The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-06 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Commander—George H. Gardner (1848), from the
Blenheim, 60, screw steam guard-ship, at Portsmouth,
to the Neptune, 120, guard-ship, of ordinary, at Ports-
mouth.

Lieutenants—J. A. Price (1842), recently serving as
first lieutenant of the Cleopatra, 26, on the East Indies
station, to the Nile, 91, screw steam-ship at Devonport;
George H. H. Greathead (1846), formerly serving as
second lieutenant of the Britannia, 120, flag-ship of
Tice-Admiral J. W. D. Dundas, C. 8., of the English
fleet in the Black Sea, is re-appointed as first lieutenant
to that ship ; Thomas Stackhouse (1853), recently pro-
moted from the first mate of the Britomart, 8, brig on
the west coast of Africa station to the Dragon paddle-
wheel steam-frigate at Portsmouth.
Master—Perceval B. Roberts (1841), to the Illus-
trious, 72, at Portsmouth.

Paymaster—Charles W. Eeles (1845) to the Arrogant,
47, screw steam-frigate of Rear-Admiral Corry's squa-
dron.

Midshipmen—Nowell Salmon, Herbert Hilton, R.
A. Cumberlege, Wtn. M'K. Power, and Henry R.
Wrotisland, to the James Watt, 91, screw steam-ship at
Devonport.

PORTSMOUTH, FRB. 5.

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tered 650 men, which includes 40 returned from the
Thetis, paid down yesterday morning.
The Nile, 90, screw, was commissioned yesterday
afternoon at this port by Com. A. S. Booth. She is to
have a complement of 850 officers and men. The Nile
is one of the three splendid gun-ships designed by Sir
Robt. Seppings before he left the office of Surveyor of the
Navy. The captain has not yet been appointed to her.
The Thetis, 36, frigate, Captain Kuper, was brought
alongside the sheer hulk on Friday, and had her masts
taken out to be examined. Her crew were paid down
at the dockyard yesterday morning, and were granted
six weeks' leave of absence. Many of her crew have
volunteered for the Bulldog, 6, Commander Hall.
The Vulture, 6, steam-frigate, Captain H. H. H.
Glasse, arrived here yesterday at noon from Greenock
and the Isle of Man, with 91 volunteers for the navy,
nearly all of whom are landsmen. She left Greenock of
Wednesday, where she succeeded in entering 79 men,
and from the Isle of Man on Thursday evening, where
she entered llmen. She has lost no men by desertion.
She is ordered to fill up with coals, so as to be in readi-
ness for sea.

The Nautilus, apprentices' brig, Lieut.-Commander
Dolling, arrived last evening from Falmouth with 11
merchant seamen who have volunteered for her Majesty's
service.

The Saracen, 6, surveying vessel, Master-commander
Richards, was paid wages in advance on Friday, and
had her compasses adjusted. She sailed yesterday
morning at ten o'clock for China, but she returned again
in the evening through adverse weather.
The Melampus, 42, arrived from Greenhithe yesterday
morning with machinery for the Algiers, recently
launched. She was towed into harbour by the Confiance
and Pike steam-tugs.
The Camel sailed yesterday morning for Pembroke,
with stores, but she returned again in the evening
through adverse weather.
The Magicienne, 16, steam troop-ship, Capt. Fisher,
was paid wages in advance on Friday, and will leave,
probably, to-day for Spithead. The Hogue, 60, screw,
Captain Ramsay ; and Edinburgh, 58, Captain Hewlett,
are ordered to prepare for sea immediately, and proceed
to Spithead. It is understood these ships are to form
part of the Baltic fleet.
The Racehorse, 140 sloop, will go into the Sound to-
morrow.

The detachment of Royal Marines for the James
Watt, 90, screw, were furnished from this division, and
embarked yesterday morning. The detachment con-
sisted of 113 privates, 2 serjeaats, 2 corporals, 2 drum-
mers, under the command of Captain Hamley. First-
Lieutenant Little and Second-Lieutenant Short also
joined her. The remainder of the detachment was fur-
nished by the artillery companies of this corps, consist-
ing of 1 subaltern, Second-Lieutenant Durnford, 2 ser-
geants, 2 bombardieue, and 30 gunners. One lieuten-
ant, 1 serjeant, 1 corporal, and 18 gunners of the artil-
lery companies, are under orders to proceed to this port
to embark in the Bulldog, and one fifer and seven
privates from this division will complete the detach-
ment for that ship.
11.30 A.M.—The Valorous, 16, steam-frigate, Captain
C. H. M. Buckle, has made her number. It is ex-
pected she is the forerunner of the Lisbon squadron.
The weather at present is so thick and hazy that the
squadron cannot be made out.

WOOLWICH, FEB. 4.

