The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-17 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
MALTA, MAY 11.—The Spit^ful steam-sloop left lig I
on Frioqy lettyr.‘ for tho odu,irai
c hicii wtis, by a6vioAs acm 'an t,Hp.
lying at Tunis. Oe board the Spiteful his Lordship
the:dishop of Gibraltar had taken passage, intending to
visit parts of his diocess, then to proceed to Gibraltar,
where he would, as is his custom, pass the heats of
summer.

A proclamation by his Excellency the Governor an-
nouncing that the Malta Militia Bill had received the
approbation of the Queen in Council, was published on
the sth inst., together with a Government notice con-
taining regulations for its organization. The training
is to be confine;) to exercise suited fur defence, but But
to extend to battalion movemeros.
The town portions will consist of six companies of
artillery; one of the Great Harbour, and one of the
Quarantine, divided by the Strada Reale; a company of
Floriana, Vittotiasa, Senglem, and Cospicua. The
country portion will consist of infantry, formed into
companies according to districts or easels, but at No-
tabile (Citta Vecchia) and Gozs, there will be a portion
of artillery.
Words of command to be in English. Books for en-
rolment are open in the police offices of Valetta and
Cospicua, but scarcely 100 are entered.
By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Ripon, Captain Christie, of the Royal Artillery, takes
passage. A Board of Health has sat on this officer, and
change of climate is strongly recemmended.
General Perezal, who so much distinguished himself
by his military services in the late Hungarian revolu-
tion, and who, with his wife and three children, has
been resident in Malta for the last two months, also
takes passage to England by the company's steamer.
The general is the last of the refugees who was detained
in Turkey.
The French fleet has passed the island, bound, it is
said, to ports on the coast of Africa, and under orders to
reach Algiers early in June, but not before. It com-
prises, as is said, three line-ohbattle-ships three deckers,
three line-of-battle-ships two-deckers, and a beautiful
screw steamship, brig rigged.
The Banshee carries on the mails received per Ripon,
and destined to be sent through France from Marseilles.
The Scourge has left Corfu for Athens and Constan-
tinople, and expects to return early in June to Corfu.
PORTSMOUTH, MAY 16.---The Philomel, 10, Com-
mander G. T. Forbes, arrived at Spithead yesterday af-
ternoon from the West Coast of Africa station with
mails and dispatches of considerable importance. She
sailed from Sierra Leone on the Ist ult., at which date
the Penelope, 16, Captain Lyster, carrying the broad
pendant of Commodore Bruce, Commander-in-Chief ;
the Dolphin, 3, Lieutenant Commander Temple ; the
Seal ark, 8, Commander E. S. Sotheby ; and the French
Commodore in a steam frigate, were there. Exchanges
at that date was par on England. The Philomel put in
at no intermediate port. Commander Forbes of the
Philomel, and Mr. Ttedie, the purser, have lately re-
turned from a mission to Abomey, endeavouring to
conclude a treaty with King Gezo for the suppression
of the slave trade. The slave trade abolishment his
Majesty signed, but the condition relative to missiona-
ries, residences, schools, and burial grounds he would
not sign. Treaties have also been concluded with the
chiefs of Great Popoe and Little Popoe, Aghway,
Goom-a-Loota, Segors, Affls-hoo, Adeffi, Elmina
Chien, and Blook-Noose, and the Philomel has
brought home the dispatches relative thereto. She also
brings the rather unexpected intelligence—after what
we have heard of his previous apparent goodwill—of
the celebrated King of Dahomey having ordered
the British Vice-Consul out of his dominions. When
the Philomel left the station his Dahomean Majesty's
ports were being blockaded by the British in conse-
quence. The slaver-cruising squadron is very healthy,
but they are somewhat dissatisfied with the dulness of
the station, owing to no prizes being made. The Phi-
lomel has been remarkably healthy, not having lost any
officer or man by fever during her service on the coast.
She has brought home Commander Marshall (late Lieu-
tenant of the Penelope), on promotion, both cfficers
having been engaged and wounded in the late affair at
Lagos. She has also brought home Dr. Sloss,. Assistant
Surgeon of the Alecto steam-sloop, and the witnesses for
a trial to take place on Spencer, a stoker of the same
vessel, on a charge of murder of an able seaman of the
Alecto named Abel Potts.
The Sampson steam-frigate, 6, Captain L. T. Jones,
having taken on board a guiltily of tables, stools, and
an extra galley for the use of troops she is to embark
for the Channel Islands and Queenstown, sailed last
evening about nine o'clock for Dover, where she will
embark the 54th Foot for Jersey.
The following acting-mates and midshipmen passed
in navigation for lieutenants at the Royal Naval College
last week:--Messrs. A. J. Chatfield, H. M. Gillson, F.
A. Maxac, J. B. Balfour, E. Squeri, W. A. Smyth, R. 0.
Leach, C. C. Rebinson, C. Fitton, W. Vicary, R. R.
Hartwell, Viscount J. Gifford, and H. Fluxhem.
The following second masters, R.N., also passed at the
same time for masters Messrs. C. M. Hughes, H.
Bond, H. B. Boxer, and H. D. Sarratt.
The following young gentlemen also qualified for
entry into her Majesty's service as naval cadets, and
have joined the Victory until appointed to seagoing
ships:—Messrs. J. Hawkins, C. A. Watts, E. B. Piney,
W. Bell, J. E. Erskine, L. J. Evans, and F. S. D.
Broughton.
The Basilisk steam-sloop arrived to-day from Ply-
mouth.
