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

EVENING,

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

APPOINTMENTS.
Alidshipznan—Charles R. Forest, to the Penelope.
Naval Cadet—
Forenun of SAitmakers—J. S. Stephenson, to
Sheerotss. Seymour Osborne, to the Sanspareil.

PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—There never was such
a powerful steam squadron at Spithead as there is at
present. It consists of the Blenheim, 60; Edin-
burgh, 56; Odin, 16 ; Retribution, 28 ;
Tiger, 16 ;
Magicienne, 16; Sampson, 6; Barracouta, 6; all fine
and effective vessels of war, besides the Inflexible, in
barbour.
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
Spit head 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 wnen crossing
the harbour by the capsizing of a wherry, was
picked
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.
The Dasher steamer, Commander N. Le Febre, is
to 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 lever, 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 Sylpb, 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 that to attend to the
embarkatio❑ 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
crew 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 rateP, 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 cif 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. Joeceline Percy, C. 8., Commander-
in-Chief at the Nore. The Admiral is gone on leave
of absence for a few weeks, and intends visiting 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.

Her Majesty's ship Diamond, 28, it is stated, will
Rhor t ly be removed from her moorings in the Med-
way, and taken into the fitting basin to be got ready
for commission. Sbe was launched at this port in
1848, being built from designs of Sir. W. Symonds,
and is 1,054 tons burden.

ANCHOR TRIALS.
The committee of management assembled yester-
day in the Dockyard, and drew lots for the relative
positions of the anchors, the third series of experi-
ments on which commence to-morrow (Friday),
Black Stakes, in the river Medway. The following
is the result of the drawing for stations:—
Port.
Starboard.
1. Trotman's. 1. Aylea's.
2. Isaacs', 2. W. G. Lennox's.
3. Admiralty (now).
4.
3, Rodger's Exhibition
Mitcheeon and Son's. Prize.
4•
Honiball's (Po's).
The soil at Black Stakes. is of a stiff bluerter 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 be passed
through a large iron block, upon which will be affixed
a pendant leading to a four fold
urchase;
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 WEATHER AND THE CROPS IN THE
The weather for the last fortn.ght has been most boisterous
in the west of England, the rain h •
having fallen ,
in torrents,
accompanied by heavy thunder and lightning; in fact,
scarcely a day has passed without there having been indica-
tions of electricity ; and the falls of rain have been so great
cannot be any
as to deluge the country to a great extent. The effect of so
v much wet upon the ripening and matured grain has been
ery disastrous. In many places the wheat crops have been
literally battered down by the rain and the ears forced out,
VirissT.—
whilst in some districts sprouting has not been prevented.__
been fully
1, The crop is described as having promised to be a remarkably
me and full one, beyond the average yield; but now there
unfavourable weather. A large quantity has been cut, and
!Isetill out, the weather not permitting the carrying of it.
1-11 above remarks apply with equal force to barley and
doubt that it has suffered materially by the
oats, of which large breadths have been laid. Such con-
tinuous and heavy falls of rain, with the prevalence of so
represented as having
potatoes have suffered very much, and the blight has Pre-
vailed to a large extent • indeed, on some tracts, the failure
is complete, the destruction'this • aluable root having
, of this invaluable r many years. The
consummated by the blight. The beans are
beenlargely 11)J
visitation. tired by the same

vv ednesda
of the
Firm
ii,-, FIRE AT THE GAOL AT PETERBOROUGH.-0 On
of this prison was discovered to be on fire. All the prisoners
but one were immediately removed to the lock-up by the
3', at about a quarter-past three o'clock rat., part
constables, it being feared that the fire might reach the in-
teriorfound the
rains the water had effected an entrance through one of the
ceilings near the court-house. The mason Was called in in
,the morning, and subsequently the plumber was sent for
L 9 repair it.
Promptly A fire was made by the latter on the slating of
the sessions-house,lead required to be used by
ga" it appears that owing to the late heavy
, to melt the
went to work at a distance from it. At the time first men-
him- Two boys were left to watch the fire, and the plumber
Liuned 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
to the adjoining parts of the gaol. A communication with
roof of the court-house soon afterwards fell in with a dread-
gbiuviel given ,i
building
envelopedd on
eo f
massthe fire
o f flames.brd theyil e
dread-
ful crash. The attention of the firemen were then directed
the magistrates' room was cut ofi, and the engines kept in
continual play upon it and the store-room adjoining. About
six o'clock in the evenii.g the flames were subdued without
any further dann.ge being occasioned. How the fire origi-
nated is at present only conjecture. The plumber's man,
amed Scotney, and one of the boys, are in custody to undergo
an examination uon the charge of gross negligence.
The
p
amount of damage sustained is calculated at about 1,0001. and
upwards; but the insurance effected upon the building will
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 importation having taken place for
theot first time of a cargo of cattle from Prussia, the produce
t: hat country, and forming another feature in the supplies
have hitherto been confined to Holland, Denmark, the Han-
tsoeoVc States, Belgium, and France. The arrival alluded to
Place in the vessel Green Isle from Memel, and corn-
prised 95 head of and 10 sheep, consigned to
No order. oxen and cows
less than 6,641 head of live stock were imported 1
from abroad in London on the same day.