The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-10 00:00:00

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The Terrible steam- frigate, has received, very un-
iivel of the fleet. She
quite ready, waiting only the arr
expectedly, her orders to proceed to England, and s
will be relieved here by
the Sampson, o frigate not
much more than half her power.
The Admiral has been expected here daily for the
last week, but has not yet been telegraphed. He is
known to have had easterly winds, and when last
heard of, was to the west of Cape de Gatt. The In-
defatigable frigate, having run by the fleet without
seeing anything of them, hove to off the island on
Saturday last, and, without coming in, went about in
search.
The Growler has been dispatched to Tripoli, with
instructions to Colonel Herman, the British Consul
there, and has returned.
The various packets due have all arrived, and con-
tinued their route to their destined ports.
Captain Bridge (Buffs), and Lieutenant Ambrose
(Buffs), have returned from leave of absence, and
Major Paterson, who exchanged with Major Cameron,
has joined.
Several officers of the garrison leave to-day for
Messina, whence they will proceed to Catania, in the
hope of being in time to witness the magnificent
spectacle of the continued eruption of Mount Etna.
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY. Tyne, store-ship,
Master-Commander P. Wellington, arrived at Spit-
head from Deptford on Tuesday, with stores on board
for Ascension, St. Helena, and Rio. She proceeds in
a few days.
DEvorsronT, SEPT. B.—Valorous, reserve steam-
sloop, was taken out round the Eddystone on Wed-
nesday to exercise her engines.
The Inflexible, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Wal-
ridge, left Spithead this afternoon for Pembroke, to
assist in convoying the Windsor Castle, 140, to this
port after launching.
The Avon steam-tender, Master-Commander
Veitch, arrived to-day from Plymouth with seamen,
&c., paid off from the Hound ; she left on her return
ii4the evening.
The Fire Queen steam-yacht, Mr. Paul master in
charge, went to Spithead this afternoon with super-
numeraries to put on board the Meander for passage
to the Cape of Good Hope.
The Devonshire Indiaman sailed to-day for Madras.
SHEERNESS, THURSDAY.—Her Majesty's brig Bit-
tern, 12, Commander Vansittart, is setting up her
topmast rigging, is reported to be completed by the
dockyard artificers on the 26th inst., ma to be ready
for sea the first week in October.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Wildfire,
tender to Waterloo, Mr. Brockman second-master
commanding, has been dispatched to Heligoland, and
on arriving there is to be placed at the disposal of the
Governor.

Her Majesty's cutter Hart, tender to Monarch, has
proceeded to Lowestoft for the purpose of procuring
boys for the Royal Navy.
Her Majesty's screw steam-troop-ship Megmra, 6,
Commander John Johnson, will be ready to embark
troops for the West Indies by the 20th. Her officers
and crew have shifted over from the Minotaur hulk.

Some officers from the Horse Guards are expected
here to-day for the purpose of surveying her accom-
modation for the conveyance of troops, with the view
of ascertaining how many she can conveniently em-
bark with a due regard to their personal comfort, ex-
clusive of her crew and stores. Orders have arrived
here for the dockyard officials to be in readiness to
receive those from the Horse Guards. It is satisfac-
tory to observed that the present Board of Admiralty
have thus determined that the vessel shall only em-
bark that number of troops for which she has ample
accommodation, and we therefore anticipate her
voyage to the West Indies will be unattended with

those inconveniences so severely felt by all on board
during her recent trip to the Cape of Good Hope.
Her Majesty's ship Hercules, 10, Commander
Benjamin Bayton (1841), fitting at Chatham for the
conveyance of emigrants to the colonies, will be ready
to come out of dock on the 30th inst.
The Isle of Sheppy has been the scene of the most
violent thunder storms that has occurred in that loos-

lity for the last 20 years. l'Or;e;eral days prior to
Tuesday the air had been extremely sultry, the clouds
having every appearance of containing an unusual
quantity of electricity. At ten P.M. of that day the
storm commenced, becoming more intense throughout
the night, during which period the rain occasionally
poured down in torrents, accompanied by flashes of
lightning of the most vivid description and loud peals
of thunder. Shortly before seven o'clock of the fol-
lowing morning a tremendous peal of thunder burst
over Sheerness, shaking the houses to their very foun-
dation, to the great alarm and consternation of their
inhabitants. The electric fluid struck the vane on the

turret of the dockyard chapel, shivering to atoms the
ball on the spindle, descending into the grounds by
means of the conductor, without doing injury to the
sacred edifice. Fortunately the storm, although most
violent, has not, as we hear of, committed any serious
damage. The only casualty at present reported is the
sinking of a fishing-smack at the Nore, the crew of
which was saved.

WOOLWICH, SEPT. 9.—The Trident steam-vessel,
Lieutenant-Commander R. B. Harvey, left Wool-
wich on Tuesday afternoon for Greenhithe, and after
having taken her powder on board from Purfleet,
she had her compasses swung to-day by Captain
Johnson, and will leave Greenhithe to-morrow for
Portsmouth, where she is to paid in advance, and then
proceed to the Brazil station.
The Wasp steam-sloop, Commander Lord John
Hay, was taken into dock on the Trident being taken
out, and will be paid down to-morrow, and be ready
for sea in about a fortnight from this time.

THUNDER-STORM.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—l enclose an extract from the observations made
at Highfield-house on the remarkable thunder-storm of
yesterday; there had been much lightning on the even-
ing of the 4th, and a brief but heavy storm on the
afternoon of the sth. The morning of the 6th had
been dull, barometer descending gently, wind N.E. At
2h.30m. p.m. thunder in N.N.W.; 3h. 16m. flashes of
lightning
in W., followed by thunder in 45.; other
flashes followed, but most of them more distant. Calm
wind N.W. 3h. 30w. rain began, became heavy at 3b.
38w.; 4h. 25m. rain ceased, but the atmosphere growing
darker and darker; sh. 15w. gentle rain, no thunder; 6h.
15m. loud thunder, too dark to read newspaper type; sh.
4. Om. rough breeze sprung up from N.W. (the storm mov-
ing in N. current), and very heavy rain commenced; 6h.
50w. flash, thunder in 25.; at 6b. 55m. 303. and 6h. 56m.
30s. flashes, followed almost instantaneously by thunder
(the lightning was straw-coloured); no other flashes,
but the rain continued to fall in torrents; at ten o'clock
2,040 inches were taken from the pluviometer—a larger
quantity than had ever been taken in the same space of
time. The rain continued during the night. At nine
o'clock this morning 0.361 inches had fallen, making
2.401 inches in less than a day.
The storm moved very slowly in a northern current,
the heaviest portion being slightly west of us. Probably
but few accidents have occurred, as the lightning was
mostly from cloud to cloud. The darkness continued all
the evening. Maximum temperature had been 72.2 deg.,
and minimum temperature 57.2 deg. Barometer nearly
stationary between 29.97 and 29,94 inches.—l am, Sir,
your obedient servant, E. J. LowE.
Observatory, Highfield-house, Sept. 7.