The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-18 00:00:00

"Joseph Martignani, a native of Gravedina, in the
• province of Como, 27 years of age, a Roman Catholic,
an unmarried man, and a proprietor, having had in his
possession a stiletto, a fowling-piece- and some ammuni-
tion, was tried by court-martial, and sentenced to be
shot; but, in consideration of his hitherto irreproach-
able conduct, the penalty of death was commuted into
that of five years' hard labour, with irons.
" Milan, Dec. 9, 1848."

THE ARMY AND NAVY.
(From the United Service Gazette.)
MILITARY PAYMASTERS.—Paymaster Brough, of the
83d Regimens, into retire on half-pay, in consequence
of ill health; and Lieutenant Belfield, of the 17th Foot,
is about to be appointed Psyniager of the 88th Con-
naught Rang Er., vice Cahill, plgeed on half-pay.
MILITARY PENSIONERS FOR NEW ZEALAND AND THE
FALKLAND IsLANDs.--We understand that it is in con-
templation to form another company of the, Oat-Pen-
sioners for service and location at the former place, and
that the Government have an idea of forming compa-
nies, under similar regulations, fur service at the utter
place.

GARRISON OF Dußutc—The new barracks in Great
Ship-street, when finished, will be capable of accommo-
dating two fitqd officers, 17 officers, and 579 men.
Orders have been given for the purchase of three houses
in Great Ship-street, near Upper Stephen, for the pur-
pose of being converted into a military hospital.
ROYAL MARINES.—The standard for recruits is to be
5- feet 7i inches, between the ages of 18 and 25, until
further orders.
TROOPS AT HONG-KONG.--It is undoubtedly, the first
duty of the State to rescue from pestilence and death
the gallant soldiers who, far from their native home
are supporting and vindicating their country's
interests. The troops at this place have lately suffered
so much from fever that it has been found necessary to
place them on board ships in the harbeur as a sani-
tarium; and we are glad to find that this measure of
Major-General Stavely's has been attended by the best
u effects. Though the cost is no less than Si. a head for
1,1 two months, the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury
have not hesitated to confirm the arrangement. It is
supposed the disease is quite local, and that by the
34 application of proper remedies it will be obviated in
future.

TROOPS FOR BOMBAY.—The East India Company
have engaged the ships Moffett, Tulloch Castle, Earf
t Balcarras, Bombay, Java, Mermaid, Ganges, Mariner,
D 3 and John Brewer, to convey the 64th and 83d Regiments
to this Presidency.
TROOPS FOR BENGAL.—The ships Lord Dalhousie,
City of Poonab, Catfield Dunbrook, and Diana have
es. been engaged by the East India Company to convey the
B% 70th Regiment to Bengal.
gfi We have heard that it is not the intention of the Ad-
miralty to commission any more ships before the cora-
l% mencement of 1849, when the Centaur and Arrogant,
steam frigates, will hoist the pendant.
Is. THE Naw COMMODORE ro THE COAST OF AFRICA.
—Commodore Arthur Fanshawe, C. 8., the newly ap-
pointed Commander-in-Chief for the coast of Africa, has
nominated Lieutenant J. 0. Johnson (1844), now First
36 of the Arab, 12, in the East Indies, as his Flag Lieute-
nant • but we have heard that Mr. Willoughby Lake
(1840), will proceed with the gallant Commodore as
Acting Flag-Lieutenant, until Mr. Johnstone joins on
the station from the East Indies. Commander John H.
Glennys has been named as the Commander of the Cen-
taur, steam :rigate, to be commissioned as the flag-ship,
and we have heard that Mr. Sturdee has the offer of the
appointment of Master.
HER MAJESTY'S SHIP VANGUARD.—It is not cor-
rect, as reported by some of our contemporaries, that
her Majesty's 80-gun ship Vanguard, Captain Rich, is
ordered from Palermo to England., We can state from
good authority, that she is ordered to leave Sir Wil-
liam Parker's command about the 15th of January, and
is to proceed to Lisbon, and there wait for Sir Charles
Napier, under whose command she is to be placed for
some time before she comes to England.
The Rodney, 98, Captain Collier, C. 8., has orders
similar to those given with respect to the Vanguard.
THE VERNON FRIGATE. This 50-gun frigate
has been surveyed and reported upon at Chatham, by
Messrs. Watts, Lang, and Laire. It was considered by
these gentlemen that it would take twelve months to re-
pair the vessel for service, and that she would cost, at
the lowest estimate, 20,0001. The report is now before
the Admiralty, who seem in doubt whether it would not
be more advantageous to the public service to break her
up at once. ■
DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZE MONEY.—The distribution
of the prize money to the Cygnet and Ferret for the cap-
ture of the Pacquet de Rio, is, according to the new
scale, by which all the officers and seamen suffer in
their proportion as compared with the former more just
and equitable scale. We trust that the Admiralty, who,
we hear, are determined to revise the present unfair dis-
tribution, will at once issue a notice to the effect that all
captures made after the Ist of January, 1849, shall be
subject, on the division of proceeds, to the new scale
which their Lordships intend to publish.
THE EARL OF BALCARRAS.—We perceive that fine
teak-built ship, the Earl of Balcarras, has been taken up
by the Hon. East India Company, for conveyance of
troops to India. This ship was the property of Rum-
setjee, and was sold the other day by Sir Charles Forbes
and Co., for the owner, to the Messrs. Somes for 10,000/.
She is considered to be well worth double the money.
We trust that there will be as much anxiety displayed
for the comfort and convenience of troops in the long
voyage as is evineed on all occasions on behalf of emi-
grants and convicts.
TIE COAST GUARD OF IRELAND.—Sir James Dom-
braine, a ci. devant Lieutenant of the Royal Navy, and
whose office as Comptroller of the Irish Coast Guard has
ceased on the revision of the establishment, is in London
urging his claims to a handsome retiring pension. The
Coast Guard of Ireland has now been put upon the same
footing as the English and Scotch. Captain Houston
Stewart, C. 8., tiiP Comptroller-General, is now at the
head of the entire roast Guard establishment of the
United Kingdom, and thb service in Ireland will hence-
forth be carried on under tbo appointment of a Com-
mander, who will act under We orders of the Chief
Comptroller in London. A great saving will be made by
this arrangement, and the force will be rendered more
efficient.

BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, DEC. Is.—We have
no improvement to notice in our sugar market; the de-
mand continues very sluggish, and the sales of the week
are of the most retail character, at about former prices
Refined goods about support their previous. value, but
the market is without lite. Rum has again become
rather dull, but we do not make any alteration in the
value.—Bristol Mercury.
PUBLIC DINNER TO MR. BUCKINGHAM AT ROTHE.
SAY.—The magistrates and principal inhabitants of
Rothesay, in the Isle of Bute, joined with the Young
Men's Mutual Improvement Society of that town in en-
tertaining Mr. Buckingham at a public dinner, on Friday
last, es a mark of their gratitude for the pleasure af-
forded them by his course of lectures, recently delivered
there, and also as a testimony of their admiration
hfr
his n -
his public character, and sympathy with the many
long
and objects to the promotion of whichneg
and varied lite has been devoted. The Provost
Rothe-
say occupied the chair, supported by the magistrates
ministers of the town • and Mr. D. Macbeth, Secretary
o f
and
Rnth
of the Young Men's town;
Improvement Society; act-
ing as croupier. Mr. Macbeth, in proposing the hea;:h
of Mr. Buckingham, thus alluded to his remarkable
career:—" Thrown upon the world a mere child;
embarking in the naval profession and going to see, as early as nine years of age, at which period it was
impossible that he could have received any education
andbey osnudffetrhi
suffering,
g,
nmereve n rudiments i m
thate nts o
earlyf
argeea,dainlig and writing ;
ianngd miserieswith bis offen w captivity,.ea pti v
eass a
, throuinghanyn. the privations
prisoner of war; march-
footed and in want
Spain and Portugal, he, nevertheless,ehaurnlydred mils, bare
and energy oftbhye
the whole
force of
his own character,'
arose rapidly to high
distinction in his profession, commanded a ship at an
early age, and after navigating the ocean in every clime,
and travelling by land over more countries in Europe,
Asia, Africa, and America than any man now living,
he had, in addition to all this, written and published
more than a hundred volumes of different works in lite-
rature, science, politics, commerce, and moral and
social improvement, and given the result of his exten-
sive and varied information in lectures delivered in al-
most every town of the Queen's dominions, over all
America, and in many of the foreign capitals of Europe.
—(Applause.) Such a career as this might well entitle
any man to honours and distinctions far higher than:
they could bestow." After referring in very compli-
mentary terms to the lectures which Mr. Buckingham
had delivered at Rothesay, and to the eminent services
he had rendered to the world as a philanthropist, Mr.
Macbeth concluded by proposing " The health of James
Silk Buckingham, Esq., and long life to pursue his bene-
volent career." The toast having been enthusiastically
responded to, Mr. Buckingham, in a neat and appro-
priate manner, acknowledged the compliment, and gave
an interesting narrative of his life. Several other toasts
were given and heartily responded to, after which the
company separated.--Scottish Press.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.—Mr. Smith, of Dean;
ston, the celebrated agricultural improver, is, we believe,
to be appointed one of the superintendent inspectors tn..
der the General Board of Health. Mr. Smith served as
one of the commissioners of inquiry into the means of
improving the health of towns. Under that commission
he conducted a number of local examinations Tinto the
sanitary condition of towns in England, and is known to
be conversant with the subject of town drainage and im-
provement; but it is expected that his services will be
specially applied to those cases where the appropriation
of the refuse of towns to agricultural production, and the
prevention of the pollution of natural streams, are the
more prominent measures required.—Observer.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.—The directors of the prin..
cipal railways have perfected arrangements, by which
the public Rill be able to avail themselves of the double
joortto tiehefs during the entire Christmas holidays.
£he ~ isaut, oh the 23d or intervening days will be avail-
able up to the 26th, and on the 30th up to the 2d of
January inclusive. The Christmas day time table's on
most lines are the same as Sundays.

Albert had concluded a league offensive and defe
sive with the King of Naples.
The Milan Gazette of the 9th inst. contains the
following :
" Joseph Gasparoti, a native of Monza, 21 years of
age, a Roman Catholic and tavernkeeper ; Jacobcr
Passoni, 33 years of age, a Roman Catholic, an unmar-
ried man, a villager, and former convict; Charles Villa,
a native of Monza, 24 years of age, a Roman Catholic
an unmarried man and a weaver ; Jacobo Magni
a native of Arcore, province of Milan, 19 years of age,
a Catholic, unmarried man, and a villager, already pro-
secuted for robbery—having been surprised by a patrol,
in a rather suspicious attitude, and armed with long
sharp knives, were tried by court-martial, sentenced to
death, and shot.