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

Effectually to prevent tke-recerrence of such distressing scenes as
those which gave rise to the formation of this Association, the Com-
mittee have had in consideration a plan,Which it is hoped might tend
materially to raise the condition of the soldier's wife, and secure a
provision for the soldier's widow,
As there is no probability, under existing circumstances, of so rais-
ing the pay of the soldier as to enable him when married to apportion
a sufficient Share of it to hit thirdly while he is on itetive.servlce, the
Co minitt ee are of opinion, that a N ational, Fund should be established,
of which the invested capital of thls Association shall be the founds-
tion, end to which the public and the soldier shall be invited to sub-'

scribe rannnally.
This, fbnd to pre, ide pensions for widows and orphans, as well as
temporary Assistance to wile and family, who, having' become sub-
scribers, maYbeordered on active sevice.
The-exact subscription which the soldier would be called upon to
pay, must depend on the amount of public support the National Fund
may receive,—it must always be a very small sum from' the soldier;
but the Committee are convinced that the country will approve of
this proposed attempt to encourage habit; of obedience and prudent
foresight amongst the married soldiers of the British Army. • •
By order of the Committee, ,
HENRY LITTLETON POWYS, Major 60th Royal Rifles,
Hon. Sec.
September 7, 1854.

Tho CENTR AL ASSOCIATION In ATD of the WIVES and FAXII
LIES, Widows and Orphans, of SOLDIERS ordered to the EAST.

BALANCE SHEET.

. Dr. Sept. 7, 1854.
To amount of subscriptions received in the half year
eniiint the 7th of Sept, 1851, froth the formation
of this Association on the 7th of March £30,269.17 7

4:80,269 17 7

INGESTRE, Chairman,
JOHN LETTSOM ELLIOT, 1 Members of the
HENRY LITTLETON POWYS,3 Fiaanee Committee.

Sept. 7, 1854.
By Exchequer Bills deposited in the Bank of England
in the names of the Trustees—viz , Sir John Kirk-
land, Lord Henry Cholmondeley, M.P., and Major
the lion. Et. L. Powys (of which 80,00 n. will be
applied to relieve Widows and Orphans) ...... 5 9 4
By Relief, distributed through Local Associations 5,359 14 4
By ditto, distributed at Read Office in London . l,lBO 19 0
By ditto, distributed through. Clergymen, Ma,gistrutes,
and others :.... .. • . • 2,831 7 5
By Advertisements ...:
By Office Expenses, Printing, Stationery, Weges,
Rent, BGc. ........... . •........... 718 19 3
By Payment td the Sailors' Association .
By Ba'ance—viz., in the hands of the Hon.
Secretary ...... • • •• ............ X3ll 9 3
At Bankers, Sept. 7, 1854............ 2,603 6 0

2,914 15 3

£80,26917 7

lFhese aceonnts examined and audited.
GEORGE AVM. BELL, Auditor to the Association
• -
'rim it will be seen that the sum of 9,1721. have already been
spent in actual relief for widows as well as wives within the space
of s:x months, and that at the trifling outlay of a little more than 3
Per cent, the sum of 80,269/. 17s. 7d. has been raised.
Annual snbscriptions aro solicited towards tho formation of a na-
tional fund for widows mid orphans.
11. L. POWYS, Major 60th Ernes, Honorary Secretary.

NAVAL AND MILITARY IN TELLIGBNCff,

The Miranda, 15, screw, Captain Lyons, went out of Ports{
mouth Harbour yesterday morning, and cruised about
Spithead 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 Swallow, 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, aid it could not be called a trial. Her auxiliary
engine, however (60 horse nominally, by Miller and Raion-
bill anti Salkeld), worked well up to 80 revolutions, with
18 lb. pressure. They are beautifully constructed and
fitted, and not the slightest vibration was perceptible in
the ♦essel. • She is complete in manning, with the excep-
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 wo 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 pet a vessel through. With this view, it is
understood that the Pelter, in charge of Air. Mugford,
matter of the flag ship at iroolwich, and. Mr. Dinner', in-
spector of •steam-machinery afloat, at Somerset House,
will proceed, about Thursday next, to the Channel, and
will cruise tilers for some days, testing her qualities in the
most varied manner. She could not possibly have a more
triing 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 satisfactiox 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
Adult' take.ptace before the Admiralty proceed too
far; in their building. The great fault hitherto had been
thEtt classes of vessels that have turned out wretched fail-
uris &aye 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
.maohine, and as some
scare of the untried engines have been ordered, it is right
wet should know something about them, althotigh Messrs.
..Petin's name is a aufazient.guaFAutee.that what they have
undertaken has been adopted on the safest grounds.

dAPTAIN PASLEY'S VISIT TO THE COSSACK.
The Cossack was visitediifferallriiiierday by Captain
Sit Thomas 'Pasley 'for Muster and inspection:of officers
anll crew.. The gallant Captain returnod from inspecting
t4officers
and, crew of the Cumberland at 2 p.m., in the
dfire. After mustering the crew and officers of the
Cossack, he inspected the ship throughout, bet Ween• decks
and the engine-room. Tho 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
talstu by. closing hatches, skylights, &c., and every man
was at his station. Captain ranshawe 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 mon, They went through their general exercise in
a manner highly creditable to officers and men.. She is at
pr sent short of her complement, in all about 50 hands, in-
. °Wive of le 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 acts admirably. On her late
trial down with 12 lb. pressure on the square inch
he t engines made 66 revolutions per minute, her rate
being 10 knots and over. She bids fair to bo a fast vessel
unrlin. steam power. Her nominal power is 250 horse.
N4thing is at present positively known as to her destina-
ticin. Assistant-Surgeon A. 11.1'Kenna has taken up his
commission at Chatham and joined this ship.

. -
THE CREW OF THE A. AND AND THE COLOSSUS.
Yesterday 165 men, belongtil . the Ajax, 60, screw
steam-ship, Captain Warden, were turned over to the Co-
lossus, SO, screw ship, Captain Robinson,.lnider orders to
sail to-day for the West Indies. They appeared to have
little objection to the change. This makes the latter vessel's
crew a most efficient one. The Colcssiis's crew wore 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 boon done to it
from her getting ou shore in the Baltic.

COUNTERMAND FOR, THE CUMBERLAND.
w
A countermanding order as given on Sunday last for
the Cuniberland 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 ordeied
to proceed to Chatham this morning's tide.

STEAM FLOATING BATTERIES .FOR TIIE
BALTIC.
The principal portion of these enormous floating bat-
Aeries, ordered by the Admiralty two completed by next
spring, will be built in the river; by Mr, Gro, to