The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-13 00:00:00

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No. 19,177.]

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 13, 1854.

NOTIC E.
BURKES' PEERAGE and BARONETAGE,
For 1854. __ .

depot of the 92d Highlanders, stationed at Galway,
arrived here yesterday by railway, and proceeded to the
Linenhall-barracks, where they remained for the night,
and will embark at the North-wall this day. Of the
above number, 19 are for the .42d Highlanders, sta-
tioned at Gosport, and 113 for the 79th Highlanders,
stationed at Portsmouth. These gallant fellows ap-
peared in the highest spirits, and looked extremely well.
They are accompanied by Captain W. C. Lyon, Lieut.
J. E. W. Leith, two serjeants, and two corporals, who
will conduct them to their respective regiments. The
depot has been left a complete skeleton, as there was not
one effective soldier present who did not volunteer to
join the regiments destined for the seat of war. Three
companies of the 27th Regiment arrived also last even-
ing in Dublin, The other companies of the last-named
regiment are expected to arrive in Dublin this day. The
Rev. Michael Cuffe, Roman Catholic chaplain of
Graogegorrnan Penitentiary, has been appointed one of
the chaplains to the British expeditionary army ,to the
East.

The Revised and Improved Edition of
TIIE PEERAGE AND BARONET %GE FOR 1854.
By SIR BERN:VW BURKE,
Ulster King of Arms.
Is now rca ,y at ail toe Booksellers.
Published for Henry Colburn, by hi*tUCC,StiOls, burst and Blackett
13, Great 11Iarlborou,h-street.

Starboard line. Port line.
Duke of Wellington. Edinburgh.
St. Jean d'Acre. Rogue.
Royal George. Blenheim.
Princess Royal. Ajax.
Impdrieuse. Tribune.
Arrogant. Amphion.
The paddle-wheels by themselves—
Leopard Valorous. Dragon.

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wind were the fair accompaniments of the naval force
which to-day set out from Spithead. The day itself,
too, was propitious, and the Admiral was eager to get
to sea, as what man worthy of a command like his
would not be under the circumstances ? The Mayor,
Aldernien, and Town-council of Portsmouth, however,
had determined to present him an address, and half-past
ten o'clock was fired upon by Sir Charles for receiving
it. At that hour he proceeded to the Guildhall cheered
and followed by crowds. There the Mayor addressed
him as follows :

" Sir Charles,—lt becomes my duty to announce to you
that the town-council of this ancient borough have resolved
to present an address to you on your embarking from these
shores to lead lier Majesty's fleet, and as we sincerely, most
sincerely, trust, to add fresh triumphs to the list of those
glorious victories which have shed imperishable lustre on
the British navy. We further trust that, if it please God,
you may be the instrument for producing in the mind of
the Sovereign of Russia such impressions as will induce
him to yield to the peaceful suggestions of united Europe,
and to desist from those schemes of aggression which now
appear to lead him onward. But whether you return as
the triumphant warrior or the harbinger of a peaceful set-
tlement of the Eastern question, considering that your
career stamps you as owe of the greatest men of the age,
we have great plea.sur Charles,_ in tendering to you
our deepest respect is occasii you are about
to lead forward to action the. • v- members of that
service of which you are so ed an ornament."
(Loud cheers.)
The Town clerk then read and presented to Sir Charles
the followinwidtle*
" To VICE-ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES NAPIER, K.C.B.

