The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-19 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 191 1854.

ALBERT SMITH'S MONT BLANC,
including the BEENESK Of ERLAND and the SIMPLON,
Tilti EVENING, and Every Evtlyng at Eight o'Clock, (except
Saturday) ;and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning% at Two.
Stalls, 3s. (which can be" taken at the box. °Me* every day from 11
1111 4 ; area, 25.; gallery, lc—Egyptian Hall, Piceadilly.

NOTIC E. --CONSTANTINOPLE. --The
Lecture acc.ompanying the GR3ND..4OVING DIORAMA
of CONSTA TINO:•LE is now delivered on,Wednesdays and Satur-
daYs by Mr. J 11. STOQUELER, when the progress and localities
of the War will be more partiCularly explained; and on the other
(Flys, as usudl, by Mr. CHARJ.ES KENNEY. A very clear and
excellent %lap has been added to the illustrations.—Dally at Half-
past Two and Eight.—.admission,
EGYPTIAN HALL. PICCADILLY.

SIDNEY, MAYORMimic) N-HousE, 18th
.
April, 1854.—Her 'Most Gracious Majesty having issued a
Proelamat,on appointing WEDNESDAY, the 26th of April instant,
to tie observed as a Day of Humiliatiop and Frayer to Almighty God,
for imploring His blessing awl assistance or, her Majesty's arms for
the • res oration of peace. the Lord Mayor requests that hi., fellow
C tiz,ns will Close their Shops and abstain from ail business 01 tha
day, in ordi.r that It may be devoutly and reverently olkerved by al
classes.
_ _ _

By order of the Lord Mayor.
S. R. GOODMAN.

,OUT',THALLIpri 'R A 1 7/ 1854.—The commitieck
appointed for the Management and Control of the Dlarkets
of tins City ivill meet at Guildhall, on FRIDAY, the 21st April inst.,'
at One o'clock precisely, to receive Tenders for Letting Five. Ware-
houses in Bidingsgate-market, neat Thanes-street. Further-parti-
cular,. may be, obtained at the Cemptroller's °dice, Guildhall, or of
Mr. John Goldham,-Co lector of the Market. ' ' ,
CHARLES FEARSON, Comptroller pro tem.

THE ST. MARGARET'S ESTATE RICH-
11 MON.D.-7-The magnificent Mansion and picturesque Park at
St. Margaret's, opposite Richmond Gardens, may be Vi‘wed Daily.
I,etween the hours of 12 and 5 o'clock -(Aundays (xcepred), by cards
only, to be had of the Executive Committee,of the Conservative
Land Society. • •
Cards will he forwarded en application to
CH ARLES LEWL‘ GRrINEI lEN,'Secretary.
Offices,. 33, Norfolk•street, Strand, April 15, 1854.

CONTRACT FOR, HAIR FOR SEAMEN'S BEDS.

Department of the Comptroller for Victualling and Traniport
Services, Somerset-place, 11th April, 1854.
THE Conunissioners-for Executing the Office of
.. ,
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, do Hereby Give Notice, that on TEUZIMAT, the 27th
inst., at One o'clock. they will be ready to treat with such per-
sons as may - be willing to Contract for supplying and delivering,
into her Majesty's Victualling Stores at DEPTFORD— .--

When to be delivered.
Half by the 30th June, and
lbs. the remainder by the 31st
HAIR for:SEAMEN'S BEDS, 50,000 Augtul next, or earlier. if
pmierred . by the party.
tendering.

Samples of the Half proposed to be supplied to be produced by the
parties tendering.
No teener will be received unless made on the printed form pro-
vid,ll tor the purpose, and which may be obtained on application
a' the said Office, ,r to Commander Bevis, conducting the Packet
service at Livei pool, or to the Collector of Customs at Bristol....

lien e s will b. admitted for any portion of the above quantity.
The conditions of the revised costract, to which particular atten-
?ion is called, may be seen at the said otlice, and at Liverpobl and
Bristol. • No tender will be received alter One o'clock on the day of
treaty, and it will not be requirrsi that the party tendering, or an
agent on his behalf, ar ould attend at. the office on the day of con-
tract, a the result of the offer received from each person will be com-
mun.cated to hint and his proposed sureties in writing-
Ev6ry tender must be addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty,
and bear in the lett-hand corner the words " Tender for Hair," and
must also be delivered at S merset•place. •

THE WAR.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

The exact number of persons who visited Woolwich
dockyard on Monday to go, on board the Royal Albert,
131, screw steam-ship, now ready for launching, was
11,156 on the numbers forming each party being reck-
oned up. The numbers who visited the dockyard yester-
day for the purpose of going over the Royal Albert, ap-
peared to be greater than on Monday; and Commodore
Superintendent John Shepherd very considerately al-
lowed the dockyard gates to be kept open an hour later,
or until 5 o'clock p.m., for the admission of the holiday
visitors, and thousands were much gratified by the indul-
gence afforded to them.

The St. Vincent, 101, Capt. H. Scott, depot-ship
of Portstnouth ordinary, will haul out of the fitting
basin to-day, preparatory to taking up her moorings off
Gosport.

