The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-20 00:00:00

-e, ~, 72 Z/
,---i%°-----‘--_ ...-
rs, While serving as acting-n;atg,-'of the
i-frigate, flag-ship on the west /oast of(4frica
,ton, is appointed Lieutenant,Okthe Excellent:- Thai, 21•';',,,
H. Dowries (1838), from the Oet-guard to'the dajestic, ,:';:
81, screw steam-ship at Sheerness • Georg4,W. P. Ed- ;'''
wardes (1853), recently promoted from matirok,the Lin-
net brig; on the west coast of Africa station, to
Nile, 91, screw steam-ship at Devonport ; —7". •.,( i,
Freeland (1838), from the Dasher steam-vessel, - the 44
Neptune, 120, at Portsmouth ; Edward Lang (1842), to
the Neptune ; Charles Sullivan (1844), recently serv-
ing in the St. George, 121, at Devonport, to the Nep-
tune ; Charles 0. H. P. St. John (1846), to the Nep-
tune ; Thomas C. Bruce (1846), from the Euryalus, 50,
screw steam frigate, at Chatham, to the Neptune • Wil-
liam E. A. Gordon (1842), recently serving as first' lieu-
tenant of the Styx, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, on the
East Indies station, to the St. George, 121, at Devon-
port ; George Marriott (1842), to the St. George ; Wil-
liam A. J. Heath (1844), to the St. George ;'William
A. R. Lee (1845), to the St. George; Augustus Cheetham
Strode (1847), to the St. George ; William K. Bush
(1850), to the St. George. ,
Paymaster John Brickwood (1840), to the St. George.
Mat Hon, W. C. Talbot (1854), to the Monarch,
84, at Sheerness ; Edward F. Lodder (1851), to the
Midshipman—Charles H. Stevens, to the Edinburgh,
cEhtndbs,ureghß,.,sBa,tsperoerwtsmstoeaumth.flag-ship of Rear-Admiral
58, screw steam-ship.
AC
Clerk
AEs.
S. t Monarch,s
went with Captain
Denham in the Herald, surveying vessel, to the Fejee
Islands in the South Seas, to search for a location for
convicts, is appointed to the Impregnable flag-ship at
Devonpert.
Clerks'-Assistants—William Carter to the Neptune,
i a 4,
CookenatAssistant-Surgeon—Frederick
rS(eel:Brnn4-9e )8 , Sheerness.
who rederick V. Sandford to
the '
120, at Portsmouth; A. D. M'Arthur to the Majestic,
81, at Sheerness , - Robert K. Harriot to the Nile, 91,
screw steam-ship, at Devonport.

pppCooaowweinkeeprerat(ny's steamer Orinoco, 2,750 tons, 800-horse
sc(cporardwdp)la.en)y;o,sfasttnhedaems
ete,hre Aus t
hEemnui
pt rloa,n,l6a6smaoi a u
tons,niPii
aa,cifi3egcor
350-horse
Orinoco,
crsoi:l
andd
pGw oirl
nit
:El
re
whichama
lvues caorr
neehwaw
have
Ceeedobmome beepsanadr
Company's
Wednesday
;so:
reo
dap troops
taa
mtnc:er
dsailip Thursday.s
rpooonps
oaWnl
toe di esday.
It is expected the Himalaya will pi cceed to Plymouth
to take on board 1,300 mon from thnt port, and that she
Besides the above steamers, there are two others in
thef
o f Ad-
miralty, but are not yet taken up—viz., the Royal mail
steamer Thames, 1,800 tons, 450-horse power; and the
tons, and 10e-horse power. The Royal mail steamer
Atrato, the largest paddle-wheel steamer in the world,
will reach this port, from the Clyde. about Saturday
next, and it is understood has been engaged by the Go-
vernment. The General ;crew Company's steamer
Golden Fleece, of 2,500 tons, and 400-horse power, will
be ready to embark troops from Southampton by -the
Ist of March.
Large quantities of baggage, provisions„ military
stores, bedding, blankets, &c., have arrived hre to-day
for shipment. On Monday detachments from the several
regiments will come down, charged with the task of
shipping and stowing away all the heavy baggage.
Next in importance to the proper equipment of our
naval and military forces, and their speedy direction to-
wards the scene of war, is the necessity for rapid and
regular channels of communication, so that instruc-
tions may instantly be transmitted to our admirals
and generals, and intelligence of the progress of events
forwarded in return to the seat of Government. The
present communications between London and Constan-
tinople are extremely unsatisfactory and uncertain,
and are susceptible of great improvement. The Penin-
sular and Oriental Company have, as is well known,
two steamers running between Malta and Marseilles
which are the fastest ocean going steamers afloat. We
allude to the Vectis and Valetta, the voyages of which
between Marseilles and Malta have been constantly per-
formed in 40 to 46 hours. If the Government were to
arrange with the Peninsular' and Oriental Company to
use these two. beautiful packets as despatch boats, to
run direct from Marseilles to Constantinople, without
calling at Malta, we have little doubt the voyages would
be regularly accomplished in four days. Allowing 48
hours for couriers to proceed from London to Marseilles
via Folkestone and Paris, it would be quite possible to
reach Constantinople in six days from London, and very
pressing instructions transmitted from London by sub-
marine telegraph to Marseilles, and conveyed thence by
the Vectis or Valetta, might be placed in Constanti-
nople in little over four days. It is thus quite practi-
cable, by using this route, to arrange for a regular ser-
vice of special couriers between London, Paris, and
Constantinople in six days. The value of such a cer-
tain and speedy method of communicating with the
Black Sea during the approaching war can be scarcely
estimated ; and we have no doubt that the Peninsular
and Oriental Company would be very willing to lend
their two unrivalled steam clippers to the Government
for this purpose, and to make in the meantime some
temporary arrangements for carrying the branch mail
service between Malta and Marseilles.

