WAR PREPARATIONS.

There is little to be recorded this week respecting our war prepara- tions; but perhaps it may be interesting to repeat the names of the regiments of Foot which will form the army under the command of Lord Raglan. They are the Third battalion of Grenadier Guards, the First of the Coldstreams, and the First of the Scotch Fusileera ; the Second battalion of the Rifle Brigade ; the First battalion of the First Foot; the Fourth, Seventh, Nineteenth, Twenty-third, Twenty-eighth, Thirtieth, Thirty-third, Thirty-eighth, Forty-first, Forty-second, Forty-fourth, Forty-seventh, Forty-ninth, Fiftieth, Fifty-fifth, Seventy-seventh, Seventy-ninth, Eighty-eighth, Ninety-third, and Ninety-fifth. There will thus be in the expeditionary army twenty-two battalions of the Line and three of Foot Guards, in all twenty-five battalions ; which, with the Artillery and the Cavalry, will make up an effective force of at least 25,000 men. The Twentieth, Twenty-first, Thirty-fourth, Sixty-third, and Ninety- seventh Regiments, have received orders to hold themselves in readiness for "a special service " ; but whether that implies that they are to be placed with the rest of the British contingent under Lord Raglan's com- mand, and to act in the East, is not known. A Treasury minute has been issued directing the Commissariat depart- ment to furnish supplies, charging the nearest wholesale cost without pay- ment of duty, and excluding inconvenient fractions. The following state- ment shows the supplies provided, the cost price, and the rate of proposed charge.

Articles.

Quantities provided.

Cost Prioe.

Rate of Proposed Charge to the Troops.

Porter .. .. .. 64,800 gals. 358. per bar. of 36 3d. per quart.

Pale ale (for the officers) .. .. 2,700 „ 408. per ditto 4d. ,, Preserved potatoes 50,000 lbs.

5d. per lb. 54. per pound.

Chocolate .. .. 10,000 „ U. 16s. per °vit. 4d. ,, Coffee .. .. .. 80,000 „ 61/. 10s. per ton. 614. ,, Tea .. .. ..

8,000 ,,

ls. per lb. is. ,, Sugar .. .. .. 100,000 „

11. ls. 6d. per cwt-

2d. ,, Rice .. .. .. 200,000 „

261. 10s. per ton.

3d.

Scotch barley for broth .. .. .. 10,000 „ 14s. 64. per cwt. lid. , ..

The Treasury minute points out the expediency of fixing a limit to the quantity allowed to officers and men. The articles of diet named above are in addition to the ordinary rations of bread and meat.

By this time the British fleet is in the Baltic. On the 14th the steam. sloop Miranda, 14 guns—the swallow of the fleet—anchored off Copen- hagen, and saluted the Three Crowns battery. Sir Charles Napier's fleet arrived at Wingo Sound on the 15th; and the Admiral himself, running up to Copenhagen in the Valorous, landed there on the 20th, to pay his respects to the King. It was expected that the larger ships would pass by the Great Belt, as there was not enough water in the Sound. All was expectation in the Baltic. At Kiel, a flag-staff had been set up on the church-tower of St. Nicholas, and the flag was ready for hoisting the moment the fleet should come in sight. Tho British Government, it is said, have applied for sixty Prussian pilots at Swinemunde, the port of Etettin.

The new arrangements for engaging seamen for one year only appear to be well received by seafaring people. The naval rendezvous at Tower Hill was besieged on 'Wednesday by volunteers. Large numbers of men from the crews of merchant-ships recently arrived in the river, and paid, have volunteered. Similar success has hitherto attended the measure at the great naval stations. Mails will be made up from time to time, as opportunities occur, for transmission to her Majesty's fleet in the Baltic. Letters for soldiers and seamen serving in the fleet, with respect to which the regulations required by law have been duly observed, will be forwarded on payment of id. Letters addressed to commissioned or warrant officers will be chargeable, under the Treasury warrant of the 21st instant, with a rate of 6d. when not exceeding a half-ounce ; Is. when exceeding a half-ounce and not exceeding one ounce ; 2s. when exceeding one ounce and not exceeding two ounces ; and so on ; which postage must be paid in advance. No charge will be made upon British newspapers addressed to the fleet, pro- vided they are duly stamped and posted in conformity with the esta- blished regulations.