THE ARMY.

The office of lieutenant-governor of the Royal Military
College, Sandhurst, is not, we believe, to be filled up.
There are 46 candidates for the office, but we are in-
formed that the commissioners meditate abolishing it,
and converting the superintendent of studies into a mili-
tary commandant.
Major General Mildmay Fane is appointed to the staff
of the Bengal Army, and Captain Fane, of the 54th,
goes out as his aide-de-camp. Lieutenant Colonel Wil-
liam Cane is appointed Lieutenant Governor of Hong-
Kong. Major General Jervoise is ordered home.
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Carey, of the Cape Rifles,
has been appointed military secretary to Lieutenant
General Jackson, on his way to command the forces at
the Cape of Good Hope. Major Ansell, unattached, has
succeeded to the office of town major of Prince Edwards'
Island. Captain Maude, 3d Foot, has succeeded Captain
Denison as an aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir
W. Reid, Governor of Malta.— United Service Gazette.

We have the pleasure to state that Major General
M'Donald is so far recovered from his recent severe ac-
cident as to be able to take carriage airings. On Friday
the gallant veteran transacted business at the office of
adjutant general, Colonel Williams, at Kilkenny.
THE LATE FLOODS AT CORE.—The Mayor of Cork has
received the following note : _

" Buttevant, Jan. 25.

" Sir,—ln the absence of Captain Mackenzie, I have
taken the liberty of opening your note. I have the honour
to acknowledge the receipt of a chain and medal for
Corporal Chamney, and beg to thank you on his part for
your kind consideration.—l have the honour to be, &c.,
" P. W. Row; Captain 60th Rifles."

MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, AND DEATHS IN

It is stated at Chatham that the Meannee, 80, and the
Wellesley, 72, sailing vessels, are to be immediately
brought forward for commission at that port. Both of
these ships were built at Bombay, of the best teak. The
Meannee was navigated from th• East Indies to Chatham
about three years ago, and has never been in commis-
sion. The Wellesley was launched in 1815, and is 1,746
tons, after the plan of the Cornwallis, 72, also built at
Bombay, in 1813, from a design by the surveyors of the
navy at that period. The last service of the Wellesley
was as flag-ship of Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dundonald,
when commander-in-chief on the North America and
West Indies station, and returned to Chatham, where
she has been laid up in ordinary since she was relieved
by the Cumberland, 70, in 1851. These ships are repre-
sented by naval officers to be admirably adapted, should
their services be required, for navigating the Baltic, as
they are so strongly built, and of comparatively mode-
rate draught of water.
The Majestic, 80, screw steam-ship, built at Chatham,
from a design by Sir William Symonds, and launched in
June last, is ordered to be made ready for commission
immediately at Sheerness, to which port she was taken
to be fitted with her engines of 400 horse power, by
Mandalay, Sons, and Field.
The engines to be put on board the Hannibal are
those that were made for the Greenock iron steam-frigate
of 1,413 tons. They were taken out of the Greenock
previous to that vessel being sold out of the service, and
smaller engines substituted in their place. They were
made of 565 nominal horse power, but are now desig-
nated 450 horse power, and they have never been out of
the factory at Woolwich Dockyard since they were deli-
vered there on being taken out of the Greenock, and
consequently the statement that they were put on board
the Hannibal, but again taken out owing to Mr. Henry
Chatfield, master shipwright, at Deptford dock, being
afraid to launch that ship with them on board, was most
unfounded.

ENGLAND.

Last week the quarterly report of the Registrar Ge-
neral on Marriages, Births, and Deaths, was issued.
This return comprises the births and deaths registered
by 2,191 registrars in all the districts of England during
the autumn quarter, ending December 31st, 1853 ; and
the marriages in 12,039 churches or chapels, about 3,454
registered places of worship unconnected with the esta-
blished church, and 625 superintendent registrars' offices,
in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, 1853.
The marriages in the quarter that ended on September
30 are not only above the average, but the proportion to
the population exceeds any of the proportions previously
recorded. The birthsin the quarter that ended on Dec.
31 are also above the average. The mortality, particu-
larly in towns and cities, is high, and exceeds the mor-
tality in every autumn quarter since 1843, except in
1846-47, when the potato disease commenced, and
diarrhoea and influenza became epidemic.
The returns, therefore, present a mixed result : the
marriages indicate that the circumstances of the great
body of the people were considered by them prosperous.
But the public health has suffered, and is still over the
comit-, year threatened by Asiatic cholera. All the mea-
sures of improvement should therefore be accelerated...

It will be a happy circumstance if the germs of dis-
eases which first affected the potato and the vine, and
other plants, in the year of high temperature, 1846, and
have led to the loss of so much food, should be partially
destroyed by the severe cold that set in at the close of
the year.

