The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-31 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HOME FORQL IT N
We announced yesterday that the Admiralty 44,,
,i- r.-_,,,,
ordered the guard-ships at the ports to be adyttlncia ,k.4.‘.1t)-I'-:-.-
sea-going efficiency. They have also order the ft
.e," ~..,...f.,t4p.
vanced ships to have their holds cleared and relatOweir.,„, 3i4:421'
This is a wise and necessary precaution. r„k64,-,,,,f4piiptv
c.,„t4,..,
it was contemplated a long time since, wh ',.,liit .g •
,_ '
George, 120, was substituted for the old San " '
~
:14, 1,-,:-
Devonport; Britannia, 120, for the Illustrious, a
r le k I
mouth; and since then the Neptune, 120' 46itiliiAlti SAv't .ml ik
Britannia, ordered to sea; the Waterloo, 120, for the old
Ocean, and the Monarch, 84, for the Wellington, at
Sheerness; and the Cumberland, 70, for the old Poictiera ;
and subsequently the Boscawen, 70, vice Cumberland,
sent to sea.

In addition to these new and powerful 120-gun ships
—one at each of the three principal ports—there is now
a steam guard-ship at Sheerness, Portsmouth, and
Devonport—two gunnery ships, one at Portsmouth and
Devonport; and a screw steam guard-ship, Ajax, 60
guns, in seagoing order, at Qti enstown.
The alarmists have been writing as if our home ports
were denuded of ships and ince, when the facts are as
v.e have above sta!od; and we may state that, in addi-
tion to the marines in barracks at Woolwich, Chatham,
Ports-month, and 1),-,voriporT, we had in cc-emission and
afloat, at the three principal hetue ports, on Saturday,
last, more than seven thousand live hundred otlicerE, sea-
men, marines and boys; amf, moreover, we have round
our coasts about 3,000 of the elite of the navy, iu the
shape of coast-guard men.
We are, therefore, not so utterly defenceless as the
alarmists would have the c.,untry to believe. We have
a nuclus that is capable of such extension as would
speedily ensure defeat and disaster to any enemy op-
proaching.our shores; and we doubt not that should the
period arrive—for instance, should we find such a fleet
assembled at Brest or Cherbourg, as were at the latter
port in September, 1850, we should soon find afloat—
and without the insuperable difficulty which the igno-
rant alarmists have raised up in their own imagination
—a fleet, as Sir G. Cockburn anticipated, sufficient to
blockade the ports of our neighbours from end to end.
At the present moment it is well known the French
fleet is in the Mediterranean, and its latest movements
are thus reported:—
"The squadron of evolutions under the command of
Admiral de la Susse, consisting of the Ville de Paris,
the Valmy, Henry IV., Bayard, lens, and Jupiter,
ships of the line, Gomer and SaLi steam-frigates, and
Caton steam-corvette, sailed from Toulon on the 21st.
After passing the night and the next day at sea, the
squadron anchored in the night of the 22d off the Iles
d'Hyeres, where they will remain a few days, in order
to exercise the men at the guns. During this short
cruise, during which there was a fine breeze from the
N. W., the Ville de Paris, which had undergone material
changes in her armament, was found to answer very
well in every respect. The Uranie, of 60 guns, was
lying in the roadstead of Hyena when the squadron
anchored. The Genereux, which is to take on board
some of the prisoners sentenced to transportation, lett the
harbour of Toulon on the 21st, and anchored in the
outer roads."

Here are six efficient sea-going line-of-battle ships,
well equipped and well manned. They have returned to
Toulon, where there are one or two more ships in the
same efficient condition. But they are in the Mediter-
ranean, where the British fleet is very properly sta-
tioned, and where it will of course remain. But should
the French fleet come through the Straits, one or two of
the best ships of the Mediterranean would doubtless
reinforce Commodore Martin's smart squadron at Lis-
bon, and these, with the sea-going guard-ships and
steamers at home, and an additional ship from each of
the ports, would form a strong channel force for any
eventuality.—llersild.

