The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-16 00:00:00

Naval and Military 14.1;e4tiger;ce.

Yesterday the troops belongir.g to t':io R ty :lEu inetra,
with the East India Company's Sappers and Miners,
were engaged several hours at Chathain in rushing
interesting experiments in pontooning, with the view of
still further testing the strength and general efficiency of
the panto Ins invented by Major-General T. Blansiaar d,
ED., which are in use by the troops belonging to the
Royal Sappere. and Miners .at Brompton. The experi-
ments, which were witnessed by Lieut.• General Sir
Charles W. Pasley, K.C.8., were carried out under the
immediate direction of Major F. S. ilassard, of the
• • •
Royal Engineers, and were undertaken for the purpose
of testing the merits of this description of pontoon when
required to be used on tidal rivers and against a power.
ful current. The spat selected for the experiments was
that part of the River Medway lying between the
present new bridge and old Rochester-bridge, the
tidle at this point being unusually rapid, which
was the reason that part of the river was selected. There
was a strong wind also, which, it was considered, would
add further difficulties to the proposed undertaking ;
but notwithstanding this, the result of the exper:ineuts
was exceedingly satisfactory, The pontoons were fl fated
up from the Gun•whart at Chatham Dockyard, through
Rochester-bridge, to the space above, where they were
moored. Each "raft" carried its proper complement of
men and the necessary implements. Gen. Ransher l's
pontoon is made of block tin, of a cylindrical shape, and,
being hollow, floats high out of the water. In a short
space of time the rafts were formed into line, each raft
being c Table of sustaining a weight equal to three tons.
The rafts were then lashed together, which operation
having been completed in a few minutes, an immense
floating platform was thus formed across the river, over
which a body of soldiers, with the materiel of an army,
conld be marched tour or even six abreast. Sir Charles
Palley was rowed to the pontoon-bridge in one of the
newly-invented india-rubber pontoon boats, which' was
propelled through the water with the greatest ease by
one of the lieutenants of the Royal Engineer?. :The
signal was then given for the pontoons to be " raCked
down," which having been accomplished, Sir Chkries
Pasley iuspected the rafts. A 12-pounder brass gun
with the carriage, weighing together two tons, MIS tlien
wheeled backward and forwarsl several times over the
bridge without causing any sinking of the ponitoons.
The whole of the experiments, which were the first of the
kind, were considered to be highly successful, and gave
great satisfaction to Sir Charles Pasley. After thepon-
toons bad remained till the tide had fallen they Were
floated down the river to the Gun-wharf. _

The 26th company of the Royal Sappers and Miner 4,
under the command of Captain G. E. L. Walker, R.E.,
have been ordered to hold themselves in readinoQs to
leave Chatham for the purpose of embarking for foreign
service. They are expec.ed to proceed to the. Cape of
Good Hope.

. -
The officers of the 7th Royal Fusiliers have invited
the officers of the 231 Welsh Fusiliers.and the 21 bat-
talion of the Rifle Brieade to a banquet on the 20th
inst., the anniversary of Alma. These three regiments
and the 331 Foot, now in Ireland, formed the second
brigade of the Light Division, and were under the com-
mand- of Sir William Codrington on that glorious day.
The haequet will take place in the Iron Hotel; at the
North Camp, Aldershot.
The general court-martial, of which Lieut.-Colonel
Raymond (depot battalion at Winchester) is pre;ident,
has completed the trial of Lieut. Deane, of the 221
Regiment. The sentence will not be known until the
proceedings have been approved by her Majesty.
The ceremony cf laying down the last stone for the
completion of the lofty chimney intended to servo the
newly-constructed shell-foundry in Woolwich Arsenal,
was yesterday performed by Capt. B mer, R.A., as chief
of the department. The national flag was displayed
throughout the morning on the four angles of the build-
ing, and the Ordnance colours were' hoisted over the
principal entrance, to denote that the contractors' work
having been terminated, the edifice bas: been handed
over to the Government authorities. Capt. Boxer, ae-
companied by Mr. David Murray, Government building
engineer, Mr. Charles Lucae, of the firm of Lucas,
Br,,there, the contractors, and Mr. Green, Government
surveyor, ascended at half-past 2 through the interior of
the shaft, which has been carried up to the height of 240
feet from the base; and, after the lapse of a short inter-
val, the union jack waved from the summit, announcing
that the ceremonial was complete. " The health of her
Majesty,"and "Success to the new establishment" were
then drunk, and the labourers were regaled. The rapidity
with which the numerous buildings have sprung up
within the last Lw months is a proof of the energy per-
settling the direction of the Arsenal. Lieut.-Colonel
Eardley Wilmot, superintendent of gun factories in
Woolwich Arsenal, has been despatched to Silesia, in
West Prussia, to inspect the working of the puddling
furnaces there, and to make himself acquainted
with the Prussian system of smelting, which is carried
out by means of gas, and which, if found superior to our
own, is intended to be introduced. Colonel Wilmot is
accompanied by Mr. Abel, of the chemical department
of Woolwich Arsenal.

