The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-09 00:00:00

NATAL INTELLIGENCE

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 8.
The Encounter, 14, screw-corvette, Captain O'Calla-
ghan, left Spithead this morning for Cowes, to remain
there during her Majesty's sojourn at Osborne. She
saluted the Royal standard on passing Osborne.
The Basilisk, 6, steam-sloop, Commander the lion.
F. Egerton, has arrived at Spithead from the North
American station.
The Cyclops, 6, steam-frigate, Lieutenant-Commander
Seccombe, having landed the boilers for the screw line-
of-battle ship Duke of Wellington, 131, came out of the
steam basin to-day, and took in her guns alongside the
jetty. She then sailed in the afternoon on her return
to Sheerness.
The Pallas, 50, Russian frigate, Captain Unkousky,
has been removed out of the fitting basin to-day, and
placed under the shears to have her guns remounted.
The Arrogant, 46, Captain Freemantle, completed
the adjustment of her compasses to-day. She still needs
nearly 100 men to complete her crew.
The Furious, new paddle steam-frigate, 14, Captain
Loring, has been docked to-day to have her copper
cleaned, after which she will be out of the hands of the
dockyard.
The Leander, 50, Captain King, hauled out of dock
to the fitting basin to-day, having had her bottom
cleaned.
The Gorgon, 6, paddle-frigate, has been undoeked to-
day, and the Harpy has ken her place to be over-
hauled.
The Egyptian iron yacht Kassid Kheir is now com-
pleted as a sailing vessel, and is ready for sea.

SHEERNESS, DEC. 8.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Lightning,
Mr. H. W. Allen, Master-Commanding, arrived yester-
day with volunteers from the east coast of England. She
brings one able-bodied and eight merchant-seamen and
72 landsmen. Men, on being solicited to enter for the
navy, decline on the ground that they get much better
pay in the merchant vessels sailing from their own ports.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Monkey ar-
rived here yesterday from Portsmouth, with one seaman
for the Agamemnon.
Her Majesty's ship London, 90, Captain G. R.
Mundy, bent sails yesterday, and will leave for Spithead
on Sunday next. We hear, from good authority, that the
whole of the crew, and a portion of the officers, will be
transferred to the Duke of Wellington.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Porcupine,
Lieutenant-Commanding Mr. G. M. Jackson, was paid
up to the 30th of October yesterday. Massy's patent
pumps have arrived, and as soon as they are fitted she
will proceed to the isle of Man.
The Chatham yacht arrived yesterday with officers
from the pay-office department of Chatham Dockyard,
and returned in the afternoon.
Her Majesty's screw-steam line-of-battle ship Aga-
memnon, 91, Captain Sir Thomas Maitland, is nearly
complete. She has ports for 90 guns, but her upper
deck admits of four more being opened on each side of
the waist, capable of mounting the new 32 short-pound-
ers of great power. With her heavy gun on the upper
deck, which will throw 10-inch shot, she will mount 99
guns, only one less than her French rival. She is fur-
nished with two sets of launches, pinnaces, &c., built on
an entirely new principle, particularly adapted for cut-
ting out service.
Her Majesty's ship Phaeton, 50, Captain George
Elliott, on arriving here from Lisbon, will not be paid
off as originally determined on. Her crew are to bepaid
up their wages, and, after having gone on leave for a
few weeks, will be kept on the books for general service.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Lizard has
been taken out of dock, and placed at moorings off Lap-
well, having been payed over with two coats of Pea-
cock's anti-corrosive patent composition.
He: Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-vessel Wildfire,
tender to the Waterloo, Mr. Brockman Acting-Master,
left port this morning, having on board Captain the
Hon. Montagu Stopford, Flag-Captain to Vice-Admiral
the Hon. Josceline Percy, and Captain Charles Hope,
Superintendent of the Dockyard.

WOOLWICH, DEC. 8.
APPOINTMENTS.
Chaplain and Naval Instructor.—Rev. John Lugg,
A.M. (1852), from the Queen, 116, at Devonport, to the
Sidon steam-frigate, at Portsmouth.
Chaplain.—Samuel Beal (1852), to the Queen, vice
L Thugg.
e Cruiser, steam-sloop, Commander Hyde Parker,
had her guns taken on board to-day from the Royal
Arsenal. They consist of 16 32-pounders of 32cwt.
each, and 61 feet long, and one 8-inch gun on a pivot,
which can be used at the bow or stern of the vessel,
pivots with brass traversing rods being fitted fore and
aft for that purpose.
The reef on which her Majesty's steam-vessel Rhada-
manthus touched is off Dyer's Island, about six miles
S. by E. from Danger-point • but the shock was
so slight as only :o have been felt by those on
deck, and no damage was supposed at that
time to have been done. The great danger
from this reef is owing to the current setting so strong
upon it. Vessels have frequently grounded on it, the
most careful sounding being but an indifferent guide.
The damage sustained by the Rhadamanthus will be
completely repaired in a few days, when she will be
again ready for sea.

DEVONPORT, DEC. 7.
Quail, lighter, Ivemey, master, arrived this morning
with stores from Portsmouth.
In consequence of the weather, the stores of the
Spiteful, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Parker, have not
been returned. She is not paid off to-day, as was
intended.
Dido, 18, Captain Aloorshead, C. 8., will be paid
wages to-morrow morning, after which the Spiteful will
be paid off.
Nile, 90, has been brought to the yard, and is prepar-
ing to be taken into No. 4 dock the next spring tides, to
be fitted for screw machinery.

Every man of sense knows, as well as he knows how
to distinguish daylight from dark, that England must
continue the greatest naval nation in the world, or be
reduced to be one of the most contemptible nations in
the world. Burke has said, and he said it well and
truly, that a nation, once become great, can never sink
into a middle state and there remain ; that it must
continue to be great, or sink so low as hardly to be
worthy of the name of a nation. There are many men,
and those by no means fools, who think that England
will sink down into the last-mentioned state. lamof a
different opinion. The whole of the history of my
country tells me, that that will never be. Divers have
been the times when England seemed to be torn to
pieces ; seemed to be incapable of ever recovering ; but,
in every such case; from some cause or other, such
change has taken place as to put everything to rights,
and to make the nation as formidable as ever to its
neighbours. It has always been, with the people of
England, the most monstrous of crimes in their rulers
to do anything tending to pull down the country
; and,
if my observation do not deceive me, that spirit is as
much alive at this hour as it was in the days of King
John or of Edward the Second.—Cobbett, in 1827.