The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-08 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PLYMOUTH, MAY 6.—Extract of a letter from an
Officer on board his Majesty's surveying ship Blossom,
dated Cape Francois, St. Domingo, 28th March, 1830 :
" I shall now detail to you our proceedings since we left
Port-au-Prince, in the beginning of January last. After
clearing the Bay, we continued our track surveying along
the coast, as far as Cape Nicholas Mole, where we ran in
and watered (which has been trigonometricallyaurveyed by
Lieutenant Allen), a place now scarcely worth a pound
of powder ; one small dilapidated fort constitates its
whole defence, and so destitute is it, that some days'
notice is required to obtain a fresh supply of fresh meat
and ♦egetables for a single ship ; there are, however,
vi.ible the remains of some splendid fortifications, as well
as a well laid out, and I should say pretty, well built
town. Sailed on the 20th Jan. and continued surveying
the coast of Hayti as well as the Isle of Tortuga, until we
arrived off Port-au-Prince, where we anchored for the
night, went on shore, where we observed the latitude and
longitude ; then stood off to the northward for Turk'e
Islands, where we arrived on the 25th, and remained until the
Bth February surveying the different Islands and anchor-
ages, and also rating the chronometers. You will scarcely
credit it that the Turk's Islands Bank, which is thirty-five
miles in length and thirteen in breadth, and closely studded
with islands, sunken rocks, and shoals of every description
has been closely and tr igonornetrically surveyed in the short
space of fourteen days. There are only two of those
Islands inhabited : one, the Grand Turk, which is about
five miles and a half in length, and one and a half in
breadth; the other, Salt Key, about two miles long and
one broad; their produce is nothing but salt, not even a
spring of water, ■or the least useful vegetable ; but the
inhabitants,;besides their product of salt, don't forget to
enrich their stores by the vast number of wrecks which
unfortunately happen on the coast. The population is
about two thousand, one-fifth of which are white, and
free persons of colour, and the rest slaves. Having
finished our work here, we stood off to the shoal
called the Square Handkerchief, which has proved the
destruction of many ships, from its position being se very
incorrectly laid down in all the charts. Having finished
this (which we had to do astronomically there being no
land whatever in sight), wo went on to the Silver Bank,
a similar one, but of a much larger extent: here our
water falling short, we ran for Puerto-da-Plata, on the
coast of Hay ti. This place was once renowned for its
wealth, but it does not at present appear to possess much.
The country around it is perhaps the most delightful you
can figure to your imagination, and is also celebrated for
its salubrity. Having completed wood and water, we re-
turned to the Silver Bank, which having finished, we ar-
rived at the Turk's Islands on the 12th inst. and re-rated
the chronomoters. We then commenced work on the
cluster of islands called the Cayros, but our provisions
running short, we were obliged to run for this place where
we have Just arrived. We expect to finish the Cayros
Bank and Island, and be at Nassau, New Providence,
about the latter end of April ; remain probably a few
weeks to rate chronometers and refit. There is no idle
bread ate here."

His Majesty's ship Success sailed from Sydney N.S.W.
for Madras October 17. The Favourite remained at
Alexandria, E., March 18. The Renard has arrived at
Halifax from Falmouth. The Plover, from Falmouth,
arrived at Barbadoes previous to 19th March. The Sa-
tellite arrived at Calcutta from Madras 24th December.
The Crocodile sailed from Calcutta for New South Wales,
30th December. The Challenger sailed from Madras for
Calcutta, Ist January. 'The Tweed and the Jaseur have
arrived at the Mauritius. The Southampton arrived at
Penang previous to October 6. The Arachne arrived at
Vera Cruz from Jamaica, March 11. The Sphynx ar-
rived at ditto from Falmouth, March 12.

The Mayflower, Martin, of and from this port, arrived
at Corunna April 7. The Brothers, Forbes, arrived at
Rouen, from Cardiff, April 22. The Maria, Cuming, of
and from this port, arrived at Lisbon 12th April ; and
Eliza, Edwards, and Margaret, Bulley, 13th do. The
Solace, Cross, of this port, from Newport, for Messina,
put into St. Mary's, Scilly, April 19; and on the night of
the 23d, it blowing a strong gale, with a heavy sea, she
parted one of her chain cables and drove near the rocks,
hut on making signals of distress two or three boats came
off with an anchor and sable, and she rode out the gale.
Two large ships and a brig, supposed to be foreign
men-of-war, were seen in the offing on Tuesday, supposed
to be standing up Channel.

The Carron steam-vessel, Lieut. B. Aplin, late of the
Skylark packet brig, arrived here on Sunday morning
from Portsmouth, to supply the place of the Meteor, going
it is supposed, at the end of the week, with a mail to the
Mediterranean.

The Blitomai t, 10, Commander Johnson, sailed the
same day for Scotland.

Our late highly respected Port Admiral, the Right Hon.
Earl of Northesk, G.C.11., Rear-Admiral of Great Bri-
tain, struck his flag on board the St. Vincent, on Friday
evening, and that ship was paid off in the course of the
same day, and recommissioned on Saturday to proceed to
Portsmouth, to bear the flag of Admiral Sir Thos. Foley.
The Vigilant, 10, Lieut. Loney, returned on Friday
from the southward and westward.

The Clio, 18, is ordered to be Commissioned at this port
or foreign service.

His Majesty's ship Galatea, 12, Capt. C. Napier, C. 8.,
arrived here tin Tuesday morning, from Portsmouth. She
is to attend the St. Vincent to that port.
The Bramble cutter, 10, Lieut. Haswell, sailed for Fal-
mouth on Tuesday.

The Blanche frigate was hauled off from hhe Dock-yard
yesterday, alongside a hulk, to be pointed.
Captain Hyde Parker arrived
.yesterday front Ports-
mouth, with a party of men from the Victory, and took
the command of the St. Vincent. Men are lent to assist
in working her round from the Kent, Undaunted, and
Blanche. We understand Admiral Earl Northesk, Capt.
Hawker, and their families, will proceed round to Ports.