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6, 1854.

THE INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany's ship Ripen, Captain R. Moresby, R.N., arrived
at Southampton on Saturday night, and landed the
heavy portion of the East India, China, and Mediter-
ranean mails, in charge of Lieutenant John Parsons,
R.N., Admiralty agent.
The Ripon left Alexandria on the 21st, Malta the 25th,
and Gibraltar the 29th ult. She brings on freight 2
packages specie, 101 boxes oranges, 933 bales and 36
boxes of silk, 170 bales flax, 20 packages elephants'
teeth, and 95 packages sundries. Among the passengers
are Sir Herbert Maddock, Lieutenant-Colonel Arm-
strong, Captain and Mrs. Evans, Captains Rankin and
Jauncey, Lieutenants Davison, St. John, and Garden,
&c.

The mails brought by this steamer were detained five
or six days at Ale ndria, waiting the outward arrival
of the Ripon, which had been delayed by bad weather.
We understand the directors of the Peninsular and
Oriental Company intend, as soon as possible, to ob-
viate these mischances, by placing an extra steamer
on the Southampton and Alexandria line, so as at
all times to have a vessel in reserve at the latter
port for the Indian mail via Suez, ready to start at an
hour's notice for Southampton. In the meantime, it is only
justice to the company to say that the mails have even
now been delivered at Southampton within the official
contract time, and although the mails were detained
so many days in Egypt, yet that occurrence, instead
of being visited upon the company as a fault (as there
has been a disposition in some quarters to consider it),
should be ascribed to its real cause—viz., that tie mails
were brought up to Suez several days before due, owing
to the rapidity and efficiency of the packets belonging
to the company now employed on the other side of the
isthmus.

The alternate monthly mail due on Saturday by the
Ripon from Australia had not arrived, and the greatest
inconvenience is experienced by its non-receipt. It
appears that the steamer appointed to convey these
mails had not reached Point de Galle, Ceylon,
when the homeward packet left. It is considered
certain, however, that the next steamer, the Himalaya,
due at Southampton on the 20th instant, will be
the bearer of the missing advices, the Marseilles por-
tion of which may be expected to reach London on or
before the 13th inst., and the telegraphic despatch in
anticipation of which may be looked for via Trieste on
the 10th inst. The dates expected on this occasion will
probably be from Sydney, Nov. 20 ; Port Philip, Nov.
24 ; Adelaide, Nov. 27 ; St. George's Sound, Dec. 2.
The company's fine screw steam-ship Madras, of 1,200
tons, and 270-horse power, has been ordered to be at
Singapore, to be in readiness to meet the outward
Australian mail, despatched from Southampton in Janu-
ary, and the Norna, of 1,100 tons and 250-horse power,
will be at Singapore in time for the outward mail of the
4th of March ; and these two vessels will thereafter take
the places of the steamers Chusan and Shanghai, which
have hitherto performed the branch mail service to and
from Australia. The superior speed and power of the
Madras and Norna will, it is confidently hoped, for the
future provide for the regularity and punctuality of the
eastern route to Australia.

THE GREAT SCREW SEW HIMALAYA

We have been favoured with the following account of
the Himalaya's voyage as far as Gibraltar by a gentle-
man on board. Another letter has been sent home
which confirms all that is here stated, and adds that for
seven successive hours the ship ran " off the reel" 15
knots an hour. Her performances were such as to
inspire the utmost confidence in her immense strength
and capabilities.

" Himalaya, Gibraltar, Jan. 26.
" Dear Sir,—According to your wish I send you a short
account of the passage thus far of this splendid speci-
men of naval architecture, and when I tell you th at
we have encountered most tempestuous weather from
the time we left Southampton till we got to Cape
Finisterre, 600 miles ; that we were stopped for
twenty-four hours, at different times, by a heated bear-
ing, and have still made the passage in 6 days (1,150 miles),
you will agree with me, and many others, in thinking
that the principle of long ships and large ones is fully
established as being far superior to smaller-sized vessels.
I can only assure you that this ship is without any ex-
ception the easiest and the fastest on any point of sailing
or steaming I ever was on board of. We left the
Needles right in the teeth of a bard south gale, which
increased and continued down the Channel and across
the Bay. Away she went tearing through it at 11 and
12 knots an hour, and when the fore and aft canvas was
got on ber for a short time, with the sheets hauled flat
aft, she rushed along as steady and upright as though it
were only blowing a moderate breeze. Sailing ships
were running before it under close-reefed topsails and
fore course, so that you may guess it was blowing "a
few."

