The Sun. — 1856-02-19 (London, England)

MADRID, FEB. 16.  The Cortes have adopted the bill for calling out 16,000 men to fill up the ranks of the army. The affair cf the Puerta del Sol had not yet been  effeeted with the Russians' own powder captured in Sebastopol. The explosion I have described is the only incident of importance that has broken the monotony of camp life since I last wrote. A shocking murder was committed last week in one of the Light Division hospitals by a soldier of the 77th Regiment, a youth all, named Day. He was hospital orderly, and was in attendance upon an artilleryman who had been badly hurt when the French siege train blew up. The artilleryman, grateful for his oare, took a purse, containing about 121., from under his pillow, and gave him ss. The sight of the gold was too strong a temptation for Day, who, it is said, was a London thief before enlistment. He took a crowbar and dealt a violent blew on the artilleryman's head. The poor fellow shrieked "Murder !" when a second blow fractured his arm. His cries brought in the other orderlies, and, after a most violent resistance, Day was overpowered and secured. The artilleryman is since dead. The money-order offices at Balaklava and Headquarters have now been a week open, and the use that has hitherto been made of them more than justifies the most sanguine anticipations of those who predicted that they would be accepted by the army as a boon and great convenience. On Monday, at Head-quarters' post-office, orders were given to the amount of 1701. ; on Friday to that of 3001. On Wednesday, at Balaklava, 3001. of orders were issued, and on Saturday, 5001. This gives a total of 1,2701. sent home in one week by the army in the Crimea, in sums varying from 11. to 51. There were few cases where the same man sent home more than 5/. (by taking two or more orders), and a few others where sums of less than 11. were sent. If we take 2/. 10s. as the average amount of the orders, we find that upwardsof 500 men have availed themselves of this cheap and ready means of remitting money to their families. There can hardly be a doubt that a very large portion of the money thus sent is rescued from the canteen men and other sharks, who prey upon the soldier, and into whose hands it would oth.iiwise fall. The army is much indebted to the Post-office authorities in Constantinople and in London—by whom, as I hear, the plan was simultaneously suggested—for extending to it ,the benefits of an institution the introduction of which of course gives a good deal of additional trouble to post-office employes in the East, but which will tend to diminish drunkenness and to improve the character of the soldier—to say nothing of the comfort it will be to many a poor family in England having father, husband, or brother serving in the Crimea. The senders of the  money are from all branches of the service, including the men in the Army Works Corps, among whom, as we have had abundant opportunities of seeing upon the roads and in the neighbourhood of their camp, there has hitherto been a good deal of drunkenness, owing in part, no doubt, to the very high wages they receive. It would perhaps save trouble, prevent crowding at the post-office, and prove an accommodation to soldiers, whom duty may prevent from getting to Head-quarters or Balaklava during the hours of issue, if a sergeant of each regiment were to take the money from the men, the list of names and necessary particulars, and procure the orders. But doubtless the commanding officers of corps will make such arrangements of this kind as are most fitting and convenient, and best calculated to induce soldiers to remit money to England instead of squandering its in the Crimea.