PORTSMOUTH, F. 19.
The Neptune, 120, at this port, is ordered to be com•
missioned by Captain Henry. Smith, C.B. (1829), for sea-
service. She is to have a complement of 970, including
officers and men.
The St. Vincent, 101, three-decker, is ordered to be
commissioned at this port by Captain E. H. Scott, of the
Neptune, for the ordinary flag-ship, with the usual ordi.
nary complement of officers and men.
The Blenheim, 60, Captain the Hon. F. T. Pelham, is
being completed by the Coast-guard draught while her
crew are on leave for seven days. First-Lieutenant
Wriford, of the Marine Artillery detachment on board,
was disembarked on Thursday. Surgeon Charles A.
Anderson has been appointed to her, vice M'Laren,
superseded at his own request.
Coals are ordered to Copenhagen for the Heck, sur-
veying-vessel, Master-Commander Peter Wellington,
which left this port yesterday week with a large staff of
surveying officers to sound the way for the Baltic fleet.
Mr. G. H. Blakey, master, R.N., is appointed to the
Edinburgh, 58.

Rear-Admiral Corry's squadron is daily expected here
from the westward. While at sea, on the night of the
26th ult., the squadron exercised at general night quar-
ters, without previous notice of the admiral's intention.
The first gun was fired in three minutes and a-half from
the time of the drums beating the call to action, and at
the end of six minutes every gun in the ships was fired.
On the 28th the squadron had a trial of sailing for
about 14 miles, wind N.E., force 2.103, course S.W.
The Tribune beat all—and the Imperieuse beat all but
the Tribune. On the 7th the squadron was exercised in
shifting topsailyards, which was done most creditably by
every ship, the Amphion being first. The Duke of
Wellington executed this manoeuvre in the following,
time :—mizentopsailyard in 291 minutes ; fore 351 mi-
nutes ; main, 53 minutes.
Extra shipwrights were put on the Cmsar, 91, Capt.
Robb, yesterday, to hasten her equipment.
The Basilisk, 6, paddle sloop, Commander the Hon.
F. Egerton, left yesterday for the North. She drew
charts for the Baltic, we believe. The Sealark, tender
to the Victory, Lieut. Fenwick in charge, returned yes-
terday from the westward, where she had been to seek
seamen for the fleet. Every exertion is being made to
complete the steam troop-ship Vulcan, Commander Von
Donop ; she is being coaled from the dockyard store ; a
number of carts were engaged in conveying fuel to her
as late as half-past 11 last night, and they commenced
again at half-past 5 this morning, and have been hard at
work ever since.
The Resistance, troop-ship, Master Com. Bradshawe,
is standing in to Spithead from abroad with troops, at
4 p.m.

PLYMOUTH, FEB. 19.

