The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-15 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTS/WTI-I, APRIL 13.
In Harbour—Britannia, 120, flag-ship ; Victory, 104, ordi-
nary guard-ship ; Excellent, gunnery ship ; Royal George
yacht ; Pantaloon, 10 ; Curlew, 10 ; Waterwitch, 10 ; /Etna,
4 ; Snipe cutter ; Hydra (steam vessel) ; Messenger (steam
transport); and tenders Fanny, Emerald, and Gossamer.
At Spithead—The Powerful, 84.
In Dock—Not any thing in commission.
In Basin—The Benbow, 74, for the North Sea and Baltic.
On Wednesday, the Benbow, 72, was commissioned by Com-
mander George Hathorn, for the pendant of Captain Houston
Stewart.

On Friday, the Lightning steam ♦essel returned from Ply.
mouth, and sailed the same day for the eastward.

The flag of Adm. Sir P. C. H. Durham will finally be struck
on Monday, and that of his successor, Admiral Fleming, will
be hoisted on the morning of the next day ; the Britannia will
not be paid off until the 30th instant, and it is expected that
Captain Trotter will remain as Flag Captain till then. On
Tuesday last, the Ward-room Officers of that ship gave their
parting dinner to him (Captain Trotter), when, as I am told,
the best possible cordiality of feeling existed, and continued to
prevail even to the latest moment; such a reciprocity of sen-
timents as were then uttered can never fril to render the ties
between the Captain and his Officers obligatory on both parties.
On the same day the following gentlemen passed their exa-
mination at the College for Lieulenants in her Majesty's fleet:—
Mr. 11. Willcox, of the Britannia; Mr. A. G. B. Holmes, of
the Spitfire ; Mr. A. S. Burton, of tho Winchester; Mr. E.
L. Brown, no ship ; Mr. H. B. Hawkey, of the Inconstant ;
and Mr. J. W. Drummond, of the Britannia.
The Lords commissioners of tho Admiralty have issued a
circular letter during the past week, to the effect that they alto-
gether disapprove of any Officer in the fleet, bring on full pay,
addressing any letter connected with the Naval service to the
Editor of any Newspaper, and which, in my humble opinion,
was not called for before it was necessary ; provided, of course,
that the same restrictions have been placed on the officials in
their own immediate department.
A circular memorandum has been also issued that tobaceo is
to be charged only at ls. per pound, instead of Is. 7d., as
formerly.

On 'Thursday the 11th inst., the Earl of Devon,
and the lion. Charles Courtenay, arrived at the Queen's
Arms Royal Hibernian Hotel, Dublin, from the county
Limerick. They attended the Drawing. Room at the
Castle that evening. His Lordship will r mein in Dublin
till encl. the 17th, as he is to preside on that day at the
meeting of the Irish Waste Land Imprcvement Society.
A carriage of his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant is in
daily attendance on the Earl of Devon and his son.

AMERICAN INVESTMENTS.—A portion of the
public whose opinions do not accord with high prices—in
fact, those who in vain tried to unsettle the Corn-laws,
will have a very favourable opportunity next month to
exchange to another country, where a brighter prospect
may await them. Mr. George Robins will sell 50,000
Acres of Land, in lots of from 200 to 2,000 acres each,
and at such prices that a person only possessing 2001. or 3001.
capital, may realize all his bright and early anticipations
of good fortune. It is in the State of Virginia, not far
from "the mighty waters of the peat Ohio," intersected by
numerous canals, and vast railways progressing everywhere
for miles around it. It is in communication with good
markets, rising towns, navigable rivers, and turnpike roads.
The soil is capital, and well adapted to wheat and corn of
every description, besides cotton, hemp, tobacco, fruit,
and vegetables ; and, to conclude, be it known, that in this,
the " land of promise," and in one of the fairest agricul-
tural portions of the globe, there is a total absence ff taxes,
and to complete the picture, and set at rest those who
have been sceptical, 16,000 passengers have just arrived
at New York during one month. With this fact in view,
who can doubt that the United States will be sought as the
resting-place of nearly all who would emigrate to ad-
vantage.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.— Yesterday morning
( Wednesday) about half-past four o'clock, the saw-mills
and workshops of Mr. Wait, timber merchant, on the
City-road, in this borough, were discovered to be on
fire. Such was the rapidity with which it spread, that the
discovery was scarcely made before the whole range of
buildings were in flames from top to bottom. A report
having got abroad that the fire had been the work of an in-
cendiary, we aro happy to be able to state, from the in-
quiries of those most competent to judge, that there is no
reason to believe that such is the case.—Derby Reporter.
THE GRAND DUKE ALEXANDER OF
RUSSIA.--A number of workmen commenced on Friday
embellishing the exterior of the two spacious mansions
attached to Mivart's Hotel, in Davies-street, Berkeley.
square, which have been taken by the Russian legation for
his Imperial Highness. The Grand Duke, accompanied
by his uncle the Prince of Orange, is now mzking a short
tour of the dominions of his Majesty the King of Holland.
Several sumptuous entertainments have been given at the
Royal Palace at the Hague in honour of his visit.
The Hon. Somerset R. Maxwell, M.P. for
Cavan, brother of Lord Farnham, will shortly lead to the
hymeneal altar Dora, only surviving daughter of Baron
Pennefathcr.—Dublin Paper.