The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-28 00:00:00

The 55th depot, first division, embarked yester-
day from Parkhurst, on board the steamer South-
Western for Jersey.
The Juno, 26, Captain Freemantle, went into
Portsmouth Harbour on Thursday evening to dis-
mantle and be paid off.
The funeral of the Rev. Sandford Connor, late
assistant chaplain to the Royal Artillery at ool-
wich, who died from an attack of cerebral apoplexy
on Sunday last, took place yesterday in that garri-
son. Notwithstanding its importance as a m tary
station, the event of an officer's funeral has not
occurred there for some years, consequently every
avenue leading to the Artillery-barracks, as well as
the entire line of road extending to St. Luke's
Church, Charlton (the place of interment), was
thronged with spectators. The solemn cortege was
composed of 1 captain, 1 subaltern, and 100 rank
and file from every corps in garrison, which, toge-
ther with volunteers, consisted of about 800 men.
The officers of the garrison having been invited
generally to attend assembled in a considerable
body, numbering about 100, together with the
entire official staff. General Williams was unable
to be present in consequence of an attack of in-
fluenza, which has confined him to his quarters.
Precisely at 2 o'clock the coffin, borne on the
shoulders of six gunners of the Artillery, was placed
on a 9-pounder gun with six black horses attached.
A line of Artillery static ned on either side presented
arms, and reversed muskets, when a long and
gradual rolled of the muffled drums rung through
the length of the parade. The mournful procession
then commenced its march, and the coffin having
been carried into the church the funeral service
was performed by the Rev. Mr. Delamere.
Some samples of rope received at Woolwich from
various foreign manufactories were yesterday tested
with a view of securing an effectual means of firing
rockets and conveying assistance to ships in distress.
A piece of 1 inch Italian rope has a strain of 15k
cwt. ; a piece of 11 inches broke at 14i cwt. ;
another sample from the same manufactory of inch
gave way at 9 cwt. ; do. 1 inch, 10k cwt. Al-
- Italian sample was then tested, and bore 10k
cwt. A Neapolitan sample of inch yielded at
10i cwt. ; a 1-inch Italian at 12i cwt. ; a 1-inch
New Zealand at 7/ cwt. ; and a inch at 5i cwt.
Sixty gunners, forming No. 4 Company, 2d Bat-
talion Royal Artillery, under command of Major
Champion, left Plymouth on Tuesday for Wool-
wich, where they will be strengthened. to 150, when
it is expected they will go with four other companies
for service in China.

A rrarigannAnfsi aro% in prngreists for sending out a
large number of orderlies, wardmasters, and stewards
of the medical staffs corps at Chatham to India,
where they will ho employed in attending on th•
sick and wounded troops, and in the general hoe.
pital duties performed by the orderlies of that corps.
A number of orderlies are also to be stationed at
Alexandria to assist the officera and troops proceed-
ing to and from India by the overland route.
Vice-Admiral E. Collier is to have the retired
service pension, rendered vacant by the death of
Vice-Admiral W. F. Owen.

Vice-Admiral Collier, C. 8., whose removal
from the active list is consequent upon his accept•
aace of the service pension, is 74 years of age. He
entered the navy in February, 1796, and his first
sea service was as acting lieutenant of the Teign-
mouth, brig, against the pirates of Guzzarat, in
1803, on which occasion, after the hazardous de-
stt uction of thirty of the enemy's vessels, he headed
a division of seamen and marines in an attack made
on one of their forts, where the British were com-
pletely repulsed, with a loss of 40 men killed and
wounded. Mr. Collier was confirmed a lieutenant
June 17, 1803 ; was in the St. Fiorenzo, 36, in her
desperate confl.ct of several hours, and the capture
on Feb. 14, 1805, of the French 32 gun frigate La
Psyche, after a loss to the former of 12 men killed
and 36 wounded, and to her opponent of 57 killed
and 70 wounded. As first lieutenant of the
Thames, 32, be commanded the boats of that ship
and the Pilot, brig, at the capture and destruction
of a large and well protected convoy near Aman-
thea, July 25, 1810, which procured him his pro-
motion. Obtaining command, Oct. 27, 1812, of
the Manly brig, Captain Collier proceeded to the
Scheldt, and thence sailed with convoy for New-
foundland, whence he afterwards went to Halifax,
where the Manly was driven high and dry on shore
during a heavy gale, Nov. 13, 1813, and only got
off after an incessant labour of three weeks. In May,
1814, having volunteered with the whole of his ship's
company to co-oporato with Sir James L. Yeo on the
Canadian lakes, Captain Collier gallantly assisted,
with the gun boats under his orders, in the attack
on Oswego. After bearing a part in many other
arduous enterprises he was officially advanced,
Nov. 18 following, to the command of the Princess
Charlotte, 42. Ile subsequently, from Sept. 8,
1811, until Nov. 30, 1821, commanded the Mersey
26, on the Halifax station. On April 3, 1837, joined
the Castor, 36, commanded her during the Syrian
campaign, and in the bombardment of St. Jean
d'Acre, had the misfortune to have his leg severely
fractured, and received other hurts of a slighter
description. Capt. Collier was nominated a C.B.
Dec. 18, 1840, and paid off the Castor in 1841. His
last active service was in command of the Rodney,
92, in the experimental squadion, under the orders
of Rear Admirals Hyde Parker and Sir Samuel
Pym. Capt. Collier is deputy lieutenant of the
county of Worcester. Admiral. Collier obtained
his flag rank, Oct., 1850.
Sir James Hanway Plumridge, K.C.8., super-
intendent of Devonport Dockyard, is now the
senior Rear-Admiral
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :
Vice-Admiral E. Collier to the good-service pension,
rendered vacant by the death of Admiral Owen.
Captains—The Hon. G. F. Hastings to the Blenheim,
vice Pelham ; F. Scott to the Meander, vice Hastings.
Lieutenants—W. H. Beake to the Cambrian ; A. H.
Gilmore to the Renown ; E. B. H. Franklin to the Cu.
racoa; S. F. Douglas to the Renown.
Master—Valentine G. Roberts to the Renown.
Clerks—C. W. Roache, to the Magicienne ; H. H.
M'D. Grant, to the Victory ; Bertram Mitford, to the
Cambrian.

APPOINTMENTS.
Captain the Hon. G. F. Hastings, C. B. (1845),
as we anticipated, has been appointed to succeed
Captain Pelham it theot command of the Blenheim,
at Portsmouth,
r
60, screw ship, smouth
at that
and in thet supjrint:
tendenco of the steam reserve
Hastings, who is the second son ofthpeolartea
Earl
Huutingdon (who was a captaiu in the navy), en-
tered the service in 1824, was made a lieutenant in
Jan., 1833, and commander in 1838. He com-
manded the Harlequin, on the coast of China, and
led the boats of that sloop and those of the Wan-
derer and Dido in the attack on the piratical
towns of Murdoo and Qualloo Batto, in the island
of Sumatra, for which he received the public
thanks of the Commander-in-Chief. As a captain
he commanded the Cyclops, 6, paddle, on the coast
of Africa, and the Curacoa, 21, screw, in the Black
Sea ; and since May last he has been in command
of the Ma ender, coast-guard ship, Portland Roads.