The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-03 00:00:00

THE "GUIDES" AT EXETER HALL.

This celebrated band were permitted to delay their
departure for the purpose of giving a grand performance
last night at Exeter Hall, for the benefit of " the French
Charitable Association," under the patronage of the
French Ambassador and the Countess Walewski. They
played a selection of overtures, marches, and other
pieces, admirably arranged for their instruments by their
able director, M. Mohr ; beginning with "God save the
Queen," and "Partant pour h Syrie," which last was
called for with loud acclamations from every part of the
ball. In speaking of the 140 at the Crystal Palace, on
Saturday last, we described pretty fully the composition
of this magnificent band, and the circumstances towhich
it owes the superiority, which it must be admitted to
possess, over the best of our regimental bands—a supe-
riority which was rendered still more apparent by the
performance of last evening. The principal pieces they
played were the overtures to Guillaume Tell and lampa ;
a fantasia from Le Prophele ; the " Benediction des
Pf°
a quadrille, consisting
elwar;anged by M. Mohr ; a
Ooigldn a
Frenchrds" fro m
airs, r the
cleverly ffgtrtB
Tyrolese air, with variations, composed by him ; and a
u
very charming Spanish bolero. These and several other
things were executed with the perfection we have en-
deavoured to describe, and received by a crowded audi-
once with demonstrations of enthusiastic admiration.

FLOATING BATTERIES FOB THE BALTIC.

SHOT-PROOF IRON PLATES.
So urgent are the authorities to have the batteries
ready for active operations against Russia in the spring,
that the contract has been divided amongst the principalr
makers in Glasgow, Newcastle, Lowmoor, and ()thee.
places in the north of England. At the I,ane!fianil
Forge here, several tons have been already finished
sent off, aadC about 20 tons a-week will
&brae completed.to be Report says that at least six aw., vesselsb
the spring of
pre-
pared for the attack upon Croustadt
they description of
1855. Our readers will recollect
~I*Tie.ee when be de-
steamer that has been invented by ir
The primary object Mr. Millsba
introducing
r
something new
signed this vessel was that of
on the Clyde. On laying
George Mills.
in the way of steam navigation
last winter, those gentlern. en
architects, so far back asd.l
to bring it before the no-
ticerequested Mr. Mills
speedily
dleysign not merely for a mer-
cantile of Government,
aser, but for a gun-boat or floating
it, however, before some eminnent and experienced naval
as that, during the month of
cantile passage
adopted, and
bthoerate
drawings of a floating battery on
result
°3anmOn I
inny' drfeet i °lie' ntgh taht, gentlemanwith
principle,se y Mr. Mills, and forwarded to the Admi-
portion, were drawn oat, at great trouble
ipne n , .
April last,
t,T;lais recommendation
accompanied by full-written descriptions. They
he highest consideration on the part of Govern-
meatmett
e ; and an eminent engineer in London, to whom
adnedptohx
thy were primarily sent, approved of them, and for-
warded them to the Admiralty, with the weight of his
name and recommendation. -The following is a short
rhaisltyn,ewacco
y :—Mr. Mills'
account of this floating and steam
polling gun-batter ,manoeuvring and pro-
floating battery was
proposed to be 300 feet long by about 100 broad, and to
have three tiers of guns, presenting an armament of
double the weight of the largest ship of the line. The
propelling paddle worked in the space between the two
hulls, where it could be rendered completely secure from
shot. There was a propeller at each end to manoeuvre
the vessel and turn her about. Either end could be
made the stem, 80 that there would be no necessity
for turning her. The lines upon which she was designed
would give her great speed in ion proport
with such an enormous armament,
all her stores, fuel,
to power , and
crew, &c., on board, this floating battery would only
draw 15 feet water, or about half the
found draught of the
built of iron and
be
Duke of Wellington. It was to
most serviceable.
wood, in any way that would be
—Nolth, British Daily Mail.

Sr. CROSS HOSPITAL.—By the death of the Rev. J.
Ilaygarth, the living of Upham, Hants, is vacant. This
is one of the many valuable advowsons left to the above
hospital for its maintenance, for which the Bishops of
Winchester are trustees, who for many years have be-
stowed them on their friends, to the great injury of the
charity. Notice of the event has been sent to Mr.
Fearon, the solicitor to the Attorney-General, in order
that steps may be taken to inhibit the bishop frongL col.
lating to it.