The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-20 00:00:00

THAMES.

BENT ON SUICIDE.—Eden Johnson, a tall woman,
about 30 years of age, and dwelling at No. 2, Blossom-
street, Spite Welds, was brought before Mr. Selfe charged
with being drunk and disorderly, and attempting to
commit suicide.

Day, a police-constable, No. 192 K, said his attention
was called to the prisoner, who wa- getting over the
railings of the bris4 e over the entrance lock, London
Dock, Foxes-lane, Shad well, and he had great difficulty
in preventing her from precipitating herself into the water
which is upwards of 20 feet in depth at that spot. The
prisoner was intoxicated and very disorderly on the way
to the station-house.

Rochs, the gsolor of the court, who bad just left his
room, here said that the prisoner had attempted to com-
mit suicide three times.

The prisoner—No, I have not, Mr. It )ohe. I have
only been litre once before, and that was for being dis-
orderly.
Roche—This is the third time you have done this.
You were taken out of the water once a 41 sent to the
London Hospital. Your name is Ellen Johnson. 1
don't know what name you have just given. I was not
in the court at the time. _ .

The prisoner—Yes ;nay name is Ellen Johnsen.
Roche—She gets dru: k, and makes these wicked
attempts on her life.
Mr, S&fe said—After be evidence of Roche, of the
correctness of which there could be no doubt, he should
hold the prisoner in custody for a long time by ordering
her to find bail to keep the peace for three months. Re
was afraid the prisoner was a very bad woman, and she
was net fit to be at large.
The prisoner was then removed in custody.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

On the recent occasion of the Commander-in-
Chief visiting Chatham the authorities brought
under his notice the Crowded state of the garrison,
caused by the want of sufficient accommodation for
the troops belonging
to the India depots. His Royal
flightless having been satisfied that more barrack
room was required, gave directions to Sir R.
Airey, the Quartermaster-General, to make ar-
rangements for providing increased accommo-
dation for the troops of the line quartered at
Chatham. In order to carry out the orders, it is
intended to erect additional huts on the north side
of those already occupied by the troops attached
to the 3d battalion, situated at Prince Henry's bas-
tion, circumstances having proved that, on the
whole, the troops whoi
are quarteredn the huts
are generally healthier than those living in bar-
racks. The intended extemion of huts will neces-
sitate the removal of the small redoubt inside the
fortifications, so as to take in sufficient space for a
large range of buildings. The building inside the
redoubt has hitherto been occupied by an officer
belonging to the Ordnance Department.
The Goliath, 80, screw steamer, was taken into
dock at Chatham yesterday. She is to be fitted for
the steam reserve.

The steam storeship Rhadamanthus, Master-
Commander Sturdee, sailed from Woolwich for
P rtimouth yesterday evening, laden with boilers
and steam gear for her Majesty's screw frigate Mer-
sey. The Rhadmanthus was detained at Woolwich
until last night, to
give the ship's company an op-
pertunity of tendering their evidence, if necessary,
'et the coroner's inquiry concerning the death of
James Mason, a seaman of the Rhadamanthus, who
was drowned in Woolwich basin on Thursday
while in the execution of his duty. In testimony
of the high estimation in which ho was regarded,
bath as a comrade and a most valuable seaman,
the ship's company immediately instituted a sub-
scription on board for the benefit of the poor
subscribing two days'
officer contributing five days,
pa yfellow'swhich
i d
was
, closed each
bmy
the commander and each
a n
pay each, which pro-
duced 401.

The Widgeon, steam-vessel, proceeded from
Deptford dockyard to Sheerness yesterday after-
noon, laden with tanks for vessels at that port.
The Oberon and Archer, steam-vessels, and
the Somerset-Hoy, are now undergoing repairs in
dock.

eoaspossnel a sailing vessel of 700
for Bengal, having ____
vice of the East India
Woolwich, has sailed
em-
barkedfCt rooonTi nmshpeGa burden,nfrryaev ammunitiongehswtiri-tsidhhn ifr )totrrh' hef rr
doestination.
st in ation.
Mr. George Gordon is confirmed to the rank of
surgeon • Mr. Andrew Mullan and Mr. Charles J.
Devonshire are appointed assistant-surgeons to the
Ganges.
The launch of the
June.
noTwhibscsing caulked, a party
Orlando,PEmßlt °sKteEamp-fr°icgrtel,RhDa's—oeen fixed for Satur-
day, vessel, the
od largestfay, caulkerst h
oef Ih2etbrha
class,yoifngbeen sent round for the purpose.
She is pierced for 50 heavy guns ; and from her
immense length, and the great power of her engines
(1,000 horse), a high rate of speed is anticipated.
The shed under which she has been built was pur-
posely lengthened to receive her, her size being
360 feet between perpendiculars. Upwards of
1,000 shipwrights, mechanics, and labourers, are
now employed in this yard,
dependently of those
employed by the various contractors. The magni-
ficent three-decker Howe, 121 guns, 1,000-horse
power, and over 4,000 tons burthen, is advancing
is also forward, and will shortly follow the Orlando.
The new workg,roachinery,
and alterations this
yileiahrerarbeutilod. cost
tTohe 0,
00Au01r.ora, 51, 400-horse power,

LECTURE BY M. SOYER ON COOKERY

FOR THE ARMY AND NAVY.

