The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-11 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE MEDITERRANEAN SQUADRON.

MALTA, JULY 2

PORTSMOUTH, JULY 10,
THE SPITHEAD FLEET.

The Agamemnon, 91, Captain Sir Thomas Maitland,
and the Blenheim, 60, Captain Henderson, have been
detached from the fleet since we last reported its move-
ments ; and, as Rear-Admiral Corry has put to sea in
the Agamemnon, and an other admiral has been ap-
pointed to the special command of that section of the
fleet, which has been denominated the Channel squadron,
all the ships came immediately under the command of
Sir Thomas Cochrane, K.C.8., the Port-Admiral ; the
ships and vessels consequently changed the pennants
and ensigns from blue to white on the departure of Rear-
Admiral Corry. The Arrogant, 46, Captain Fremantle,
having fitted new boilers, and tried them at the measured
mile in Stokes Bay yesterday, rejoined the fleet, which
is now moored as follows, in the order in which they are
placed.

WEST.
Duke of Wellington 131 Prince Pegeht 90
London 9O Hogue 60
Ajax 5B Edinburgh .... 58
Amphion 34 Arrogant 46
Imperieuse 5O Leopard 12
Highflyer 2l
EAST.

Sidon 22
Odin l6

Banshee... 2

Encounter 14

At 12 o'clock yesterday Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas
Cochrane changed his flag from white to red at the fore
on board the Victory, when all the fleet changed their
ensigns and pennants accordingly, and the Neptune,
120, saluted the new flag. The fleet continues an ob-
ject of the highest interest to vast numbers of visitors,
who flock into the port daily. The Duke of Wellington
is, of course, the chief object of attraction, and is visited
daily by large parties of strangers, to whom the utmost
courtesy is shown. The ship, we believe, wants about
150 men to complete her compliment of 1,100. The
steam-packets make frequent excursions from Ports-
mouth and Ryde through the fleet, at rates as low as
4d. per head. _ _ _

His Excellency the Prince di Carini, Envoy Extraor-
dinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the Neapoli-
tan Court to that of St. James's, arrived at this port
yesterday at 2 p.m., accompanied by a numerous suite
of distinguished Neapolitan officers. They were received
at the terminus by M. Pappalardo, the Sicilian Consul,
and conducted to the George Hotel, whence they pro-
ceeded in carriages to the residences of the Port Admiral
and Admiral Superintendent to be presented. They
afterwards inspected the dockyard, and embarked
in the Fire Queen steam-yacht, Master Commander
Paul, and visited the fleet at Spithead, going on board
the Duke of Wellington, &c. In the evening the Fire
Queen landed them at the garrison sallyport, and they
proceeded to the George, where they entertained their
Consul. This- morning, at about 9 o'clock, the Fire
Queen embarked the distinguished party for Ryde, Isle
of Wight, where they visited the Royal Victoria Yacht
Clubhouse, &c. They proceeded thence to Osborne
House, the marine residence of her Majesty, and in-
spected it. They also visited the "R. Y. S." House at
Cowes, and then crossed over to Southampton en route
to London, delighted with their excursion, and the at-
tention paid them by all the authorities.
The Queen Charlotte, 104, was brought down from
the Ordinary yesterday, and hauled into dock to have
her bottom examined, having sprung a leak.
The Neptune, 120, Captain E. H. Scott, is ready for
orders to move, but it is not expected she will change
her present moorings off Gosport unless the fleet leaves
Spithead. From what we have gathered of the preva-
lent feeling in this ship respecting the long•service entry,
we expect that the new system will be well received here.
Rear-Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8., changed his flag from
blue to white at the mizen of this ship this evening, at 6
o'clock, and wag saluted as customary.
A court-martial was held on board the Victory yes-
terday morning, to try George Weston, a stoker belong-
ing to the Leopard steam-frigate, for desertion. The
prisoner, who had been in the navy 18 years, and served
with credit, obtained 24 hours' leave on the 27th of
February last, at the expiry of which leave he did not
return. The prisoner could not deny the offence, and
threw himself on the mercy of the Court, pleading that
he had a wife and six children and an aged mother de-
pendant on him for support. The Court sentenced him
to be imprisoned in the county gaol at Winchester for
six months.

The Nerbudda, 12, Commander Kerr, sailed yester-
day for the Cape of Good Hope.
Captain Jerningham's new system of signalling with
cones instead of flags was in practice yesterday after-
noon from the dockyard semaphore to the Neptune in
harbour, and is reported to have answered very satis-
factorily.

