The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-18 00:00:00

Nore. She came into harbour on Sunday morning. She
has been for the most part of her time blockading ,Swea-
borg, during which time, at different periods, a nu miser
of Russian soldiers, artillerymen, and seamen came on
board, and gave themselves up as deserters from the dif-
ferent islands, and the gun-boats which lay secreted. be-
hind some of the inner islands off Sweaborg. The
phion's boats have been busily engaged in destroyin g a
number of the enemy's vessels laden with firewood, :for
the winter supplies of the garrison and town. She 16 as
been twice under heavy and severe fire from tho San d-
hawn batteries. She has been hulled several times. Chias
solid shot fell on deck over the foremost part of tlhe
cabin, which completely shattered the deck and bea m
under which it fell. One seaman was killed by a roar id
shot, which severed the head from his body. One offutier
was wounded and four of the crew. A solid shot pans ad
through her mainyard, nearly cutting it asunder, lint
being at a short range went through the yard, remaining
in the slings. Her standing and running rigging wtre
cut to pieces, as the enemy fired with great • accuracy.
In her engine and machinery department she is in wiry
excellent order, except her main shaft, which was brok en
nearly six months since, and was repaired by her o'wn
engineers, assisted by the engineers on board the stream
factory ship the Volcano.
The Driver, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Commander
Alan H. Gardner, which arrived at Sheerness from the
Baltic on Sunday, as reported, while cruising off the
Aland Archipelago on the 21st of November last, stood
in near to Uto Island, and there discovered six Finnish
vessels belonging to Abo. They were riding there wind-
bound, being destined for Sweden. They were laden
principally with baulks of timber and planks. Great
difficulty was experienced in getting them out in consee
quence of the heavy weather and the intricacies of the
navigation between the numerous islands. It was at
first decided on burning them at their anchor', but, by
the judicious arrangements of the commander and first-
lieutenant, they were alt warped, and sailed out clear of
the shoals. This work occupied the whole of one day
and a night, the thermometer at the time being 14 de-
grees below the freezing point. The Driver was attached
to Admiral Baynes's squadron as a despatch vessel. She
left Faro on the 30th of November, and was beset in
the ice in Arinsburg Bay, while communicating with the
Archer ; both vessels got clear in the course of the
next day. The weather was very severe—such was
its severity that, on the Driver getting into anchorage
water, on letting go the shank-painter and the stopper,
to get the anchor (weighing 36 cwt.) the anchor would
not fall, being frozen to her bows, encased in a solid
mass of ice. It occupied the men more than half-an-
hour to clear the anchor from her bows. After this
had been effected it was found that the whole of the
chain cable in board and out was frozen to a solid mass
of ice. After some time they succeeded in anchoring,
and afterwards proceeded to Faro, at which port the
Admiral was at anchor. All the flying squadron had
then returned there except the Falcon and Archer. The
Driver left Faro on the Bth inst. for Sheerness ; she
arrived at Elsinore on the 10th inst., and proceeded on
the 11th, when, on getting to the northward of Anholt,
she was compelled to put back, owing to strong westerly
gales. She again left Elsinore on the 13th, and rounded
the Scaw at midnight, made Lowestoft at 5 a.m. on Sun-
day, and arrived at Sheerness at 4 p.m. on the same day.
For three consecutive months the Driver was not at
anchor for more than three days, calculating each time
of her being at anchor. Her machinery is in very ex-
cellent condition, and quite ready for any immediate
service for which she may be required. She left at
Elsinore the Tartar, Pylades, Esk, Cruizer, Conflict,
Centaur, and the French frigate D'Assas.
The screw steam-ship Edinburgh, 61, Captain Richard
S. Hewlett, arrived at Plymouth Sound on Sunday
morning, saluted the Port Admiral at noon, and at 2
o'clock left for the westward, bound, it is said, for
Dublin.

The screw steam-corvette Cossack, 20, Captain James
H. Cockburn, and the screw steam-ship Desperate, 8,
Commander R. D. White, both from the Baltic, arrived
on Sunday night in Plymouth Sound.
The crew of the Royal George, 102, screw steam-ship,
Capt. Henry J. Codrington, C.B. are to be paid today,and are to be granted the usual liberty.
The Lizard, steam-tender to the Waterloo, Lieutenant
Christopher, left Sheerness yesterday at 8 a.m., with a
new iron mortar-vessel, for experiments off Shoeburyness.
The Porcupine, 3, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, Lieut.-
Commander George M. Jackson, arrived at Sheerness at
3 p.m. yesterday, from the Baltic.
The f allowing are the latest appointments made at the
Admiralty :—Lieut. Lord Edward Henry Cecil is ap-
pointed Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Dundas in the
Duke of Wellington ; C. Gregg, Master, to the Arachne
Thomas Ellard, Paymaster, to the Nile ; Henry Gray
(a), Paymaster, to the Arachne ; J. T. Sparke, Pay-
master, to the Perseverance ; H. T. Ireatman, Midship•
man, to the Conqueror.
The Grenadier Guards, who have during the last three
months been stationed at the camp at Alderahott, have
quitted the camp, and have been quartered at Windsor,
the Tower, and at Portman-street barracks. The Guards
have been relieved at the camp by the 80th Regiment,
1,100 strong.
The authorities have rented the Victoria Rifle-ground,
at Kilbourn, for the daily use, excepting on Wednesdays,
of the Household Brigade of Guards, to practise target-
firing with the Mini 4 rifle, and strong detachments are
being exercised there in the use of that weapon.
feompany of the Royal Sappers and Miners, in com-
mand of Captain G. E. L. Walker, reached Brompton
barracks yester ?ay from Woolwich. During the after-
noon the men were paraded and their kits inspected by
Colonel Henry Sandham, R.E., assisted by his major of
brigade, Captain Fitzroy Somerset.
Captain C. E. Thornton, 86th Regiment, Adjutant of
the Depot Battalion, Preston, on leaving his corps, is to
be placed on the staff.

A company of the Royal Marines Light Infantry,
Chatham Division, are instructed two hours daily in the
practice of the Minie rifle, previous to the commence-
ment of the Enfield rifle practice by the Line.