The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-21 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE LEVEES.

At-his Grace the Duke of Northnnaherlancl'a levee
yesterday the folla,,:ieg (,ffie,rs were received:—Com-
mander Cha oner, Captain RF. Gambier, Captain
W. J. Williams, Lieutenant T. C. Bruce, Commander
H. J. Lacon, Cf4ntain. F. V. Anson, Captain W. Peel,
Lieutenant the Hon. F. Foley, Lieutenant E. K. Gore,
Lieutenant G. W. Jackson, Captain Sir G. Back, Com.
mandor Henry Boteler, Captain IL D. Trotter, Captain
J. B. Dundas, Captain G. H. P. White, Captain H.
Layton, Captain T. S. Thompson, Captain W. Hood,
Captain A. J. Montgomery, Commander T. C. Hosea-
son, COMM :13th•r J. Cator, Lieutenant J. Dennys,
Coalman er T. W. Horton, Commander W. Kirby,
Conina'ander .1. G. Wigley4Captain the Hon. G. Hope,
Li utenant W. 11. Hood, Captain W. Kelly, Lieutenant
W. P. Coventry, and Captain fla!sted.
At Rear-Admiral Parker's levee yesterday the follow-
ing offic?rs:.presented thoinselvei:—Rear-Admiral Don-
glaB. Captain G. H White, Captain Sir Thos. Dundee,
Mr. G. H. Gibbon, Commander T. G. Hoseuson, Mr. E.
D. Hubert, Commander Hier, Mr. G. S. Singer, Mr. H.
0. White, Commander G. Le Biwyear, Lieutenant T.
C. Bruce, Lieutenant 'l'. Butler, Lieutenant H. Smith,
Captain Edmonda, Captain W. Williams, Mr. J. Cute.
ear, Captain W. Hood, Lieutenant 'l'. Forrest, Mr, T.
E. Smith, Commander H. S. Lecon, Lieutenant Pollard,
Commander Sterner, Mr. T. Donald, Lieutenant Tribe,
and Captain [Layer.
Admiral Horney received the following officers at his
levee yesterday:—Admiral Douglas, Admiral Mends,
Admiral Sir F. Mason, Commander Hoseason, Major
Brown, R, M., Lieutenant E. B. Hopkins, Commander J.
Wood, Captain C. Edmonds, Mr. J. Cutagar, Mr. J. E.
Masterton, Mr. W. B. Gordon, Lieutenant, T. C. Bruce,
Mr. Templar, Mr. P. Morris, R.M., Commander W.
Horton, Lieutenant Sauman z, Lieutenant C. G. Tagen,
Captain Kelly, Captain Hillyar, Lieutenant Gore, Mr.
Gibbon, Commander Lamm, Commander Boteler, Com-
mander Ha) es., Mr. White.
PORTB3I =ll, TUESDAY. —SAILORS' HOME, PORTS-
MOUTEL—We are always most happy to record acts of
true benevolence and philanthropy. Charles Dixon,
Esq., of Statishead Park, enclosed yesterday a cheque
(being his third donation) for 100 L, in aid of the funds
of the Portsmouth Sailors' Hue. His first donation
baring was,we understand, 201., his second 301., and now,
the satisfaction of seeing how extremely well the
establishment progresses, he has sent the princely dona-
tion of loot.

Captain W. H. Hall (Nemesia) has had an interview
with his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, at the
Admiralty, on the snbj, cc of sailors' homes, when the
Noble and gallant Admiral entered most minutely into
the details, working, and management of those excellent
institutions. His Grace being intimately acquainted
with the economical arrangements adopted at the naval
schools and other public establishments, suggested to
Captain H ill several improvements which can be made.
He also thought the charges made to the seamen were
rather too high, and he expressed a hope that they
might be reduced, which will, no doubt, be soon effected,
more especially when we record such princely donations
as 200/. from his Grace the noble and gallant First Lord,
and 1001. from that generous and' philanthropic gentle-
man Charles Dixon, Esq.

- -
There was a report here that the Rodney, Captain C.
Graham, was about to proceed to sea, but we do not be-
lieve there is any truth in such report. She still re-
quires a good many latterly she has obtained
but a few, and those not of the best description of
seamen.