The revelations that have been already made by
the Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into
the sanitary condition of the British army have
attracted general attention to the very unscientific
mode in which the food of our soldiers and sailors
is prepared. We are glad to observe that there is
a movement on the part of those whose duty it
more especially is t..) le.;ulate these matters, and
that the council of the United Service Institution
have invited M. Soyer to give them the benefit of
his long experience in the culinary art by deliver-
ing a lecture on the subject of military and naval
cookery. The lecture took place yesterday in the
presence of a large and highly respectable audience
among whom were—Major General Lord Rokeby,
Major-General Sir W. Codrington, Colonel Lord
A Powlett, Sir J. Burke, Sir T. Cochrane, General
Sir J. Wilson, the Rev. G. L. Gleig, &c. ; and we
were pleased to see many non-commissioned officers
and privates of the Guards present on the occasion.
M. SOYER having been introduced to the com-
pany by Lord Rokeby in highly complimentary
terms gave a very interesting and graphic descrip-
tion of his mission to the East with which the pub-
lic generally are acquainted through the able
work already published by M. Soyer himself, and
then proceeded to explain the process of his culi-
nary art, by which he made out of the simplest
materials a savoury and nutritious meal. It is quite
obvious that the great skill of M. Soyer consists in
having a thorough knowledge of the chemical
elements which he manipulates. The degree of
heat, the quantity of water, the weight and size of
the meat, the apportionment of the seasoning, all
combine to produce a &eh relishing to the taste
and beneficial to the health and stamina of the
body. These are the arcana of M. Soyer's art.
He explains them by reference to the apparatus
which accompanied him throughout the Crimean
campaign ; and he assured Lord Rokeby, to whose
personal experience of his modus operandi in the
Crimea he frequently referred, that all the advan-
tageous results that were re dised there might be
easily obtained in barracks, or in camp, or in
marching, by the same agency and at the same
economical cost.

Lord ROKEBY asked what was the weight of the
travelling cooking carriage ?
M. SOYER said the weight was about one ton
and a quarter; but the utensils for cookery con-
veyed by the carriage weighed only 1 cwt. and 201 h.
each ; two of which a mule was capable of carrying.
Lord ROKBBY entertained a doubt on that point,
and thought the weight should be less.
M. SOYER proceeded to describe his experience
on board ship. He and Miss Nightingale were to-
gether on board the Robert Lowe, and they ob-
served that the cooking was very bad—the meat was
not soaked enough, it was boiled in too small a
quantity of water, the large Turkish peas were as
hard as bullets, and a large quantity stuck at the
bottom of the cooking apparatus, which was
clumsily made. The mode or making the puddings
was also highly objectionable. The ingredients
were good, but were spoilt iu the cooking. The
addiion of a little fat or salt pork would have
made a great improvement. The cocoa was good,
and well made► by the sailors. The emigration
Commissioners had consulted him on the dietary
of the Laval service, and had furnished them
with a report, which he believed had given entire
satisfaction. Explanations were then asked by
Lord Rokeby as to the mode of working the cook-
ing apparatus (manufactu►ed by Messrs. Smith and
Puillips, of Snuwhill), and which were very satis-
factorily given by M. Soyer.
This being the first occasion on which M. Soyer
has appeared as a lecturer before the public we
cannot but congratulate him on his very successful
debut. Lord Rokeb), in expressing the thanks of
the meeting, complimented the able artiste in the
most flattering terms, and assured him that the
country at large could not fail to appreciate his
disinterested services in promoting the physical
health and comfort of the British army. We
unders'and that M. Soyer regards this only as
a preliminary lecture, and contemplates extend-
ing to the public at large, by the same means,
the benefit of his experience in the highly useful
and interesting branch of art to the study of which
he has devoted 40 years of his life. M. Soyer
exhibited a plan of a kitchen devised by him and
Miss Nightingale, by which roasting, baking, broil-
ing, I.razfng, frying, stewing, and boiling can
be easily accomplished for from 1,000 down to 50
men. After partaking of some excellent soup, im-
promptu omelets, bouilli, and other products of
the ingenious culinary contrivances of M. Soyer,
the company departed with the conviction that
"boiled beef" would not long be the sole ration of
the English soldier.