The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-03 00:00:00

, t,,, 6'- -- - )

WOOLWICH, JAN. 1.

lAPPOINTMENTS.
Clerks.—Charles A. Goodyer (1850), from the Win-
chester, 50, flag ship on the East India station to the
London, 90, at Portsmouth ; Charles W. Harris (1849),
from the St. George, 120, guard ship in ordinary at De-
vonport, to the Imp4rieuse, 50, screw steam-frigate, at
Woolwich ; Edwin Harris (1851), to the St. George,
vice Charles W. Harris.
The Imperieuse, 50, screw steam frigate, Captain H.
B. Watson, C. 8., had a number of hands put upon her
on Thursday and Friday to copper her bottom, it being
desirable to have that done before she was taken out of
dock. The task of coppering her bottom having been
accomplished in a very short time, she was taken out of
dock this afternoon, and is now ready in the basin to
get her steam up on Monday to try her engines, of 350-
horse power, with screw propeller, by John Penn and
Son.

The Firebrand steam frigate, Captain Hyde Parker,
has now so far completed her crew as to be only short
of the following ratings, all the others being filled up :
—One captain of the hold, two carpenter's mates two
carpenter's crew (shipwrights), one caulker's mate, one
yeoman of signals, one ropemaker, three captains of
tops (first class petty officers), one captain's coxswain,
two captains of mast, one ship's cook, one sailmaker's
mate, and one sailmaker.

The Resistance troop ship, Master Commander Brad-
shaw, had her crew paid down on Wednesday last, and
they obtained a fortnight's leave of absence.
The Mega ra steam frigate, Commander J. 0. John-
son, was taken into dock on Thursday afternoon.

MANNING THE SHIPS FOR TRANSPORT SERVICE.-011
Saturday, the Admiralty (in pursuance of a resolution to
promote the employment and consequent growth of sea-
men for the merchant service, and for national use in
time of need) 'gave notice to the merchants and ship-
owners on 'Change, that on all future occasions of hiring
ships for the conveyance of troops, four men would be
required for every 100 tons of the vessel taken up, and
for the transport of convicts, nine men for every 200
tons, in addition to two boys for each ship—one half
the crew to be composed of able seamen before the mast,
the remainder to consist of officers and ordinary seamen,
who had been at sea before.

FRENCH SCREW LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIPS.—The follow-
ing from the Phare de la Loire will recommend itself to
the careful attention of the new Board of Admiralty :
For some time past the establishment of the Indret has
been manufacturing steam-engines for vessels in different
ports. One has been sent to Lorient for the Jean Bart,
and one to Cherbourg for the Marceau. At this mo-
ment, also, experiments are making on the Montebello,
at Toulon, with an engine of 160-horse poWer from In-
dret, intended as an auxiliary for first-class sailing-ships
to leave port without the necessity of being towed. An
engine of 450-horse power is about to leave Indret for
the Austerlitz, at Cherbourg. In construction there is
one of 400-horse power for the Assas, which is building
at Rochfort ; one of 650-horse power for the Ulm, which
is building at the same port ; and one of 400-horse power
for the Phltdton, which is building at Cherbourg. To
these we must add a machine of 1,200-horse power which
the Minister of Marine has just ordered for the Bretagne,
which is to be built at Brest."

THE LIVERPOOL SHIPPING TRADE IN 1852.

The following is Messrs. Tonge and Company's annual
circular :