The Sampson steam-frigate, Captain Jones, got up
steam this morning, and proceeded out of harbour. She
went down to Stokes Bay to test her engines and machi-
nery. She afterwards anchored at Spithead, and re-
ceived her powd. r.
By h tters from the Fos and Serpent, dated Rangoon,
February, we learn that both the crews of these ships
were in good health. The men of the Serpent that had
been sickly were nearly all well, and but a very few
men were on the sick list. That at low water, on the
rocks at a small island at the entrance of the Baseire
River, called Diamond I,land, the very finest oysters
were observed in great abundance, cad the ships had
only to send their boats outside to obtain and catch the
finest turtle, averaging fr: m 100 lb. to 5001 b. weight,
and these also were in abundance, and upon which the
crews fared sumptuously.
We understand that the Sidon, advanced steam-frigate,
had been found to have one of her pistons broken. She
was supposed to be all ready for service. There was an
itquiry about it to-day in the dockyard. It was not
known how it was broken.

The Sampson, 6, steam-frigate, Captain L. T. Jones,
writ out to Spit'•ead today, and joined the squadron
there.

The Edinburgh, 56, screw-ship, is being fitted at this
port as a sta-going "Excellent. ' Captain Chads will
go to sea in her when ready, and teach practical sea-
service gunnery to her officers and crew whilst cruising
about. She will make an experimental trip to Malta.
We have been intortned that a contract for barrelled
meats for the navy (~alt provisions) has been lately enu
tered into with the same parties who furnished the
Goldner preserves. We give this report precisely as it
has come to us, in the hopes that it will be officially
denied.

The Arrogant, 46, Captain Robinson, is fast pro-
ceeding with her refit; she has sent up and fidded her
topmasts, and hal topgellautmasts ready for sending aloft.
SHEERNESS, APRIL V.—Her Majesty's screw steam-
frigate Horatio, 22, Captain the Hon. S. T. Carnegie,
got up her steam early on Sunday morning for the pur-
pose of proceeding on her trial cruise. Permission to
proceed baviog been given from the flog ship at 10 A.m.,
the aaratio, d anchor and started, with the wind
nearly ahead, sicamieg 'apparently at the rate of about
tour knots per hour. Vs hen she had reached the Nore
light it was found necessary to bear up for Sheerness, in
consequence of an accident having occurred to some part
of her machinery. She came into harbour a little before
noon, and let go her anchors. We were informed yes-
terday that some portion of the apparatus connected
with the feeding pump gave way, which, on being ex-
amined, was found so defective as to render it necessary
to have a new shaft made for working ta This will take
a few days to effect, and will detain the Horatio in har-
bour probably the greater part of the present week.
Her Majesty's paddlewheel steamer Fearless, Captain
Frederick Bullock (1838), employed on surveying ser-
vice, came into port yesterday at 9 Aar.
Her Majesty's pedellewheel steam vessel Adder, Mr.
James Watt in charge, arrived yesterday morning early.
Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam vessel, Lizard, Mr.
Brockman, second master, commanding, got up her steam
yesterday at 9 A.lkl and proceeded to tier Majesty's ship
Royal George, 120, and, in conjunction with the Adder,
towed her to Chatham,for the purpose of being takes
into dock and put in a tit state for commission.
A statement has appeared in some of the London
journals to the effect that one of the first acts of the pre-
sent Board of Admiralty
was the appointing a post
captain to the Simoom iron troop-ship. This is not the
case, ns Captain John Kingeorne's appointment to that
ship bears the date of the 9th of February-10 days be-
fore the resiguation of the late Admiralty, and 18 prior
to the Members of the present Beard actually taking
upon themselves the duties of their office.
Bisilisk, 6, Commander G. Gardner,aition
Her Majesty's screw-e7eamer Desperate, 8, and pad-
dr
el etuwalitre)::' l lr
harbour, [siting to receive on board stores
and promions for the use of Sir E Belcher's eat)
theywhich
will
"""vte°setehl:Micaystr:rg-Ci°:::cuand.er'
WOOLWICII, APRIL 20.—THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
Tlmh.to-XiVji:uhlwwiienhg stht'i'aammorning for Greeuhithe, having
Commodore Henry Eden, Superintendent of Woolwich
eletkef
the Eh' from the Admiralty, on
.Boceer'e 'Arctic e:quedronafeetT'eerhrleeptivs
board,o:lck and the
tahned
wthheolpeaf),;
p,ottfideap%ein advance,Sir
and will
) o'clock AII on their
leave Greentil! he shortly
e‘VntoetiCih'gin and Lla
inaving tgakernetunnrnbednartod
tow the North Star ne'f n at 6 P.M. for Greenhithe to
40 tons of coals, left train
wmaeradmeß:
steamer,
rr
The Basili k
distance a sa
Eder es the Sunk at Harwich, or to
ncoorcnsmidaenrdnen-f
mthaey
Commaeder Gardiner,
the
commandof
and the Desperate steamer, under
Lieutenant Stevens, have remained
several days at
the
Rll,lute
sailing
Nore to tow the Assistpce and
vessels to the edge of the ice. A num-
ber of ladies hasp preeentedC"t in Si r Edward Belcher
with 22 handsomerills fl sgs andP a number of worked
aftelte fur the comfort the in the Arctic
of officers when
regions.

