The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-19 00:00:00

WOOLWICH, DEc. 18.

ROYAL ARTILLERY.—In the month of October last,
400 ,percussion tubes for field-guns, made according to
a plea invented by Lieutenant Siemens, of the Hano-
verian Artillery, with twelve thongs for firing them,
were issued to two of the field batteries of the Royal
Artillery at Woolwich : 200 to the C battery under
the command of Major Sweeting, 200 to the A battery
under the command of Captai❑ Low, and 200 common
tubes used with port fire were also issued to the B bat-
tery under the command of Captain Williams, with in-
structions that they should all be tried at the same
time to ascertain their respective merits. The expe-
riments have now been completed, and the report
of the new tubes is favourable to their adoption
in the British army, after some slight im-
provement, which has been suggested in regard
to the force by which they are ignited, as on many
occasions the thongs required considerable power to
draw them. It appears that, out of 200 guns fired,
about twenty of the wire plugs were drawn without ig-
niting the percussion powder, two without igniting
the cartridge, and about six hung fire ; the re•
mainder were all very good, and proved that they could
be fired in much less time than by the common tube
and port fire. During the period the experiments were
carried on the guns traversed a distance of upwards of
200 miles over paved and gravel roads, and in every
possible positio❑ in which they may be required in ac-
tual warfare, and on the whole the new tubes are highly
approved of by the officers who had the charge of the
experiments.

The services of the non-commissioned officers and
men about to be pensioned were verified by a board of
officers on Thursday, and the men will be discharged
on the 12th of January, 1841. The board consisted
of Lieut.-Colonel Wylde, Major Molesworth, and
Major Sweeting.
The half-yearly examination of the gentlemen cadets
who have been studying at the Royal Military Academy
took place yesterday, but the result has not yet been
made public. The gentlemen cadets have a month's
vacation at Christmas, commencing from this date.
In addition to Captain James's company, detachments
consisting of one non-commissioned officer and 20
gunners and drivers, embarked on Tuesday in the Numa
transport-ship, to complete the companies still sta-
tioned at Malta. One non-commissioned officer and 12
men of the Royal Sappers and Miners embarked at the
same time for a passage to Gibraltar. The whole of
the troops on board about 110 men.

When the company was marching from the garrison
to embark in the Numa, at the Royal Arsenal, the
master-armourer, William Chambers, was amongst the
persons who accompanied them. Unfortunately in pass-
ing the hospital he slipped, and, owing to the crowd
pushing onward, fell on the pavement, by which accident
he broke the cap of his right knee. He was assisted
home, and medical attendance was promptly obtained,
but it was found necessary to remove him to the hos-
pital on the following day.
The recruiting goes on very slowly. The regiment
at the end of the year will be greatly under the esta-
blishment.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.—The Boxer steam-ship,
Captain F. Bullock, is to be placed in ordinary, and the
men are to volunteer into another vessel. The Spitfire
steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander John Evans, will also
be placed in ordinary, and the crew transferred to some
other vessel ready for service.

ROYAL ARSENAL.—The Mary Ann was engaged
yesterday in conveying 300 eight-inch shells, in boxes,
to be put on board the George the Fonrth, East India-
man, now loading in the East India Docks for Bengal.
The Friends barge conveyed 1,100 thirty-two pounder
shot to be put on board the Sovereign, transport-ship,
under orders for Malta.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE.

