The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-20 00:00:00

'REPARATIONS FOR WAR.

PLYMOUTH, Malca 19.
Orders wtre received at the dockyard yesterday after-
noon for the immediate construction of two flat-bottomed
boats, 27 feet long. These boats, it is supposed, are to
be used. for the purpose of landing troops. A. number
of horse-stretchers were ordered at the same time.
Orders were also received at the Royal William Vic-
tualling-yard for a portion of the establishment to be on
duty to-day (Sunday). All the clerks, messengers,
coopers, labourers, for shipping bread and pork, and a
portion of the women who are making beds have been
kept on in consequence. The bakers will not be wanted,
as there is a large stock of bread in hand. It is supposed
that they will shortly be divided into two parties, so as
to work at the ovens night and day. The coopers are
making as much time as they can during the week ; six
additional men are to be engaged on Monday. One of
the slaughter-houses is folly employed preparing meat
for immediate consumption and the other for salting.
Captain Superintendent Sandom has advertised for ten-
ders to be delivered in on Thursday for supplying 1,100
quarters of oats for horses, each bushel not to weigh less
than 361 b.

The Royal William, 120, Captain John Kingcombe,
having her mute, bowsprit, and fore and mainyards on
board, will be warped to the jetty on Monday to be
rigged for ordinary guard-ship.
The Algiers, 90, ordered to be prepared for commis-
/skin, will be rigged by the dockyard riggers. The tops
-are over her mastheads.
The Belleisle, 24, was commissioned for an hospital-ship
by Commander James Hosken on Friday, and is to have
a complement of 240 officers and men. She has been
taken out of dock and placed alongside the sheer hulk
for =sting.
The Conflict steam-vessel will go out of harbour on
'Tuesday.
Captain Sheriogham, R.N., Superintendent Royal
Naval Coast Volunteers for the western district, is now
on duty at this port, and on Friday evening addressed a
slumber of seafaring people at the Hall of Commerce in
the Exchange. He explained the intentions of the act
,of Parliament, which received the Royal assent on the
15th of August last, empowering the Government to
have recourse to impressment in case of emergency, and
also showed that, by a recent regulation, neither militia-
men nor volunteers were in consequence of their enlist-
ment to be deprived of the advantages of any friendly
society or club to which they might belong. The gal-
lant captain's address was received with attention, and
rat the close several men gave in their names. Very
considerable difficulty exists among the fishermen and
others in distinguishing the difference of the terms of
engagement between the Coast Volunteer service and
that of the Coast-guard. As the men belonging to the
latter join the fleet when called on, the fishermen erro-
neously conclude that they will also have to leave their
homes.
The imerchant-vessel White Wave, from Liverpool, is
hourly expected at the Royal William Victualling-yard,
to slap 250,0001 b of bread and 10,000 gallons of rum for
use of the forces at Malta.

PEMBROKE.
The 27th of next month is named as the probable day
for the launch of the Curacoa. She is a screw steam.
frigate of 30 guns, and is in an extremely forward state.
Ber engines are of the nominal power of 350 horses, aud,
have been contracted for by Messrs. Maudslay and Field.
This steam-frigate forms one of a class in which the navy
akt present is rather deficient, being the medium between
the heavily armed 50-gun frigates—viz., Imperieuse,
zuryalus, &c., and the 16 and 18-gun steamers, such as
the Leopard, Odin, and Valorous.
Tye Ranier, screw, 10 guns, is to be sent afloat in
Ma.
The -Victoria, 116 guns, and Brunswick, 80 guns, sail-
*g ships of the line, are complete ; but it is not ex-
pected that they will be launched until they have been
tr.eP %red for the screw. The general belief is, that the
will be lengthened for that purpose.
Sees" screw ships are now in course of construction
at this building-yard.
The,
be chatiing f
60011 or the Royal dockyard corps will
limed .
The summer drills will commence next
month, when The amensummer may be expected to undergo a
regular practice he great guns. Upwards are
biz of 700
enrolled, the ai.4me
corapanies being each armed with
oft 9-pounder "gueerY.

SREE
The Lords of the kdroirai, IINESS, Kam 18.
issued here, inviting able l'7abv-ve ordered notices to be
may,
if
the
Bdeasltirice flite,etb,evridtish.
which
are
to
farm
the North zean to enter for the ships
Gs stipulation that they
searoenars. atreeto be entered
charged at the end of the present yeeir
No second class ordinary
uader this especial regulation, nor
(except of the very best description.
ships,
that
lass ordinary,
The Lords of the Admiralty have n" ordered
facer:tilt
all paymasters appointed to her Majesty's
duty as clerks, are to be allowed pay anad::::::: edior
junior paymasters. This subject has bee* underinltlei as
Jordships' consideration for some time,
ha been anxiously looked for by that class of o
all naval ports. at
The Rosamond, 6 guns, paddle-wheel steam-sloop,
Commander George Wodehouse, has entered her cons.
pigment of seamen within a few petty officers. She has
• first-rate crew, and the officers have been ender the
necessity of rejecting a number of ordinaries, who would
has* volunteered for her had she not completed her
complement of that class.
The Horatio, 24 guns, screw steam guard-ship, Com-
mander Robert Jenner, has now more than 100 first
and second class ordinaries, most of whom are ready for
active service, when wanted.
. Two boatswains, Mr. Gardener and Mr. Flintham,
both late serving in the Wellington, and one gunner,
Mr. Mogford, late serving in the Excellent, have been
appointed to do duty in this ship (and have joined), is
lieu of quarter-deck petty officers. Mr. Readerson,

The telegraphic intelligence of Saturday has some-
what quickened the active exertions of the authorities
to fit out the fleet and to provide the means of trans-
port for the troops north and east.
The question, however, of the declaration of war de-
pends upon whether the ultimatissimum of the Czar is
accompanied by any counter-propositions or not. The
Government, we believe, do not expect the reply to their
last not• for three or four days.
Should there be counter propositions a suspension of
the warlike preparations may be expected.
Neither Lord Raglan nor the Duke of Cambridge
have as yet received orders to leave England on any
particular day.

