The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-15 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 15, 1854.

iNT ICE. CONSTANTINOPLE. --The
O Lecture accompanying the GRAND MOVING DIORAMA
of CONSTANTINOPLE is now delivered on Wednesdays and Satur-
days by Mr. J . H. STOQUELER, when the progress and localities
of the War will be more particularly explained; and on the other
days, as usual, by Mr. CHARLES KENNEY. A very clear and
excellent Map has been added to the illustrations.—Daily at Half-
past Two and Eight.—Admission, Is.
---- • ---

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

BLACKWALL AND TILBURY.

GRAVESEND, APRIL 14.—This line was opened as far
as Tilbury yesterday, and the steam ferry-boats built for
the company, to ply ever hour between the Tilbury sta-
tion and the Town-pier, Gravesend, by Messrs. Young,
of Black wall, conveyed passengers and goods across the
river for the railway. Of these boats there are three—
two between the station and the Town-pier, and one
between the same point and the Rosherville pier. They
are admirably adapted, both by build and capacity of
accommodation, for passengers and goods, for crossing
the river in any weather, and will each convey, if re-
quired, 300 of the former without inconvenience at
every trip. For their tonnage, they have an unusual
breadth of beam, consequently great deck room, and
commodious cabins fore and aft. Their speed is
such that they accomplish the distant.: between
the station at Tilbury and the Town-pier in three
minutes. The great iron pontoon or barge connected
with the Tilbury station for the landing and embarka-
tion of the railway passengers and goods had been fixed
in its proper position three or four weeks since, but the
intended connecting medium, the iron tunnel or viaduct,
has not as yet been placed, owing to some accidental or
other unexpected difficulty in the moving of it from the
bank where it was constructed to its point of fixture. A
temporary timber bridge has, however, been constructed
from the station platform to the pontoon, and judging
from the passenger traffic yesterday and this day over it,
from the railway to the ferryboats, it will have to be either
materially strengthened or the tunnel must be substituted
for it with little delay. Whether it is that this line of rail
from London being a novelty, or that it is a new outlet
for visitors from London to Gravesend essentiallyrequired,
it had undoubtedly a vast number of passengers, from its
opening up to the writing of this notice (seven o'clock,
p.m.). The fares between Gravesend (including the
ferry) and London are one half those of the North Kent;
and this, in these days of economising all expenditure is
no small consideration even to pleasure-seekers, or to
those who by change of scene and atmosphere hunt after
health or improvement of health. By both railways and
by the steam-packet companies the number of• visitors
from the metropolis to this town to-day was unusually
large, even for a Good Friday. The day was, in so far
as business was concerned, preserved as a strict holiday.

THE WAR.

THE BALTIC FLEET.
The fleet that left the Downs for the Baltic, on the
15th of March, was composed of 18 ships, of 1,048 guns,
10,170 men, and 7, 870-horse power. The reinforcements
that have been despatched since that date to join the
powerful force amount to so large a number that it will
be interesting to the public to read the following cor-
rected list of the increased and increasing fleet. It is as
follows, under the orders of the undermentioned flag
officers :

Commander-in-Chief—Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Na-
pier, K.C.8., flag in the Duke of Wellington:
Second in Command—Rear-Admiral Corry, flag in the
Neptune.
Third in Command—Rear-Admiral Plumridge, flag in
the Leopard.
Fourth in Command —Rear-Admiral Chads, C. 8., flag
in the Edinburgh.
Captain of the F,
broad pendant in

feet—Commodore Michael Seymour,
ie Duke of Wellington.
;HIPS OE THE LINE.

Screws. Gns. Menlh. p. Commanders.
...-.-...011•••
Duke of Wellington 131 1100 780 Capt. G. T. Gordon.
Royal George
-
St. Jean d'Acre
Capt. Hon. H. Kep
Princess Royal 9l 850 400 i Capt el
Lord C. Paget.
Caesar 9O 850 400 Cap bb '
t Robb I • •
James Watt 9l 850 600 Capt. fa, Elliot.
Cressy BO 750 400 Capt. Warren.
Blenheim
Screw-frigates, &a. 1Gn3:17. U3405e00n 113::366P0.0
60 600' 450 Capt. W. Ramsay.
Hogue
Ajax 6O 600 450 Capt, Warden.
Edinburgh 6O 600 4501 Capt. Hewlett (flag).
Sailing.
Neptune l2O 970 ... Capt. Hutton (flag).
Prince Regent
Monarch B4 750 ... Capt. Erskine.
Boscaweu
Cumberland
CcicCaapptt..
Hon.Yelatv easrtn.dcenrin
Carnegie
FRIGATES, SLOOPS, &o.
Imperieuse 5l 530 360 Capt. Watson, C.B.
Euryalus
Arrogant
Amphion
Capt,CPCapt.t . I Al: -fEaCYt h: 1 ccKo:teueyr t..
.
Tribune
Dauntless
20302001
24 330 5'30 Ca.pt, Ryder.
Conflict
171:6 111677(55) 60 Cozn. G. H. Douglas.
Desperate
Archer
Cruiser
Paddle-frigates,
Sloops, &c.
Leopard lB 300 560 Capt. G. Gifford.
Valorous l6 220 4001 Capt. Buckle.
Odin
1., 220 400 Capt. T. Fisher.
Magicienne
Dragon
Bulldog 6 160 500 Capt. W. K. Hall.
Vulture
Hecla,
Gorgon
Rosamond
rano.
Driver
Basilisk
111666000
422008800
CCC
000
minz n .
..
Hon.RWo on d .
Ae
F.
ocuo s
ee
Egerton.h.
Lightning
Alban 4 52 100,Com. Otter.

