The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 20„ 1852.

NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE.
APPOINTMENTS.

Midshipman—Charles R. Forest, to the Penelope.
Naval Cadet—Seymour Osborne, to the Sanspareil.
Foreman of Sal!makers—J. S. Stephenson, to
Sheerness.

PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY,—There never was rola
a powerful steam squadron a Spithead as there is at
present. It consists of the Blenheim, 60; Edin-
burgh, 56; Odin, 16 ; Retribution, 28 ; Tiger, 16 ;
Megicience, 16 ; Sampson, 6; Barracouta, 6;
all fine
and effective vessels of war, besides the Inflexible, in
harbour.

The Sprightly steamer arrived with supernu-
meraries last evening from Plymouth.
The fine frigate Indiaman Alfred sailed from Spit-
head to day for Calcutta.
The Equestrian convict ship dropped
down to
Cowes from Spithead last evening, to take in priso-
ners from Parkhurst for transportation.
The Edinburgh, 56, Captain Hewlett, sailed from
Spithead for Devonport this afternoon.
The Retribution, 28, Captain the Hon. J. R.
Drummond, came into harbour from Spithead this
morning, to coal and store for foreign service.
Tho Magicienne, 16, steam-frigate, Captain Ram-
say, returned to Devonport to-night.
The Barracouta, 6, steam-frigate, Captain the Hon.
S. T. Carnegie, came into harbour this morning from
Spithead, to coal and store for special service.
The Termagant, 24, White's
new screw-frigate, is
being fitted out by the riggers
at this dockyard with
all possible dispatch. She is reported intended for
immediate service.

The body of the Marine bandsman Roe, that was
unfortunately drowned in the late gale when crossing
the harbour by the capsizing of a wherry, was
up by the coastguardsman on Southsea beach, near
the Castle. An inquest has been held, and accidental
death returned. We think that some Act of Par-
liament should be passed to prevent any wherry from
crossing Portsmouth harbour when the danger flag is
hoisted without two men—one to attend the helm and
the other the sail. picked

The Dasher steamer, Commander N. Le Febre, is
;o come into dock.

The Stromboli, has gone alongside the coal depot
For fuel.

The assistant-surgeon of the Express has died at
Bahia from yellow fever, taken at Grey's Town. The
Express is otherwise healthy.
We had thunder, lightning, and rain, last evening
again at Portsmouth, and to-day it is fine, but the
weather is very sultry.
DEVONPORT, THURSDAY.—The Sprightly, steam-
tender, arrived here on Tuesday night from Ports-
mouth, with supernumeraries for the Sanspareil, and
sailed yesterday with men belonging to the Fisgard,
fitting at Portsmouth.
The Trincomalee, 24, Captain Wallace Houston, is
hourly expecting her sailing orders. She proceeds to
Rio and Valparaiso, and takes a large quantity of
stores for the ships on the station.
The Sylph, tender, sailed on Tuesday afternoon
with stores for the Nautilus, apprentice brig, at
present at Dartmouth, entering boys for the naval
service.

The St. Jean D'Acre, new steam screw line-of-
battle-ship, of 650 horse-power, and to carry 100
guns, is nearly completed in this yard, and, it is said,
will be launched in the month of October next. This
will be the largest steamer in the British service
afloat, and, if launched as stated, will have been built
within twelve months from the period of laying down
her keel.

The Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart., arrived
at Moorshead's Royal Hotel, yesterday afternoon.
There was more speculation as to the probable ob-
ject of the Right Hon. Gentleman's visit, but it ap-
pears that one of Sir James s sons goes out in the
Trincomalee as a cadet ; and tbat to attend to the
embarkation of the embryo naval hero is the sole
object of the visit.

PEMBROKE.—The Admiralty have ordered an
8-gun schooner, upon a new principle, to be laid
down at this dockyard. She will be fitted with a
screw propeller, and will be one of two which have
been ordered to be constructed. Nearly a dozen men-
of-war will then be in course of construction at this
establishment, comprising almost all rates, with large
and powerful steamers. The James Watt is progress-
ing fast.
The various defences and works for the better pro-
tection of this arsenal are steadily progressing, and it
is understood that on their completion other works
will be commenced.

SHEERNESS, THURSDAY MORNING.—Her Majesty's
cutter Active was dispatched to Chatham on Tues-
day, with invalid seamen for treatment at Melville
Hospital. A naval cadet also took passage in her to
join her Majesty's ship Meander, 44, Commodore C.
Talbot.

Her Majesty's ship Daphne, Captain Edward G.
Fanshawe, was paid off into ordinary at Chatham on
the 14th instant.

Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Wildfire,
Mr. Brockman second master commanding, left port
yesterday, at 6 A.M. for Dover, having on board Vice-
Admiral the Hon. Josceline Percy, C. 8., Commander-
in-Chief at the Nore. The Admiral is gone on leave
of absence for a few weeks,
Os-
tend, and other parts of the continent. His flag
(blue at the fore) was struck on board the Waterloo,
120, at sunset, and the broad pendant of Captain the
Hon. Montagu Stopford, as senior officer of the port,
hoisted at the main. and intends visiting

Her Majesty's ship Diamond, 28, it is stated, will
m
shortly be removed from her oorings in the Med-
way, and taken into the fitting basin to be got ready
for commission. She
was launched at this port in
1848, being built from designs of Sir. W. Symonds,
and is 1,054 tons burden.