In conformity with our usual custom at this season,
we have the pleasure to hand you our annual statement
of the business done in the sale of ships at this port for
the year past, and on no occasion have we been able to
report so favourably—both of the amount of tonnage
sold, and the prices that have been obtained. In one
of our recent circulars we took occasion to state, that a
period of unusual prosperity in the shipping interest of
this country might shortly be looked for, and most fully
have our anticipations been realised. Prices of colonial
ships having advanced fully 17 per cent. since then, and
with a continuing tendency upwards ; while stocks have
been reduced to 48 sail, against 76 in 1852, and 82 in
1851, without any immediate supplies being expected.
We have great pleasure in noticing a marked improve-
ment both in the model, material, and finish of Cana-
dian ships, the majority of which have been constructed
to class six or seven years, and to which a decided pre-
ference is given by buyers over spruce ships, or those
classing but four or five years, even at a very increased
price. Among those that have arrived within the last
eight months, will be found some as fine models of naval
architecture as ever have been produced—combining in
reality (from having great length of floor and fine ends)
both carrying and sailing qualities of no ordinary kind.
This advance in prices we do not mean to apply so
much to British-built vessels, for though a larger busi-
ness has been done in them this year than last, we can-
not advise much, if any, increase in price. Our quota-
tions for 1852, therefore, remain unaltered. New co-
lonial ships, to class seven years A 1, must be quoted
at 61. 15s. to 8/. 10s. per ton ; those classing six years
Al, at 61. to 71. 10a. ; five years, Si. 10s. to 7/. St.
John's, Miramichi, and Quebec build, to class four years,
are worth from Si. to 61. per ton ; those built at the
lower ports of same class, are worth from 4/. 10s. to
Si. 10s. per ton.
Large secondhand ships with or without class have
also been in much demand, in anticipation of an advance
in cotton and timber freights.
The enormous emigration to Australia has mainly
contributed to this advance, besides which, freights
generally are very much better for the larger class of
ships.
Within the last two months, several small craft, vary-
ing from 180 to 260 tons register, and of light draft of
water, which enables them to go direct to the port of
discharge, have been purchased for the Australian trade,
at full prices.

This prosperous state of things, we believe, will con-
tinue for twelve months,—or it may be somewhat longer
—when, perhaps, it is not too much to expect some
means will have been found for freeing a large number
f those ships that are now lying unmanned and incapa-
ble, at the various Australian ports, amounting, by the
last return, to 200 sail, equal to about 100,000 tons, and
which, when freed, will return upon our market about
the same time the large fleet of colonial ships now in
the course of construction will have found their way here,
and which bear a proportion of five to three over those
built in 1852, and five to four in 1851.
The number of new vessels that have come into Liver-
pool within the year and sold is 120, equal to 50,000
tons.

The number of ships launched and in the course oft
construction in our port this year is 39, computed at
15,000 15,000 tons, against 23, computed at 9,200 in 1851.
The number of steamers built and in the course of con-
struction here amount to 13, equal to 4,050 tons.
The number of foreign vessels that have changed
hands in Liverpool since the passing of the New Marine
Act in 1850, and registered by British owners, amount
to 11, equal to 5,000 tons.
As regards iron-built sailing vessels, the most remark-
able feature of our trade is the very increasing favour
they are growing into, and which are now occupying the
builders both here, in the Clyde, Newcastle, and else-
where, to an unprecedented extent. There is no doubt
but if some anti-fouling composition were discovered—
which while it would keep the bottom clean would also
preserve the iron—its use would, in a very great degree,
for the merchant service, be preferred to wood for ship-
building purposes ; the cost of a first-rate iron and wood
built ship being somewhat in favour of the former, and
p let
which
for sea may be quoted at 141. 10s. to 151. per ton, com-
e.

and her Majesty's paddlewheel steam vessel Cuckoo are
making good defects preparatory to their proceedg to
the seaports on the east coast of England and Scotland
to procure seamen for the Royal Navy.
A general survey and transfer of stores commenced
yesterday on board of all ships in commission here, in
consequence of the new Admiralty instructions relative
to paymasters in her Majesty's navy. All stores will
still remain under charge of the respective officers—viz.,
master, gunner, carpenter, and boatswain. The most
imperative part of the paymaster's duty will now be to
see that true copies from the rough books are duly en-
tered, and returns made at certain periods to the proper
authorities. The entire responsibility for the expendi-
ture of stores will rest with the respective officers issuing
such stores.

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