The above may be considered as the force directly
under the orders of Sir Charles Napier, and actually in
the Baltic. All, perhaps, with the exception of two,
and they are very near the flutter of the vice-admiral's
flag. It will be seen that the total of the above force is—

J No. I Guns. I Men.--jl.p.
Ships oI the line... 1 16 1379 f 12,502 5,380
Frigates,sloops,&c. 124 4OB 5,619 8,572
Totals ... 40 1787 I 18,121 13,952

But we have also the following, fully manned, and
engaged in various duties connected with the Baltic
fleet :

GunlMenl h.p I Commanders.

Horatio screw 22
Miranda screw 15
Janus paddle 2
Prometheus.,., 5
Tartarus.. 4
Medea 6

paddl
paddle

277 250 Com. Jenner.
175 250 Captain Lyons.
55 240 Lieut. Kane.
100 200 Commander Rice.
60 136 Lieut. Risk.
135 350 Com. Phillimore.

Horatio is at Hull, Miranda is fitting at Sheerness,
and is expected to be ready to proceed to the Baltic
about the 20th inst. Janus is already cruising, and ac-
companied the Cumberland last week en 9•oute ; Tartarus
is refitting at Sheerness ; and Medea ands; Prometheus
are collecting men ; add these, and the force will be in-
creased to