PLYMOUTH, JULY 10.

Her Majesty's sloop Comus, 14, Commander W. A.
FeHowes, arrived from Portsmouth, and saluted the flag
of Port-Admiral Sir John A. Ommanney.
The Vulture, 6, steam-sloop, Captain H. H. Glasse, is
ordered to take 300 tons of coal on board, and to pre-
pare for immediate dispatch to the Mediterranean.
Her Majesty's paddle-wheel steam-frigate Magicienne,
16, Captain Thos. Fisher, and Valorous, 16, Captain
Claude H. M. Buckle, which left the part on Thursday
for Holyhead, returned into the Sound late last evening.
A large full rigged man-of-war was observed at 1 p.m.
to the eastward of the Eddystone, going up Channel
under steam and canvas.
ARRIVAL OF THE SPHYNX STEAM-SLOOP.—The
Sphynx, 6, steam-sloop, Commander H. S. Hillyar,
arrived in Plymouth Sound from the East Indies and
the Cape of Good Hope. This ship was fitted out by
Captain Shadwen, who was promoted, and she has been
brought home by Commander Hillyar, who has also been
promoted for his gallant services at Rangoon.
THE LATE MR. MIIIRHEAD.—The body of Muirhead,
the assistant-surgeon of the Edinburgh, was picked up
and buried on Thursday last, attended by all the medical
officers of the fleet who could be spared.

WOOLWICH, JULY 9.
APPOINTMENTS.

Midshipman.--H. G. Stephens, to the Nerbudda, 12,
at Portsmouth ; J. B. Warren, to the London, 90, at
Portsmouth.

Clerk.----Thos. Ellard (1846), recently serving in the
Scorpion surveying vessel on the West India station to
the London. ,

SATIRICAL LITERATURE.-Mr. Jas. Hannay delivered
the sth lecture of his series on Friday, at the Edwards-
street Institution. He sketched, this time, political
satirists and squib writers, including Cleveland, Marvell,
Sir Charles Banbury Williams, and others. He lec-
tures, on Wednesday evening, at eight p.m., on the pre-
sent aspect of this section of literature. Mr. Hannay's
discourse last night was in the same lively and enter-
taining style.

THE ROYAL SQUADEON.—In consequence of the illness
of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and the postpone-
ment of her Majesty's visit to Ireland, as we anticipated
on Saturday, the yachts and men of war ordered to
Holyhead have been ordered to return to their respective
ports.

ADMIRALTY LEVEE.—The following officers were re-
ceived by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whitehall,
on Saturday last :—Admiral Sir W. H. Gage, Vice Ad-
miral Sir H. Pigot, K.C.8., K.C.H., Rear Admirals
Harvey, Sir G. Westphal ; Captains T. D. Hastings,
A. Ryde, W. Allen, T. Rest, G. Watson, E. T. Wode-
house ; Commanders F. K. Wasey, W. H. Stewart, H.
D. Twysden, J. C. Heaslop, A. T. Jones, T. L. Whar-
ton ; Lieutenants H. M. Freestun, W. Greet, T. Simp-
son, T. A. Pritchard, T. F. Cookney ; Paymasters W.
Burke, G. Ellis, N. B. Lash ; Naval Instructor C. Stark.

On the anniversary of the accession to the throne,
Admiral Dundas entertained on board the Britannia flag-
ship the three French admirals—Lasusse, Romain-Des-
fosses, and Jacquinot, with the captains and commanders
of the French squadron. Covers were laid for 50 per-
sons, and the dinner, which in itself was everything de-
sirable, was rendered more agreeable by the harmony
which prevailed, To the music of the beautiful band on
board the Britannia were united the hearty cheers of the
crew and the thunder of artillery, as the " Health of
the Queen" was given, not only from our own ships of
war, but also from the French fleet ; and a similar feel-
ing was manifested, with similar enthusiastic honours,
on the " Health of the Emperor Napoleon" being pro-
posed.
Admiral Lasusse addressed the party in most friendly
terms, concluding his speech by this toast, "To the cor-
dial reunion of the English and French fleets."
The "Health of Admiral Lasusse, and the French
fleet," was subsequently proposed by Admiral Dundas,
who took occasion to express his hope that England
would ever act in concert with France ; with such a
union of strength, the whole world might be defied.
The address was received most warmly.