The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-25 00:00:00

Naval and Military intelligence.

A banquet was given at the Royal Naval College, Ports-
mouth Dockyard, last evening, to the officers of the Im-
perial French Navy who atteu ed the review in his Impe-
rial Majesty's corvette Du Olivia, commanded by Captain
Longueville, whose officers are Lieutenants Dewatre and
Tirard, Ensigns Garrey and A. Hamelin. The deputation
ou board consists of the following officers :—Rear-Admiral
Jurien de la Gra.viere ; Captains Belveze, Pironneau, Dide-
lot, Pethuan, Benic, Le Jenne, and Chaperon ; Lieutenants
E. Hamelin, Zede, Dubarquis, Boelle, Touboulic, de Jon-
quieres, de Beaulieu, Hocquart, and Lafont ; Ensigns Le
Roux de Villiers, do Barbarin, Fleuriais, and Buqttet, Cora.
missaire de la Marine.
The banquet was given by the admirals and captains of
the fleet at Spithead. The College was suitably "ap-
pointed" for the occasion, and the dinner was furnished
from the Crown and Sceptre, Greenwich.
The Debug iron floating battery, built by Napier' of
Glasgow, arrived at Spithead on Wednesday evening. She
is the most seaworthy-looking of any battery yet seen at
Portsmouth. She was towed into harbour yesterday after-
noon.

The hospital-ship Belleisle, Captain Hosken, was yes.
terday officially iuspected at the &[otherbank by Sir John
Liddell, C. B. , Director-General of the Medical Department
of the Navy, who expressed himself highly gratified with
the hospital arrangements made by Ifedical Inspector
M`Kechnie, Dr. Beith, Staff Surgeon, and the rest of -the
medical staff. She has now 95 invalids on board from the
fleet at Spithead.
The Lords of the Admiralty visited the fleet at Spithead
yesterday in the Black Eagle. Their Lordships' flag-liett.
tenant for the day of the review (Alr. W. Lang, May 12,
1842, of her Majesty's ship Ilogue) they have promoted to
the rank of commander.

Two new iron mortar floats, Nos: 114 and 115, b silt at
Messrs. Mare's, arrived at Woolwich on Wednesda: r even-
ing, and were yesterday morning taken into basin for fit-
ment. There still remain at Messrs. Scott Russell 's esta-
blishment some eight or ten gun-boats in process of being
built, and which, according to the stipulation with Go-
vernment, are yet to be completed. Messrs. Pitcher's
contract for supplying a stated numbs of mortar Roots is
also unfulfilled.

The Alma contract Ordnance vessel is being lade n from
Woolwich Arsenal with shrapnel and other shot. a) id shell
for Portsmouth ; and the Inkermann is taking in a cargo
of mortar beds and gun-carriages for the same port.
The daily number of mortars and guns under pi-pof at
the Arsenal-butt, Woolwich, is now reduced to the small
amount of four or five. The transit of bombshells Etna shot
to and from the various departments of the A rsenal
grounds has almost ceased, and given place to the vast
preparations for the groat fete shortly to take ph ce in
London. Some of the machinery in the great laboratory-
room has been removed to clear a space for the prepae •ation
of rocket tubes and other pyrotechnic materials.
Tho paddle-wheel steam-sloop Virago, 6, made a ti ial of
her engines from Plymouth to the Eddystone on Wednes-
day afternoon. _
_ . _

't he sloop Grecian, 12, Commander George Blau*, in
Hamoaze, had her masts taken out on Wednesday. Her
crew are ordered to be paid off to-day.
The steam frigate Liffey, building at No. 3 slip is De-
vonport Dockyard, is intended to be launched on the 6th
of May.
The forefoot and timbers of the Captain hulk, burnt in
Hamoaze in 1813, have been raised, and were deposited in
Devonport Dockyard on Wednesday.
Yesterday the Emperor (screw steamer), Kangaroo, and
Bahiana sailed from Liverpool for the Crimea with stores
and ammunition. They will bring back British ti loops.
To-day detachments of the 2d Dragoons and Bth and 11th
Hussars will embark at Liverpool for Dublin, which place
the I:th Lancers will shortly leave for Live pool.

A memorial, signed by about 100 Paymasters of the
army, has been presented to Lard Paumure, in which they
beg his lordship to recommend the state of that branch of
the service to her Majesty, that she may be pleased to
grant some improvement in the pay and rank of Paymas-
ters, to compensate for their increased responsibility and
the additional work they have to perform, and to place
them in the same position as other ranks in the service
who have benefited under recent warrants. The memorial
refers to various disadvantages under which Army Pay-
masters labour. Large amounts pass through their hands,
and much labour is entailed upon them from the complica-
tion of accounts arising from various causes. Another
allegation in the memorial is that the introduction of rail-
ways has caused a great increase of their labour. It is also
stated that great improvements have taken place in the
promotion of officers, from which the memorialists are ab-
solutely debarred. They then contrast their position with
that of Navy Paymasters, to show that it is much more
favourable than their own. Having stated these alleged
disadvantages, the memorialists proceed to make various
suggestions as to the rank which they should hold on ap-
pointment and after certain length of service, and also in
regard to in increase of pay. They then pray that some
modification may be made respecting their retirement.
To this memorial the fellowing answer has been received
from Sir B. Hawes, the Secretary to the War Department,
dated Anril 14, directed to Paymaster Burney, Depot Bat-
ten, n, Preston :
" Sir,-1 are directed by the Secretary of State for War
to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22d of
January, enclosing a memorial signed by yourself and
other Paymasters of the army, and to acquaint you that
Lord Paninure, having given it a full consideration, has con-
sented to the honorary rank of Major being conferred
upon those Paymasters who may retire upon half•pay
after a service of 30 years, but his lordship can see no
grounds for granting honorary rank to this class of officers
while on full pay, nor for increasing the rate of retirement
allowed to them by the warrant of the Gal of October,
1334."

IVIARKET NEVa.—(This Day.)

CORN EXCHANGE.

The arrivals of English wheat fresh up to-clay were very
moderate, and the show of samples was small. The at-
tendance of both town and country buyers was by no means
numerous, and the demand for all kinds of wheat of home
produce ruled inactive, at Monday's currency.
The supply of foreign wheat was by no means extensive.
All kinds moved off slowly, on former terms.
We had a good demand for barley and malt, at full rates.

There wawa slight improvement in the oat trade. In
prices, however, no change took place.
Beans, peas, and flour met a slow inquiry, at Monday's
currency.

ARRIVALS TIII9 WHIM.
Irish .... W_heat. ( Barley. Ni Vt. 1 Oats. ` Finir.
Lnglish .. 2,430 I
903 2,670 05) ; 1,410
770 1
4100 brls
740 i 6'5" I 203 eke
Fore!gn i i I
4,330