The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-14 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

We hear from Halifax that the commander-in-chief,
Vice-Admiral Sir G. F. Seymour, K.C.8., intended to
leave in his flag-ship, Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour,
the last week in November, and will be at Jamaica,
waiting to be relieved by Rear-Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8.,
about the middle of January. The Basilisk, 6, Com-
mander the Hon. F. Egerton, is ordered to England from
Halifax. The Admiral will call at Barbadoes and Ber-
muda.
Rear-Admiral Bruce, the commander-in-chief on the
west coast of Africa, in his flag-ship Penelope, 16, steam-
frigate, Captain Lyster, was at Cape Coast Castle by last
advices. He was expected at Sierra Leone in the second
week in December.
The Resistance, transport, Master Commander Brad-
shaw, was at Bathurst, River Gambia, on the 6th of
October, with stores for the squadron.

PORTSMOUTH, DEO. 13.
The Sprightly, tender to Victory, Master Commander
Allen, arrived to-day at noon, from I)evonport, with
general supernumeraries. She met with very severe
weather on her passage back, being upwards of 30 hours
against a strong head wind and heavy sea, which con-
tinually swept the decks. She has proved herself on all
occasions a fine weatherly craft.
The Fairy, tender, Master Commander Welch, owing
to the strength of the tide, fell foul of a useless davit
that is placed in the fore part of the coal-depot. This
did some injury to the upper part of her foremast, which
she had to strike to scarfe and repair damages. She
went down to Osborne to-day minus her foremast.
The Duke of Wellington's metal screw was released
to-day from its casting-bed, and appears to be a most
efficient piece of workmanship. The casting is fair and
sound, and when submitted to the lathe will be all that
could be desired.

The American liner Hendrick Hudson, S. C. Warner,
master, arrived at Spithead this morning, and having
embarked passengers and stores at this port, sailed for
New York this evening.

PLYMOUTH, DEC. 13.
Her Majesty's screw steam-ship St. Jean d'Acre, 101,
Captain the Hon. Henry Keppel, left the Sound last
evening for Lisbon.
The lighter Devon arrived on Sunday with stores
from Pembroke.
The General Screw Company's steam-ship Mauritius,
Captain Seales, the enginei, of which, by Boulton and
Watt, have just been repaired, left Southampton on
Tuesday, and tried her speed at the measured mile. On
Wednesday she went down Channel, and at four o'clock
on Friday morning was 50 miles to the west of Scilly.
On Saturday morning she attempted to return to South-
ampton, but the easterly wind obliged her to put into
Plymouth Sound. Her engines are now in good working
condition. She sailed for the eastward yesterday. On
Thursday morning, off the Start, she spoke her Majesty's
steam-vessel Vulture, 6, Captain F. H. Glasse, looking
for the wreck of a merchant vessel.

SHEERNESS, DEC. 13.
The Waterloo, 120, flag-ship to Vice-Admiral of the
White the Hon. Josceline Percy.—The Hon. Montagu
Stopford, late Captain in command of this ship, gave up
charge yesterday to Captain Lord Frederick H. Kerr,
of the 10th of December, 1852. The late Captain Stop-
ford has been doing duty as Captain Superintendent of
her Majesty's dockyard here, in the absence of Captain
Superintendent Charles Hope, which duty now devolves
on Mr. Jonathan Aylen, Master Attendant as second in
command.

The Cressy, 80, screw steam-ship, is ordered to be
commissioned immediately, and all necessary prepara-
tions are being made for completing her fitment. For
that purpose she is now in No. 3 dry dock, getting
Kingston's patent valves fitted to her feed pipes, &e.,
for Grant's patent cooking and distilling apparatus. The
Cressy will not be completely fitted until the early part of
February next.
The Majestic, 80, screw steams-hip, has been placed
under the roasting shears in the fitting basin, in order
to receive her masts, and the heavy portion of her steam
machinery, boilers, &c. She is to have her false keel
increased in depth fore and aft.
The Royal George, 120 guns, screw steam-ship, Cap-
tain Henry J. Codrington, yesterday made preparations
for going out on a trial trip between the Nore and the
Mouse. Steam was got up early in the morning, the
steam tug vessel African was in attendance, but, on the
moorings being slipped, there appears to have been some
misunderstanding, either in communicating from off the
poop by the electric telegraph leading down into the
engine-room, or in the signal being received in the engine-
room; the result of which was that, instead of the en-
gines going ahead they were turned astern, and that at
a rapid rate, by which the ship got full galley way
astern, in doing which she swamped and filled two
boats, and ran stern on board the screw steam-frigate
Horatio, carrying away her spanker boom, damaging
her quarter, &c. By this time her anchor was let
go, which, fortunately, brought her up, when her
stern was so near to the T end of the Town-pier
that a biscuit might have been thrown on to her
poop. Her engines being stopped and reversed,
she was shortly afterwards hove to other moorings, it
being then too late for her to pass out over the Sheer-
ness Middle Ground. At this time from 80 to 100 light
colliers, and other vessels, were under way, leaving the
harbour, having put in for shelter on Friday and Satur-
day last, during the strong easterly wind. 9 a.m.
Preparations are now being made for her going out to-
day. The steam tug vessels African and Adder are in
attendance upon her. Mr. Dennen, the assistant-
superintendent of steam machinery afloat, is here, for
the purpose of proceeding out with her on her trial trip ;
she is not expected to return until to-morrow's tide.
She will anchor on the warp for the night, in conse-
quence of the tide not serving during daylight to pass
in over the Middle Ground. Mr. Joshua Taylor, Queen's
pilot, goes out in charge as pilot.
The new contract for supplying the navy between
Gillingham, in the river Medway, and the Nore with
beef has been taken by Mr. Charles Poison, chemist
and druggist, of this town ; the price obtained is 4)d.
and 4-7ths of a farthing per pound. The advantages to
the navy in this contract are, the cattle are all to be
slaughtered here, under the immediate inspection of
naval officers, to insure the quality of the meat being
in strict conformity with the terms of the contract.
The Diamond, 28, Captain William Peel, is ordered
to be put out of the basin to-day's tide. She will be
berthed at the Swinging Buoy for the purpose of adjust-
ing her compasses.
The Cyclops, (late) 6, paddle-wheel steam frigate, is
ordered to be immediately commissioned (by a naval
master) as a steam transport for foreign service, her
machinery having been favourably reported upon.

WOOLWICH, DEC. 13.
Lieutenants Trevenen P. Coode (1845), recently serving
in the Plumper screw steam-sloop, and Henry Harvey
(1847), recently serving in the Ceylon, flagship of Rear-
Admiral Edward Harvey, to the oyal George, 120,
screw steam-ship at Sheerness.
Acting Assistant-Surgeon Robert Burrows (1853) to
the Medea steam-sloop at Portsmouth.

PRIZE-MONEY.—Notice has been given by Messrs.
o.mmanney and Son to the oflieeta and crew of her
t o
Majesty's steam-sloop Alecto, entitled share for the
launch or boat (name unknown), captured on the 6th of
D ecember, 1851, that distribution of the bounty moneys
granted for the said capture will be made a
Charing-cross, on the 20th December, 1853, and thatl the
No.
40,
shares not then paid wilt be recalled at the same 1)
according to act of Parliament :—Flag, 171. 12s. place,
according
commander, 331. Os. 6d. ; third class, 01. 10s. 7d. '.
fourth, 51. 14s. 4d. • Rfth, 31. 6s, Bd. ; sixth, 2/. 17s. 2,1.
seventh, 11. 18s. id. ; eighth, 19s. ; ninth, lls. lod. '.
tenth, 7s. ld.