The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-02 00:00:00

[pßicE SD.

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR•

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 1.

The Simoom, screw troop-frigate, Captain Smith,
steamed out of harbour this day about noon, with the
Ist Battalion of the Scots Fusilier Guards on board for
Malta. Thousands of the inhabitants crowded the walls
of the garrison and the Victoria and Albert Piers to give
a parting cheer to the gallant Fusiliers as they emerged
from the mouth of the harbour.
ARRIVAL OF REAR-ADMIRAL CORR,Y.

The Odin, 16, steam-frigate, Captain Scott, arrived at
Spithead this morning between seven and eight o'clock
from Dover, whether she had been ordered by Rear-Ad-
miral Corry to precede him on parting company with
him on the 23d ult., in lat. 44 N., long. 13 W., at noon.
She saluted the flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the
port, and then Captain Scbtt came in to deliver the list
of defects of the squadron which he had been furnished
with prior to leaving. The squadron hove in sight at
noon to-day round Bembridge-ledge, and stood up for
Spithead, where they anchored at half-past one. The
Prince Regent was towed by the Imperieuse. The
squadron was ordered, by signal, not to moor. The
Admiral was making direct to the Downs when he was
signalled last night, about seven o'clock, by the steamer
sent in search of him, who bore down and gave the Ad.
miral the new orders to make all speed for this port,
where we now have anchored—

Guns.

The Princess Royal, Captain Lord Clarence
Paget, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles
Napier, K.C.B. 9l
The Prince Regent, Captain Hutton, flag of
Rear-Admiral of the White A. L. Corry 9O
The Blenheim, Captain Hewlett, flag of Rear-
Admiral of the Blue H. D. Chads, C.B 6O
The St. Jean D'Acre, Captain the Hon. Henry
Keppel lOl
The Boscawen, Captain Glanville
The Hogue, Captain Ramsay 6O
The Imperieuse, Captain Watson, C.B M
The Arrogant, Captain Yelverton 47
The Amphion, Captain A. C. Key 34
The Tribune, Captain the Hon. S. T. Carnegie 30
The Odin, Captain F. Scott l6
The Magicienne, Captain Fisher.
The Valorous, Captain C. H. M. Buckle .... 16
The Dragon, Captain Willcox 6
The Frolic, Commander Nolloth l6

Rear-Admiral Corry's division unmoored at Lisbon on
the 15th at 10.30 a.m., and proceeded down the Tagus,with
a strong breeze from E.N.E., in company with the Prince
Regent, the Duke of Wellington, the St. Jean d'Acre, the
Arrogant, the Tribune, the Amphion, the Valorous, the
Odin, and the Tmperieuse, it stood to the north-westward
to the 17th degree of longitude, when, the wind fall-
ing light, and drawing to the northward, it tacked
and stood to the E.N.E. ; weather very fine ; barometer,
30.50. On Tuesday, 21st, the squadron hove to, laid
out targets, and exercised firing shot and shell. Wed-
nesday, 22d, wind north, 3 to 4, exercised firing at tar-
gets with musketry. Thursday, 23d, wind N.E. and
by E., to 4. Friday, 24th, wind eastwardly and light,
barometer 30.70 ; every appearance of a continuation of
light winds and calms ; exercised general quarters, after
which the Admiral gave orders for the Valorous, the
Duke of Wellington, the Arrogant, and the Tribune to
get up steam and prepare to tow, at 5 p.m. of that day.
The Prince Regent was taken in tow by the Valorous,
the St. Jean d'Acre by the Tribune, and the Amphion
by the Arrogant. Saturday, 25th, calm, with a high
broadside swell ; the Tribune and the St. Jean d'Acre
nine miles astern ; squadron at slow speed to allow them
to come up, and as the Tribune could not tow the St.
Jean d'Acre more than from four to six knots, the Im-
perieuse was ordered to take her place, which was done
at 3.15 p.m., and, in getting into station (astern of the
Duke of Wellington) now towing the Tribune, towed
the St. Jean d'Acre at the rate of 71 miles per hour.
Monday, 27th, the wind springing up from the north-
ward, at 7 a.m. the steamers all cast off, and made sail,
after having towed their respective ships about 225 miles.
At sunset off the Lizard, the Duke of Wellington parted
company for Plymouth ; the rest of the ships steered on to
the eastward ; passing the Start at about 15 miles and
Bill of Portland about 18 miles, wind fell light. At 8
p.m. the Admiral communicated with a steamer. During
the night, calm ; squadron five leagues to the south-east
of St. Catherine's. March I.—The Imperieuse, the
Arrogant, and the St. Jean d'Acre got up steam, the
Imperieuse taking the Prince Regent in tow, the St.
Jean d'Acre the Tribune, and the Valorous the Am-
phion ; the Arrogant by herself.
The Tribune and the Imperieuse showed their superi-
ority over all the others in point of sailing, but the Duke
of Wellington and the St. Jean d'Acre are splendid
ships.

