The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-25 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET.

KIEL, HOLSTEIN, Nov. 20.
Since the departure from Nargen of the principal
portion of the Baltic fleet several merchant vessels,
freighted with cargoes for the Russian market, have
endeavoured to escape the vigilance of the steam
squadron cruising in the Gulf of Finland. Some
have succeeded in getting into port, while many
have been captured, and on their being adjudicated
as legal prizes the proceeds arising from their sale
will be shared solely by the ships under Captain
R. B. Watson, in command) he steam-frigate
Imperieuse.
The existing regulations relative to the distribu-
tion of prize-money are not satisfactory to those
serving on board the large ships of the fleet. Al-
though not actually present at or taking any part
in the seizure of vessels consigned to the ports of
Russia, they feel that some portion of the proceeds
accruing therefrom should be assigned to them, or
an equivalent in the shape of a public grant of
money be made to them,—and for this reason,
that during the present campaign the operations of
the fleet have been chiefly limited to the blockade
of the enemy's ports. If the smaller ships had
been attached as tenders to the larger ones, the
latter would have shared equally with the former,
' although not present at the capture of any prize
vessels. The present system of awarding prize-
money requires revision, and it is to be hoped that
the Admiralty will direct their early attention to
the subject.
Since my despatch of the 17th instant there
is but little to report as regards the movements
of the fleet. The Basilisk paddle steam-sloop,
Captain the Hon. F. Egerton, left yesterday for
f the Gulf of Finland, to reinforce the flying
squadron. under the orders of Captain R. B.
I Watson. The Magicienne, 16, Captain Thomas
Fisher, and Vulture, 6, Captain F. 11. Glasse,
arrived to-day from the northward. The former
brings intelligence of a serious collision between
the Euryalus and the Imperieuse, which occur-
red during a violent snowstorm. The Euryalus
' ran into the Imperieuse, whereby the mainchains
of the latter were cut away, and other damages
caused to the hull. The bowsprit of the Eurya-
lus was carried away, and also her figure-head,
which dropped on the quarterdeck of the Imp&
rieuse. Both ships have been able to repair the
injuries they have sustained without going into
port.
The Board of Admiralty, desirous of effecting
everything that is possible to improve the condi-
tion of the subordinate and warrant officers, the
petty officers, and seamen, &c., serving in her
Majesty's navy, have issued new rules and regu-
lations relative to the periods at which the pay-
ments of their wages shall be made. On and after
the Ist of January, 1855, gunners, boatswains,
carpenters, unpassed clerks, midshipmen, masters'
assistants, clerks' assistants, and naval cadets are
to be allowed to draw bills at the termination of
each quarter for the amount of pay due to them,
in a similar manner to commissioned officers. The
subordinate and warrant officers are also, when
first joining ships to which they may be appointed
for foreign service, to be paid in advance, in ac-
cordance, if they require it, with the following
scale
Unpassed Clerk
Midshipman
Master's Assistant
Clerk's Assistant
Naval Cadet
Gunners, boatswains, and carpen-
ters, (Ist class)
Ditto, ditto (2d class) lB 5 0
Ditto, ditto (3d class)
The permission hitherto granted to these officers,
of allotting or remitting any part of their pay, ac-
cording to the rules and regulations previously ex-
isting, will not in future be allowed.
The advance is to be paid by the paymaster of
the ship at the earliest possible period after the
officer has joined, with the sanction and in the
presence of the captain or commanding officer, for
the purpose of enabling the officer to provide his
cr
necessary outfit, and make his private arras e-
ments before the ship to which he belongs shall
proceed to sea.
With reference to the payment of the petty
officers and seamen, the the-
ords Commissioners of
the Admiralty have issued
wdiftecatsions that the
wages due to them hereafter il
require, he paid to them at any time oaencdaspiolancembayy
any naval accountant officer (paymasters of ships
included), according as their Lordships may think
fit. In all cases of these payments being,directed
to be made at a port havistg an Admiralty esta-
blishment with a superin to ndent, they are to be
made in the presence of an td under the control of
such superintendent. Theo seamen are also to be

.. £ll 0 0
5 10 0
8 0 0
6 5 0
3 0 0

permitted to remit the whole or any portion of the
halauce of wages due to them to their wives and
families or relatives.

Subordinate officers, when promoted to the rank
of commissioned officers, as also petty officers pro-
moted to the rank of warrant officers, are no longer
to be allowed as heretofore to transfer their pay
tickets by endorsement. In future the wages due
to them on promotion are to be paid by the pay-
master of the ship, if desired, up to the time of
their promotion, or the promotion tickets may be
isent to the Board of Admiralty, who will cause the
amount to be paid in the customary manner ; but
hereafter payment will not be made to any person
in whose favour such promotion ticket shall be en-
dorsed.

Men or boys discharged out of the service abroad
are to receive from the paymaster of the ship from
which they are discharged the amount of wages due
to them at the time.

According to the present rules of the service,
seamen and boys when discharged out of one ship
into another on foreign service, are not allowed to
receive the balance of wages due to them, unless
the ships to which they belong are ordered home,
and the men volunteer to remain abroad. Here-
after this privilege is to be extended to all men and
boys serving on a foreign station who may be dis-
charged from one ship to another, provided they
have served two years in the ship from which they
are discharged, whether or not such ship be or-
dered home.