The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-31 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIB,—In The Sun of the 22d ult., a letter appeared
headed "Gun-Boats," signed " Nauticus," censuring the
Times for not sooner advocating gun-boats of lighter
draught of water being sent into the Danube, when one
Pruth, or one Nix or Salamander would now destroy;
without much trouble, or without any risk, the whole
Russian flotilla in the Danube, and secure to the allies
the command of the river for good, and such a
vessel need not have waited for the clearing of the
Sulina mouth of the Danube. The following may, per-
haps, show that the Times has (as usual) been with the
Government in not acting on, or advocating any mea-
sures which would be of service to the Turkish empire,
by crippling Russia, and tending to insure the imme-
diate tranquillity of Europe.
More than four months since the Admiralty declined
the means offered, giving them the exclusive and un-
controhed command of the Danube, by lifting any num-
ber of screw steam-frigates, not only over the bar at the
mouth, but also over any shoal they might meet with in
the river, thereby preventing the Russians bridging or
crossing the river.
A patented invention for lifting vessels of any size or
force was submitted to the Admiralty, without stipula-
tion, or any remuneration of gain whatever, and in-
spected by officers named by them at Greenhithe, where
a steamer of 200 tons, deeply laden for the occasion, of
twenty feet beam, was lifted to half her draught of water,
and a remark made by the naval officers then on board,
that the same buoyant power, if applied to H.M.S.
Archer (steam-screw-frigate, laying there) would have
lifted her eight feet ; and I find on inquiry, that offers
have been made to lift any ship of war to half her
draught of water. Competent judges and naval officers
have expressed their conviction of the excellence of the
apparatus as to strength, durability, and even in passing
an enemy's battery, their effectiveness. Yet, as the
Times has not advocated the subject it is not adopted.
From the building of such useless gun-boats as the Ad-
miralty are now doing, it is questionable whether the
Government are really sincere in wishing to obtain the
command of the Danube. We must now wait until
the Admiralty have done amusing themselves by build-
ing suitably gun-boats, or allow Lieutenant Glynn,
with his party of blue-jackets, to fit out a few crazy old
crafts, such as they may find on the Danube, as gun-
boats, no match for the Russian flotilla, or in one month
from this time have, by the means referred to, three or
four British screw-steam-frigates in the Danube, and
also lift and bring away the wreck of the Tiger from
Odessa.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
NAUTICUS, Senior.

NO TREACHEROUS GARBLING OF OUR

ADMIRAL& LETTERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,-Your Saturday's article on this subject hits the
right nail on the head, Pray, do not lose an hour in
calling on some sturdy and independent M.P. to de-
mand categorically of Admiral Berkeley, firstly, whether
he read entire letters, or only extracts of letters, from
the Admirals in the Baltic, as to the impregnability of
Cronstadt, Sweaborg, &c. ? and, secondly, if he only
read extracts, whether such extracts were not torn away
from contexts, which contained suggestions how these
Russian strongholds might be proved, by proper assault
and scientific handling, pregnable? At times like these
it is perfect treason to the .cause of England, Turkey,
Europe, and civilisation itself, to publish such opinions,
even if ungarbled, as they can only tend to the sole
benefit and exultation of our enemy ; but if garbled,
and suppressing further information as to the pregna-
bility, by gun-boats and land forces, or other means, of
those fortresses, &c., impregnable only to the fleets as
constituted at the time the letters were written, the ini-
quity of the course adopted is worthy of the pillory and
the cart's tail. _

I am, sir, your obedient servant,
NO ABERDEEN GARBLER,
Brighton, July 30, 1854.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, JULY 29.

The Queen and Prince, accompanied by Prince Alfred,
Prince Arthur, and Princess Lousa, and the Duchess
of Sutherland, drove out yesterday afternoon.
Colonel and Lady Katharine Harcourt and the Hon.
Col. Phipps had the honour of dining with her Majesty.

JULY 30.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena, and at-
tended by the Countess of Desart and Colonel Seymour,
drove to West Cowes yesterday.
Captain the Hon. J. Denman had the honour of
dining with her Majesty.