Ships. I Guns.
46 I 1841
Moreover, we have the
now ready for reinforcing 1

Men.
I 18,923 I 15 78
following powerful squadioe
the Baltic fleet : . •

command of the French fleet in the Black Sea, in order
that, inasmuch as the expeditionary force is to be corn-
mended by a French general, senior to Lord Raglan, our
great national arm of defence may have a chief at the
head of our fleet senior to the commander in chief of the
naval force of our gallant allies.
Whilst every one in the Black Sea fleet will most
sincerely regret the supercession of Admiral Hamelin,
who ha worked so harmoniously with the British ad-
mirals' and has kept up a cordiality between the officers
of the fleets that has been productive of the best possible
results, the noble and delicate compliment paid to
Admiral Dundas will be appreciated by every officer in
the united service of Great- Britain.
It is rumoured that Admiral Hamelin is likely to be
dispatched to the Baltic as commander in chief of the
French naval force in othat quarter.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-ship
Euxine, Captain E. Cooper, left Southampton yesterday
(Friday) for Portsmouth, to embark 20 officers, 70 men,
20 horses, and 450 tons of Government stores, for con-
veyance to Constantinople.
Owing to the large number of steamers engaged in
the transport service, the Southampton Docks now pre-
sent a very deserted appearance. Yesterday morning
but four steamers remained in the dock basin—viz., the
Solent, Ripon, Iberia, and Madrid, all of comparatively
small size. The following is a list of the steamers be-
longing to the great steam navigation companies con-
nected with Southampton which are at present employed
on Governmentservice :—Peninsular and Oriental Corn-
pany—Hinialaya, 3,650 tons ; Indus, 1,800 tons ;
Euxine, 1,200 tons; Vectis, 1,000 tons; Valetta, 1,000
tons ' • Rajah, 600 tons ; Manilla, 700 tons. West India
Mail Company—Orinoco, 2,750 tons ; Trent and Med-
way, 1,800 tons each. General Screw Steam Shipping
Company—Golden Fleece, 2,500 tons; Jason, 2,500
tons ; Cape of Good Hope, 800 tons. Australasian
Pacific Mail Company—Kangaroo and Eineu, 1,650
tons each—giving a total of fifteen ships, of an
aggregate tonnage of 25,400. Besides these, the
General Screw Company have placed at the dis-
posal of the Government their screw steam-ship
Prince, launched at Blackwall on Wednesday last,
of 2,700 tons burden, and the Hydaspes and Har-
binger, so soon as these vessels (now considerably over-
due) shall arrive respectively from India and Australia.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company have also offered
the Simla and Candia, two magnificent screw steam-
ships, of 2,600 and 2,250 tons burden, and which are
now nearly ready for sea. It is expected that in a few
weeks' time the transport of troops to the East will be
completed for the present, and that the majority of the
steam transport ships above enumerated, being no longer
required, will be released by the Government, with the
exception of a few required for carrying stores and pro-
visions. The ordinary mail-packet service and general
business of the port of Southampton will then resume
its accustomed course, and will be likely to suffer no
further irregularity during the current year.
We are again requested to state that Capt. Ommanney
has not command of any squadron for the Baltic, nor
has he any orders to go there.
The cutter Fanny, Second Master Scarlett, which was
despatched from Portsmouth on the 4th inst., in charge
of Lieutenant Grierson, of the flagship, to cruise off
Beechy Head, on the look-out for "strange sail," re-
turned to port yesterday morning. She has been knock-
ing about off her rendezvous since the 4th, and has
boarded many vessels, but found nothing to justify their
detention. She reports the prevalence of strong gales
the whole time.
The horse-transportship Echunga, Captain Grey, was
towed to Plymouth Dockyard on Thursday, to be fitted
with stalls for 60 horses. Two flat-bottomed boats, 27
feet long, for landing troops, have been put on board.
The screw steam-transport Albatross arrived at Ply-
mouth on Thursday morning from Liverpool, and went
into Hamoaze to prepare for the reception of cavalry.
The steam-vessel Avon sailed for Portsmouth on
Thursday from Plymouth.
A Brixham trawl sloop (Matthews) reports a sailing
frigate off the Bolt at Plymouth, tacking to the south-
ward, about 3 o'clock yesterday morning—wind easterly.
She was under all head sail, three royals, topgallant-
sails, and topsails. Her courses were hauled up. She
bore a white ensign at her peakend, and was supposed
to be the Portland from South America.
Wo learn by electric telegraph from Plymouth that
the Mary Anne, horse-transport, arrived at that port
from Liverpool yesterday.
The orders for loading with provisions the iron screw-
steamer Albatross, at Plymouth, have been counter-
manded by telegraph.
Captain C. J. Longmore's troops, Bth Hussars, which
left Exeter at 11 o'clock on Thursday morning, slept at
Ashburton on Thursday night, and arrived at Devon-
THAI "Ileatezday4 k"Todarthey 'will embark in the
"gottinta, for service in the East. The other three
troops 'ate, expected on Tuesdif, Wednesday, or Thurs-
day next.
Colonel Browne retires from the command of the let
battalion Ist Royals, stationed in Plymouth citadel, and
is succeeded by Major Bell, of the 2d battalion, who is
expected immediately. The Ist battalion will probably
embark at Plymouth on Tuesday or Wednesday in the
Andes steam-ship, bound for the Mediterranean.
Her Majesty's troop screw steam-ship Simoom, 15,
from Malta, was reported entering Plymouth Sound at
7 p.m. yesterday.
Her Majesty's mail-packet service between Dover and
Calais and Ostend being let to a private company for a
term of four years, the Admiralty packets have, since
the let of April, ceased to run on that station, and the
Vivid, Commander Smithett, after conveying his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge and General Lord
Raglan and staff to Calais, arrived at Woolwich to be
paid off and refitted for general service in the Royal
Navy. Captain Smithett intends retiring into private
life, after 40 years of arduous duties, which he has suc-
cessfully performed,' and will carry with him the satis-
kction expreSsed by their lordships at the great zeal and
attention he has hiways shown in the performance of his
duties. ,
The Mangerton, No. 17 horse transport-ship, with a
portion of Captain Anderson's small arm ammunition
brigade, will be taken out of the basin to-day, and towed
down the river on her way to the Mediterranean.
The Hannibal, 91, screw steam-ship, Captain the Hon.
Frederick William Grey., when she went dowri the river
on Tuesday tried her speed by the log, and made 81-
knots, which was considered satisfactory, as she had
never been taken into dock to have the supports for her
launching taken off. It was intended to try her speed
at the measured distance between the Nore and Mouse
Lights on Wednesday, but the loss of her anchor, which
was occasioned by the drawing out of the ring which
should have held the chain cable, caused the trial to be
postponed.
The Zzphyr steam-vessel went down the river on
Thursday with spare anchors and chains to Northfleet,
preparatory to the launch of one of the fine steamers of
war built by Mr. Pitcher for the Russian Government,
but note completing forthe Service of the Government
of this country., The launch will take place to-day (Sa-
turday), and the crew of the Fisgard will take charge of
the steamer when launched. The British Government
has ordered the vessels to be made ready for launching,
and on their being completed according to contract with
the Russian agents will hand over the remaining one-
third of the price to Mr. Pitcher, and will settle with
Russia at some future period for the amount already
paid to Mr. Pitcher on account for the vessels.
The following letter from a gentleman on board the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's ship Himalaya,
dated Malta, the 9th inst., conveys some interesting in-
formation relative to the removal of troops from that
island to the seat of war in the East.
" As we now know our destination, I write you, though
most hurriedly, by the Vectis, which ship arrived this
morning from Alexandria, and proceeds to Marseilles
directly. We leave on Tuesday, the 11th, for Gallipoli,
perhaps Varna, with the following troops :
33d Regiment 33 907 9 4
Officers. Men. Wom rs en. Hoes.
41st Regiment 27 888 8 4
Brigade and Staff 3 3 0 2