The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-04 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The members of the new medical board, to which we
referred yesterday, are, we understand, to be Sir John
Richardson, Sir John Liddle, and Dr. Bryson. We believe
that this change in the medical department was originally
propounded by the late Board of Adr&ralty, and as Cap-
tain Milne has been a member of the late, preceding, and
present boards, the alteration has been favourably consi-
dered. We do not yet know the exact position to be oc-
cupied by the respected director general of the medical de-
partment, Sir William Burnett. We are, however, quite
satisfied that the services of this useful public servant will
not be neglected nor slighted.

PORTSMOUTH, MAY 3,

A court-martial was held to-day on board the Victory,
to try Eugene Egan, a seaman of the Agamemnon, for ab-
senting himself without leave from a boat belonging to
that ship, while on duty at Healer Hospital, on the 22d of
March, with intent to desert. Sir Thomas Maitland, C. 8.,
of the Agamemnon, prosecuted for the Admiralty. The
charge was fully proved, and, as he was a naval appren-
tice, he was sentenced to be imprisoned for 10 calendar
months in Winchester gaol.
The Conflict advance screw-sloop having shipped a
Boomerang propeller, steamed out of the basin this morn-
ing, ready to make another trial of her speed to-morrow,
and at which a number of naval and scientific men are
expected to be present.
The Cygnet sloop, Captain R. White, sailed from Spit-
head last evening for Plymouth, to be paid off.
The Encounter, screw-frigate, came into harbour this
morning to be supplied with new boilers.
The Agamemnon, 91, Captain Sir Thomas Maitland, got
up her steam this afternoon and proceeded to Stoke's Bay
to test her speed by the measured mile. The trial lasted
between two and three hours, and was highly satisfactory.
Additional hands have to-day been put on the Princess
Royal, 90, screw steam-ship, building in this yard, in order
to expedite her so that she may be launched next month.
It is understood to be her Majesty's wish that the launch
of this fine vessel should take place at a time when she
may be able to witness it.
The Duke of Wellington, 131 (screw), Captain Henry
Byam Martin, has the ordnance lighters alongside, and is
receiving her heavy armament therefrom ; her main-deck
guns were mounted to-day.

PLYMOUTH, MAY 3.
Her Majesty's screw steam-sloop Argus, Commander
Purvis, sailed last evening for Halifax and the West

Indies.
The Avon steam-tender, Master-Commander Veitcb,
sailed yesterday for Falmouth, to bring the detachment of
infantry stationed at Pendennis Castle, to this garrison to
join head quarters. They will be replaced by a detachment
of artillery from Woolwich, which will be taken there by
the Duke of Cornwall merchant steamer.

WOOLWICH, MAY 3.
APPOINTMENTS.
Assistant-Surgeon Charles Harper (1853), recently serv-
ing in the Phaeton, 50, to the Hogue, 60, steam guard-
ship, at Devonport.
Master's-Assistant John Richards to the Banshee steam.
packet, at Portsmouth.
The Fishgard flag-ship of Commodore Henry Eden, and
all the ships in ordinary at this port, were paid down to.

day.
The Melampus, 42-gun frigate, was towed from Wool-
wich to Sheerness to-day by the Monkey steam-vessel.
The Melampus has on board the mach'nery of the James
Watt, 90, ordered to be brought round from Pembroke,
where she was launched, to Devonpoi L. The Melampus
has also taken the boilers of the Algiers, 90, for convey-
ance to Devonport.
The Cyclops steam-frigate was taken into the basin to-
day to receive on board the machinery of the Algiers for
conveyance to Devonport, and on arriving at Sheerness on
her way round she will take the Melampus in tow from
that port to Davenport.
The Lightning steam-vessel, Master-Commander H. W.
Allen, was taken into the basin to-day.
The weather has been as yet so unfavourable that Cap-
tain Washington has deferred laying down the electric tele-
graph cable from this country to Ostend. The Lizard
steam-vessel will direct the course of the wire, which will
be paid out from one of the screw steam collier vessels.
Vessels in the Harbour.—Fisgard, flag-slip of Commo-
dore Henry Eden ; Phcenix screw steam-sloop, Commander
' Edward A. Inglefield ; Black Eagle steam-vessel, Master-
' Commander John E. Petley ; Rhadamanthus steam-vessel,
:
Master-Commander Belam, in commission ; and the Spite-
ful, Merlin, Medina, and Medusa steam-vessels, not in
commission.
In the Basin.—Terrible steam-frigate ; Hecate steam-
sloop ; Rifleman screw steam-sloop ; Prometheus steam-
sloop ; Janus and Jackall, steam-vessels.
In the Docks.—Tribune, 30, screw steam frigate ; Un-
dine, Dover mail steam packet ; and the Dover, iron steam
vessel.

THE WEST INDIES.
The Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir G. F. Sey-
mour, K.C.8., in the Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour,
was at Bermuda.
Commodore 11`Quhae was at Port Royal, April 11th,
with the Vestal, 26, Captain C. B. Hamilton; and Alban,
steam-tender, ordered home.
The Calypso, 18, Captain Forbes, was at Antigua.
The Geyser, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Wilson, was on
the Spanish Main, ordered home.

REPORT OF A CAPTURED SLAVER. The schooner
Creole, commanded by Captain Thompson, arrived in this
port on Tuesday last, from the Caymans, with a cargo of
turtle and shell, consigned to Messrs. P. Abrahams and
Co. One of the passengers reports that a few weeks ago,
about ten o'clock at night, between Cayman Brack and
Little Cayman, an engagement took place between a
barque and an English brig of war, and that after an hour's
fighting the barque, supposed to be a Spanish slaver, was
captured. On the following morning both vessels were
seen to bear away in the direction of Cuba. It is said that
32 rounds were fired before the engagement was termi-
nal ed.—Falmouth Post.
PRESENTATION OF PLATE.—The Marquis of Exeter bas-
in the most courteous manner, prevented Wm. Robertson,
Esq.., surgeon, R.N., with a richly-chased claret-jug, in
gratitude for the skill he displayed and the great attention
paid to the noble lord's son while labouring under illness at
sea a short time since. The jug, which is a beautiful
specimen of workmanship, was selected from the chaste
and extensive stock of Mr. Cave, goldsmith and jeweller,
George-street, and has the following inscription :—" pre-
sented to William Robertson, Esq., M.D., surgeon, H. 31.0.
Leander, by the Marquis of Exeter, as a token of esteem
for the kind attention shown to his son, Lord Henry Ed-
ward Cecil, midshipman onboard that ship during a severe
attack of illness. April, 1853."—Plyartouth Mail.