The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-28 00:00:00

TIIE St N,

sitting of the 19th, decided by 49 against 31 that
it would not reconsider its resolution. The ques-
tion must, therefore, be deferred to the Council of
State, which, if it persists on its side in refusing to
modify its resolution, will, in fact, be granting the
other Chamber more than it asks. The National
Council, while it maintains the decree of the 20th of
June, 1849, has adopted several modifications in the
actual state of things relative to the existing capitu-
lations.
If the Council of State refuses to receive the solu-
tion admitted by the National Council, things will
remain in statu quo; that is to say, the decree of the
20th of Jane, 1849, will subsist in all its rigour, even
in regard to the capitulations already concluded.
The National Council was to hold its last sitting on
Saturday, when the session of the Federal Assembly
would be closed.

THE ARMY AND NAVY.

(From the United Service Gazette of this day.)

REDUCTION IN THE ARMY.—Orders have been issued
to reduce the Ceylon Rifle Regiment 400 men.
SOLD ERS' COMFORTS.—The following circular has
just been isrued from the Hone Guards :—"Troops when
proceeding by railway during the winter months, and in
cold weather at other seasons of the year, are, invariabl),
to wear their great coats. By command,
"J. BROWN, Adjutant-General."
MADRAS COMMAND.—We understand that Lieutenant-
General Sir George Berkeley, K.C.8., will resign the
command of the Maim Presidency on the arrival of
General Sir William Gomm as Commander-in. Chief of
the Indian Army, an officer junior in rank to Sir George.
SHIPS ORDERED HOME.—The following ships have
actually been ordered home to be paid off, having served
their time on foreign stations. Most of them have re•
ceived their orders, and are actually en route. We have
placed to each the port at which they are likely to be
put out of commission:—
Powerful, 84, Mediterranean—Portsmouth.
Asia, 84, Pacific—Sheerness.
Meander, 44, Pacific—Chatham.
Havanna, 19. New South Wales—Sheerness.
Fly, 12, New South Wales—Devonport.
Arab, 12, China—Chatham.
Kingfisher, 12, Coast of Africa—Portsmouth.
Spider, 6, Brazils—Devonport.
Cyclops, s. f., 6, Coast of Africa—Woolwich.
Antelope, s. v., Mediterranean—Portsmouth.
THE CAPTAINS' RETIREMENT'OF 1846.—Captain Sa-
muel Burgess (Nov., 1830) has accepted the Captains'
retirement of October, 1846, of 18s. per diem. This re.
tirement brings Captain Rodney Mundy (1837) on the
12s. 6d. half-pay list. Captain Burgess is also in the
receipt of a Greenwich out-pension.
THE NEW SOUTH WALES AND NEW ZEALAND STA-
TION.—It is not unlikely that the Admiralty will allow
Captain Sir Everard Hume, C. 8., Bart., now proceed-
ing to the New South Wales and New Zealand sta-
tions as senior officer, to hoist a blue pendant, and
take command as a separate station instead of as a
division of the East Indies and China station. Sir
Everard, as it is well known, goes out in the Calliope,
26, with the Fantome, 12, under his command to relieve
the Havanna, 19, Captain Erskine, and the Fly, 14,
Commander R. A. Oliver. It is expected that the
Calliope will leave England about the end of next
month. She will then proceed to Sydney, which place
she will reach about May. The Havanna and Fly are
orded to be there to meet the Calliope and Fantome by
the end of that month, and when Captain Erskine has
delivered over the command in due form, the Havanna
and Fly will return immediately to England to lie
paid off._

THE OLD VICTORY.—This good ship has now been
in Portsmouth harbour no less than 38 years. She has
not been to sea since December, 1812. The Excellent,
gunnery ship, has not been out of Portsmouth harbour
since July, 1816, or more than 34} years. If tt ese
ships could be set up on the beef bones served out to
their respective crews, during their continuous harbour
service, they would be nearer the sky than the tower oc
Babel; and if the quantity of grog served out on board
these two ships during the above period could be col-
lected together, it would make another Red sea.
Professor Moseley has recently presented to the Ad
miralty an excellent paper on the rollicg motion of ships,
which the Admiralty have sent round to all their ch-
partments fir their information.

THE ACHERON STEAK-VESSEL AT NEW ZEALAND.—
The Admiralty ha►e wisely determined not to incur the
expense of the voyage of the Acheron, surveying steam-
vessel, Captain Stokes, from New Zea Lind to England,
or that of sending out another steamer to relieve her.
Her condition in hull and machinery having been care-
fully a-certained, their Lordships have ordered her to
be paid off at Sydney, and her officers and men desirous
of a passage to England to be sent home in the Ha
vanna and Fly. The necessary stores for repairs and
re-equipment will be sent out by the men-of-war. She
will be refitted on the station, and re-commissioned a. a
tender to the Calliope; and as many of her crew, we pre-
sume, as feel disposed, will be re-entered in her for fur-
ther service.

THE LATE COMMITTEE AT DEPTFORD.—The late
committee at Deptford, namely, Commodore Eden, Cap-
tain Richards, C. 8., Mr. Nichols, of Greenwich Hos-
pital, and Mr. Tinhorn, secretary, have received the official
thinks of the Admiralty for their late services and their
able report.
EMBAHHA.TI4 ,N OF TROOPS.—The ship Java, of 1,175
tons. has been engagE,A to convey the 47th ReAiment from
Cot k to Corfu, the 36th Regiment from Cork to Barba-
do, s, the 66th Ftegitnent from Barbadoet to Qiebt c, and
the 19th from Q tebec to Portsmouth.

Commander Thomas Thom')lon has been appointed
Shipping Master and Examiner in Seamanship of the
Leith Marino Board.

Cummanoer Walker (I,te Queen's Harbour Mister of
Plym, nth), has been appointed to a similar office at the
Plymouth Marine B gird.

SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY.—The removal of the 91st
Hegira nt from Dover to the Northern District com-
menced yesterday (Friday). The men appeared, on pass-
ing our office, in good order, and fresh fir any service,
notwithstanding they had travelled 100 miles, thanks to
the efficient and judicious arrangements of the authori-
ties of the South-Eastern Railway.
OFFENSIVE EXPOSIIXE.—A practice exists in a regi•
went not one hundrei miles from Portsmouth, and, for
aught we know, in several others in different garrisons,
which we think it would be very advisable to abolish.
We allude to the custom of causing the men to appear
once a week before the surgeon of the regiment, and to
submit to an examination as offensive to their own sense
of decency as to the medical officer who is compelled to
the inspection. It is quite against the spirit of the age
that such usages should be permitted to continue.
There is little use in the practical efforts to introduce
a healthy moral tone into the army, by separating the
singe from the married men, if the self-respect of the
troops is otherwise offended. For all purposes of health,
it would be easy to trust to the volunteer applications
of the men fur medical assistance, or to an examination
of features, pulse, and tongue. An experienced surgeon
can tell at a glance if a soldier is in good health, or
otherwise, in spite of attempts at simulation; and the
men themselves are so thoroughly aware of this, that
endeavours to " do " the doctor are rarely resorted to
with any prospect of success. We cannot enter more
fully into -the particulars of the practice we reprobate.
Our remarks will, we hope, be sufficiently understood to
iaduce the commanding officers who still countenance the
disgusting usage to order its abolition forthwith.