The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-12 00:00:00

THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

WOOLWICH, APRIL 10 -Tbe Intrepid, screw steam
vessel, Commander M'Clintock, and the Pioneer,
screw steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Cominander Osborne,
were' taken out of the basin to-day, and are now at
moorings in the stream, in readiness to leave with the
Assistance, Captain Sir E. Belcher, C. 8., and the
Resolute, Captain Kellett, C. 8., when they are com-
pleted, which they will be in a day or two, and they
still expect to be able to leave Grtenhithe on Tburs•
day next, the 15th inst., as originally named, on their
enterprising voyage. The Lords of the Admiralty
intend paying a visit of inspection to the vessels of
the Arctic Expedition at Greenhithe, on Thursday
next, previous to their departure for sea.

Captain Sir Edward BAcher, Captain W. A. B.
Hamilton, R.N., second secretary at the Admiralty;
Colonel Colquhoun, R.A., inspector of the Royal
Carriage Department ; and Captain Washington,
R.N., were present on the wharf wall at the landing-
place in the afternoon, with a number of officers, to
witness Mr. Hay, the lecturer on chemistry, instruct-
ing the bombardiers of the Royal Marine Artillery
attached to the expedition, in the model of discharging
gunpowder under water by means of the galvanic bat-
tery. The explosive charges consisted of half a
pound of gunpowder in ten canisters, which were
sufficient when discharged in the bottom of the river
to show the principle and uses to which the galvanic
battery can be applied when explosions by means of
gunpowder are found necessary in the Arctic
regions.

...
Mr. George Shepherd, C.E., has received instruc-
tions from the Admiralty to examine and get repaired
all the gas apparatus connected with the balloons for
distributing messages in the Arctic regions, and also
t°,. supply a number of new balloons, and the means
of inflating them with gas, to be used by the present
expedition. The balloons are made on this occasion
to float on the water, should they come down at sea.
million of
_thee
room to fill
The messages are to be printed on satin of various
colours
of the vessels apers of all colours, and about half a
a yvill be printed on both sides, leaving
a in writing the latitude and-longitude
The folnlgo
these messages
Captain CoHinson; e
mave time they
etth evvyi areh senty
th e uppa.r t
ieSsoumned of
rf
be dispatcheawdleuf
Kellett, i
b y
ardgo
b,
3:ls, ni
the
al
o cot hno
Resolute
fyr Bom fe hht
hel
ern: g
—m
messagesaStraits
w h Expedition.
ieh
will
"Dispatched
the other bide.) Pro-
esty's
ship Resolute, Captain
W. To Sir John Franklin. (Oolat• N., long.
visions left at Steering or
.e vessels of
to winter at or in the yiejuit 9 intending
A new feature is to be introduced toY`th - .
to expedition Mr
Greener having been ordered supply several of his.
Captain Sir Edward Belcher's
harpoon guns, with a view to enable
fish
eththe of6cers
and
men to kill whales and otherf!
oilflitsh; Arctic
usinga their
regions, for the purpose
rifles for killing birdses'
or
with the addition of Minie .
rising voyagers to obtain
such parts as are fit to o.e,atfor food. These means,
aanncl-
deer, will enable the enterprising
resources hitherto unavailable by any of the previous
expeditions.
_..—....—....

EXTENSIVE FIRE.—On Saturday nilit at late
g .
on
sheets of flame
hour the inhabitants of the City and east end of London
were greatly alarmed in consequence of huge .
suddenly rising high into the air and lighting up both sides
a
of the river Thames. This being distinctly perceptible from
the various metropolitan bridges, no time was lost in giving
the necessary intelligence to the engine-stations. The fire
was raging at Mill-wall, Poplar. The firemen having arrived
at that point they found that the disaster had occurred in the
extensive premises of Messrs. Cassell and Co,, pitch, tar,
Tarnish, and patent camphine manufacturers. The engines
were set to work from a good supply of water. The origin
of the fire is not precisely known, but from the fact of some
mi.creant having cut the Loco of one of thc etlgineAsviiil is
bc,i;,j, met to tvork strong nmpici )13, is entertained , that
the earne party hail some hand. in kindling:the tire. 'The
kiss is very considerable, •anct. unfortunately. the. firm was
not insured,