The committee of management assembled
ANCHOR, TRIALS.
day in the Dockyard, and drew lots for the relative
positions of the anchors, the third series of experi-
meets on which commence to-morrow (FridaY)t at
Black Stakes, in the river Medway. Tile following
is the result of the drawing for stations :
Port. Starboard.
1. Trotman's. 1. Aylen 's.
2. W. G. Lennoz'
2. Isaacs'. yester-
s.
3. Admiralty (new). 3. Rodger's Exhibition
4, Mitcheson and Son's. Prize.
4. lioniball's (Porter's). .
The soil at Black Stakes is of a stiff blue clay, and
strong holding power. The anchors will be let go
in from nine to ten fathoms' depth of water; the
chain, each end of which will be attached to them, is
twenty-five fathoms in length. It will he passed
through a large iron block, upon which will be affixed
a pendant leading to a four. fold purchase ; the pen-
dant will pass in over the bow of the lighter, the four-
fold purchase fixed thereon, and taken to the capstan.
In order to increase the power placed upon the pur-
chases, there will be extra ones from the windlasses
forward, and aft in the lighter, which will be moored
to a first-rate's mooring-chain by the centre swivel,
with a scope of seventy-two fathoms of chain upon
each arm of the moorings. The mooring-anchors on
the extreme ends of the chain weigh each 74 cwt.

THE .. W FATHER AND THE CROPS IN TELE WEST.--
The weather for the last fortnight has been most boisterous
in the west of England, the rain haVing fallen in torrents,
accompanied by heavy thunder and lightning; in fact,
Fareely a day has passed without there having been indica-
tions of electricity ; and the falls of rain have been so great
as to deluge the country to a great extent. The effect of so
_much wet upon the ripening and matured grain has been
very disastrous. In many places the wheat crops have been
Orally battered down by the rain and the ears forced out,
_ whilst in some districts sprouting has not been prevented.
The crop is described as having promised to be a remarkably
line and full one, beyond the average yield; but now there
cannot be any doubt that it has suffered materially by the
unfavourable weather. A large quantity has been clit, and
ttsi
en:nool
complete,
11 andele,
et
ohhnee
saduvemys
destruction
falls
di
oonfb
yorain,fthe
he with
is still out, the weather not permitting the carrying of
The above remarks apply with equal force to barley and
oats, of which large breadths have been laid. Such con-
much electricity, have not been known for many years. The
represented as having been largely
potatoes have suffered very much, and the blight has pre-
the prevalence of so
veiled to a large extent ; indeed, on some tracts, the failure
uablebaroobetahnasvianrge
thisbliaati.
iojuied by the same
visitation.
FIRE AT TUE GAOL AT PETERBOROUGH: On
WedneadaY, at about a quarter-past three o'clock P.M part
of this prison was discovered to be on fire. All the prisoners,
eeilings
but one were immediately removed to the lock-up by the
constables, it being feared that the fire might reach the in-
terior of the gaol. It appears that owing to the late heavy
rains the water had effected an entrance through one of the
the
morning, and subsequently the plumber was sent for
to repair it. A fire was made by the latter on the slating of
near the court-house. The mason was called in in
the sessions-house, to melt the lead required to be used by
him- Two boys were left to watch the fire, and the plumber
went to work at a distance from it. At the time first men-
tioned an alarm was raised, and it was found that the fire
had heated the slates and was making great progress in the
destruction of the roof of the court-house. Assistance was
promptly given and on the arrival of the fire brigade they
found the building enveloped in one mass of flames. The
negligence. The
roof of the court house soon afterwards fell in with a dread-
ful crash. The attention of the firemen were then directed
to the adjoining. parts of the gaol. A communication with
the rnagiArates' room was cut off, and the engines kept in
continual play upon it and the store-room adjoining. About
Six o'clock in the evening the flames were subdued without
any further damage being occasioned. How the fire origi-
nated is at present only conjecture. hapTe lumber's man,
named Scotney, and one of the boys, are in cody to undergo
an
amount ee damage sustained is calculated at about 1,000/. and
examination upon the charge of gross neglig
upwards; but the insurance effected upon the building •
wiii
cover the destruction caused.
FOREIGN CATTLE.--The arrivals in the port of
London on Monday last from abroad included one of especial
novelty and interest, an iportation having taken place for
the first time of a cargo of cattle from Prussia, the produoe
of that country, and forming another feature in the supplies
of this kind from the continental states of Europe, which
have hitherto been confined to Holland, Denmark, the Han-
seatic States, Belgium, and France. The arrival alluded to
took place in the vessel Green Isle from Memel, and com-
prised 95 head of oxen and cows and 10 sheep, consigned to
order. No less than 6,641 bead of live stuck were imported
from abroad in Londou on the Same day.