The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-18 00:00:00

WIDOWS and ORPHANS.

The first efforts of this Association *ere limited to the immediate
relief of the wives of soldiers ordered on active service, who, in
consequence of their having familia?, were left behind utterly desti-
tute of all means of existence, save the temporary outdoor parish
relief. Since that time, the sword and the pestilence save too fa-
tally done their sad work, and many of these poor people have be-
come more hopelessly destitute by the death of their husbands.
The Committee, however, encouraged by the magnificent contri-
butions received from all parts of the world, have found themselves
in a position to make the following scale of donations for widows,
wilieh Is the same that was adopt,3,l ry the administrators of the
Waterloo Furid, in ISIS :-
7 jUnanimously resolved,—" That relief in the shape of a donation
net'exceeding the sundamentionasums; being the same as agreed to
Dy the Waterloo Coumuittee ou the 38th of June, 181 b, pe adopted

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGiNCE,

The Miranda, 15, screw, Captain Lyons, went out of Porto.
mouth Harbour yesterday morning, and cruised about
Spichead to test her engines and boilers. She afterwards
took in her powder and shell, and will be off to the Crimea
by daylight this morning.
The Ariel, 9, screw, hauled out of Portsmouth Dock on
Monday morning, and will complete for the pendant with
all despatch.
The Swallaw, 9, screw, Commander Cranford, went out
of Portsmouth Harbour on Monday afternoon, and took a
few turns at the measured mile. The vessel was out of
trim, and it. could not be called a trial. Her auxiliary
engine, however (60 horse nominally, by Miller and Raven-
hill and Salkeld), worked well up to 80 revolutions, with
18 lb. pressure. They are beautifully constructed and
fitted, and net the slightest vibration was perceptible in
the vessel. She is complete in manning, with the excel).
tion of about 10 A Bs. Her excellent commander has
secured a first-rate ship's company, and the beautiful little
craft will proceed to Gibraltar in the course of a few days,
where Commander Cranford will be the senior on the
station.

THE NEW SCREW GUN-BOATS.
As we have already stated, previously to completing the
fittings of the screw-gun-boats (210 tons and 60-horse
power, high pressure), the Admiralty have determined to
subject the first—the Pelter—to the severest test it is
possible to put a vessel through. With this view, it is
understood that the Pelter, in charge of Mr. Mugford,
master of the flag ship at Woolwich, and Mr. Dinnen, in-
spector of steam-machinery, afloat, at Somerset House,
will proceed, about Thursday next, to the Channel, and
will cruise there for some days, testing her qualities in the
most varied manner. She could not possibly have a more
trying season of the year than the present, rough seas are
certain to be met with and gales frequent ; and if she gets
through her ordeal with anything like satisfactioi there
will be some encouragement to proceed on the wholesale
scale of building screw-gun-boats projected.
There cannot be a shadow of a doubt that this trial
should take place before the Admiralty proceed too
far in their building. The great fault hitherto had been
that classes of vessels that have turned out wretched fail-
ures have been built by half-dozens, and even dozens, be-
fore one of them has been tested at sea.
The success that has attended the Arrow, screw despatch
cruiser class, justifies our confidence in the success of the
Pelter ; but still it must be borne in mind that in the
Pelter we have a new and untried machine, and as some
score of the untried engines have been ordered, it is right
we should know something about them, although Messrs.
Penn's name is a sufficient guarantee that what they have
, undertaken has been adopted on the safest grounds.

CAPTAIN PASLEY'S VISIT TO THE COSSACK.
Tho Cossack was visited officially yesterday by Captain
Sir Thomas Pasley for muster and inspection of officers
and crew. Tho gallant Captain returned from inspecting
the officers and crew of the Cumberland. at 2 p.m., in the
Wildfire. After mustering the crew and officers of the
Cossack, he inspected the ship throughout, between decks
and the engine-room. The crew were then piped to quar-
ters at their respective guns; shortly after the fire-bell
was rung, and in a few seconds every precaution was
taken by closing hatches, skylights, &e., and every man
was at his station. Captain Fanshawe and the officers of
this ship deserve great credit for the state of discipline
they have already attained, most of the crew being newly-
raised men. They went through their general exercise in
a manner highly creditable to officers and men. She is at
present short of her complement, in all about 50 hands, in-
clusive of 16 petty officers. Being at present about nine
inches by the head, it is expected that an additional quan-
tity of iron ballast will be taken on board and stowed in
her after hold, so as to bring her about nine inches by the
stern, in order to produce a proper immersion of her screw
propeller. Her machinery ants admirably. On her late
trial down with 12 lb. pressure on the square inch
her engines made 66 revolutions per minute, her rate
being 10 knots and. over. She bids fair to be a fast vessel
under steam power. Her nominal power is 250 horse.
Nothing is at present positively known as to her destina-
tion. Assistant-Surgeon A. M`Kenna has taken up his
commission at Chatham and joined this ship.

THE CREW OF THE AJAX AND THE COLOSSUS.
Yesterday 165 men, belonging to the Ajax, 60, screw
steam-ship, Captain Warden, were turned over to the Co-
lossus, 80, screw ship, Captain Robinson, under orders to
sail to-day for the West Indies. They appeared to have
little objection to the change. This snakes the latter vessel's
crew a most efficient one. The Cul.!ssus's crew were not
paid advance of wages on Monday night, as intended,
there net being sufficient time. They were paid yesterday.
The Ajax, 60, herself is to come into harbour to have her
bottom examined, to see what damage has been done to it
from her getting on shore in the Baltic.

COUNTERMAND FOR THE CUMBERLAND.
A countermanding order was given on Sunday last for
the Cu►nberland to remain at the Nore, in consequence of
her powder and live shell being still on board. She was
prohibited from mooring near Sheerness dockyard, and was
towed into harbour yesterday evening's tide, and is ordered
to proceed to Chatham this morning's tide.

STEAM FLOATING BATTERIES FOR THE
BALTIC.
The, prinoipal portion of these enormous floating bat•
tones, ordered by the Admiralty to be completed by next
'spring, will be built in the riyer ; two by Mx. GNP, two