The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-26 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH, JAY. 25.

The utmost activity prevails in every department of
this dockyard and its dependencies, and the Royal
Clarence victualling establishment, Gosport, under the
superintendence of Captain Courtenay, is in full work,
baking and storing provisions for the fleet.
The Cesar, 91, screw, Captain John Robb, hoisted
his pendant on a spar, this day, at three p.m., and hung
it over the taffraii.

Tue repairs of the Geyser, 6, paddle-wheel steam-
sloop, are suspended for the present, hands being wanted
upon the Colossus, 80, to be docked in her room to-
morrow. The Geyser's timbers have been found so de-
fective in many important places, it is questionable
whether she will be refitted.

The Simoom, troop-ship, will be out of the hands of
the shipwrights in a few days ; the engineer department
will require a longer period, as her boilers arc being
strengthened, and she is undergoing an extensive repair
iu her steam machinery.
Everything is being done to hasten the equipment of
the Caesar, 91. Her machinery is for the most part
fitted, her fore and mizen masts are ready, and ship-
wrights are busy on her external fitments.
The Basilisk, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Commander
the lion. F. Egerton, is nearly completed in her machi-
nery by the engineer department of the dockyard, and
will be removed in a few days from the factory basin.
The Frolic, 16, Commander Nolloth, sails this evening
for Australia.

PLYMOUTH, JAN. 25.

Her Majesty's ship Nile, 90, having been fitted with
a screw propeller, will be taken out of dock on Monday,
the 30th inst.

The steam-vessel Ma,gicienne, having had her defects
made good, will go out of harbour on Thursday.

PEMBROKE, JAN. 25.

The new steam-yacht the Windsor Castle 'is to be com-
pleted in 6 months from the present time, and in order
to accomplish this, a large force will constantly be em-
ployed upon her. She is froin 20 to 30 feet longer than
the largest three-decker in the navy—viz., the Duke of
Wellington.
Six apprentices have been ordered to be entered at
the commencement of the year ; and the new clothing
about to be issued to the Royal Dockyard battalion will
in future only be issued to those who are between the
ages of 18 and 45, as orders have been issued for a re-
turn of all such in the brigade between those ages.
This measure is to render the battalion more effective,
by enabling those beyond the age of 45 to retire, leav-
ing their places to be filled by junior, and perhaps more
active men.

Mr, George Chiles, from Chatham, has been appointed
storekeeper, vice the late Mr. Lawes.
Speculation has been busy respecting the probably
successor to the captain-superintendent, Sir Thomas
Pasley, Bart., whose period of office expires in a few
months.

WOOLWICH, JAL 25.

APPOINTMENTS.

Lieutenants—Thomas L. Ward (1853), recently pro-
'noted from mate of the Excellent gunnery-ship at
Portsmouth, is re-appointed to his rank of Lieutenant
to that ship. The Hon. Frederick 0. B. Fitzmaurice
(1852), recently serving in the Magicienne, 16, paddle-
wheel steam-frigate, to the Bulldog paddle-wheel steam-
sloop, at Portsmouth.

- ,
Master's-Assistant—Richard N. Tarraway, to the
Blenheim, 60, screw steam-guard ship, at Portsmouth.
The Promethus steam-sloop, now ready for sea at this
port, is placed under orders to be taken round to Devon-
port. where she is to remain as an advanced war steamer
at that naval station. Lieut. Robert Robertson, of the
steam reserve here, will take the charge of her to Devon-
port, and she will be navigated by Master-Commander
Henry William Allan, of the Lightning, with a portion
of the crew of that vessel, and others from tho Fisgard
flag-ship, and Medea steam-sloop, the services of the
whole of the seamen-riggers that can be spared from this
dockyard being required to assist at the launch of the
Hannibal, 90, screw steam-ship, at Deptford Dockyard,
on the 31st inst.

The Lightning steam-vessel has been taken into dock
to have some necessary alterations made to convert her
into a tug vessel, for service on the West India station,
for which destination she is being fitted.

It has been communicated to—the young men in the
factory at this dockyard, that any of them desirous of
entering the Royal Navy as third-class assistant-engi-
neers will be accepted, if under 28 years of age, on their
passing the necessary examination as to their qualifica-
tions for that service.

THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE NAVY.—Five ships
have been commissioned within the last five or six days,
five of them line-of-battle ships, but no medical officer
has yet been appointed to either of them. There are 320
surgeons on the active list of the Royal Navy, of whom
about 186 are employed in ships and steamers, or in dock-
yards, victualling-yards, and convict stations ; but surely
there can be no difficulty in obtaining candidates of that
rank out of the remaining 133 now on half-pay. There
is less reason for surprise that no assistant-surgeons have
been appointed to these ships and war steamers, as, on
referring to the active list of that rank in the Royal
Navy, there are none available. Every assistant-surgeon
fit for service, is actually employed, and there are very
few, if any, candidates.

The Yeoman, from Callao to London, Dec. 21, lat. 1 N.►
Long. 21,,W._

No. 102 (Peruvian ship), from Callao to Liverpool, Jan.
8, lat. 33 N., long. 44 W.
The Dorothea, from Monte Video to Liverpool, Jan. •9,
lat. 35 N., long. 44 W.
_ _

Tho Eva, from New Orleans for Liverpool, Doe. 17, Ist.'
26 N long. 861 y:

The' N. G. Hichborn, from New Orleans to Genoa, Dec.
15, Ist. 32 N., long. 69 W.

The Elbe, of and from Hamburg to the East Indio,
Oct. 18, lat. 1 N., long. 19 W.

The Cato Henry, from Calcutta to Boston, Noy. 8, lat.
32 S., long. 31 E.

The Jenny Lind, Robinson, from Calcutta to Boston,
Nov. 18, lat. 22, long. 1 W.
A clipper ship, steering S., hull painted black, a white
bur,,o.eo, with name in it, Nov. 25, lat. 10 S.,long. 33 W.
The Endeavour, of Sunderland, Dec. 23, at. 37 N. long.
10 W.

The Mary and Louisa, from Callao, Jan. 5, lat. 42 N.,
long. D. W.

The Louisa and Poterhoff, both bound W., Jan. 22, off
Salters.

Thu William Nicol, of London, Oct. 21, lat. 35 S., long.
89 W., with 900 barrels of sperm.

SOUTH SEA. WHALERS.
HONOLULU, Nov. 10.—Arrived—The Asia, of Havre)
with 2,400 barrels of oil, 45,000 lbs. of bone ; Turca, Ras'
sign barque, with 100 barrels of oil, and 1,200 lbs. of
bcne.

Nov. 12.—Arrived—The Bremen ship Hansa, Miring,
with 2,300 barrels of oil, and 5,000 lbs. of bone.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKET-

JANUARY 24.

There was a large supply of straw of all descriptions in
the market. The prices were as follow :

Oat straw, froni 7s Od to 8s Gd per kemple of 16 stoneo
tron ; wheat do. 6s Od to 7's Gd ; barley do., 5s Od to 6s Ooh
Hay from 10dto 12d ; now ditto, Od to Od per stone.

EDINBURGH MEAL MARKET-JAN. 24.

There were in the market to-day, 26 sacks oatmeal, oacb
weighing 2801bs imperial, which sold thus :-26 at 21. 84
0 at 0/. Os Od, and 0 at 0/. Os.

DALKEITH MEAL MARKET—JAN. 23.
There were in the market to-day 77 bags of oatmeol
24 of barleymeal, and 2of pot-barley. Sales ready. The
top price of oatmeal was 2s down ; second, Is 9d down;
and third Cd down from last market. Barleymeal on 00
top, 32s ; current price, 31s 6cl; and lowesi price. as'
Pot-barley 2s down on the top price from last market.
Oatmeal, per sack of 2801bs First. Second. Third
„;
imperial
Barleymeal, per ditto
Peasemeal, per ditto
Flour, per ditto —s Od —s Od —s
Pot-barley, per ditto

.

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G-) JANUARY 26, 18 5 4..
rNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE AND THE . NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.
BALLOT IN GENEVA.—LETTER 11. ..,_______ I The Yeoman, from Callao to London. Dan_ 91 1.4-. 1 N..