In anticipation of the immediate arrival of the Channel
fleet, orders have been sent down by the Admiralty to
the authorities here to communicate with Admiral Corry,

directing him to have the pay books on board each ship
belonging to the fleet made up, with the least possible
delay, to the 31st of January last. Orders have also
been received at the Reyal William Victualling-yard at
Stonehouse to prepare for the victualling of the whole of
the ships with provisions for six months, and the supply
of other necessary stores. The different crews will be
" paid down," and in all probability at this port. The
Duke of Wellington, 131, Captain Martin, C. 8., will be
docked at the Keyham steam-yard, to be overhauled and
to have her machinery examined. The Desperate, 8,
screw corvette, Captain W. W. Chambers, one of the fleet
which arrived here on Friday mornipg to have a new
mainmast, had her powder taken out on Friday, and yester-
day came into harbour. She was taken alongside the sheer
hulk. She sprang her mainmast, a few days before she left
the Tagus, in an endeavour to assist a Russian merchant-
ship, which had been deserted by her crew. She will be
taken into dock at Keyham to-morrow, to have her
bottom examined and other defects made good. It is
thought that her copper has been slightly injured by
her having touched the ground. The whole of the work
to be done to her will not, it is supposed, occupy more
than four or five days, as every exertion will be made to
get her out of hand. The Desperate will he also pro-
visioned for six months, and will take a sufficient quan-
tity of fuel for that period.
The Magicienne, 16, paddle-wheel steamer, Captain
Fisher, which arrived here on Friday from Ireland,
brought 136 coast-guardmen from the different stations
on the coast of Ireland. They embarked in the after-
noon on board the Impregnable, 104, flag ship, Captain
Lowe, which isl/4at present the receiving ship. Seventy-
two coast-guardmen arrived on Friday night by railway
from the eastward, and went on board the flag-ship,
where are now 560 of these experienced men.
During the last fortnight about 100 school apprentices
have been entered on board the Impregnable, where
they are daily instructed in the duties of the service.
There were previously 70 boys on board, who are ready
to be drafted into sea-going ships. These boys have not
only been instructed in the art of seamanship, but in all
,only
leirning received by boys at school on shore,
and the practice has been found to answer admirably in
every respect. There are altogether about a thousand
souls on board the Impregnable.
The Admiralty have directed that lists of those coast-
guards who desire to leave some portion of their pay for
their relatives and friends may be made out without
delay. The maximum whiEth they can so appropriate is
2s. a-day, and the minimum ls. 6d.
The 93d Regiment (Sutherland Highlanders) is daily
exercised in front of the Government-house, Plymouth
Citadel, in the practice of the Mini 6 rifle, with which
the men are to be supplied. The regiment is to be
strengthened with 70 volunteers from the 42d, and 73
from the 79th, both Highland regiments at Portsmouth.
This addition will place it above its strength, 880. On
departure they will leave a depot of two companies,
No. 1 and 2, consisting of about 50 or 60 men, whose
time of service is within a year or two of expiring.
The 20th Regiment, under Col. Horne, stationed at
Devonport, is eight over its full strength of 1,000 men.

PLYMOUTH, FEB. 18.

Her Majesty's steamship Desperate, 8, Capt. W. W.
Chambers, went up harbour this morning, and had her
mainmast taken out. She is ordered to be got ready
with all despatch.
The crew of the steam-frigate Vulture, 6, Captain
F. H. H. Glasse, were paid wages to-day up to the 31st
of December. The crews of the Duke of Wellington
(on arrival from Lisbon) and of the Desperate will be
paid up to the same date.

The Avon sailed this morning with seamen for Ports-
mouth.

The Royal William, 120, will he commissioned, on
Monday, by Captain Kingcombe (late of the St. George),
and fitted as guard ship in ordinary.
The St. George, 121, will be commissioned on. Mon-
day by Captain Eyre.

The screw steam-ship Ajax, 58, Captain Warden,
fitting for service at Cork, is nearly ready. The wing
passages between her coal bunkers and the ship's sides
are half completed in their construction. The Hogue
and Blenheim have undergone similar alterations. It
is suggested that the attention of the Admiralty should
be called to the fact that, in the event of a paddle-wheel
ship being penetrated in the coal bunkers by the enemy's
shot, she must run the risk of sinking, as the shot holes
cannot be stopped without clearing away hundreds of
tons of coal. Besides this, the paddle-wheel itself would
prevent the hole from being stopped •outside, by ob-
structing any approach to the damaged part. It is to
be hoped that the necessity of fully supplying all com-
missioned ships with patent or other shot plugs will not
be overlooked by the proper authorities.

