The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-25 00:00:00

MARKET NEWS.—(This ray

CORN EXCHANGE.
GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the week ended Sept. 25, 1856, made up from the Returns of th e
Inspectors in the differeutCities and Towns in England and Viral( s
per Imperial Quarter.
WHEAT. SABLE!. OATS. I 111fE. skates. PEA.
64i 5d 45s 101 27s 2.1 44s 10d 46s 31 I 4ls 9d

ano .intelligence.

Her Majesty's ship Perseverance, Commander
M'Donald, embarked 200 Royal Artillerymen yesterday
at Portsmouth dockyard for the West India station.
She leaves this morning at daylight for Barbadnes.
General Sir W. F. Williams, accompanied by hi
Aids-de-camp, Lieutenant• Colonel Teesdale, Colonel
Bloomfield, Aide-de camp to her Majesty, and Brevet
Major Shaw, yesterday mo:ntog inspected Captain Om-
man oey's battery of the 14th battalion Royal Artillery
on Woolwich-common. Toe inspection is preliminary to
the battery being given over t.) the depot of field bat-
teries, where a reserve is to be kept up to the strength
of 500 disposable, and efficient mei..
The gunboats Swan, Crocus, Flamer, Caroline, Camel
Savage, Cherokee, anu Confounder, now lying at Dept.
ford, are ordered to proceed to Portsmouth.
Her Majesty's steamer Triton, lately arrived at Wool-
wich from the Black Sea and Mediterranean, in com-
mand of Lieutenant Fletcher, has been paid off.
The Black Eagle, Admiralty steam-yacht, Master
Commander Petley, arrived in harbour yesterday &ter-
noon from Portsmouth.
The Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir George
Seymour, went to Spithead on Tuesday, in the Fire
queen, tender, Master Commander F. W. Paul, and
inspected the Dauntless, 33, screw, Captain Alfred P.
Ryder, which ship received her powder and shell yester-
day afternoon, and sails for the Mediterranean to-day.
After having landed the medals for the Turkish army
she will proceed to Naples.
Additional gun-boats are now building for the Govern-
ment, at the yards of Messrs. Pitcher, Nortbfleet, and
Messrs. J. Scott Russell, Mill wall. nig fact excites
some surprise, as the number of this class of vessels now
lying totally useless in the basin positively interferes
with the ordinary business of the establishment.
The Bustard, 4, Lieut. Commander Collinson, and Star-
ling, 4, Lieut. Commander Villiers, screw gun-boats, are
fitting atPortsmouth dockyard for service in China. We
are at a loss to comprehend the Admiralty movements
with regard to the armament of these useful little craft,
or even their sailing advantages. There is not an ama-
teur in the kingdom, as a cutter or a schooner sailor,
but whas knows the advantage of a equaresail-yard in
running before the wind, as big as he can possibly set ;

yet really the present small squaresail-yards belonging to
the Bustard and Starling are being;redaced to mop han-
dles, rendering them perfectly useless. If the Board of
Admiralty have confidence in the officers selected to com-
mand these vessels, it would be only fair towards them
that they should be permitted to fit and rig their vessels
according to their own judgment. Again, with regard
to their armament. Those who have been accustomed
to the China seas in chase of pirates know well how use-
less, comparatively, is a 32-pounder. It is the crushing
68 that terrifies the enemy, and makes an impression on
man and vessel. Well, then, we have the Raleigh, Cruise r
and ilighflyer, proceeding to China. Why do not these
ships take out 68-pounders for the gun-boats ; Plenty
of 32's may be had in India, but very few 68's. We
also beg to suggest that a new forefoot be added to the
Starling. She will have on her voyage out to depend en
canvas, and in sailing on a wind more gripe is important
to her ; the expense is a mere bagatelle compared with
the advantages that would accrue.
The Turkish ship of war Payki Zaffer, of 104 guns,
Commander Ismail Bey, which arrived at Plymouth on
Monlay, was visited the next day by Mr. Thomas Were
Fox, jun., the Turkish Consul, who was honoured with $
salute of nine guns, and who subsequently escorted her
commander and two other officers to Mount Wise, where
they were received by Port-Admiral Sir Wm. Parker,
G. &c. Arrangements are to be made at the Devon-
port Dockyard fer fitting the Payki Zaffer in the "Union
Dock with her machinery and a screw, for which she in
already prepared, and, in order to expedite the work,
the dock will be supplied with gas. Her crew. 550 mere
will in the mean time be placed on board .a Government
hulk in Harnoaze. The engines, of 600' herse power,
will be prepared in the Cyde, and sent to Devonport.
When this ship left Constantinople she was bound for
Liverpool, but on arrival at Gibraltar was ord.-red to the
Royal arsenal at Devonport. She was built at C. nstanti-
nople about eight years eiece, and thoroughly repaired
acre in 1854.

