The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-28 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE,

The Right Hon. Sir James Graham, First Lord of
the Admiralty, held a levee at Whitehall on Saturday,
and it was attended by the following officers :
Captains.—H. E. Edgell, H. Litchfield, J. Fulford,
Thomas S. Brock, J. B. Sullivan, W. F. Lapidge,
E. G. Fanshawe, W. Sandon, A. Farquhar, W. Peel,
and R. Smart.
Commanders.—W. Boys, L. D. J. Prevost, Thomas
Heard, Charles Hall, J. W. Finch, E. H. Beauchamp,
T. P. Egerton, R. A. Powell, Edward A. Inglefield,
J. H. Lysaght, and Henry Coryton.
Lieutenants.—T. C. Ross, R. Jenkins, E. W. Tur-
nour, A. M. Noad, G. Raymond, and F. Crawford.
Rear-Admiral Sir .Charles Napier was at the Admi-
ralty Saturday, and had an interview with Sir James
Graham, the First Lord.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 27.

A gale of wind from W.S.W. set in here shortly be-
fore 10 o'clock yesterday morning, which blew very
heavily till towards the evening, when it shifted to
W.N.W., and gradually died away. The men-of-war at
Spithead sent topgallantmasts on deck, and several
merchant craft put into the roads for shelter. The
London, 90, and the Cruiser, 14, being the only ships
ataunt in harbour, sent their topgallantmasts on deck ;
and at 12.30 p.m. signal was made to them from the
Victory to strike topmasts. As a barge, the Patch, be-
longing to a contractor of this place, was coming from
Hurst Castle to the port, one of the men on board,
named James Welch, was washed or knocked overboard
by the boom, off Cowes, and drowned. About 4 o'clock
this afternoon a waterman's boat, containing three men,
was capsized in this harbour, but the men were all
saved. Among the vessels which put in for shelter was
the Dutch ship Europa, from London, bound to Batavia
with passengers, chiefly ladies, proceeding to that
island to join their husbands, who are planters, &c.,
there.

The Black Eagle, Admiralty steam-packet, Master
Commander J. E. Petley, which left this,port on Tues-
day evening, with Captain the Hon. R. S. Dundas, C. 8.,
one of the Lords of the Admiralty ; Lieutenant-General
Sir John Burgoyne, G. C. 8., Inspector-General of For-
tifications ; Captain Cator, R.N. ; and Milbalker, C.E.,
forming a board of inspection of the coast defences, ar-
rived at Alderney on the following day, and after
inspecting the fortifications there proceeded on Wednes-
day to Gorey. After examining the works at St.
Katherine's, they went into St. Helier's on Thursday to
inspect the town fortifications. They were expected to
return to this port yesterday, but the gale probably pre-
vented them. Her Majesty's ships Porcupine, Dasher,
and Royal Charlotte were in attendance on them.
The American line-of-packet ship American Congress,
sailed from Spithead this afternoon for New York.
The Basilisk, 6, paddle-sloop, Commander the Hon.
F. Egerton, having towed the Rattlesnake to a good
offing, returned to Spithead yesterday.
The Neptune, 120, Captain E. H. Scott, flag of Rear-
Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8., Superintendent of this dock-
yard, was removed from her moorings off this dock-
yard this morning, and taken up off Hardway, on the
opposite shore, where it is said she is to remain. The
Agamemnon, screw guard-ship, Captain Sir Thomas
Maitland, C. 8., has taken her place.
The orders for docking the Illustrious, 72, yesterday,
were countermanded,

PLYMOUTH, FEE. 27.

Her Majesty's screw steam-frigate Desperate, Captain
W. W. Chambers, which sailed on Thursday with beds,
bedding, &c., for the hospital at Queenstown, put back
on Friday night from stress of weather, having incurred
damages, and carried away her deadlights in a strong
northerly wind, when crossing the Bristol Channel. In
this gale, it is said that the weight of her 10-inch gun,
which she carries aft, sent her down by the stern, and
created considerable fears for her safety.
The American merchant ship Caspian, belonging to
Bath, United States, from Charlestown, with rice and
cotton for Havre, beached in Torbay on the 9th inst.,
but, having been relieved of part of her cargo, sent on,
was tugged off on Wednesday evening and brought back
to Plymouth Sound on Friday. She is in charge of Mr.
Fox, the American Consul, and will be repaired forth-
with.

SHEERNESS, FBB. 26.

The Espiegle, 12, Commander George Hancock.—First
Lieutenant D'Arcy S. Preston (19th of June, 1848), and
Mr. George W. Carter, mate (4th of June, 1852), have
taken up their commissions and joined. The Espiegle
will be out of the dockyard department on Monday next,
and is ordered to be ready for sea on the 10th of March.
A medical survey has been held at Melville Hospital on
Mr. Thomas Huss, late master of this sloop, and he is
invalided from her. He will remain in Melville Hospital
for six weeks, for treatment there. A survey was also
held on Mr. Shepherd, clerk of the Horatio, and he has
been granted three months' sick leave.
The Miranda, 14, screw steam-sloop.—The driving
wheel and shaft have been taken out to make good a de-
fect found in the bearings. They together weigh about
12 tons. They were taken out by the shears, and placed
on board the Dove, Veal master, and immediately the
weather permits the caisson to be lifted the Dove will
leave for Woolwich. _

The Amphion, 34, Capt. Charles G. E. Patey, remains
in dock. An experiment has been made on board this
frigate by trying a black bright varnish for covering
guns, gun tackles, breechings, and carriages. It has
been most severely tested on the upper deck swivel guns,
and stands unimpaired by exposure to frost, snow, and
even salt water. All that is required after the varnish
has been put on is merely to wipe with a dry flannel,
and a beautiful polish is restored. There is every pro-
bability of its being brought into general use in the navy.
The Horatio, 24, screw steam-guard ship, Captain the
Hon. S. T. Carnegie, has on board her full armament of
ammunition, shells, shot, rockets, &c. Capt. Carnegie
mustered the officers and crews of the ships in commis-
sion here yesterday, except the Waterloo and the
Monarch.