The Penelope, 16, paddlewheel steam-frigate, Capt.
Caffin, will haul out of the steam-factory basin into
Portsmouth harbour to-day.
The Janus, 4 guns, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, Lieut.;-
Commander Colin C. A. Kane, arrived at Sheerness on
Monday at 215 p.m. She will take in a full supply of
coals, and again return for cruising in the Channel.
The Rosamond, 6 guns, paddkewheel steam sloop,
Commander George Wodehouse, arrived at Sheerness
at 5 a.m. yesterday from Shields. She bas proceeded
alongside the coal depot to fill tip with coals, previous
to her departure to join the Baltic feet.

The Cuckoo, 3 guns, paddle-wheel steam-♦essel, is
taken into the fitting basin at Sheerness, and hands are
set upon her to fit her for immediate service in the
Baltic.

The Majestic, 81 guns, new screw steam-ship, Capt.
James Hope, C. 8., &c., got up steam yesterday morn-
ing, and proceeded from Sheerness to Black Stakes,
where she is now taking in her powder, shell, &c., pre-
paratory to her departure for the Baltic. The Columbine (late 12-gun sloop), sailing coal, depot,
has been towed down to Sheerness from Chatham, and
taken into the fitting basin for some alterations, after
which she will fill up, and proceed to the Baltic.
There are now fitting in the basin at Sheerness, for
immediate service, the Formidable, 84 guns ; the Tar-
tarus, 4 guns, paddle-wheel steam-sloop ; the Cuckoo, 3
guns, paddle-wheel steam-vessel ; and the Miranda, 15
guns, screw steamship, Captain Edmond M. Lyons.
The Siren, 16-gun sloop, is also undergoing altera-
tions and fitting for immediate service.

No. 26 transport sailed from Spithead for Queenstown
yesterday morning.

The Megzera, 6, steam troop-ship, Commander John-
son, hauled out of dock into the steam factory basin at
Portsmouth yesterday morning. She will speedily em.
bark troops for the East.

A COMMISSARIAT FOR THE BALTIC FLEET.

Letters from officers in the Baltic' complain bitterly,
and with much justice, of the want of a commissariat.
Exchange at Copenhagen on bills is ruinously high, and
stock of all kinds extravagantly dear. The officers are
much in want of money, but are loth- to cash their bills
at such a loss. It is truly astonishing, and discreditable
to the authorities, that no Admiralty commissariat has
bean organised. The officers of the fleet ought now to
be receiving their pay monthly in cash, or bills,. if it snits
better. Were there but a company of infantry there, or
a dozen artillerymen, there would be a commissariat
organised for their convenience, with a military chest
well supplied.

NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.
Lieutenants—Arthiir Wright (1854), recently serving
in the Harlequin, 12, sloop, on the West Coast of Africa
station, to the Pliceuix, screw steam-sloop, fitting at
Woolwich for the Arctic regions, and to convey stores
for the relief of Sir Edward Belcher's expedition ;
William E. Gordon (1853), to the St. George, 121, for
service with the Baltic fleet.

Master John G. Mugford (1841) is appointed to the
Fisgard, flag-ship; at Woolwich, vice Master Philip C.
D. Bean, who has served as master of the Fisgard since
April 12, 1851.

PROMOTIONS.

Commanders—James A. Paynter (1846) ; James C.
Prevost (1844) serving in the Portland, 50, flag-ship,
on the Pacific station; Sir W. S. Wiseman, Bart. (1846),
serving in the Excellent, gunnery-ship, at Portsmouth ;
Nicholas Vansittart (1847), to be captains for rank.
Lieutenants—William E. A. Gordon (1842), serving
in the St. George, 121 ; Frederick T. C. Strode (1842),
serving in the Victory, flag-ship at Portsmouth ; George
0. Willes (1844), serving as first-lieutenant of the Re-
tribution, 28,
,paddle-wheel steam-frigate, in the Black
Sea, to be commanders for rank.