" Sir Charles,—We, the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses
of the ancient borough of Portsmouth, having learnt that
you were about to embark from our port to take command
of the powerful fleet destined for the Baltic Sea (to which
distinguished position you have been appointed by the
favour of her Most Gracious Majesty), are anxious, ere you
leave the British shores for the pro scene of actual
conflict with that,Pewerwhich has 71.)t1y characterised
asecommon
the neMy of Europe,' in defence of the just
and honourable cause which this nation, in conjunction
with its allies, has espoused, to express our earnest hopes
that you will be enabled, if the necessity arrives, to lead
the mighty armaments of which you have the command to
some great and glorious victory, and thus compel the auto-
crat who has so wantonly disturbed the peace of the world
to appreciate the courage and resources of England and
France united, which he has hitherto dared to set so com-
pletely at defiance.
" Great indeed is the responsibility which rests on you,
and great are the expectations and anxieties with which
the British people will be filled while you are engaged in
the difficult and perhaps perilous duties to which your
Queen and country call you. In those duties may the God
of battles aid and prosper you ; and may the combined
force under your control, fighting in cordial union in a
righteous cause, succeed in materially assisting to bring
the warfare to a speedy and decisive issue !

"You, and theequally brave and gallant men who will
rally round yon, will have the earnest aspirations not only
of the inhabitants of this borough, but of the whole people
of the United Kingdom. We wish you ' God speed ! and
pray that the war which has been thus needlessly forced
upon Europe may eventually result in a still more lasting
peace, check the barbarous policy of aggression, and pro-
mote the civilisation of the world.

" Given under the common seal of the borough, this 14th
day of March, 1854.

"G. C. STIGANT, Mayor."
Sir Charles Napier, who was vociferously cheered,
said, in reply,—
"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen—When I tell yon that I
have had only 24 hours to get ready to go afloat you will
not be surprised if I decline to make a long speech ; how-
ever, I beg to thank yon for this very kind and handsome
address. I believe it is not usual when a man goes abroad
to have addresses of this kind presented to him, but all I
can say is this—that I will do the best I can to prevent
the British flag from being tarnished. I know a great
deal is expected from the fleet, but, gentlemen, you must
not expect too much. (Cheers.) We are going to meet no
common enemy ; we are going to meet an enemy well pre-
pared. lam sure every officer and man in the fleet will
do his duty gloriously ; but, at the same time, I warn you
again that you must not expect too much. (Cheers.)
The fleet is a new one ; the system of warfare is new ;
great consideration is required to ascertain how it is best
to manage a fleet urged by steam. The system of warfare
is entirely different now to what is was formerly ; but we
will do our beat—(cheers)—and lam sure I shall remem-
ber to the last day of my life the kindness of the people of
Portsmouth." (Loud cheers.)
While the Admiral, having given this reply, returned
to the George Hotel, the Corporation in their robes
went in formal procession to the Victoria Pier in order
to be present at his embarcation. Sir Charles, again
enthusiastically cheered on his way, arrived there about
11 o'clock. So great was the pressure around him and
the few private friends who accompanied him, that he
had considerable difficulty in getting to the pier-head,
and here again his evident impatience to be afloat was
arrested by a patriotic silversmith, who, seizing him
by the hand, with great earnestness of manner, repeated
those good wishes on behalf of the inhabitants which had
already been expressed at the Town-hall. The Sprightly
had been appointed to take Sir Charles on board his
flag-ship, hut she could neither get alongside the pier
herself nor could her boats for some time approach it.
An obstinate excursion steamer, with the classic name of
Pyrrhus, would stick in the way, and there were dozens
of smaller craft that would intrude, despite all orders to
the contrary. At length, however, lie got safely off, and
the Sprightly, after nearly crushinLr a pilot-boat filled
with sailors' wives and children that lay in the way, put
him on board the Duke of Wellington. From the Plat-
form Batt€ry and every other point on the Portsmouth
shore which commanded a view of the embarkation loud
cheers resounded, and the old Admiral seemed much
affected by the extraordinary marks of sympathy and
confidence towards him thus evinced by his countrymen
as he quitted the soil of England on his perilous and
important mission.

