The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-05 00:00:00

THE ARMI .

Instructions were yesterday received at Wool-
wich by Col. Campbell, commanding the division
of Royal Marines, acquainting him that a batta-
lion of Royal Marines has been ordered to be held
in readiness immediately for service in Mexico, and
the division under his command is to furnish the
numbers stated below, viz. :-1 captain, 2 lieuten-
ants, 4 sergeants, 4 corporals, 1 bugler, and 68 pri-
vates. In selecting the detachment, particular care
is to be taken to ascertain that the officers, non-
commissioned officers, and privates are perfectly
healthy, and that the arms, accoutrements, clothing,
and necessaries of the non-commissioned officers
and privates are in a complete state. One-third of
the privates for this duty are to be old soldiers. It
is intended that the battalion shall be embarked at
Plymouth for conveyance to its destination. The
whole of the men yesterday underwent a medical
attestation, under the superintendence of Dr. Sal-
mon, Deputy-Inspector of Hospitals at Woolwich,
and were afterwards inspected on parade by Col.
Campbell, when they were ordered to be suppl ed
with the necessary kit, and especihlly an outfit of
serge tunics to be got ready as early as possible.
Lieut.-Colonel N. Samuel Lowder, of the Chatham
division, will command the whole. The officers to
accompany the detachment from Woolwich are
Capt. Seymour, lately in command of the Royal
Marines on board the St. Jean d'Acre, in the Medi-
terranean ; First-Lieut. Westby, and Second-Lieut.
Bourchier.

Admiralty orders were yesterday received at
Chatham, directing Col. E. Rea, commandant of the
'Royal Marines Light Infantry, to hold in readiness
the following officers belonging to that division to
proceed with the expeditionary force of Royal
Marines about to be despatched to Mexico :—Lieut.-
Col. S. N. Lowder, Capt. J. Huskisson, Capt. F. H.
Noot, Lieut. M. H. Price, Lieut. J. M. Hamilton,
and Lieut. W. Menzies. Capt. Huskisson is ap-
pointed Paymaster, and Lieut. Hamilton Adjutant
to the battalion>

Yesterday Capt. H. F. Cooper, Lieut. H. A.
Thomas, and 70 non-commissioned officers and men
of the Royal Marines and Royal Marine Artillery
left head-quarters, Chatham, and embarked on board
the Phaeton, 51, screw frigate, commissioned by
Capt. E. Tatham. _ _

The contingent of Royal Marines ordered to be
held in read;ness at Plymouth for embarkation for
Mexico consists of 14 officers, 20 sergeants, 20 cor-
porals, 334 privates, and 5 drummers. They go
according to the ordinary rotation for foreign ser-
vice, and should there be any proposal to exchange,
it will be discountenanced by the Lords of the Ad-
miralty. One of the captains nominated had made
arrangements, and wr.9 on the point of departure
by train for a midland station, on recruiting duty ;
his journey by land was immediately countermanded.
The officers are Lieut.-Col. George Lamdbrick and
First Lieut. John Delves Broughton, on the Staff ;
Capts. Wm. Christopher, Parkin Elliott (brevet
lieut.-col.), Chas. Slaughter, \Vm. Taylor, and .Wm.
Henry Fiore West ; First Lieuts. Chas. Hope Clen-
don, Andrew Wm. Douglas Smith, Mackey Andrew
Herbert James Herriott, and Edward Owen Brown
Gray ; and Second Lieuts. Michael Allen Stapylton
Kree, Henry Cummins, Jesper Nicolls Harrison,
and Charles Morton Braham.
The Himalaya, screw troopship, Capt. John See-
combo, is ordered to be ready for sea at Portsmouth
by the 10th inst. The following officers and men
from the Portsmouth division of Royal I\larines, are
under orders for service in Mexico, and are expected
to embark in this vessel about the date named :
Of the Royal Marine Artillery (Armstrong battery),
Major G. S. Digby, C. 8.; Lieuts. Poore and Hyslop,
3 sergeants, 2 corporals, 2 bombardiers, 1 bugler,
and 39 gunners. Of the Royal Marine Light In-
fantry, Capts. Elliott and Lloyd, First Lieuts.
Buckle and Nurse, Second Lieuts. Champion and
Browne, 8 sergeants, 8 corporals, 2 drummers, and
136 privates.
The Megara, screw troopship, Commander S. H.
Henderson, sailed from Portsmouth at 1 p,m. yester-
day for the Mediterranean, with officers and troops,
as detailed in The Sun of Saturday, and in addition,
Ensign Hildyard, of the 4th battalion Rifle Brigade.
The Megmra is to call in at Plymouth and Queens-
town.

The examination of candidates for direct commis-
sions commenced yesterday morning before the
Council of Military Education, at the Royal Hos-
pital, Chelsea. The first day was confined to medical
examination. To-day English and history aro
allotted; to-morrow, mathematics; Thursday,
Latin and Greek; Friday, drawing and French;
and Saturday, German, experimental sciences, and
natural science. There are upwards of 150 candi-
dates on this occasion.

AMERICA,

The Asia arrived last night with advices from
Now York to the 23d.

The steamship St. Louis left San Francisco on
the 11th with 1,864,000 dole. on freight.
Lord Lyons had forwarded to all the British Con-
suls in the Southern States the following letter, en-
closing another from Secretary Seward which are
not without interest just now :
" Washington, Oct. 16.
" Sir,—On the 11th of May last I made to her
Majesty's Consuls in the Southern States the fol-
lowing announcement :
" Neutral vessel will be allowed 15 days to leave
port after the actual commencement of the blockade,
whether such vessels are with or without cargoes,
and whether the cargoes were shippedbefore or after
the commencement of the blockade.'
" I enclose herewith a copy of a note which I
have received to-day from the Secretary of State of
the United States, and in which he informs me that
the law of blockade, which does not permit a vessel
in a blockaded port to take on board cargo after the
commencement of the blockade, will be expected to
be strictly observed by all vessels in ports block-
aded by the naval forces of the United States.
" You will take note of this communication of
the Secretary of State, for your own guidance and
that of the masters of British vessels; and you will
mark carefully, and report to me, the exact date at
which the present despatch and its enclosure reach
you.
'Von will, without delay, send copies of this
despatch and its enclosure to your Vice-Consuls, for
their information and guidance.

Young to General Stone to apprise him of the con-
dition of affairs, and General Stone immediately
proceeded in person towards the right to take
command; but, in the confusion created by the fall
of Colonel Baker, the right wing susti'ned a re-
pulse with consideraide loss. Gen. SO: e reported
that the left wing retired in good order. A crossing
was also made at Edward's Ferry, and the Federal
troops occupied the Virginia side. A cavalry recon-
naissance was made from there in the direction of
Leesburg, and the 14th Mississippi Regiment was
encountered, but without loss. The most important
movement along the lines of Gen. M'Clellan's army
was the taking possession of Annandale, on the
Little River Turnpike, about 10 miles west of
Alexandria. Gen. M'Clellan had removed his head-
quarters from Washington to the south side of the
Potomac.