The following is an extract of a letter from the British
squadron off Greytown, Nicaragua, dated August 14 :
" The Orion and Intrepid returned from the corn
islands on Tuesday, where they had been for supplies for
the i•quadror. The vessels lying here in the harbour are
the Orion, iroperieuse, Arrogant, Cossack, Intrepid,
Victor, and Pioneer. The Iniperieuse goes to sea on a
cruise this evening. The Pioneer also sails, but to what
place is uncertain.

Her Majesty's 3 gun iron paddle-wheel steam-vessel
Triton, Lieut. A. D. W. Fletcher commanding, arrived
at Woll,vich, at one o'clock yesterday, from the D'ack
Sea and the Mediterranean. The Triton is to be ad-
mitted into basin to return stores and prepare for being
paid off,

-
The o'd troop ship Desistance, 10 guns, Master Corn-
mand..r Rus'sell, has land,d the greater portion of her
ordnance storas, and heavy Russian anchors from Sebas-
topol, at Woolwich pier, after completing which she
will proceed to Chatham to clear out her holds. and be
paid off. She was commissioned in April, 1850, since
which she has done considerable service in conveying
troops and stores. She was then commanded by Mas-
ter Commander Bradshaw, and sub,equently by Master
C.,minander Huntley and Master Commander Cutajar.
Mr. Erskine Terry, who, in 1854, was promoted as clerk
in charge, is the only officer who has served throughout
the whole term of the commission. She will be paid eff
at the end of the month, and will be afterwards laid up
in ordinary at Chatham.

Her Majesty's steam-vessel Monkey, Master Com-
mander Syndercombe, yesterday morning got up steam
to try her -aachinery, which has undergone some repairs.
She is to convey Major Stewart, Deputy Governor of
Chatham prison, in charge of 100 convicts, today from
Woolwich to Chatham, and has been placed at the die-
posal of the convict establishment until further orders.
Her M3jesty's steamship Salamander kit Piym.,uth
Sound yesterday morning, having in tow the
.troopship
Tudor, Capt. Anderson, for Liverpool, where she, will
disembark the detachments of the Italion Legion recently
brought home from the Mediterranean. •
Toe City of London, N 0.9, steam•tr.ansport, arrived at
Portsmouth yesterday morning from Ireland, to be paid
off.

;rile DJt enter, Commissariat transpoe, No. 161 ; the
Albatross, ditto, No. 112 ; and the Isabella Blyth, No
34, arrived at Spitbead yesterday afternoan, from the
Crimea, with stores.:

The Mauritius, No. 116, steam-transport, arrived al
Spithead yesterday morning from Corfu, with the Roya
Wiltshire Militia, whom she went into harbour to land.

PEMBROKE, Sept. 14.—The Pacific, transport, arrived
here on the 12th inst. from Dublin, with the remailnler
of the depots of the 56th and Pith R.girnents and the
whole of the depot of the 41st, the latter proceed►n;
direct by railway for Wollner. The Pacific having taken
in a supply of coal at Robb's Point, loft oa the 13th for
Portsmouth to be paid off.

The foilon;ing is to-day (14th)
garriso:: the strength of the

Orficers. • Rank nrul file.
Rya] Artillery
7th Fa,iliers - 403
514 Foot ...... ' 7
5G th Foot 'lo
94th Foot

The priposed addition to Pembroke-Yard amounts to
,e
85 acres. A portien of this inclides -part of the town
of Pembroke Doek, but the houses being of that insigni-
ficant cla.s the purcha trione7
will be clinpiratively
but a trill:fig sum. The enlargement, however, will he
of the ut:'no4 advantage to the public service, eßoecially
as it so greatly..extends the water frontag.. Tlwre is
availa:." space for an equal extension to the westward
also, and without purchaw, it being .a p.,rtion of the
haven,
miralty.
and e-113cqucutly already belonging to the Ad-