During the entire morning the ships of war had lain
quietly at their anchorage as usual, with nothing appa-
rently to disturb their grand repose. About half-past 9
o'clock they had been joined by the Neptune, Admiral
Corry's flag-ship, which, having been fitted for sea
with incredible speed, was tugged out of harbour by two
steamers in presence of an immense concourse of
people. Shortly afterwards the Black Eagle went
to Spithead, with a distinguished party aboard, and as
noon approached the number of small craft, pilot-boats,
yachts, and excursion steamers in the roadstead in-
creased. Still there was little to indicate that a fleet
was about to set forth on an expedition of such impor-
tance ; no steam up, no sails even partially unfurled ;
and, though there was incessant cheering on the waters,
and the Madrid hung about as if expecting some great
event to come off, the crews of the different ships showed
no unusual activity, except that on board the Duke of
Wellington that red cloth which everywhere betokens
the expected presence of Royally had been laid down to
the main and lower decks. Beyond this the routine
duties appeared to be going ou with undisturbed irregu-
larity, and the ship's company of 1,100 men not pre-
occupied to any extent that could interfere with their
consumption of the substantial soup which poured forth
from huge cauldrons by stopcocks three or four inches
in diameter to supply them with dinner. About a quar-
ter to 1 o'clock the Fairy was observed to leave Cowes,
and for a time her signals were narrowly watched from
the deck of the flag-ship. As she neared the fleet a
Royal salute blazed from each ship with bewildering
effect, " the Duke" setting the example, and being fol-
lowed immediately by the rest. Hardly had the smoke
been rolled off by the west wind, and the roar of the '
guns died away, when those thrilling cheers which the
crews of our navy know so well how to give arose, not
from the yard-arms manned in the formal fashion of
piping peace times, but from the rigging, in which
the men swarmed like bees, while the Marines pre
stinted arms upon each quarter deck, and the bands on
board played the National Anthem. Arrived at
the head of the fleet, the Fairy signalled that her Ma-
jesty would receive the captains of the different ships,
instead of herself visiting the Duke of Wellington, which
seems to have been previously contemplated. In a few
minutes they were on their way to the Royal yacht, and
their boats, added to the other craft afloat, presented a
highly animated picture. Sir Charles Napier, with
Commodore Seymour, Captain of the Fleet, was fore-
most in paying his respects to the Sovereign. As he
went and came he was loudly cheered by thousands of
spectators from crazy old tubs of steamboats, that rolled
about as if they were drunk with the enthusiasm of their
living freights. The other admirals and captains fol-
lowed, and when all were returned, the signal to some
of the nearest ships was given to weigh. Then the huge
sails were quickly shaken out, and it became apparent
that the steam fleet was about to put to sea under can-
vas alone ; and, with all the obvious advantages of
that hidden power which has done so much to rescue
the mariner from the tyranny of the winds and the
waves, it must be confessed that, to see ships in their
beauty and majesty, the invention of Daedalus still
bears the palm over that of James Watt. It was
nearly two o'clock before the first signal to weigh was
given from the huge flagship of the Commander-in-
Chief, and by three she herself had left the anchorage.
The St. Jean d'Acre went first, then the Tribune,
Imp4rieuse Blenheim, Amphion, Valorous, Prin-
cess Royal, Edinburgh, Ajax, Arrogant, Dragon,
and Hogue, in the order stated. The Royal George and
the Duke of Wellington followed, the clear sunlight
brightening up their canvas as they glided majestically
onwards. Last of all came the Leopard, under steam
like the rest of the paddle-wheel squadron, while the
screws all weighed under single-reefed topsails, topgal-
lant sails, jib and driver. No strict order of departure
was observed until the ships had got sufficiently on their
way to have ample sea-room for forming double line,
which they did standing to the south-east in the follow-
ing order :

The spectacle presented by this division of the Baltic
fleet as it quitted Spithead was one which will not readily
be forgotten by those who witnessed it. The Fairy,
having accompanied the first part of the division for se-
veral miles, was stopped, and the Queen, with a regular
itotilla of boats and steamers around her yacht, Day? ship