SHEERNESS, FEB. 18.'

The Majestic, 80 guns, screw steam-ship, Captain
Hope—The following officers have this day taken up
their commissions and joined this ship :—Frederick
Brady, paymaster, 19th of January, 1842, and Lieu-
tenant James S. Davison, 21st of September, 1842.
great exertions are being made t• get this ship, the
Cressy, and the Monarch, ready for sea. A number of
artificers are working until 10 o'clock at night to hasten
the completion of the ironwork required for the ship-
wrights engaged in the equipment of the hulls, &c., of
these ships.

The Monarch, 84 guns, Captain John E. Erskine,
getting ready for active service under orders to join the
Baltic squadron, will shortly be ready for sea. Com-
mander Alexander C. Gordon, 22d of October, 1853,
and Lieutenant the Hon. William L. H. Anson, have
taken up their commissions to this ship, and joined yes- •
terday.
The Janus, 4 guns, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, arrived
here yesterday at 5.45 p.m., from Woolwich, with the
Marines for the Majestic. The Marines are under the
command of Captain Herriott. No instructions have
arrived here as to the appropriation of this vessel at
present ; she is therefore under charge of the Captain-
Superintendent Charles Hope, of the Wellington.
The Wellington, third-rate guard-ship of ordinary,
'Captain Charles Hope.—Mr. Albert Wood, late clerk,
has been promoted to the rank of paymaster, and has
taken up his commission as clerk again, in which capacity
he has been serving in the guard-ship of ordinary for
many years at this port. Mr. T. Hockings, paymaster
(Aug. 18, 1843), has taken up his commission as addi-
tional paymaster to this ship, to take charge 'of the
victualling stores deposited at this yard for the use of.,
the navy.
The Cressy, 80, new screw steam-ship, Captain Richard
L. Warren.—This ship is now rigged all-a-taut, topsail
yards crossed, and ready to bend sails ; she remains in ,
the Basin, receiving her armament, stores, eitc., and will
be ready for sea at the time appointed by the Admiralty.
The Royal Dockyard Infantry battalion at this yard
is (by an Admiralty order) abolished, and they are in
future to form one battalion of artillery. Under the
present orders no man is permitted to serve, under any
circumstances, whose age exceeds 45 years. In conse-
quence of this order several of the most experienced
I musicians belonging to the band will be rendered inca-
pable of serving. Lieutenant-Colonel Read, commander
of this corps, being on leave of absence, the command
devolves on Major Freeman.
We have this day had a most extraordinary high tide.
At high water the tide had risen to within one course of
stone around the dockyard wharves and wall ; the wind
has been blowing very strong from the northward and
westward, and a considerable
quantity of snow has
fallen. We have during the day had several
veryheavy
squalls of wind, with thick
snow showers. The baro-
meter stands at 29.45, and the thermometer at 38 in
the shade ; during the last night the thermometer fell
to 2'o.

LIVERPOOL, FEB. 18

The Cunard steamer Niargara, Captain Leitch, will
take her departure from the Mersey, in her new charac-
ter as one of her Majesty's troopships, on Wednesday,
with the 28th Regiment, fully 1,000 strong, on board.
She is now in the river, her fittings having been com-
pleted and received the approbation of the Admiralty
agent. On the exciting occasion of the embarkation she
will probably be anchored in the Sloyne, and the troops
will be taken on board by the Cunard tenders Satellite
and Jackall, either from the Prince's-pier or the Great
Landing-stage. The greater part of the regiment is now
at Preston, but the troops will enter the town, it is
thought, on Wednesday, when they will, no doubt, re-
ceive an enthusiastic reception.
The Cambria, Captain Douglas, will leave Liverpool
for Kingstown on Wednesday, where she will take on
board the 50th Regiment on Thursday, and will sail
thence on Friday. Captain Bevis, R.N., the Admiralty
agent whs is superintending the enrolment of naval
volunteers, will accompany the Cambria to Kingstown,
to superintend the embarkation of the troops. Recruit-
ing parties from the following regiments are now actively
engaged in the town :-sth Dragoons, 11th Hussars,
16th Lancers, and the 10th, 24th, 25th, 44th, 51st, 56th,
61st, 65th, 75th, 81st, 83d, 98th, /and 99th Foot. The
standard height for men has been reduced to five feet
and a-half, while lads of 18 are taken if they reach five
feet five inches. On Saturday evening a troop of Artil-
lery, under the command of Captain Mackey, entered
the town from Dublin en route for London.