Midxhipman,
the ldrniraliy;~
Fa.pwpoiiinsotintietnottshweesrtelamnnad yesterday at
one ;
H. H. Edwards, Mad-hipmaii,
man,
t,
the
stollatntineenSl:annon ; L. 11. Verneyj,.llTlj.idlsVllYpl
to the Inflexible ; John Hayos. Naval Cadet, to the
Higliflyer ; L. Atkinson, Naval Cadet, to the Brunswick.
Lieutsnant-General Sir Colin Campbell, frispector-
Getieral of. Infantry, arrived in Feramy on Wednesday,
fir the purpose of inspecting the infantry in garrison.
lie matie a very minute inspection of the arms and ac•
coulretnents of the men. At half past 4 the General pro-
ceeded to the orderly. room for the purpose of inspecting
the hocks, accounts, &c., of the battalion, with.the car-
rect.)e•s ot which he was. riatisfied. Oa Thursday the
depots of the 331 (Duks of Wellington's) and the .53th
(Qa"-Il'`s Own) regiments' were p traded at. 10o'clock
a.m., in heavy marching order, for the General's inspec-
tion. Tne General inspected each man's rifle, ammuni-
tion, and accantroments very minutely, and afterwards
had the whole of the kits laid out in the square. As anon
as the inspection was over General Campbell ordered all
the 3Pli. nuts of the 331 depot to the front, and said he
bad ivuud everything to his entire satisfaction.

[A DVERTr3El[ENT.]—Holloway's Pills should be tnlcen
for the C;ir re of Dropsy.--Females at a certain period of
life become liable to this compliant, wide!) first rualOs
its appearance by the lime:ling of the feet, legs, arid
hen Is, and thus tual<ing strong inroads on the
tution ; nunthere of dropsical patients, even when their
cases were pronounced hopeless, have been cured by
taking Holloway's pills ; and this medicine having stood
the test of Years as a certain remedy for thiA;rnalatly. no
one so affl;cted should avoid giving it a trial.— SAI
by all medicine vendors throughout the world ; at
ProfesSor Holl.way's Establishments, 244, Strand,
London, and 80, Maiden-lane, New York ; by A.
Starnpa, Constantinople ; A. Guidicy Smyrna; and
E. Muir, Malta.

THE
,BARVESF IN THE UNITED STATES.

(From the. Ye

") C>>t nt.y cc, Sept. 2.)

The returns. from the wheat harvest of the United
States are now complete, and it is settled that the crop
is of excellent quality, and if not the largest ever
gathered since the settlement of the country, is at least
above the average, and will yield a large nurplue beyond
the supply of our domestic wants, With the certainty
of such abundance, the probable reliance to be placed
upon active export demand is a subject of much import-
ance, and deserving serious attention. Our imports of
foreign goods and merchandise for the eight months of
the current year are larger than for any similar period in
our history, the total being upwards of 150,000,000
dole. ; and although much of this increase has been in
consequence of large exports of domestic produce to this
date, yet if these exports are to cease with the ingather-
ing of the present harvest in Europe, it might take a
larger portion of the receipts of gold than we couH
conveniently spare to balance the account. Great
Britain has always been the best customer for our surplus
breadstuffe. To most other countries which take bread-
stuffs of us, our shipments of flour have been compara-
tively uniform, whether the crop was large er small, but
to British ports the shipments have varied with the
quantity we have had to spare, although averaging
nearly half the total clearances for all foreign ports. Bra-
zil and the West Indies are regular customers for our
flour, as they purchase about the same quantity every
year, and after great Britain take the largest quantity in
a series of years ; but a large portion of our shipments of
grain (with wheat and corn) go to British ports. Thus
of 18,583,151 bushels of wheat shipped to all poets from
July 1,11349, to June 30, 1855, 14,061,212 were sent to
Great Britain; and of 43,757,597 bushels of corn exported
to all parts within the same period, 36,563,951 bushels
had the same destination. We annex a tabuler statement(
showing the exports from all parts of the United States
to all foreign ports, of wheat, flour, and Indian corn,
both in quantity and value, from 1849 to 1855 inclusive,
with a comparison of the quantity of each sent to Great
Britain. The totals are all taken from official documents,
and may be-relfed upon as authentic, although it must
be nota that, oftnany direct clearances to Great Britain
fsr—briTEW, th-efe—are sometimes considerable quantities
directed ' from thence to continental ports. The
"Tineiffe7 of 1847 led to large shipments of breadstuff=,
and to the inauguration of free -trade in England, and
we commence, therefore, with 13439, when the business
,bad become settled under this system. The periods noted
are the fiscal years, ending June 30 :
Exports from the United States of wheat, wheat
flour, and Indian corn, from 1849 to 1855; inclusive :
Year ending Juno 30. ToGreatßritain. • To all Foreign Ports.
1819.
Quantity. Quantity. Value.
dols.
Wheat, bushels
Flour, barrels
Corn, bushels
1850.
Wheat, bushels • ' 316,926 603,A61 643,745
Flour, barrels
Corn, bushels
1341.
Wheat, busieels
Flour, barrels • l,O 4,783 2,292,325 10,524,331
Corn, bushels
1852. 1"
Wheat, bushels 2,019,557 2,694,440 2,555,209
Flour, barrels
Corn, bushels
1853.
Wheat, bushels
Flour, barrels
:Corn, bushels
1851
Wheat, bushels
Flour, barrels ...... 2,016,121 4,012,336 27,701,444
Corn, bushels
1855.,
Wheat, bushels 396,215 791,834 1,329,246
Flour, barrels
Corn, bushels

