wootton,rto the Coquette.
R. P. Gresham, to the Calcutta.

IfASTR7I3.
Richard H. Warren, to the Forth
W. E. Edwards, to the Thunder, . .
Edward A. Carey, to the Trusty.
Robert W. Roberts, to the Victory.
PIIRGEONS.
John M'Swiney, to the Forth.
John Gunn, to the Thunder.
John Jeffrott, to the Trusty.
Henry M. Speer, to the Victor.

A letter from Moscow states that the Emperor, in
returning through that city devoted the short time he
stopped there solely to religious acts. He visited in
succession the numerous churches of the Kremlin, and
paid his devotions to the relics, and at his departure
he received from the bishop the image of a saint.