(From the London New Price Current of December 18.)
SUGAR.—The trade are still reluctant to purchase Bri.
tisb Plantation Sugar, and, although holders have sub-
mitted to a further reduction of is to Is 6d per cwt.,
brown and low yellow sorts are still the most difficult to
sell ; at public sale 58 hogsheads, 59 tierces and 19 barrels
St. Lucia sold heavily, viz,—good middling yellow went
at 77s to 78s, middling 76s to 76s 6d, good brown 74s ;
77 hhds 4 barrels Demerara were only partly sold, low
dingy yellow at 75s to 761, ordinary and good brown 72s
to 745; 15 hhds Antigua were taken in at 81e to 83s for
good and fine bright yellow. The Gazette average price
is now 54s 2id, in 1839 it was 37s Oid, and in 1838 at this
time 34s isid per cwt.
To-day the market was in a dull state, and the small
quantity disposed of privately were at prices in favour of
buyers, making the decline for the week is 6d to 2s on low
yellow, grey, and brown sorts, but the good and fine yellow
kinds are not above Is lower. The total sales are only
750 hbda and trs. 100 hhds Barbadoes were submitted
to public competition, which went off heavily, but nearly
the whole was sold at prices 4s under those of the last
auction ; good and fine yellow went at 79; 6d to 82s, and
good mid 77; to 78. 6d par cwt.
REFlNED..Refinera have submitted to a further reduc-
tion of 2s per cwt ; Standard Lumps at 91s to 92s ; Tittlera
and Hamburgb Loaves good and fine 94s to 98s, not patent
90a to 91s, ord brown Lumps 88s, good and fine 89s to 90s ;
Treacle, common, at 37a to 37s 6d ; Patent, 41s; best old
make and golden Syrup, 42s 6d to 44a per cwt ; Bastards
at reduced rates, for common kinds 52a has been accepted,
and the best cannot be quoted above 695. Prices still on
the decline. Bonded Crushed Sugar at 32s 9d to 335.
Loaves 10 and 141bs. at 37s to 385., and 61bs 40s to 41s
per cwt. Treacle at 14s 9d to 15s; Bastards and Pieces
at 163 to 26s per cwt. Dutch Crushed Sugar at 31s to
Els 3d on board at Amsterdam.
MAURITIUS.—This week prices have suffered a further
depression of 2s to 3s for the lower kinds ; low and very
low brown at 45s 6d to 555, low middling and middling
58; to 625, good and fine 65s to 70s, low yellow 71s to
to 755, middling and good 78s to 81s.
EAST INDIA,—For white descriptions of Bengal there
has been less demand from the home trade, and prices have
given way is to I s 6d per cwt ; brown and yellow kinds
are heavy of sale, and prices on the decline. This after-
noon the home trade bought sparingly of Bengal, and
a small part only of 3,401 bags at public sale found buyers
Is under the rates of yesterday; fine white went at 85s to
85s 6d, mid and good 83s to 84s 6d, low heavy brown 50s
to 54s 6d, damps and washed of various sorts 54s 6d to
83s 6d.
FOREIGN.—In yellow Havannah, lower rates have again
been accepted, making the decline since the end of August
2s to 2s 6d, 23s 6d for good fair quality. White prices
are nominal. Brown sorts of Brazil prices have been main-
tained. Permans sound taken in at 24s to 25s for mid-
dling soft to good middling white; damaged sold at re-
duced rates, viz,, at 20s 6d to 22s 6d for low and
good middling white, slightly damaged, 90 barrels Rio were
only partly sold, middling white 24s to 255, and yellow 21a
per cwt. Of Porto Rico 217 hhds have been offered at
public sale, and all taken in at 23; to 25s for low and good
bright yellow, 22s was offered for the common sorts.
MOLASSES.—For West India the demand has been
dull, and pribes continue on the decline.
To-day holders having submitted to a further reduction in
prices, led to the disposal of several parcels, making the
total quantity disposed of by private treaty during the
week 230 puns, fine Antigua at 35s ; Dominica ord at
30; per cwt.
Coms.—Holders of British Plantation are for the most
part not disposed to press sales, and have supplied the mar-
ket very sparingly this week, but the trade has evinced
little desire to do business, and the operations privately
have been on a small scale in clean descriptions, and the
prices accepted arc rather under those of this day week ;
unclean sorts are entirely neglected, althougV: offered on
lower terms.
This afternoon the private transactionsi n both East and
West India were on a small scale, the grocers buying with
extreme caution, but in prices no variation occurred; only
59 bags Ceylon were offered at public sale, and principally
taken in at 73s to 76s for good and fine ordinary.
Cocoa.—For British Plantation former rates have been
fully maintained, better aorta brought is advance. Trini-
dad at 54s 6d to 59s for middling and fine red Trinidad.
Grenada 48s 6d to 51s for middling and good red. St.
Lucia 49s to 52s for middling and good.
TEA.—There has been an increased disinclination mani-
fested on the part of the trade to purchase this week, and
the transactions by private treaty in Free Trade have
been extremely limited ; the merchants for the most part
have appeared unwilling to submit to lower rates, but
these who have been disposed to realize have been com-
pelled to accept prices lid under those of Friday last, and
by private treaty have taken 2s Old a 2s Id for cash par-
cels of common Congou and Twankay.
The speculative market has been in a very dull state all
the week, and prices have declined 2d for Company's
Congou, sales for cash having been made at 2s, and with
prompts at 2s id to 2s Id per lb.
To-day the market fur Free Trade was in a very dull
state, and prices have still a downward tendency, 2s id,
is the nearest quotation for common Congou for cash, and
ord Twankay, 2s to 2s id. Company's Congou flat all
the day, and closed at 2s cash.
FRUIT.—A parcel of French Fruit offered by public
sale on Tuesday, was all bought in, and of 5,289 boxes and
4,926 half-boxes Valencia Raisins also brought forward,
only one parcel appeared to be seld at 28s for very infe-
rior quality, being ship-heated and country damaged—re-
mainder bought in at 28s to 38s ; also 18 butts and 6 caro-
teels Patras currants damaged 66s to 691, and 8 butts and
6 caroteels 1 haca, also damaged, 67s to 69s ; notwith-
standing the small portion of good Fruit in the present
supply of Valencia Raisins, the price has been lowered to
38s this week, but there does not seem to be the quantity
of business doing usual at this time of the year. The arri-
vals of Turkey Figs have been large, and many parcels
being out of condition has induced the importers to press
sales, and some large parcels have been sold at 40s, 425,
and 455.
RlCE.—Holders of East India have refrained from offer-
ing any at public sale this week, but by private treaty there
has been a good demand for Bengal, and buyers have
been compelled to pay rather higher rates, middling white
has been selling at 12s 6d, good middling and good 13s to
13s 6d, and for fine bold white, which is scarce, 14s for small
parcels. For Java a fair demand has existed, and prices
are firm at 9s to 9s 6d for low, and 10s to 12s for middling
and fine white; the tendency of prices is decidedly up-
wards for Rice. The deliveries from the warehouses have
been large, and the stock is diminishing. Carolina has
sold steadily for home use at 34s to 36s per cwt.
Rue, BRANDT, AND HOLLANDS.--130 Rum Market
continues in a very dull state, there being few export
orders, and the home trade purchasing only sufficient to
supply their immediate wants: prices continue on the de-
cline, and must be quoted id to Id lower this week for
Leewards. Jamaica, however, has nearly brought former
rates. The total sales of West India have amounted to
only 120 puns proof Leewards at 2s 9d, 2 to 9 overproof
2s 10d to 3s, 12 to 15 over 3s Id to 3s 2d, common kinds are