The ordinary shipments in the past have have not in-
cluded anything direct for France. In the first year
named above (1849) there were no exports of flour to
French p-irte, and only 108 bushels of wheat ; in 1852
the total includes 2,700 bbls. of flour, and in 1853 only
8,784 bbls. ; ¢ut in the year ending June 30, 1854, there
were shipped ibrect to France 1,041,086 bushels of wheat,
728,279 bbls. of flour, and 39,400 bushels of Indian coin.
In the following fiscal year (1854.5) the shipments of
flour to the same ports had dwindled down to 8,557 bbls.,
and there was no shipment of wheat, but the exports of
corn increased to 312,740 bushels. During the year 1855
the partial failure of the crops on the continent of Eu•
rope led to large directshipments, and the total exports to
France for 1855 6, not yet officially compiled, have been
larger thad ever before) recorded to the same ports. As
soon as the threshing of wheat commenced in the west
and north of France, in 1855, its bad quality and light
weight created a'general panic, and prices continued to
advance up to Jan. 1. The abundance caused by the
large receipts from this country, Spain, and other
sources of supply, caused a downward tendency in prices
throughout January, 1856, and everything was promis-
ing for the next harvest until the inundations in May.
These chrolted the decline without wholly arresting it,
but as the harvest approached, the hopes of an average
crop became less sanguine, and it is now generally ad-
mitted that the supply will be deficient from five to ten
millions hectolitres, that is fourteen to twenty•eight
millions of bushels. The quantity of arable land in
France'is set down at 56,810,000 acres, of which
14,000,000 hectares, or 34,580,000 acres, are devoted to
the culture of grain. The average annual product is
495,000,000 bushels of wheat, oats, rye, maize, and mies-
lin—of which about one-fourth are oats, and two•filths
or 198,000,000 bushels are wheat. With an average
crop, France has heretofore been able not only to supply
her own wants, but to furnish about 5,500,000 bushels
of wheat (or its equivalent in flour) for the consumption
of Great Britain. It is evident that this export trade
must be cut off or greatly reduced during the current
year, as the crop in France is below the wants of her
own people. Indeed the total exports to Great Britain
from all French ports• for the year 1855 amounted to an
equivalent of only 880,000 bushels, or about 15 per cent.
of the usual shipments, and this was all foreign produce,
shipped from bend.

In Great Britain the crop this year is very good, but
it is never sufficient to supply the wants of the people.
The total imports of breadstuff:3 into the United King-
dom for the last three years (reckoning flour, &c., at its
equivalent in grain) are as follows :