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 19.
The Neptune, 120, Captain Hutton, flag of Rear-72-
mind' Corry, arrived in the Downs at 2 p.m. on Friday,
and sailed at midnight for Wingo Sound, accompanied
by the Monarch, 84, Captain Erskine Vulture, 6, Cap-
tain Glasse, and Bulldog, 6, Captain Erskine,
K. Hall. As
this was the first commission of the Neptune, her sailing
qualities were moat anxiously watched by all on board,
and we are happy to hear all feel gratified at her per-
formances. She sails fast, is very stiff, works remarkably
easy, and exhibits all the characteristics of a very supe-
rior ship, so far as an opinion can be formed from the
short service she has yet rendered at sea.
The St. George, 121, Captain Eyres, C. 8., arrived at
St. Helen's on Friday night from Devonport, and was
towed up to Spithead yesterday morning by the Desperate.
Every preparation was made yesterday for despatching
a squadron of four sail from Spithead to reinforce the
fleet of Sir Charles Napier this morning. The Odin, 16,
paddle-frigate, Captain Scott, steamed out of harbour to
Spithead yesterday afternoon to ship her powder and her
North Sea pilot. The Desperate, 8, Captain Chambers,
received a full stowage of coal from the floating depot.
The Cruiser, 41, screw-sloop, Commander the Hon. G.
EL Douglas, was paid wages ; and the Boscawen, 70,
Captain Glanville, was ordered to take in a spare screw
for the St. Jean d'Acre, and to secure her mainyard for
that purpose. But an accident in slinging the propeller,
we believe, caused the carrying away of about 20 feet of
the mainyard, and stopped the shipment of the metal
and the sailing of the ship. A new mainyard was sent
to the Boscawen at Spithead this morning, which she is
getting up. When fitted she will leave for the rendez-
vous, with the Desperate. The Odin and Cruiser weighed
and left for the rendezvous at half-past 7 and 9 o'clock.
The Penelope, is, paddle-wheel steam-frigate, Captain
Lystor,just returned after a three years' commission from
the coast of Africa, is, we believe, to be paid off.
The steam-packet Duke of Cornwall arrived yesterday
morning from Ireland with 290 volunteers from the 72d,
20th, lst, 2d, 3d, 40th, and Rifles, and landed them at
this dockyard. They have volunteered to complete the
42d and 79th Regiments. Captain Norman and Lieute-
nant Atkinson of the 72d came in charge of them.
The officers who have passed examinations qualifying
to command vessels this quarter, after the study of the
marine steam-engine and its practical working, are the
following :
At the Royal Naval College—Commander 0. J. Jones,
Second Lieutenant F. G. Halliday, R.M. ; Commander
G. T. M. Purvis, and Commander John 0. Bathurst.
At the steam-factory, Woolwich dockyard.—Captains
H. Caldwell and Wilson, and Commander E. D'O. D'A.
Aplin.
The Desperate, 8, screw-corvette, Captain Chambers,
arrived at Spithead on Friday morning from Devonport,
with Mr. Biddlecombe, the Master of the Fleet of Sir
Charles Napier, on board. After lying to until this
afternoon, when the Queen passed, she proceeded for the
rendezvous, Wingo Sound. Her Majesty, in the Fairy,
came through the squadron at three o'clock this afternoon
on her return to town, and was loudly cheered by the
seamen on the yards of the ships, each ship's band playing
the National A nthem, and a Royal salute being fired.
The Gorgon, 6, paddle steam-sloop, Commander Cum-
ming, has been completed for sea and placed in the harbour
ready for service. The St. Vincent, 101, Captain Scott,
has got her lower rigging over her mastheads, and her masts
and other gear have been got in readiness for her to ship.
She will snake rapid progress in her equipment, every-
thing having been fitted by the dockyard riggers a year
or two ago, when she was prepared as if for commission,
but for some reason was unrigged, dismantled, and placed
in ordinary under hare poles. The Scourge, 6, paddle-
wheel sloop, has been repaired, having had new upper
-works, &c. The Conway, 26, Captain Fulford, has got
her topmasts up, and her rigging nearly fitted. Captain
W. H. Hall has arrived, and commissioned the Hecla,
etearn-sloop for service in the Baltic.
The Admiralty charts of the Baltic have just been
completed with the very latest soundings marked, and
they are this day out. Each ship of the Baltic fleet will
be supplied with three copies.
The Frolic, 16, first-class sailing sloop, Commander
Nolloth, commissioned for the South Australian station,
has had her destination changed. She sails this day for
Gibraltar, to await further orders for the Mediterranean