" After rounding Cape Finisterre, we got a favourable
breeze down the coast to Cape St. Vincent, and under
her three topsails (single reefed), fore course, and fore
and aft sails, she banged along 14 or 15 knots an hour,
and so steadily you could scarcely tell there was a screw
at work.

STATE OF TRADE.

(From the Manchester Guardian of Saturday.)

MANCHESTER, Feb. 3.—On Thursday our Exchange
was less gloomy than on Tuesday, when everybody
was electrified by an early telegraphic summary
of a very warlike speech delivered by her Majesty
on that day ; but which really proved to be as mild as
it was firm in its tone. Although the advices from India
and China, received in • the earlier part of the week,
are considered unfavourable, there surely must be some
encouragement in prospect, for the merchants have been
making fair purchases of goods, especially in the lighter
qualities ; and also of mule and water twist. For
Canada there has continued to be a demand. Doubled
yarns are in good request. and rather dearer, except
fine numbers, which are scarce and firm.
BRADFORD, Feb. 2. —Wool-----The dullness noticed far
several weeks past still continues. Yaris—We cannot
report any improvement in this branch. The contracts
entered into for the month are only on a limited scale.
Pieces—There has been an average attendance of buyers
at our market to-day, but we cannot learn that any
marked difference exists between to-day and the previous
markets.

NOTTINGHAM, Feb. 2.—There is not any improve-
ment in the state of either the hosiery or lace trades
since our last report.

LEICESTER, Feb. 2.—The demand for worsted goods
is very lintited,—sales being only effected for sorting
up stocks, manufacturers are producing Cautiously, and
not having heavy stocks on hand the trade is kept
healthy, and no amount of job goods are forced into the
market.

THE WOOLLEN TRADE.

(From the Leeds Mercury of Saturday. )

LEEDS, Feb. 3.—There was a:very fair business done
in the cloth halls on Saturday, but on Tuesday the mar-
ket was generally flat and dull. Prices remain without
alteration, and stocks within a moderate compass.
ROCHDALE, Jan. 30.—We have had a very quiet mar-
ket to-day in flannels ; the merchants show no disposi-
tion to purchase at the present time. The demand for
kerseys continues good at fair prices. The wool market
is inactive.

HIIDDERSFIELD, Jan. 31—The market has generally
been quiet to-day. There has been very little doing in
fancy waistcoatings, new patterns being mainly asked
for. The wool trade has been quiet during the week.
BRADFORD, Feb. I—The dullness of several weeks
still continues. Sales are effected only by some conces-
sion in price. Full rates are got for noils and brokes.
Yarns—The trade perplexing and profitless. Pieces—
No alteration for the better.

HALIFAX, Jan. 28.--There has been but a poor call
for piece goods to-day. In yarns a fair trade. Wools
are in better supply, and prices rather in favour of the
buyers.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

MALTON MEETIN
The MALTON HANDICAP. I
before Feb. 8. 2

Age st. lb.
Daniel O'Rourke . 5 8 5
Songstress ...... 5 8 3
Vindex 4 7 12
Lerrywheut 5 7 9
Grapeshot 4 7 9
Little Fawn ..., 6 7 8
Lough Bawn 6 7 8
St. Michael 5 7 7
Brocket 4 7 6
Windsucker 5 7 6
Catherine Parr 4 7 4
Lord Fauconberg. 4 7 4
Colsterdale 6 7 4
Tonic 6 7 3
Cleveland 5 7 2
Dove 4 7 2
Honey-dew 4 7 0
Janey 4 7 0
Billy Richardson 5 7 0
Ammonia 5 6 12
Hobby-Horse 4 6 12
Heapy 4 6 12
Braxy 5 6 11
Captain Cornish 4 6 10
Provost Marshal 4 6 9
Miss Agnes 4 6 9
Should the highest weight
it will bo raised to that wei,
tion.

*G.—A PRIL 27 and 28.
Forfeits to be declared on or
miles. 51 subs.

Age st. lb.
St. Andrew 4 6 7
Cabin Boy 4 6 5
Miss Peddie 4 6 5
The Collier 5 6 4
Bracken 3 6 2
The Event 5 6 2
Birdtrap 4 6 2
Merry Monk 3 6 0
Twinkle 3 5 12
The President 3 5 12
Queen's Own 3 5 10
Skinningrove 3 5 10
El Dorado..., 3 5 10
King Alfred 3 5 9
Streatlam Fairy 3 5 7
The Jewess .. 3 5 7
Miss Sellon
Diligent
Phoenix 3 5 3
Bright Phoebus...: 3 5 2
Jetty Treffz..
Andromache 3 4 12
Monimia 3 4 10
Antonia 3 4 10
Penitent 3 4 7

accepting be under Bst 51b,
;lit, and the rest in propor-

The CONVIVIAL HANDICAP. Forfeits to be declared on