Captain Kingcome, it is said, will commission the
Simoom, iron screw-frigate at Portsmouth. The Simoom
is being hastened. Captain Kingcome is down at Ports-
mouth superintending her fittings. She has a midship-
man's berth and the usual ward-room accommodation.
She will go to the mooring off Gosport next week to swing
her compasses before she goes out on a trial cruise.
Second Master—Charles Turner (1845), has been
promoted to the rank of master.
Clerk—T. W. W. Spear (1842), has been appointed
to the Horatio, screw steam guard-ship, at Sheerness.
Gorgon, steam-sloop, Commander Paynter, will be
paid off at Portsmouth on the 4th of February.
MALTA, JAN. 22.—The ships at sea on a cruise have
been in sight of the island, and news has arrived of
their nightly going to quarters and daily exercising,
but no particulars have been received. The Terrible
steam-frigate has gone out to them, and returned with
dispatches to the Admiral, and one invalid to go home
by the Merlin, which vessel will lrave on Saturday, it is
said, conveying the dead body of Mr. Shell, and having
as passengers, Major (and Mrs.) Cameron, of the Buffs,
who leaves the regiment to command the depot at home.
SHEERNEB9.—The Horatio, 28, screw steam-frigate,
250-horse power, Captain the Hon. Swynfen T. Carne-
gie, is progressing rapidly in her equipment as steam
guard-ship at this port.
The -London, 90, Captain the Hon. Montagu Stopford,
has struck her lower yards and topmasts.
The Cyclops, 6, paddle-wheel steam-frigate, 320 horse
power, is in dock fitting for immediate service.
The Waterloo, 120, flag-ship, Captain G. R. Mundy,
will be ready to come out of dock on the 9th of Fe-
bruary.

