The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-31 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Captain Lord Edward Russell (1833), in command of
the Vengeance, 84, on the Mediterranean and Black Sea
station, to be Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen.
Captain Henry J. Codrington, C.B. (1836), in com-
mand of the Royal George, 120, screw steam-ship, on
tier way home from the Baltic, to be Naval Aide-de-
Camp to the Queen.
Captain Thomas Birch (1850), to command the Esk,
20, screw steam-corvette, commissioned yesterday at
Woolwich.

Captain Hugh Dunlop (1850), to command the Tartar,
20, screw steam-corvette, commissioned yesterday at
Chatham,

Second Master Jaraes H. Lawrence (1853), from the
Leopard, 18, paddle-wheel steam-frigate at Portsmouth,
to the Britannia, 120, flag-ship on the Mediterranean and
Black Sea stations.

Assistant-Surgeon John R. Holman (1847), recently
serving in the Phcenix screw steam-sloop, to Greenwich
Hospital.
Acting Assistant-Surgeon W. S. Roche, to the Snake
screw steam despatch gun-boat, at Woolwich.

THE GUN BOATS-TRIAL OF THE PELTER'S
ARMAMENT.

The Pelter, 2, screw gun-boat, 60-horse-power, the
first of her class, on her voyage from the river to Ports-
mouth, called in at Dover on Monday last, took on
board Captain Julius Roberts, R.M.A., and proceeded
into the Channel to make experiment on her high pres-
sure locomotive engines, armaments, &c. Two 8-inch
65 cwt. guns were taken out of her, and an 8-inch
95 cwt. gun (not Lancaster's), throwing solid shot and
shell, put forward in her, with the requisite ammuni-
tion, besides
.two howitzers abaft to make up her pre-
vious weights, and, with the authorities on board, she
proceeded to the Needles to try the heavier armament
and her qualities under sail. A. number of solid shot
and shell were fired with beautiful precision while under
steam, her speed being nine knots, and her draught of
water Gft. 6 in. The yrcaut space left by the 65 cwt.
gun it was decided by these trials might at any moment
be occupied by an additional 8 in. 95 cwt. gun from the
line-of-tattle ship to which she with others would be at-
tached—thus rendering her, while a mere speck upon
the water; with her little masts lowered, and at her ex-
I trerne range, a most formidable opponent. The remainder
I of her c!ass will be forwarded with despatch.

The Wrang'er, screw wan-boat, will undock
and haul out of the fitting basin, Portsmouth, on Wed-
nesday.

THE AUSTERLITZ.

The French screw line-of-battle ship Austerlitz, from
the Baltic, steamed into Sheerness harbour yesterday,
fired a Royal salute to the port, with the English
standard flying at the foretopgallantinast head and the
flying jib set, according to the French nautical custom of
salutie,. The flag-ship returned the salute. Shortly
after the Austerlitz fired a Royal salute f-.r the fort,
..hich was returned by the land garrison saluting bat-
tery. Previous to these salutes a salute was fired in
honour of the Commander-in-Chief's flag, which was re-
turned by the flag ship with a full salute, in accordance
with the rank of the captain in command of the Auster-
litz. This ship, it will be remembered, shared the same
fate as some of our own ships of war serving in the
Balti3. By pushing on with our ships, side by side,
she ran on one of the many sunken rocks in enter-
ing the Gulf of Finland ; and, in order to lighten
the ship forty-five of her guns were thrown overboard,
by which, after a detention of about two hours, she was
got off, and proceeded. She left Wingo Sound on the
231 of this month at 9 a.m., and proceeded home-
ward-bound in company with the French Admiral's
ship Inflexible. Thee Fated company on the 27th, and
on the 28th saw the Inflexible at the back of Yarmouth
Sands. The Admiral's ship was proceeding for the
Downs. The Austerlitz arrived at the Nore on Sunday,
at 2p m. A guard of honour of the Royal Artillery
was in attendance at the Admiral's-stairs to receive the
captain's gig from the Austerlitz. Captain-Superinten-
dent John Jervis Tucker, accompanied by his Com-
mander, Josiah Thompson, of the Formidable, 84. guns,
went on board to welcome the arrival of the ship, also
officially, as the Captain-Superintendent of the Royal
Dockyard at Sheerness. Commander John B. Marsh,
of the Waterloo, also paid an official visit to the Aus-
terlitz. Captains Cannon and Forbes, of the Royal Ar-
tillery, in garrison, paid a visit to the captain and officers
of this ship, and in the after part of the day the principal
part of the ward-room officers of the Royal Albert paid
them a visit, and invited the ward-room officers of the
Austerlitz to dine on board the Royal Albert. Every
one, both of the navy and army, seems to vie with the
other who shall first be favoured with the company of
their French brothers in arms. The upper deck of this
ship, from stem to stern, is a fighting deck, flush fore
and aft. Her middle deck mounts short 32-pounders,
and she has 82-pounders on her lower deck. She has a
very heavy armament; and a crew fully efficient to work
her guns. She lost 75 of her crew by cholera. Her
officers and crew at present are all well.