Her Royal Higness the Duchess of Kent, attended by
Lady Augusta Bruce and Sir George Couper, arrived in
town on Friday, and visited her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester-house. The Royal
Duchess returned to Frogmore in the aft rnoon.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone
left town on Saturday to visit the Duchess of Suther-
land, at Cleveden, near Maidehead.
Mr. John Wood, chairman of the Board of Inland
Revenue, had an interview with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer on Saturday, at his official residence in
Downing-street.
The Right Hon. Sidney and the Hon. Mrs. Herbert
left town on Saturday for Broadstairs.

On Friday evening a dinner was given at the Traf a
gar Hotel, Greenwich, by the Drury lane Theatre Coml
epN,
tfn tpli e T gift mittee to Mr. E. T. Smith, the lessee, for the purpose
of presenting him with a silver claret jug, most cha-te
in its design, and creditable to the manufacturer, Mr.
Abrahams, of the Lowther Arcade. The inscription
eit :E—er, SMITH, Esq., by the
will
, , p show
s "Presented tteh; to object j
Ec t
Committee of the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, as a Testi-
A Cabinet Council was held on Saturda at the monial of the admiration iu which they hold his satisfactory
y,
and successful management of that theatre during his les-
Foreign-ofEce, Downing-street. The Ministers present seeship in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854. GLENGALL,
were—the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord John Russell, the
Chairman, July 28, 1854.,,
Marquis of Lansdowne, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke The dinner, which embraced every delicacy of the
of Argyll, Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of Clarendon, season, reflected credit on the well-known establishment
Sir George Grey, the Duke of Newcastle, the Chan- and the caterer, Mr. Hart. The chair was taken by
cellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Lord Glengali, who has for so long a period held the
Wood, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, Sir William office of chairman to the committee of the Theatre.
Molesworth, and Earl Granville. The Council sat one Captain Spencer acted as vice chairman, supported
hour and three quarters.
on the right by Mr. Arden and on the left by
the lessee. There were also present Mr. Dunn,
the treasurer, Mr. Savory, of the committee, Mr. Bur-
gess, the solicitor, and many connected with Literature
and the Drama. After the toasts of the Queen and
Royal Family, &e,, had been given, " The health of
Mr. E. T. Smith" was proposed by the noble chairman,
in doing which he briefly stated that at the moment
Mr. Smith took the theatre, they were at a los
to know what to do with the property , and a brewhous,
was in contemplation. Last year the committee had
received rental 4,0001. and this year, though little more
than half completed, not less than 3,0001. had
been paid. Various encomiums were passed upon the
lessee by the chairman in respect of his intergity.
straightforward conduct, and kind manner toward:
the ladies and gentlemen of the establishment.
After this toast followed the respective healths
of the chairman, vice-chairman, Mr. Savory,
Mr. Burgess, Mr. Dunn, and "The Press," re
sponded to by Mr. E. L. Bla,nchael, the whole
concluding with the gallant toast of "The Ladies," by
Lord Glengall, who stated that one great object of his
taking so great an interest in the theatre was, to pro-
tect the fair sex employed therein, as regarded their
morality, which he rejoiced to say was well looked after
at Drury-lane Theatre. In fact, no London theatre
could boast of such strict discipline behind the scenes
as that house," •

The Duke of Rutland and party are expected to re-
turn this week to Cowes, from a cruise in his Grace's
yacht off the French coast.
.._

The Duke of Portland's health continues to improve.
His Grace is expected to arrive at Welbeck in September.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford have ar-
rived at Tarbet-house, N. 8., from visiting Lord and
Lady Blantyre, at Erskine-house.
The Earl and Countess of Clarendon entertained his
Excellency the Prussian Minister and the Countess
Bernstorff, his Excellency Count Colloredo, his Excel-
lency Prince Carini, his Excellency the Marquis d'Azeglio,
the Duke and Duchess of Wellington, the Earl of Po wis,
tie Earl and Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementina
Villiers, Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, and a
distinguished circle, to dinner, on Saturday evening, at
their mansion, in Grosvenor-crescent. The Countess
received a "small party" after dinner.
The Earl and Countess Talbot and Lady Victoria
Talbot have left town, on a visit to the Marquis and
Marchioness of Salisbury, at Hatfield-house, Herts.
The Countess (Dowager) of Verulam has left town for
the season.