The Centaur steam-frigate, Captain Cannon, flag of
Rear-Admiral Henderson, C. 8., was at St. Catherine's,
Brazil, on the tat ult., where she had been staying a few
days on her way to Rio de Janeiro from the River Plate.
She left Monte Video on the 21st of March, and unless
unforeseen circumstances took her again to La Plata
before the usual season, it was the intention of the Ad-
miral to pass the next five or six months at or in the
neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro. All were well on
board. She arrived at Rio on the 13th. ult, but finding
fever still prevalent she was to sail that day week for
Bahia, which was healthy. The Plumper, 11, Com-
mander Nolloth, is on her way home.
It is reported that Captain Blackwood, late of the
Victory, will take the command of the next expedition
to Behring's Straits should one be sent to the relief of
that of Captain Collinson and
.Commander M'Clure; and
that Commander Englefield will be the second in com-
mand; also that Captain Gifford, and the officers and
crew of the Dragon steam frigate, on arrival from Lis-
bon, will be turned over to the new steam frigate Tiger
at this port.
M
PLYMOUTH, SATURDAY, AY 15.—Her Majesty's
Captain Matson, left the Sound on
steamship HightlYer,
Thursday for Portsmouth.
The Rodney, 92, Captain C. Graham, continues is the
Sound.
The ship Calcutta, having been. unmasted, has been
to being placed in dock.
jesisityApyrel
4v.i—oursiltyhe Dauntless, steam-frigate,
warped to the
DEVONPORT,
Captain Halsted, sailed from Devonport, for Galway,
disturbances amongst on Friday last, to suppress some
the fishermen. The Rochester, lighter, sailed the same
day for Chatham.
Brisk put into Kingstown
Her Majesty's'steans-ship
Harbour on Friday, for a supply of coal. She was 24
passage from Glasgow to that port.
hours making the
She is not not yet out of the hands of the riggers.
The Crown, Dawson, master, bound from Liverpool
to riew York, put into Passage on Wednesday last,
with sails and spars much damaged. This vessel bore
up from the longitude of 14 west, with 501 passengers
on board; two of them are sick with the small pox, and
one child died at sea. She sailed from Liverpool on the.
22d ult., and experienced very strong gales on the 9th
and 10th inst., in which she lost her sails and spars.
She is 1,300 tons register, and carries a burden of
1,800 tons.
SHEERNESS, MAY 16.—Her Majesty's screw steam-
frigate Horatio, Captain the Hon. S. T. Carnegie, ar-
rived here yesterday morning on her return from her
trial cruise, which we hear has been satisfactory. Her
speed under canvas, with the wind on the quarter,
averaged 9 knots per hour, although her screw Ipro-
peller, being a slight degree under water, doubtless im-
peded her progress. When under steam, and working
expansively, she made eight knots an hour nearly, her
consumption of fuel being extremely small. For the
purpose for which she was intended—that of a block-
ship—she is well calculated in every essential point of
view.
Her Majesty's steam tug vessel African, Second Master
Gill, left port on Friday, at 1.15 Pons for Greenhithe, for
the purpose of assisting in towing to Chatham her Ma.
jesty's ship Hercules.
A gale of wind from the south-west set in here on
Thursday night, and increased the following day to
such an extent as to render it necessary for the Wa-
terloo, 120, London, 90, and Monarch,B4, to strike their
topgallant masts and point their yards to the wind. Com-
munication with the ships lying here was with difficulty
accomplished during the greater part of Friday. It
moderated in the evening of that day, and on the follow-
ing morning the ships sent up their topgallant masts and
squared yards.
Her Majesty's ship Hercules, having discharged her
stores, &c., at Greenhithe, arrived here yesterday at one
P.ll ,in tow of the African and Monkey steamers, and
anchored off Standgate Creek, She is to undergo a
thorough refit at Chatham, where she was built, as far
back as 1815, by the then surveyors of the navy, as a
72-gun ship, and has for a long time past been employed
as a store-ship. She was lately navigated from Malta
by a party of officers and men belonging to the Queen,
who are to be sent to Portsmouth in a steamer specially
placed at their disposal.
Vice-Admiral the Hon. Joseeline Percy, Commander-
in-Chief at the Nore, returned from town yesterday at
3 P.M. The broad pendant of the Hon. Moutagu Stop.
ford was forthwith struck at the main on board the
Waterloo, 120, and the Admiral's flag (blue at the fore)
hoisted.
We hear that tile Lords of the Admiralty have it in
contemplation to fit out an expedition to Behring's
Straits for the purpose of relieving the Enterprise, Cap.
tain Collinson, and Investigator, Commander
the command thereof to be conferred on Captain F. P.
Blackwood and Commander Englefield.
Her Majesty's ship Royal George, 120, when com-
plete in her repairs, is to be placed here as an advanced
ship.

Her Majesty's sloop Wolverine, 12, Commander M.
Falcon, was paid off on Thursday last.
Ihr Majesty's sloop Barracouta, on her pas3age from
Chatham, steamed eight knots an hour against a
floodtide.

Second-Lieutenant John Frederick 'Hawkey, of the
Chatham division of Royal Marines, lately embarked on
board the London, 90, as senior subaltern, h.s boon pro-
moted to the rank of First-Lieutenant, vice Charles
Wolrige, who resigned his commission while serving in
the Calypso.
The drill of the Royal Dockyard Battalion at Chatham
is to commence to-morrow -(Monday). The
c embarkingtlse
and disembarking the men from boats is to be
d
by crossing the river and landing the infantry under
coyer of the Artillery. A report of the time occupied