In consequence of instructi,ns from the Admiralty, rt,
court, consisting of Admiral Sir Wm. Parker, G C. 8.,
Commander•in-Chiet at Plymouth ; Rear-Adiniral W.
F. Martin, superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard, and
Rear Admiral Sir H. D. Chads, K.C.8., Commander-in-
Chief at Cork, attended by Mr, Grant, Controller-Gene.
ral of Victualling, will shortly assemble at Plymouth,
to inquire into the manner in which the duties of Capt.
Superintendent Joseph Nina, and the other officers of

the Royal William Victualling Yard, Plymouth, are per-
formed ; and also to inquiro into the circumstances which
recently took place between Capt. Nias and Dr. Budd,
when an application was made to admit some distin-
gui-led French visitors to see the establishment.
The non-commissioned officers and men belonging to
the following depots at the provisional battalion, Chat-
ham, completed their course of instruction yesterday in
the theory and practice of the Enfield rifle, under Captain
W. Nott, 83d Regt., and Lieut. A. M'Leod—viz :-27th

Enniskillens, 32,c, 35th Royal Sussex Regt., 524 Light
Infantry, 53J, 60th Mies, fir.st battalion, 61,t, 64th, and
78th Highlander', with the following officers :—Ensign
W. Mangin, 26th iCameronians ; Ensign R. J. Bell,
37th Regiment ; and Ensign F. Schlotel, 81st Regi-
ment. The whole of the Chatham division of Royal
Marine Light Infantry are also undergoing a course of
rifle instruction, under Msjor G. B. Rodney, R.M., and
the troops belonging to the Royal Env.ineers are being
trained in the use of the Lonna ter rifle by Lieutenant
G. R. Lempziere. R.E.

The Leander, 50, Captain E. B. Rice (1856) from the
Mediterranean station, was paid off at Chatham on
Tuesday, and is ordered to be placed in ordinary.

DEATH OF GENERAL SIR O. EIALKETT,
G. C. B. AND G. C. ff., GUITERKOR
CLIELSEA 110,SPTTAL.