Calendar Year.
1853 •
1854
1855

Equal to bushels wheat.
84,419,632
63,267,240
50,227,608

The high prices have contributed to reduce the im-
ports into the United Kingdom during the last two
years to the lowest possible point; but for the first six
twinthe of the current year the total imports amounted
to 1,859,000 quarters, showing an increase of 161,000
quarters or 1,248,000 bushels, and must continue at
abi,ut this rate throughout the remainder of the Sear.
Even with a good harvest the kingdom must need, at
least, 40,000,000 bushels grain, or its equivalent iu
flour, for its own consumption. Of this amount Russia
(northern and southern ports), whose supplies were cut
off during the war, can now furnish 10,000,000 bushels;
Prussia (whose harvest is this year below the average)
10,000,000 bushels ; all other countries, 5,000,000 ;
leaving 15,000,000 to come from the United Staten. If
prices rule at a comparatively low rate, the consuMption
will be increased, and the quota from the country may
reach twenty or twenty five millions of bushels. Spain
and Portugal have hitherto exported to both France and
Engla:nd, the shipments to the latter last year being up•
wards of 4,000,000 bushels. • This year the harverts are
there so poor that the export is prolubiteil, and supplies
for consumption in the Peninsula are going forward from
this port.

We see. therefore, that in addition to the demand for
the bread tuffs from regular customers, we are likely to
have an increased export trade to Europe, making the
aggregate probably more than 40,000,000 bushels wheat
and corn, or its equivalent in flour.

It is difficu t to ascertain the exact production of the
United States. The total arable land under actuvil cul-
tivation is given in the census of 1850 at 113,032,614
acres, of which 51,700,000 acres were producing bread-
stab. The following was the total production of grain
as given in the census returns for 1840 and 1850 :

1840. 1850.
Wheat, bushels 84,823,272 100,485,944
Rya... 18,645,567 , 14,188,813
Oats 123,071,341 146,581,17 v

Corn

Barley.
Buckwheat

_,179
377,531,875 593,071,101

~ 4,16E:504
7,291,743

5.067,015
8,956,912

---- ---
Total bushels I; l 5,5'5,302 • 807,453,967
A very large a.,,ount of arable land has Leen brou4ht
under cultivation sinae 1850, and those most conver,ant
with they west and its increased resources think that the
product of wheat has increased at least 50 per cent.
sinee the date last given, whila other train has in
creased 20 to 25 per cent. The total yield of wheat being,
computed at 150,000,000 bushels, it is easy to see that the
export demand can be filled without creatAig any emtraor-
dinary excitement throughout the country. Last year the
farmers anticipated such high rates that many of them re•
fused to sell in time, and thus to their great chagrin were
obliged to dispose of their stock at the cloy i of the season
far below the average price. This year the early sales pro-
mise to be the best, but there appears to be a limit below
which foreign orders would rapidly diminish any home
accumulation. At present good white wheat is worth
here about 1 dol. 60c., and good red, about 1 dol. 50c.
We scarcely expect to See a decline of 20 cents from
these rates during the current seasoN. but within that
range an actlve foreign business may be expected. The
prospects for Indian corn cannot he given until nearer
the close 1 the harvest. Flour will fluctuate more
than when in price ; sales have been made to arrive
iii Eoglap at a price which would net hen about
3
5 dollars for standard superfine, but this is generally
thought tee Ge an inside price. We have .'one.
piled from the official records a statement of the average
export prici, of flour in each year since 1800. The high-
est was 14 75.d015. per barrel, at which all the shipments
averaged iii the year 1317. The lowest was 424 dols.,
which was the average of 1852. The following is the
average of Iha total shipments to all parts in each year
f T the last 20 years i
Yearly avera,,e pried of the exports of wheat flour from
the United States to foreign ports from 1835 to 1855.
Year. Price. Year. Price. Year. Price. Year. Price.
Dols. Dols. Dols. Dols.
1336... 7,50 1841.... 5,20 1346_ 5,18 1351... 4,77
1837_10,25 1812... 6,00 1817... 5,95 1.152... 4,21
1838... 9,50 1812... 4,50 1854... 6,22 1853... 5,60
1839... 6,75 1311... 4,75 1849... 5,35 1854-• 7'BB
1810... 5,37 1815— 4,51 1850... 5,00 1855...10,10
The periods above noted are the Government fiscal
years; ending June 30. The average I
for 1856 is not yet
made up, but will be considerably below that of 1855.
If any think that we have over estimated the present
production of wheat in this country e have only to re-

I ,

mind them, that the cultivation of this grain for export
received bu'6 f=timo!oA until the repeal the Eog•
corn in 1847 ; and t:riat the export trade has
sL:ce grucv;; port ance. 171,e trade has
contributed more to thE, imp rtanco of Nev York 33 a
commercial emprium Clan as fzencraliy acknowledf;ecl,
and is likely to increase in magnitude for many years to
come.