The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-29 00:00:00

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 28,
The threo-decker St. George, 121, Captain Byres, C. 8.,
and the Prince Regent, 90, Captain H. Smith, C.B. (sailing
ships), received orders yesterday afternoon to prepare for
sailing at a moment's warning, and had commenced pre-
parationsfor weighing just after the close of yesterday's
despatch, but they moored again for the night. The St.
George, attended by the Hecla, 6, paddle-wheel sloop, left
Spithead this forenoon for the Baltic. Such was the haste
to get these ships away that the crew of the latter went
without their advance, which was ordered to be paid them
to-day. The St. George and Prince Regent are about 500
short of the complement between them, but their numbers
will be made up as seamen fall in from the sources we
pointed out in our Sunday's report. The Prince Regent is
being paid advance to-day, and shipping stores for the fleet
in the Baltic, with which she will sail, we believe, this
evening. The Magicienne, 16, paddle frigate, Captain
Fisher, will most probably attend upon her; she has her
steam up, and all rea ly.
The James Watt, 91 (screw), Captain George Elliot, ar-
rived at Spithead this morning from Devonport, en route
to the Bttltic. We believe she has disclosed a few defects
on the pas Sage, which she will repair in a day or two, and
then sail to join Sir Charles Napier. She is a remarkably
handsome ship, and appears to be efficiently manned.
The St. Vincent, 101, sailing three-decker, Captain E.
H. Scott, fitting out ostensibly as the ordinary depot ship
in this harbour, is being so thoroughly equipped for sea
that we have no doubt she will be sent to reinforce Sir
Charles Napier when she has got a crew of 900. The Wa-
terloo, 121, flag-ship at Sheerness, will, we believe, not be
kept in reserve, but will be sent to the Baltic.

The James Watt, Magicienne, and Despeiate'were the
only ships at Spithead at 6 o'clock to-night, and the St.
Vincent in harbour, and the Colossus, 80, in dock fitting
for screw machinery, are the only ships now left fitting for
the war service. The Penelope, 16, steam-frigate, is ex-
pected to be recommissioned very shortly, and the trans-
port Resistance is also getting forward.
The Menelaus (44), lazaretto ship, has been towed from
the Motherbank into this harbour to-day—it is reported to
be fitted as a second hospital-ship for the Baltic.
The new 30-gun screw-frigate Curacoa, to be launched
at Pembroke on the 27th proximo, is ordered round to this
port, to be fitted for commission for the war service with
the utmost expedition. Jury rigging is being got ready for
her here ; and a riggers' crew will go hence to rig and navi-
gate her to this port.
The Sphynx, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, in this basin,
will be the next paddle-wheel commissioned, we expect, as
a large party of artificers are employed upon her.
The Prince Regent is now (6 p.m.) under way for the
Downs.

SHEERNESS, 31Aucii 28.
The Driver, 6 guns, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Com-
mander the Hon. Arthur A. Cochrane, left here this day
at 3 p.m. for Harwich and other ports on the east coast
of England, to call for seamen who have volunteered
for the navy., After completing her complement of blue
jackets, she will proceed to the Baltic.
The Rosamond, 6 guns, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Com-
mander George Wodehouse, also left here this day at noon.
She will call at the different ports on the east coast of Eng-
land to receive on board volunteers waiting her arrival. A
number of first-rate merchant seamen at the northern ports
are now volunteering for general service in the navy, all
anxious to join ships destined for the Baltic and the Black
Sea.

The Goliath, 80 guns, now at Chatham, is ordered to be
sent here to be brought for immediate commission.
The Superb, 80 guns, now at Chatham, is also ordered
here to be fitted for commission with all possible despatch.
The Melampns frigate, storeship, has arrived here from
Woolwich. Her crew (seamen riggers) have been returned
to this and Chatham yards, and she is for the present laid
up at her moorings on the west shore.

WOOLWICH, MARCH 28.
Three additional horse transport ships arrived at Wool-
wich to-day from Deptford, and No. 10 was at once triken
into the basin. The others will be taken in to-morrow.
No. 10 is named the Endendale, and being a fine large ship,
60 horses of Captain Fitzmayer's grey horse battery left
the garrison at 2 p.m., and wore embarked in the afternoon.
The remaining horses of the battery will be embarked to-
morrow.