The victualling of the fleet has 'commenced, and Spit-
head and the harbour channel are studded with lighters,
powder hoys, water vessels, steam tenders, boats,
wherries, and all kinds of craft. All leave has been prohi-
bited to the crews of the fleet at Spithead. and the work
of storing and equipping for war i, going on iu every di-
rection. The whole of the ships at the anchorage, before
the arrival of Rear-Admiral Corry's squadron, were

practised daily in great gunnery by Rear-Admiral
Signal having been made by order of the Commander-
in-Chief, Sir Charles Napier, to follow the movements
of the Edinburgh, Rear-Admiral Chads consequently
ordered every commanding-officer to cause the first
and second captains of guns to fire four rounds
each at a target moored at 800 yards, and to report
to him the time in which it was done by each ship. This
has displayed some splendid practice in gunnery. The
Dragon was particularly skilful with her 84-pounders,
having struck the bull's-eye twice, and struck the target
several times, her last shot knocking it away. The
practice, generally, was admirable. As the first impor-
tant preliminary to a state of actual war, the Admi-
ralty have issued new code signal-books to the fleet,
which come into use this day. In a few more days
double the number of ships now here will be at Spit-
head, presenting the grandest fleet in power and charac-
ter ever assembled at this or any other port.

WOOLWICH, MARCH 1.
ROYAL ARTILLERY.

Captain Romer's company, 7th battalion, recently re-
turned from foreign service at the Cape of Good Hope,
left the garrison yesterday morning, at an early hour,
and proceeded from the Arsenal station of the North
Kent Railway to Strood, and thence took passage in one
of the steamers for Sheerness, to relieve Captain Adye's
company, 9th battalion ; and the latter passed the dock-
yard station of the North Kent Railway at 10 minutes
before 12, noon, in a special train, from Strood to Lon-
don, en route to Eastbourne, to relieve Captain J. Tur-
ner's company, under orders to return to head-quarters,
to form part of the second division of artillery, under
orders for service in the East. Captain Turner's com-
pany joined head-quarters at 2 p.m. same day,
Captain George B. Shakespeare's company, 3d batta-
lion, left the garrison at 7 o'clock a.m. to-day to relieve
Captain Adair's company, sth battalion. at Manchester
and Leeds ; and the latter proceeded to-day to Ports-
mouth to relieve Major C. C. Young's company, 12th
battalion, under orders to return to head-quarters at
Woolwich, and they will arrive in garrison this evening.
The Master-General has sanctioned an exchange of
companies between Captain Harrison, of the 11th batta-
lion, and Captain Barker, of the 6th battalion, Royal
Artillery.
Lieut.-Colonel E. C. Warde has taken the command
of the 4th battalion ; Lieut.-Colonel Flude of the Bth
battalion ; and Lieut.-Colonel Shone of the 13th batta-
lion, consequent on the recent promotions, dated Feb. 21.

GENERAL ORDER.

Deputy Adjutant General's-office,
Woolwich, Feb. 22.
. .

The Master-General has appointed the following offi-
cers to be adjutants provisionally, under the regulations
contained in the General Order of the sth of February,
1826 :

Second Captain C. S. Henry, to the Royal Horse
Artillery, vice Brandling, promoted.
Second Captain F. W. Hastings to the 13th battalion,
by augmentation. In consequence of the above the
under-mentioned officers are posted as follows :
Second Captain Taswell to the 11th battalion, vice
Henry; and Second Captain C. W. Elgee, to the 9th
battalion, vice Hastings.

GENERAL ORDERS.
WOOLWICH, FES. 25.
The following changes have been made on the promoin
tion of Second Captain J. R. Anderson, of Capta
Taylor's troops of Royal Horse Artillery, at Canterbury,
vice Cheetham, retired on full pay:—
His Lordship the Master General has appointed Se-
cond Captain R. Gregory to the Royal Horse Artillery,
vice Anderson, promoted.
Second Captain Carthew is th?refoFe posted to Captain
Campbell's company, sth battalion, in the room of Se-
cond Captain Gregory.

SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 1

Nothing in connection with the embarkation of troops
has occurred at this port since our last report. A
rumour was prevalent in the town and neighbourhood of
the docks yesterday that the General Screw Steam-Ship-
ping Company's steam-ship Queen of the South had been
taken up by the Government for the conveyance of
troops to the East. Although it is very probable that
such a circumstance will eventually take place, yet upon
application at proper quarters for a confirmation of the
report, we find that up to the present time no know-
ledge of the statement has reached Southampton in an
official form. It is only, therefore, to be presumed for
the present, that she will leave, as previously stated, on
the 14th of March, with the usual mails for India, the
Cape, and Mauritius.
The Australasian and Pacific Royal Mail Company's
screw steam-ships Emu and Kangaroo have been char-
tered by the Government for a period of time, not less
than six months, during whch they will be engaged in
any necessary way the Government may think proper.
The Royal Mail Company's steam-ship Magdalena,
which is expected to arrive from the West Indies, with
the usual monthly Mexican and West Indian mails, on
Saturday next, has been taken up for Government pur-
poses. Arrangements will be made by the company to
which she belongs to place her under proper renovation
immediately upon her arriYals so that ilo Woonyenienco