The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-25 00:00:00

CENSURE ON RUSSIAN GENERALS.

A. letter from St. Petersburg of the 15th says :
" The Invalide Russe announces to day that the
Emperor, having been informed that the battalions
which were sent from the division of the depot of
the 6th corps d'arm6e in 185 i, to complete the
troops in the Crimea, were not properly armed, and
were unfit to continue their march, published an order
of the day on the subject on the 12th. In that document
the Emperor severely ()ensures, Ist, Gen. Marine, who
coctunands the depot, for having neglected to superintent
the prver execution of the orders given by his sup)•
riors, by which negligence the troops were impeded in
their march ; and 2dly, Gen. Yen Brine, the chief of the
staff of all the reserves and depots, fer having only in-
spected the said battalions in a very superficial manner,
previously to their departure from Moscow. The Tri-
bunal of War, after having decided the degree of cul-
pability and participation in the defective equipment
of the said battalienist of the persons in command
of the depot division of the 6th corps-d'ermee,
sentence them to the punishment prescribed Ly the
law. This announcement has produced a considerable
sensation in this city. For some time past remarkable
changes have been going on is the Russian army. Not
only will the uncomfortable helmets make way for the
French kepi, but the coats will be supplanted by the
poloukaf tan, a sort of frock imitated from the French.
The war has occasioned great changes in the arms as in
the general regulations. The Russian soldier will still
preserve the long grey greatcoat, which is a comfortable
dress, and protects him well against the severity of the
climate ; and the Russian army is at present being or-
ganised after the plan of that of Napoleon I.

DEPARTMENT OF THE CLERK OF THE HousE OF COM•
MONS.—The salary of the clerk of the house is 2,000/. ;
that of the clerk-assistant, 1,750/. ; that of the second
clerk assistant, 1,2501. There are four principal clerks,
at average salaries of 950/. ; six senior clerks, at average
salaries of 8971. ; 12 assistant clerks, at average salaries
of 4741. ; 12 junior clerks, at average salaries of 162/. ;
and two accountants, at average salaries of 6051.—Civil
r Service Gazette.
A NICE PAROCHIAL QUESTION.—In a north-country
question of parochial liability under the poor law, $
problem arises for solution. A man and woman, con-
cerned in the matter, were at the altar, and a clergyman
was making them one flesh ; when having uttered th•
words—

With this ring I thee wed,
.he demon of rhyme seized hold of the bridegroom, and
prompted him to add the line :
With this fist I'll break thy head !
Nis reverence turned away in disgust ; and the couple
went their way, and lived together as man and wife,
But are they man and wife? Parish officers are divided
on the paint, and the lawyers hope to be "called in."
—Gateshead Observer.
THE EMPRESS AND HER ACCOUCHEML—If I am well
informed, the Empress's state of health is, upon the
whole, as favourable as the case admits of. She remains
exceedingly weak, but is gradually recovering from the
sufferings of her confinement. It is rumoured that M.
Dubois is to receive 500,000 f., not only for his services,
but to compensate him for the fearful anxiety of mind he
underwent when it became inevitable that violent means
must be resorted to to bring about the birth. The poor
Empress for hours believed that every moment would be
herlast, and never ceased recommending her soul to the in-
tercession of the saints ; and this conviction upon his Im•
perial patient's part, of course doubled the responeibili-
ties and the nervousness of M. Dubois; consequently it is
held that 20,000/. (the relative dearness of the two epochs
well considered, too), is no more than the equivalent
in 1856, fur the 10,0001. awarded in 1811 to his father,
for his attendance upon the Empress Marie Louise, at
the birth of thelKing of Rome.—Paris Correspondent
of the Manchester Guardian.
THE EIGHTEEN INCH MORTAL—LIVERPOOL, March
24.—Abeut eleven o'clock this forenoon considerable
sensation was created in Castle-street, in front of the
Town-hall, by the appearance of a very unusual proces-
sion. This consisted of a ponderous truck, drawn by 11
horses, on which was placed a huge cast-iron mortar.
The dimensions of this gigantic piece of ordnance are of
unusual magnitude. It is of IS-inch bore, and is 7 feet
6 inches in length. The diameter of the mortar externally
is three feet nine inches, and across the trunnions at the
breech it measures six feet seven inches, and in its
finished state weighs 141 tons ; when cast, and before it
was turned or bored, it weighed 25 tons. This enormous
projectile engine is a beautiful casting, and in the opinion
of competent judges it reflects great credit on the re-
sources and skill of Messrs. Foster and Co., of the Vaux-
hall Foundry. The truck containing the mortar was fol-
lowed by two large flat waggons, each drawn by tw
horses and containing 20 shells cast for the mortar. o
These are ponderous missiles, each 18 inches in diameter,
and three inches thick at the hole for the fusee. The
mortar with its 40 modicums •f iron food were being
conveyed from the foundry to the Wapping Station of
the London and North-Western Railway to be trans-
ferred to the Royal Arsenal at 'Woolwich. The metal of
which the mortar has been cast is that known as charcoal-
iron, and was made at the Acadian Iron Works, Nova
Scotia.