The Earl and Countess Delawarr, and Lady Arabella
West, have arrived at Buckhurst-park, Sussex, from
visiting the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, at
Hatfield-house.

The Earl of Carlisle has, during the earlier part of
last week, been among the distinguished guests of the
Earl of Burlington, at Holkar-hall, near Milnethurpe, in
order to assist in celebrating the coming age of Lord
Cavendish. The Countess has returned to town front
visiting the Duke of Devonshire, at his marine resi-
dence, at Brighton, and will leave in a few days to join
her noble son at Castle Howard, Yorkshire.
Viscount and Viscountess Mahon have left town to
join the circle visiting the Earl of Stanhope, at Cheven-
ing-park, near Sevenoaks.
The Right Hon. Sidney and the Hon. Mrs. Herbert,
left town on Saturday, for Broadstairs.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone
left town on Saturday, to visit the Duchess of Suther-
land, at Clifden, near Maidenhead.
THE Loss OF THE TIGER.—We are requested to state
that the Tiger was not in pursuit of a prize when she
ran on shore off Odessa. A court-martial will be held
on the surviving officers, when the circumstances of this
deplorable accident will be fully stated.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended
by Lady Augusta Bruce and Sir George Couper, ar-
rived in town on Friday, and visited her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House. The
Royal Duchess returned to Frogrnore in the afternoon.
The Duchess of Sutherland arrived at Clifden House,
near Maidenhead, on Saturday, from a brief visit to her
Majesty at Osborne. The Duke and Duchess of Argyll
and a select family circle assembled there on that day.
The Duke of Argyll returns to town to-day, for his Par-
liamentary duties.
The Duke of Cleveland left town on Saturday, to visit
the Duchess Dowager
at the Isle of Wight. His Grace
returns to-day, and
will leave town for the season, ac•
companied by the Duchess and Lady Augusta Poulett,
the week after next.
EARLY
HARVEST.--Mr. W. Bradford, of Keyham
Barton,
Devonport, on Saturday week last, cut a field of
oats, and has since housed them in fine condition.
To-morrow, August Ist, the Smoke Consuming Act
comes into operation.

ANOTHER COURT-MARTIAL ON LIEUTENANT
PERRY.

In another column wilt be found an account of a
most extraordinary addition to the attempts which
seem systematically directed against this young
officer. On Saturday morning he was put under
another trial by court-martial. There seems to be
no intention on the part of his enemies to desist
until they have fairly worried their victim to help-
lessness. Put upon his trial before on the charge
of having committed certain offences, he is tried
now for the nature of the defence which lie was
obliged to make. He is accused of " scandalous,
infamous conduct, unbecoming an officer and a
gentleman," because in a letter addressed to Colonel
Upton, the president of the court-martial, he stated
that Colonel Garrett male use of a certain asser-
tion, and that he himself made use of another ; also
because ho made other assertions :in his defence
which are said to be false.
Only on the very morning of the day of the trial
(Saturday) did the prisoner have a copy of the
charges sent to him. He asks to leave his room in
order to be the better enabled to get up his case ;
but he is not permitted to do so, although he com-
plains that it is small and hot, and has injured his
health. He asks to have the trial put off unti:
Monday week, but delay is only granted until to
day, although he states that some of his witnesses
started for Turkey before he could possibly anti-
cipate the trial. This has no effect on the court.
H. e asks for a copy of the minutes of evidence, and
is insultingly told to look at the newspapers. A
more complete case of persecution has seldom been
witnessed, and it is to be hoped that the courts-
martial which arise out of it will not end with
thou; of Lieutenant Perry.—Dail] News.