By private communication from the Cape of Good
Hope, it appears that the transporting of horses from
port to port in the colony has been attended with consi-
derable injury to the animals themselves, and to such
an extent as to render them useless to the cavalry. The
steamers employed were in no respect adtApted for
such service. As an instance, the Cyclops took onboard
100 horses for conveyance to Ear, London. They were
stowed on deck (strange as the phrase may appear, it is
true), being ranged fore and aft on both sides. Imme-
diately the ship was in a sea-way they became a moving
mass, kicking each other and plunging about so much
that it was found difficult to prevent their being preci-
cipated into the engine-room. One of them very unce-
remoniously paid a visit to the gun-room, through the
skylight, where it was found necessary to kill him, hoist
him on deck, and consign him to the deep.
Bat of these poor animals, sent forth for the express
purpose of carrying our troops to contend against a for-
midable and determined foe, not one-fifth, when landed,
was found in a condition for that purpose, and even on
these it was truly ridiculous to behold soldiers nearly six
feet in height mounted, for their diminutive size rendered
it almost impossible for the riders to keep their,feet from
ground. It is the opinion of many in the
the
who from their position and correct obser-
vationotooulocohyit are competent to judge, that we may send all our
cavalry without producing any effect on the Kafirs, un-
less we furnish them with horses that are fit to carry
them. Such was the bruised and maimed state of the
unfortunate animals when they landed that, although
offered at the very low price of 40s. each, not a pur-
chaser could be found for them.
Wonwics, JAN. 30.—The name of the Amazon w
inadvertently given yesterday, instead of the Amph
34, screw steam-frigate of 300-horse power, when
ding to the inspection of her steam machinery, at Sh
Royal Marin
ness, where the Aniphion is stationed as an „Iva
embarked to-
day on board the Tyne store-ship, Master-Commander
steamer.
of Othnee
wdrouomiwmieerhaanoddlcBhpartihveamtesdoifyiethioens
atof Wthooomlweinchb,eifnogr
a passage to As.
volunteers for ser-
vice at that island. First Lieutenant Charles WArthur
cPeent se iro n7tehileis
wholeg t en ,
of the Portsmouth division, will embark in the Tyne to
take the command of the detachment.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
CHESTER U
We are informed that after CUP.
rPreport of the betting
at Tattersall's on Thursday
was made up and when
most of the subscribers had left, 20 to P
was taken
about Nancy in Hundreds; and at that price she has
since been backed for a considerable amount.
HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.
Her M
ajestys stag hds. will meet on Wed. at Mai-
denhead Station; Sat. Winfield-row-11.
Lord Elcho's hds, Mon. Hetton; Wed. Preston-by-
Dunce; Fri. Riffington ; Sat. Harkart-10i.
Newcastle andiGateshead harrs., Mon. Portland; Fri-
Wallsend-10.
Haydon lids., Wed. Mill Hill's Plantation; Sat. Dar-
netby.
Morpeth harre., Mon. Cawsey Park-bridge; Thurs.
Morpeth High Church-10i.
Durham County lids., Mon. Two-mile Houses; Wed.
Mainsforth; Fri. Embleton-10i.
Tindale hds., Mon. West Dipton; Thurs. Halton
Castle-11i.
Hurwortb hds., Tues. Over Dinsdale; Sat. Crathorae.
Stockton and Billingham harts., Thurs. Hutton Henry
—loi.
Suffolk hds., Tues. Wattisfield Swan; Thurs. Cow-
linge Green Man; Sat. Rushbrooke Hall-10i.
Mr. Hillier's hds., Mon. Brackenborough Bar; Tues.
Waterloo Wood; Fir. Legsby; Sat. Ketsby Mill-11.
Cottesmore hds., Mon. Grimsthorpe; Tues. Tilton
Wood; Thurs. Horn Mill; Sat. Rocart-11.
Earl Fitzwilliam's hds., Mon. Long Orton; Wel
Barnewell Castle-10.
Lord Yarborough's lids., Mon. Grimsby House-41J.
Thurs. Audleby Villas-12; Sat. Newsham Lodge-7'A.
I
Sir T. Sykes's hds., Mon. Rsteethorp-10i; Wed' 1
berfoss Mill-11; Fri. Kilham West Field lionse--101.

SAVILLE HOUSE, LEICESTER SQuArts•—A new
kind of magic has been invented by Professor Bross°, prin-
cipal of the German troupe, at the above place of amusement,
which consists of severing the head of a lady from her body.
Almost incredible as this may appear, nevertheless it is
nightly witnessed with astonishment. The audience are in-
vited on the stage after the act of decapitation has taken
place, to inspect the then headless trunk, which is done very
minutely by the curious, and the body is afterwards speedily
restored to animation. All lovers of the horrible should wit-
ness this performance, which must be seen to be appreciated.
ginedto
ea_pixtro):
THE DEATH IN A COPPED.—Yesterday forenoon
ol efr 'Sajla Sarah ha Torsos,jury 'enat
who was found frightfully scalded at
tracted inquiry, at the Gun Dock
_ Tavern, lii,,h.
Mr. William Baker, thdeecatohroz
g street, Wap-
ping,
having, it is supposed, deliberately
ping, respectingeotphpe
nine years, a pauper,
washing department of St. John's work-
the bottom of a
circumstances under which the de-
committed suicide sitting down in the boiling liquid
in our paper yesterday. The
preparedjilu a soruys el e
Ntlro was rai Pedi the
unngl
Iv were
rnlde rihce t stated
"t the deceased was found dead
in a copper of boil gwa erwith certain iniuries, but how or
immersed they had no satis-
factory what means she became So • - -
factory proof."
TUE OLD FAMILIAR FACES.—A gentleman o.
Easton, Maryland, United States not over 25 years of
age, informs the editor
of the Star, that five of his school-
mates have committed murder,
thtswoonhea vheasb ebene
been
usrednetret
two have met with violent
the Penitentiary for stealing, and another has narrowly
escaped going the same voyage for a like offence.—Atnerican
Paper.