The Wildfire, paddle-wheel steam-tender to the Water-
loo, George Brockman second master in command, has
left here for the river Thames, in consequence of infor-
mation that several deserters from the navy had entered
on board some of the outward-bound ships from London.
About 7001 b. of beef has recently been surveyed and
condemned, which was sent here by the contractor for
the use of her Majesty's navy. The Paymaster, in con-
quence thereof, made a demand on shore, and the same
weight was purchased by him and sent on board. A
quantity of vegetables in a putrid state were also con-
demned on survey at the same time.
It is currently reported here that the screw-steam
line-of-battle ship Royal George, of 120 guns, will be
stationed at the entrance of the rivers Thames and Med-
way ; that she will have appointed to her for each gun,
in addition to the let and 2d captains (seaman gunners),
two marine artillery gunners and four marine artillery-
men ; there will then only be required from five to seven
seamen for each—a number sufficient for all general
duties aloft, either to bend, reef, or furl sails.

CHATHAM, FEB. 26.
The Imperieuse, 50, screw steam-frigate, Captain R.
B. Watson, C. 8., has now all her running rigging rove,
and all her shot on board, and several of her gun car-
riages. She is to leave Chatham about the 21st of
March. The crew has been very busy in getting on
board all her spare spars, and they are all stowed
away, and the ship ready to receive her boats.
Forty-eight of the newly-raised men for service in
this fine frigate are sent on board the Boscawen,
70, flag-ship of Captain Richards, C. 8., to acquire a
knowledge of gun drill, and by the time the Imperieuse
leaves Chatham they will' be well acquainted with their
duty. Everything is going on cheerfully, and all pro-
mises to make her a happy ship. There are no deser-
tions or breakings of leave, and all appear satisfied, a
rare occurrence in a newly-commissioned ship. This
gratifying result is attributed in a great measure to the
excellent selection of her officers.

WOOLWICH, FEB. 26,

The Firebrand steam-frigate, Captain Hyde Parker,
had her steam up yesterday in the basin to try her
engines, and, as they were reported to be in good work-
ing condition, she was taken out of the basin to-day, and
will proceed down the river on Tuesday, March 1, for
Greenhithe, to have her compasses adjusted. It is
expected she will be sent to Naples to relieve one of the
vessels on the Mediterranean station.
The Cleopatra, 26, Captain Thomas L. Massie, serving
on the East India station since April, 1849, is under
orders to return to England on being relieved by the
Spartan, 36, Captain Sir William Hoste, Bart., com-
missioned in June last for that purpose, and now on her
voyage to the East Indies. A part of the crew of the
Cleopatra will take the Malacca steam-sloop, built at
Moulmein, to this country.
The Board of Admiralty have promoted the following
officers for their services in the war in Ava :
Commander Charles F. A. Shadwell, her Majesty's
ship Sphinx, to be captain.
Lieutenant Rowley, Lambert (1848), appointed act-
ing commander to her Majesty's ship Fox, 42, by his
father, Commodore Lambert, to be commander.
Lieutenant John W. Doville to be commander ; Lieu-
tenant Henry S. Hillyar,-to be commander ; George W.
Rice, flag-lieutenant, to be commander.
Mates Hugh A. Hinde, Charles A. B. Pocock, and
Robert C. Copland, to be lieutenants.
Second Master Richard Stugess to be master.
Assistant-surgeons Thomas Seccombe and Henry
Slade to be surgeons.
Assistant-surgeon John F. Johnson to be surgeon,
when qualified.

Boatswain John Campbell of the 3d class to be boat-
swain of the 2d class.
Boatswain's Mate John Nixton to be boatswain when
passed.

The Winchester, 50, Captain G. Loch, was ordered
to drop down the river from Rangoon, for the health of
the crew. The boats of the ship were up the river
under the command of the gallant Captain, and engaged
in the operations under Commodore Lambert. Captain
Loch expected to return to England on the arrival of
Rear-Admiral Pellew with his flag-captain, but, as the
appointment of a flag-captain was dispensed with by the
Rear-Admiral, Captain Loch will remain in the Win-
chester.

HORRIBLE CASH OF CHILD MIIRDER.—WhiIst some
persons were clearing out the cellar of Mr. Lyon
Barnard, rag merchant, in Gibson-street, Waterloo-road,
Lambeth, they discovered amongst the rubbish the body
of a male child, which, to all appearance, had been de-
posited there for a period of at least two months. The
body was taken to the dead-house, and upon being
washed and inspected by a surgeon, one side of the
child was found to have been terribly burned, as if it
had been placed on a fire or hot ashes, but whether to
destroy life or burn the body cannot at present be ascer-
tained.