The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-16 00:00:00

THE NORTH SEA FLEET.-SIR CHARLES
NAPIER'S FORCE.

Our last correspondence from the fleet was up to six
o'clock on Monday evening. They were then off the
Galloper, where the Deal pilots left, and the Baltic pilots
were received. Monday was spent in the Downs in exer-
cising the fleet in firing shot and shell ; but on Sunday
night the signal was made for all the ships to rendezvous
at Wingoe Sound, so that the fleet proceeded direct to
that anchorage. It appears that colliers have for some
time been going in that direction with enormous quan-
tities of coal.

ADMIRAL CORRY'S SQUADRON.
PORTSMOUTH, MAIWR 15.

The Neptune, 120, Captain Hutton ; Boscawen, 70,
Captain Glanville ; and Bulldog, 6, Captain W. K.
Hall, have not sailed to-day to join the fleet, being
detained by her Majesty, who is desirous of seeing Ad-
miral Corry off. The Boscawen's draught of Coast-
guardmen not having arrived, the Neptune and Bull-
dog will sail without her to-morrow noon. The Bull-
dog is 16 short of her complement of 1604,,The Nep-
tune, besides being extraordinarily burdened with pro-
visions and stores for other ships as well as herself, takes
out a large quantity of shells for the fleet.
The Prince Regent, 90, Captain H. Smith, C. 8., is
refitting her rigging at Spithead. She is 325 to-day
short of her complement of 820.
The Caesar, 91, screw, Captain Robb, at Spithead,
took her powder on board to-day, and has commenced
shipping her guns.
The Elfin, Royal despatch yacht, Master Command-
' ing Alfred Balliston, came up from Osborne at 1 p.m.
to-day, and signalled to Admiral Corry, " The Queen
does not embark to-day."
The Gorgon, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Cumming,
was docked this morning to have her copper cleaned, &c.
The Admiral Superintendent of the dockyard has
issued an order to the shipwrights, joiners, caulkers, &c.,
of the establishment today to continue at work until
6'30 p.m. daily until further orders. This is half an
hour longer than the usual time.

Additional hands have been placed on the new sailing
ship Colossus, 80, to adapt her to the screw and expe-
dite her for commission. She will be converted to a
screw•ship without the alteration of her stern or being
lengthened, respecting which there has been a consulta-
tion with Sir Baldwin Walker and his scientific officers.

The Diligence, naval transport, is ordered to receive
stores from the victualling-yard at Gosport for convey-
ance to Deptford ; these will be put on board to-morrow,
but she will require a supernumerary crew to perform
this service, having discharged all her ship's company,
except six, to the Duke of ellington.
The Odin, 16, paddle-wheel frigate, Captain Francis
Scott, is rapidly progressing with the repairing of her
boilers. She was to have had them completed by the Ist
of April, but Captain Scott has, by representations to
the Admiralty, succeeded in reducing this period to the
18th inst., by getting the men belonging to the steam
factory to work on the boilers both night and day. By
this means he will be able to get his ship ready for sea
by the above day, when she will go out of harbour, and
go to sea at once.

PLYMOUTH, MARCH 15.
The Prospero, Rundel, master, arrived on Monday
from Kingstown, with 32 supernumeraries and 42 barrels
of ball cartridges from Pembroke. She sailed again yes-
terday morning for Pembroke, with stores. The Hamoaze
also sailed yesterday morning for Pembroke, with

stores.
The St. George, 121, has been ordered to sail without
fail, at daylight to-morrow, for Portsmouth. The Coast-
guardmen brought by the Desperate have embarked on
board her. They are to be considered as supernumera-
ries, and not part of her complement. She will complete
at Spithead.
The Magicienne and Cruiser are expected hourly to
refit and complete coaling. They are also to proceed to
Spithead with all despatch.
The Desperate is to proceed to Portsmouth imme-
diately, to join the second division of the Baltic fleet.
She will be paid wages before leaving.

SHEERNESS, MARCH 14.
The Vulture, 6 guns, paddlewheel steam-frigate of 470-
horse power, Capt. F. H. H. Glasse, arrived here yes-
terday from Shields with volunteers for the navy. Im-
mediately after their being sent on board the flag-ship
Waterloo, she proceeded to Saltpan Reach, and took in
her full stowage of coals from the coal depot.. After she
has taken in a full supply of water, she is to leave here to
join the Baltic fleet.

The Majestic, 80 guns, new screw steam-ship, Captain
J. Hope, has this day been put out of dry dock into the
basin. The trial of her engines and machinery will take
place to-morrow in the basin.
The Siren, 16-gun sloop, has been brought down from
Saltpan Reach, and taken into the fitting basin, prepara-
tory to her being commissioned here as one of the squa-
dron to be fitted out for the purpose of proceeding to sea
to watch the movements of privateers under the Russian
flag. The stores, rigging, spars, &c., for the Siren, are
all ready to be sent on- board on her being commissioned.
The Larne, 14-gun sloop, is ordered to be brought down
from Saltpan Reach, and taken into the fitting basin for
similar service with the Siren. The Monarch, 84 guns,
Capt. J. E. Erskine, has this day been inspected by
the Captain-Superintendent ; her crew have been paid
their advance, and she will leave here to-morrow morn-
ing at daylight for the north.
The Melampus store-ship, after landing a number of
gunboats, launches, pinnaces, cutters, and gigs from
Portsmouth for sea-going, ships, left here this day for
Woolwich.

The Reform schooner transport arrived here this day
from Deptford, with 800 bags of ship bread, to be depo-
sited in the victualling storesin her Majesty's dockyard
here for the use of the Baltic fleet as occasion may re-
quire.

WOOLWICH, MARCH 14.

APPOINTMENTS.

Captain William K. Hall (1853), to command the
Hecla, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, commissioned this
day at Portsmouth ; Lieutenant Byron G. Rowles (1843),
to the Belleisle, hospital-ship to the Baltic fleet ; Augus-
tus G. E. Murray (1816), to the Belleisle ; Richard M.
Moorman (1849), to the Horatio, 24, screw steam-ship.
Masters—Joshua (1845), to the Belleisle ; Robert
Studwell (1840), from the Cressy, 81, screw steam-ship,
to the Caesar, 91, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth ; F.
R. Child (1854), to the Driver, paddle-wheel steam-sloop,
at Sheerness.

Midshipman C. A. F. Paget, to the Gorgon paddle-
wheel steam-sloop at Portsmouth.
Asiiietant-iiurgeong..4ohn C, Moor, MID, (1852),