SHIPS ON THE ICE OFF THE.BANKS

OF NEWFOUNDLAND.
The following is an extract of a letter from Captain
Penny, Riving his opinion on the subject of the ships
said to have been seen on the ice in the spring of last
year:--
" You ask me what I think of the two ships seen upon
the iceberg. I think they were country ships,' as we
wh,lers call them—formations upon an iceberg, which
deceive even practised eye!.
" To place ships in such a position by the process of
freezing into an iceberg would require 30 to 40 years,
and floe ice would' have broken up with the Western
Ocean swell before it bad even reached Cape Farewell..
Not a piece of sufficient size would be found to contain•
even one ship, much le=s two. No iceberg of one-fourth.
of a mile' would reach such a position; it'must have
been two pieces of icebergs, and the vessel being five
miles distant could not observe the water over the de-
tacked ice.
" We have the experience of the 11 whalers wintered
on the ice; they all broke from their icebergs long before
they reached Cape Farewell.
" I have the honour to remain,
" Yours most respectfully,
.6 W. 1,30TNY."

' A statement of the legacy
amount of capital
Britain for the year 1851 shows the totalduties Paid
liable to the tax to
which during the twelvemonths became .
the portion .
which paid the
in Great
_bich paid 3 per cent.,
.have been 49,402,391/. Of this
rents, was 28,721,0051.; the.poe
_i,
was 14,232,7651. ; the pot-
for bequests to.brothers or :Ist rs
_. 1 and cousins, was 1,7884,691.;
duty of 1 per cent., the bequersttsonbeing to children or pa,
tion at 5 per cent., to urc
to in ice distant relations, was 229,652/. ;
that at 6 per cent., to, to strangers, was 4,385,308/., or
and that it 10 per cent.,
the whole. The average capital
about an eleventh ota‘r,
da had been paid during the 54 years
the reve.nu.e last
. year for stamp duties on
on which legacY been
;iv; t 4,2911. per annum. The total sum
which accru
nrobates, administrations, and testamentary in-
legaCies, OP l'itelit Britain waa-2,253,039/., being
from 1797 hassd CO
an increase
yen toriesP 1850. For Ireland the
to/efirm'g:Nnainoc:allseo:s;.-.—Yesterday
34,824 f. over
f 1 0601' was 125,6411.;
tabmaoLunotrd Mayor and.
the Lady hdayoress entertained at dinner the members of the.
courtef Common Council, and their ladies, of the wards of.
coleirian-street, Alder
Bread-Street, Bridge tgate, Aldgate,Bassiehaw, Bishopagete,
Bread-street, Bridge -street, Broad-street, Candlewick, Castle ;
Baynari; Qbeep, Go' rdwainers, and Cornhill. There were
'
Also preient Mr. Alderman Cubitt, M.P., Mr. Sheriff Cot-
terell, Mrs. eltterell' and Miss Cotterell, Mr. Sheriff Swift
add Mrs. Swift, and several private friends of the Lord Mayor..
Como Too Itil i 4 the zgyptits 11411 Fir 20)! .