We regret to have to announce the demise of General
Sir Colin Halkett, the gallant Governor of Chelsea Hos-
pital, who expired at a few minutes before eleven o'clock
yesterday forenoon, at his residence at the Hospital.
The venerable and gallant General had been in delicate
health for some months, when, about eight weeks back,
be was seized with a very serious attack of gout, to
which he bad been occasionally subject. The General
never thoroughly recovered, but it was only within 24
hours of his dissolution that the termination of his earthly
career was found to be rapidly approaching. Dr. Mac-
lachlan had been unremitting in his attendance on the
gallant Governor, assisted by the deputy-surgeon of the
Hospital, Dr. J. C. Gaulier, the latter of whom was
present at the decease of the General.
The gallant deceased was eldest son of Major-General
Frederick Halkett, by his marriage with Miss Setor,
and was, we believe, in the 83d year of his age. He
entered the army at a youthful age, as Ensign in the 3d
Buffs, and served subsequently in other regiments until
he obtained a Lieut.-Colonelcy in 1803. He was then
ordered to take part in the struggle in the Peninsula,
and was appointed to the command of a brigade of the
German Legion, and during that command took an active
part in the battles of Albuera, Salamanca, Vittoria, and
the passage of the Nive, and for his services at which he
received a cross. The gallant General was also at Wa.
terloo in command of the second division of the 2d
Corps d'Armee, under the command of General Lord
Hill. At that signal victory Sir Colin 's division was
hotly engaged, and he had four hor-es shot under him,
and also received four wounds, one through the face, the
shot carrying away a portion of his palate, one at the
back of the neck, another in the thigh, and one in his
heel.
Sir Colin Halkett's active military career may be con-
sidered to have closed with the return of peace. In 1830
he was appointed Colonel of the 31st Foot, and in 1847
was appointed to the Coloceloy in chief of de 45th (Not-
tingharnshirt) Foot, which becomes vacant by his la-
mented decease. The gallant General was appointed
Lieutenant Governor of Chelsea Hospital, but only lied
that position a few months when the death of General
Sir George Anson led to a vacancy of the governorship
of that military asylum, when the Duke of Wellington
at once conferred the honourable appointment upon the
gallant deceased. Sr Cohn having gone through all the
minor classes of the Order of the Bath, was nominated
a Grand Cross of that noble military order in 1843. Ho
was also a Knight Craud Cross of the Hanoverian
Guelph:c Order, a Knight (31 class) of Wilhelm of tl e
Netherlands, a Knight Commander of theßavarian Order
of Maximilian Joseph, and a Knight of the Tower and
Sword of Portugal.
The late Sir Colin was married, and leaves an only
son, Captain Frederick J. C. Hellcat, of the 71st Regi•
nient, and three daughters. Sir Colin Halkett's brother,
also distinguished for his military talents during the
great European war, bolds the high post of Corninander•
in-Chief of the Hanoverian army.
The gallant General's commission
; Colonel,sionhor edate
January
Ist,
follows :
Lieut.-Colonel, Nov. 17th,
1812 ; Major General, June 4th, 1314 ; Lievt.•General,
July 22d, ; and General, Nov, 9t13, 1846.

LIEUTENANT STRAI N'S LETTER OF THANKS
TO COMMAND ER MARSHALL.

Dr. Cullen has received Cie :following note :
" Commander Marshall p.-'escrita his compliments to
Dr. Cullen, and begs to send a, COPY of Lieut. Strain's
letter of thanks to himself at 'd crew, while he eoffi.
ruanded her Majesty's ship Commander Mar.
shall begs to acknowledge the not 'P` of the pamphlet.
"H.M.S. Devastation, Sept. 16, 1.856, Sheerness.
" United States Darien Expechtion, Cantonment
of La Palma, Darien Harbon.; April, 1854.
"Sir,—ln my own behalf, and that of the officers and
others composing the expedition under my command, I
write to tender to you, and, through you, to the officers
and seamen under your command, our sincere thanks for
the prompt and inestimable assistance rendered by the
party despatched to the Upper Chuquanaqua under the
immediate command of Lieutenant W. C. Forsyth. To
the energy and activity of the commander of the relief-
party, Lieut. W. C. Forsyth, we owe many thanks, as
the condition of some members of our expedition was
so precarious that even a few hours afterwards we
should have been too late. To him, to Dr. Williarti
Ross, and to the paymaster, W. H. Hills, and the men
composing the crew of the paddlebox.boat, you will be
pleased to convey my thanks, and those of my party, and
I am well aware it must be a source of intense satisfac-
tion to them to know that, had it not been for their well.
directed efforts, twelve suffering men must inevitably
have perished miserably, notwithstanding every effort
which I, or the others composing the advanced guard,
might have been made to save them.
"`Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" ' J. G. STRAIN,
" Lieut. commanding United
States' Darien Expedition.
" To Commander Edward Marshall, Royal Navy,
commanding H.E.M. ship Virago. "