The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-25 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

We regret exceedingly to hear that Lieut. Francis
Rooke (1846), the only officer who was saved under the
most miraculous circumstances, from the wreck of the
Avenger steam-frigate, died at Haslar a few days since.
He was a gallant gentleman and a great favourite, and
his death will be generally deplored by a large circle of
friends.

PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 24.

Her Majesty's brigantine Dolphin, 3, Lieutenant-
Commander Wood, arrived at Spithead this morning
from the coast of Africa with mails, &c. She sailed
from Ascension on the 19th of October, at which date
her Majesty's ship Penelope (flag ship), Rear-Admiral
W. Bruce ; Teazer tender, Lieutenant Rich ; and
Tortoise, 12, Captain Kitchen, were there. On the
south coast, her Majesty's ship Harlequin, 12, Com-
mander Wilmot ; Waterwitch, 6, Commander Gard-
ner ; Volcano, 4, Commander Coote 7 • and Spy, 3, Lieu-
tenant Beresford. In the Bights, her Majesty's ship Pro-
metheus, 4, Commander Foote ; Cygnet, 8, Commander
White ; Witomart, 8, Commander Heseltine ; Myrmidon
iron steam-vessel, Lieutenant Joliffe ; and Polyphemus,
6, Commander Phillips. North division : Her Majesty's
steam-sloop Firefly, 5, Commander G. A. Seymour (senior
officer), on her way from St. Paul de Loando to Sierra
Leone ; Pluto, steam-vessel, Lieutenant West ; Ferret,
6, Commander Macdonald ; and Crane,' 6, Commander
Bonham. The slave-trade is reported "totally extinct."
Her Majesty's steam-sloop Firefly took the last prize on
the south coast, within a few miles of St. Paul de Loando.
The Dolphin has brought home Commander Henry
Harvey, from the Penelope ; Lieutenant G. C. Kerr,
from the•Britomart ; Lieutenant John Webb, from the
Tortoise ; and Dr. Molesworth, from the same ship.
She passed an English ship in lat. 48 N., long. 9 50 W-,
showing " No. 7,198, all well." She encountered a
heavy gale from the N.W., from the 15th to the 18th
inst. ; arrived off the Needles on Saturday night, but,
owing. to contrary gales, could not make Spithead until
last night.
The Marlborough, 120, in frame on the stocks in this
dockyard, is ordered to be cut in two and lengthened a
la Windsor Castle, for adaptation to the screw principle.
The Firebrand, 6, steam-frigate' Captain Codd, sailed
from Spithead thi3 afternoon for Woolwich, to be paid
off, having previously been inspected by the Commander-
in-Chief.

The Victory, 101, Captain Martin, C. 8., flag' of
Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs, G.C.M.G., has been paid
wages up to one month to-day.
The Leander, 50, Captain King, will be brought into
dock to.have her bottom inspected, previous to her going
to Spithead.
The Cornelius Grinnell, American packet, sailed from
Spithead this morning for New York.

SHEERNESS, Nov. 24.

Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Driver, 6, of
280-horse power, having had her machinery thoroughly
repaired, arrived yesterday afternoon from Woolwich to
be stationed at this-port as one of the advanced steam-
squadron of reserve.

Her Majesty's steam-vessel Monkey, acting Second
Master Mr Robert Sallinger, arrived yesterday at noon
from Woolwich with stores.

Her Majesty's advanced steamer Cuckoo, 1, chief engi-
neer Mr. Newton (acting), has had her tubular pipes re-
moved ; t►ey are in such a defective state as to render
new ones necessary.
lier Majesty's iron paddle-wheel steam-vessel Lizard
has had her bottom cleaned, and is to be payed over with
Peacock's patent composition for the prevention of ex-
ternal oxydization.
Her Majesty's ship Phaeton, 50, Captain George
Elliott, is ordered on her arrival from the Mediterranean
to proceed to this port to be paid off. This fine frigate,
of 1,941 tons burden, was built from designs by Mr.
White, of Cowes, and launched at Deptford in 1848. She
was commissioned in December, 1849.
Messrs. Ward and Lewson, clerks in the office of the
Captain Superintendent, with servitudes of 40 and 37
years respectively, have been promoted, the former to
the first and the latter to the second class, through the
recommendations to the First Lord of the Admiralty of
Captain C. Hope.
The launching of her Majesty's screw steam-frigate
Tribune, 30, has been further postponed to the 11th of
January next.

WOOLWICH, Nov. 24.

The men employed upon the Royal Albert, 120, have
been placed on task work, in order to expedite the con-
version of the splendid vessel into a screw steam-ship,
and that she may be ready for being launched at as early
a period as possible in the ensuing year.
The Terrible steam-frigate was taken into dock this
afternoon, to undergo a thorough refit. The two boilers
with which she worked during her last period of commis-
sion, have been taken out, and she is to he sappliod with
four new boilers, the same number as she originally had
when employed on actual service after being built.
The Firebrand paddle-wheel steam-frigate, Captain
Codd, was in the river this afternoon, and delivering her
powder at Purfleet, previous to coming up to Woolwich,
where she is to be paid off, having been in commission
since October, 1849, and served her fall period on the
Mediterranean station.

THE SCREW FRIGATE IMPERIEUSE. - This 50-gun
frigate, now fitting at Woolwich, \N al be ready for hoist-
ing the pendant by about the Ist of January next. The
fitting of her machinery will be completed by the 23d of
December.

CORFU, OCT. 19.

To-day the squadron anchored here (having sailed
from Salamis on the 11th), consisting of the Britannia,
Trafalgar, Albion, Bellerophon, Vengeance, Phaeton,
Sampson, Firebrand, and Tiger. Found here the Are-
thusa, Modeste, Spiteful, and Sco-,rge. The Sampson
goes to Constantinople—the Scourge and Spiteful to
England. Civilities were exchanged with the French
admiral, who had his flag on board a double-banked fri-
gate lying in the Piraeus. He (i.e., the admiral),
all the ships of our squadron, and made a minute inspec-
tion of some. The exercise of the squadron continues in
a uniform and regular manner, sufficient to fill up the
time without being irksome. The admiral sees that the
ships are efficient, and anything beyond the present rou-
tine would be but a mere wear and tear of rope and can-
vas, without an equivalent. The allowance of powder
and shot for great-gun exercise is duly expended, with
occasional night quarters. The pretensions of the dif-
ferent ships in sailing qualities remain as before. In-
deed, the winds have been so light that no trials could
be made, even if desired.
MALTA.—When within signal distance of Malta the
fleet were met by a steamer, by which the letters were
sent off for Gibraltar, from whence the Vengeance and
Phaeton proceed to Lisbon.