MANCHESTER, FEB. 18.

Fifty-six artillery horses were withdrawn from the
Hulme Cavalry Barracks, Manchester, on Thursday,
and went to London per London and North• Western
Railway, to make up the increased complement for
companies under orders for the East.

SOUTH WALES, FEB. 18.
The seafaring population have readily responded
the call of the authorities for an increase to the navy to
;
and at all the principal ports volunteers have been en-
rolled. At Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelly, Mil-
ford, Tenby, &c., men have been picked up, and the
Coast-guard called out. The walls have been
beenbeenenrolled,
placardedenle
with bills calling upon men to join shipsthevpariciiouues,4o,
fitntoi
fitting
fitting out. Officers on behalf of the Royal Marines
have also been on the look out, a lieutenanthaving taken
up his residence at Cardiff. The army likewise has re-
ceived a number of recruits. At Bristol a large number
of
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have joined her.
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The bark Rosalind, W. Richardson, master, arrived
here this morning, laden with steam coals for the use of
her Majesty's steam navy at this port. An additional
demand has been made for steam coals for the use of
the Baltic fleet squadron, which is to rendezvous at the
Nore. The Rosalind will commence her discharge into
the floating depot Fortitude on Monday morning next,
the coal depot Ocean being full of steam coals and ready
for immediately supplying any steam-ships of war putting
into this port in want of coals.

WEYMOUTH, FEB. 18.
The "Weymouth district has furnished 66 Coast-guard
men
to be draughted on board the Baltic fleet—six men
being drawn from each of the 11 stations. They were
conveyed a few days ago to Plymouth by her Majesty's
steamer Sprightly, which is now actively engaged in
running to the various ports on this coast to take in de-
tachments of Coast-guard for service afloat.
The Lyme district has also furnished 41 men, who
have been sent to Devonport to be draughted on board
the men-of-war in commission at that port.

WOOLWICH, FEB. 18.
The Rhadamanthus, steam store-ship, Master-Com-
mander Belam, arrived at this port yesterday, and was
taken into the basin to-day, and has had a screw put on
board. for the Caesar, 91, screw steam-ship at Ports-
mouth ; boilers for the Colossus, 81, screw steam-ship at
Portsmouth, and a funnel and portions of the machinery
of the screw steam-ships at Devonport. The Rhada-
manthus, after delivering the mahogany she conveyed
round from Chatham to Pembroke to be used in the
construction of the new Royal steam-yacht Windsor
...- Castle, proceeded to Cork, where she took on board a
APPOINTMENTS. quantity of provisions for conveyance to Deptford, but
Captain Henry Smith, C.B. (1829), who has a good a telegraph communication, sent by the Admiralty to
service pension, to the Neptune, 120, at Portsthonth, Sheerness, altered the order, and the Rhadamanthus
.-- , and not Captain Henry Smith (1846), at present in cont. landed the provisions at Sheerness, as they are intended
, . SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 18. mud of the Simoom, as inadvertently announced on to be put on board the Baltic squadron when the ships
d by the Go-yhainrcee of a portion
Saturday. arrive at the Nore. The Rhadamanthus is to be paid
army to the East, is now will then
Lieutenants_Richard ,H. Dalton (1843), recently down here on Wednesday next, and be ready
verTnhmeenstquafivdmrotnhisofp‘osrtte,amfo-rtrtahnesepoonityse
Lieutenant-Commander of the Rifleman screw steam to leave for the western ports.
fully
heecißuriiptipsehd eaxpnderdeaitido
ready for sea. It is composed of the gun-vessel, when on the south-east coast of America sta- One serjeant, one corporal, and 40 privates of the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's screw-steamer Hima- l tion, to the Dasher, employed in surveying the Channel Woolviich division of Royal Marines have been ordered
lays, 3,560 tons, 700-horse power ; the Ripon, 1,900 islands, vice Freeland, to the Neptune ; John B. Bal- to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to Portsmouth
450 horse power (paddle-wheel) ; the Manilla, 635 four (1854), recently promoted from mate of the Excel- 1 in charge of. Lieutenant Webb, where
tons, -
tons, 60-horse power (screw) ; the West India Mail lent gunnery ship at Portsmouth, for gallant service at at that division until further orders.
# ;

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.