WAR PREPARATIONS.

The Baltic fleet returned to its anchorage in lijoge Bay on Thursday ; when Admiral Napier issued the following address to the fleet, by signal- " Lads ! War is declared. We are to meet a bold and numerous enemy. Should they offer us battle, you know how to dispose of them. Should they remain in port, we must try to get at them. Success depends upon the quickness and precision of your fire. Lads, sharpen your cutlasses, and the day is your own."

Excepting this there is very little news. The Swedes, Holsteiners, and Hamburg people, had shown the greatest anxiety to get a sight of the ships. While they lay at Wingo Sound, excursion-steamers brought crowds of visitors. At Kiel, numbers arrived by railway : all -who were fortunate enough to get on board the huge ships were delighted at the treatment they received. At the latest date the fleet was at .Kjoge Bay. The Austerlitz had entered the Baltic.

The following ships were anchored off Kiel on the 28th of March. .Those marked with an asterisk are sailing-vessels.

cram, ir. 1'. Mem

Duke of Wellington 131 ... 750 .Neptune* 120 Royal George 129 St. Jean d'Acre 101 400

Hogue 60 ...

Edinburgh 58 .• .

Ajax 58 .. • Euryalus 50 • • .

Imperieuse

Arrogant ii ... Amphion Dauntless 33 • • • Tribune 30 • . • Valorous 16 400

Leopard 12 560

Bulldog Dragon Vulture 6 ... 470 600 Princess Royal 91 400 Monarch* 24 Cressy 80 400 Blenheim 60 500 460 650 450 400 350 360 300 650 300 ...

• • • • . • • • • • • .

• • • 1,100 970 970 900 850 820 750

Flag-ship of Vice-Admiral

Sir C. Napier. Com- mander-in-chief. Flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Corry.

Captain Ff. J. Codrington. Captain the Hon. H. Rep- Captain Lord C. Paget. Captain Erskine. Captain R. L. Warren.

. • • 700

Captain the Hon. F. T.

Pelham.

700

Captain W. Ramsay.

600

Flag-ship of Rear-Admiral

Chads.

600 . • • Captain F. Warren.

580 • . • Captain G. Ramsay.

580 • • • Captain Watson,

450 • • • Captain Yelverton.

SOO • • • Captain A. C. Key.

300 ... Captain Ryder.

300 • • • Captain the Hon. S. T.

Carnegie.

250 ... Captain Buckle.

300 • . • Flag-ship of Rear-Admiral

Plumridge.

160

Captain J. Hall.

160

Captain Wilcox.

• . . 160

Captain Glasse.

Total 1,252 9,020 12,500

This force of twenty-two sail will shortly be further increased by the St. George, 120; James Watt, 91; Caasar, 91; Nile, 91; Majestic, 80; Boscawen, 72; Odin, 16; Miranda, 14; Rosamond, and several other steam- sloops.

The Danish declaration defining what is contraband of war includes horses, timber, copper-plates, sailcloth, canvass, hemp, cordage, &c. ; but not coals. Danish pilots are not permitted to serve in the allied fleets. Danish territory is to be considered to extend one sea mile from the

coast, except at Kronberg and the river Elbe at Ciluckstadt, u ht.re the distance named is 3000 ells, or 6000 feet.

It is computed that during the week now closed upwards of 4000 men have been despatched directly to Turkey, in five steam-ships. The regiments that have embarked are the Seventh Fusileers, the Twenty-third, the Ninety-fifth, and the Eighty-eighth (Connaught Bangers); besides several detachments and volunteers.

The divisional commanders are also on their way. Brigadiers-General Sir Colin Campbell, Pennefather, and Eyre, with their Staff-officers, set out in the Tonning, on Tuesday ; Major-General Sir do Lacy Evans, with his Staff, sailed in the City of London, on Thursday ; and this day Sir Richard England, Brigadier-General Cater, Lord de Roe, several Staff-officers, and Lord Raglan's horses, will sail in the Emperor. All these ships have departed from London. General Brown has already reached and sailed from Malta with the Rifles.

The French Generals Canrobert and Bosquet, and several non-com- missioned officers and privates, were present at a review of the Guarda, the Thirty-third, the Ninety-third, and the Rifles, at Malta, on the 24th of March. At the first meeting of the British and French troops at Malta, the British bands played " Partant pour la Syrie," and the French "God save the Queen."