The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-01 00:00:00

THE AFRICAN MAILS.

The African Steam-ship Company's screw-steamer
Faith arrived here yesterday. This vessel was con-
structed by Mr. John Laird, of Birkenhead, especially
to carry out the African mail service under the contract
entered into with the Admiralty in March last by Mr.
M`Gregor Laird. She is 208 feet long between perpen-
diculars, 30 feet 3 inches beam, and measures 920 tons
' old or carpenter's measurement. Her engines are
diagonal, of 200-horse power, working direct on the
screw shaft, similar in plan to those that have been
proved to answer in the Cape mail service, making, at
' full speed, 66 revolutions per minute. Her propeller is
12 feet 6 inches diameter, and 19 fiat pitch ; her boilers
are double, each with a chimney, so that with favour-
able winds both or one may be used ; each has four
furnaces, and 248 tubes of 31 inches diameter. The rig
is peculiar, being that of a polacca brig ; the lower masts
are of iron and hollow, the topmasts of wood, being
made to strike into them, thus doing away with all caps,
crosstrees, &c., giving the vessel a light and rakish ap-
pearance, and better enabling her to meet the sudden
changes of weather to which she will be subjected on
the coast. The accommodation for the passengers is en-
tirely upon deck ; the saloons and state-rooms are
lighted byja,rge plate-glass side windows, thus insuring
thorough ventilation. The sister ship, the Hope, just
launched, is intended to take the mails of the 24th of
March. The Charity, the fourth ship, will be launched in
six weeks, and is (as she ought to be) much larger than her
consorts, being 1,200 tons. The two other ships, the
Northern Lights and Southern Cross, are in a forward state,
and complete the fleet of the company for the present
African mail service. The Faith has been fitted out un-
der the superintendence of Captain Thomas Birch, R.N.,
whose acquaintance with the coast of Africa and high
standing in the service guarantee that the vessel is in
every way complete for sea. Three out of her five boats
are Francis's metallic lifeboats, which were imported
from New York specially for this vessel. The Admiralty
trial of the Faith took place at Liverpool on the 15th
inst., in very bad weather, and was most satisfactory.
The vessel has since made a passage to London, which
port she left on the 27th, • making a voyage from the
Downs in 26 hours. She has therefore steamed 1,200
miles without the slightest accident to vessel or machin-
ery before embarking her mails and passengers, and was
dispatched, about ten o'clock last evening, under the
superintendence of Mr. HenryJ. Waring, the Plymouth
agent. Her mails are in charge of Lieut. Coul, R.N-

DEVONPORT, JAN. 31.
Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord E. Russell, will have
her defects made good, and be ready for sea again, by
the 23d of February.
We have had a few days of fine weather, which has
been quite refreshing, but on Sunday the wind again fell
back to S.W., with rain the greater part of the day.

SHEERNESS, JAN. 30.
The Rattlesnake, Commander Henry Trollope, was
put out of the fitting-basin yesterday.
The Fire Queen iron paddle-wheel steam-vessel (tender
to the Victory, at Portsmouth), Master Commander
Frederick W. Paul, arrived here about 4.30 p.m. yester-
day from Portsmouth, with seamen volunteers for the
ships in commission at this port. She left this morning
for Woolwich.

The Ganges, 84 guns, is ordered to be forwarded in
the repairs, to enable her to be put out of dock as early
as possible. Her topside repairs are to be completed in
the fitting-basin.

The Agamemnon, 91 guns, Capt. Sir Thos. Maitland,
yesterday unhoused topmasts and sent them an-end, and
is preparing to proceed to the Nore.
The Amphion, 34 guns, screw steam-frigate, Captain
C. G. E. Patey.—An order has been received granting
an addition of 20 more A.B.'s, making a total of 320
able seamen her complement, instead of 300, as per com-
mission order. This has been granted in consequence
of the heavy metal she carries, viz., 68-pounders, and
her large pivot guns. Lieutenant B. G. W. Nicolas,
belonging to this frigate (late of the Phaeton), having
been deputed by his old raessmates, proceeded on board
the Phaeton yesterday to present to the warrant officers
of that frigate—namely, Mr. Hatch, boatswain, a gold
chain ; to Mr. Johnstone, gunner, a very handsome
massive silver pencil-case ; and a similar present to Mr.
Hoar, the carpenter, the subscribers being the executive
officers of the Phaeton, in token of the estimation they
were held, in for their constant zeal and ability in the
discharge of their respective duties during the whole
period of their commission. Lieutenant Nicolas con-
cluded with some most appropriate remarks on the good
feeling existing between the executive and warrant
officers, instances of which he sincerely hoped to see of
more frequent occurrence in her Majesty s navy, and
recommended them (the warrant officers) to carry the
Phaeton motto from ship to ship, viz., "for all hands to
pull together." It is reported that the Amphion is to go
to the island of Alderney ; she will shortly leave here for
Portsmouth and Plymouth to complete her complement
of seamen.

WOOLWICH, JAN. 29.

APPOINTMENTS.

Paymaster.—John Doyle (1851), to the Espiegle, 12,
commissioned this day at Sheerness for the pendant of
Commander George Hancock (1850), who will have the
command of that vessel.

Clerks.—Frederick J. N. Kenyon (1849), to the
Espiegle, 12, at Sheerness ; Robert Boyne (1849), to the
Hogue, 60, screw steam guard-ship at Plymouth.
Assistant-Engineer.—Charles Beal, to the Blenheim,
60, screw steam guard-ship at Portsmouth.