EMBARKATION OF THE 17TH LANCERS.—The first
squadron of this gallant and distinguished regiment,
which has been billeted during the past week at Havant,
Fareham, Emsworth, Cosham, and villages surrounding
Portsmouth, entered this garrison . about half-past ten
yesterday morning, for embarkation. The first company
numbered about 70, and the second about 60, and their
march from the place of billet to Portsmouth dockyard
was one prolonged ovation ; the whole resident popula-
tion seemed to have turned out to cheer them on their
way. The horses caracoled down the -treets in most
enlivening array, to the shouts of hearty compliment
'ever and anon poured forth on their riders, whose
pennons, fluttering in the breeze, gave both novelty and
interest to their martial appearanFe. The main street of,
the town of Portsea was so densely packed that business
was stopped, as was the thoroughfare for pedestrians for
the time. On reaching the place of embarkation the
troops dismounted, the horses were slung into the ships
Pride of the Ocean and Ganges, which were towed out to
Spithead by Government tugs, on their way to the
seat of war in the East. The head-quarters will em-
bark as soon as the transports for their accommodation
arrive. The troops which have embarked are Captain
Webb's and Captain Winter's.
DEPARTURE OF THE 3IELITA WITH Titoors FROM
LIVERPOOL. The Cunard Company's screw steamer
Melita sailed yesterday for the Mediterranean, with 40.
men of the 19th Regiment, 27 servant; 38 horse; and
300 tons of Government stores. The horses were put
on board at the Coburg dock, on Monday, without the
slightest accident. The accommodation for them on
deck is of a superior kind, and they will experience but
little inconvenience on the passage. Some little excite-
ment was caused by one of the horses leaping from the
gangway to the house-deck, a distance of 8 feet. He
remained, however, perfectly still, until—though not
without some difficulty—he was got down to his proper
berth. A number of officers sailed in the Mehta, in-
eluding Brigadier-General Sir J. Campbell, Captain
Wood Snodgrass, A.D.G., Colonel Hastings Doyle,
A.A.G., Major Pakenhain, Major Airey, quartermaster-
general ; Captain Wortley, C.M. Rifles ; Captain Weir,
50th Rifles ; Captain Butler, 55th Rifles..

MOVEMENT or TROOPS.—The remaining portion of
the lath Light Dragoons left the Birmingham barracks
yesterday morning for Coventry, en route for Hounslow,
previous to their embarkation for the • East. Li the
course of the day a considerable detachment of the 6th
Euniskillens arrived in the same town from Lichfield,
and this morning leave Birmingham on their way to one
of the western ports. Their route will be through
Bromigrove, Worcester, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Exe-
ter, and other towns 'to Plymouth, where it is under-
stood they will embark for Turkey. The men were ap-
parently in high spirits, and were most cordially received
by the inhabitants, of Birmingham, to whom the regi-
ment, from frequent quarteritigs, was well known.
Another portion of the regiment has proceeded from
Darby through Warwick, westward, destined for the
same service. •

EXPERIMENTS ,WITH THE MINIE MUSKET

AT MALTA.

The following report has been received from Malta:—
" School of Musketry, Malta, April 6, 1854.

"The following report and return annexed is the result
of atrial, conducted at the School of Musketry, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining--lst, Whether or not the melting
of the grease around the base and sides of the Minie car-
tridges is likely to produce any serious inconvenience in
loading the firelock, and whether any injurious effects
thereby arising may not be obviated by wetting the car-
tridge in the mouth before loading; 2nd. Whether the
ordinary spherical musket bullets can be fired out of the
Minie muskets, and to what extent ; also to ascertain
the best method of loading the Minie musket with the
spherical bullet.

" Having caused 60 rounds of Minie cartridge to be
put before the fire until the whole of the grease was
melted, the cartridges were then wiped perfectly clean,
so that no grease remained except wha4llad.eoliked into
the paper. I then had 60 rounds fired with the greased

cartridge as received from the store, and 60 from
another musket, with the grease wiped off, wetting the
bullet in the mouth before loading ; the result proved
that the wetting of the bullet is a perfect substitute for.
grease under the circumstances. The whole 60 rounds
were wetted without the slightest incovenience to the
firer, and were loaded with ease, excepting in cases when
the grainsof the powderhad got between the paper and the
bullet, a defect which was common to both systems of
loading, and which has long been known to be unavoidable
in the cartridges made up in this manner, but which
will be totally obviated in the bag cartridge about to
be introduced into the service. The extra time taken
in loading with the wetted cartridge is due to the time
occupied in putting it into the mouth. It may, I think,
be safely recommended that, whenever the grease is
melted away or otherwise removed, the bullet should be
loaded in this manner.

"In order to ascertain the effect of loading the Minie
musket with spherical bullet, I had 60 rounds fired from
the common, (smooth bore) musket,' loaded in the ordi-
-nary way, and the time noted ; 60 rounds were then fired
from the Minie musket, wetting the bullet, reversing it,
and tearing off the paper, as if loading with the Minie
cartridge ; it was found that the first 30 rounds
loaded with ease, but that subsequently it began to load
Very bad, continuing to do so until the 60 rounds were
expended. The time occupied in firing was 45 minutes,;
Or about the same time occupied in loading with the
Minie bullet in the same manner.! i, The Aeohraey of-firet
was found to be greater than with the commini.;niusreet
" Whilst on this subject I would venture to-ciOfi.tten-
tion to the fact, that the trsoPs•• proceeding tale East
are unprovided with any regular means of wiling oil,
without which the Minis musket will 'Soon • become use-
less, the shallow grooves will soon be obliterated, and
even the smailest particle of hard rust in the barrel has
often been found sufficient to cause the bullet to strip.
Many soldiers have provided themselves with oil, but it
cannot be expected that all should put themselves to this
expense. I would suggest that, in preference to'every
man carrying a small bottle (as is the custom, I believe,
in the French service), it would be better that it should
be carried by companies ; one man might be told off after
firing, to oil the barrels of a whole company.
"The following is a return showing the particulars of
the above-mentioned trial, and likewise some additional
rules, which it is found necessary to have issued for the
guidance of those using the Minis musket :

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