The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-18 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 17.
Admiral-Superintendent Martin gave notice that to-
day some experiments would commence with the light
on Southsea Castle, during the continuance of which,
and until further official notice, Southsea Light is not to
be considered as any guide to mariners. The Lively
and Drake, naval lighters, and the buoy boat, went out
this morning and anchored in various directions, at
Spithead, for the purpose of taking observations of these
experimental lights.
A movement is again afloat among the artisans of this
dockyard for obtaining an increase of wages. The high
price of provisions and coals reduces the artisan in the
Government employ here to a starving point, and. this
day an officer of the dockyard told the master shipwright
of the establishment he knew of the family of a man who
could not get bread to the extent required by the wages
he was receiving.

The Simoom, 18, iron troop-frigate, Captain Smith,
was placed in No. 7 dock to-clay. Her requisite repairs
are but trifling, and she will soon be out of the hands of
the engineers, &c., and ready for the conveyance of
troops or any other service.
___ _

Tile new 30-gun ship Colossus, will be brought down
the harbour tomorrow, and placed in No. 3 dock, when
vacant, to be adapted for the screw propeller. This
will be done with the utmost expedition, and the most
inconsiderable expense, by an alteration of the stern
only. The Geyser, 6, paddle-sloop, will be removed out
of dock to make room for the Colossus.

The Apollo troop-ship and transport, Master Com-
mander Johnson, is nearly filled up to the deck beams
with provision for the Black Sea fleets. The officers and
men of the Clarence-yard are working most indefatiga-
bly to get the vessel away, and she will leave for Con-
stantinople on Friday or Saturday. Those wishing to
send small parcels to friends in the fleets of Admiials
Dundas and Lyons should lose no time in forwarding
them to the Port Admiral's office here, specially en-
dorsed " For conveyance per her Majesty's ship Apollo,"
before Friday, or on Friday morning early at latest, to
insure transit.

A notice has been given to the inspectors and draughts-
men of this dockyard that an examination of candidates
for the situation of foreman of shipwrights will take
place on the Ist proximo, a vacancy having been open
now nearly 12 months. •

WOOLWICH, JAN. 17.

APPOINTMENTS.
Captain.—Sir Thomas Maitland, C.B. (1837), of the
Victory, 101, flagship at Portsmouth, and formerly of
the Agamemnon, 91, screw steam-ship, to command the
Excellent gunnery ship at Portsmouth, vice Captain
Henry D. Chads, promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral.
Lieutenant.--Richard Carter (1853) to the Euryalus,
50, screw steam frigate at Chatham.

Surgeon.—John- Davidson, to the Britannia, 120,
flagship of the British fleet in the Black Sea.

Clerks' Assistants.—W. H. S. Batt, to the Arrogant,
47, screw steam frigate ; Alexander V. Maceall, to the
Pique, 40, at Devonport ; G. M. Pedler, to the 'Water-
loo, 120, flagship at Sheerness ;_Joseph H. Manley, to
the Euryalus, 50, to the screw steam frigate, at Chat-
ham.

Naval Cadet.—M'D. D. Yonge, to the Impregnable,
flagship at Devonport.

PROMOTIONS.

Second Masters.—Robert Smith (1846), serdlng in
the Cyclops steam frigate, at Sheerness, and Matthew
Richards (1849), recently serving in the Spy, 3, brigan-
tine, on the West Coast of Africa station, to the rank
of masters.

The Volcano, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, Commander
Robert Coote, has arrived at Portsmouth from the coast
of Africa, and is ordered round to Woolwich to be paid
off at this port, having been in commission since Decem-
ber, 1850.

The Vulcan, iron screw steam troop-ship, Commander
Edward P. B. Von Donop, having landed all the re-
mainder of the soldiers, women, and children, she brought
home from the West Indies, commenced delivering over
the old stores she also brought home to-day, and expects
to leave Woolwich in a few days for Portsmouth to be
employed again in the conveyance of troops.
The African steam-vessel left Woolwich yesterday for
Sheerness, on her return from towing the Melampus,
42, frigate, to this port.
The Prometheus steam-sloop, in the outer basin, has
been painted, and has her guns mounted, and is, in
every respect, ready for sea ; but it is now said that she
is to be taken to Sheerness, and will be stationed there
as an advanced war-steamer at that port.
The Janus steam-sloop had her steam up in the inner
basin to-day, to try her engines, preparatory to her
being taken to Sheerness to be used as a gunnery ship
for the Royal Naval Coast Volunteers:
The Lords of the Admiralty have allowed the officers
entering seamen for the Royal Navy a discretionary
power to enter young men of 5 feet 6/ inches in height,
if, in every other respect, eligible ; and eight were
entered on the books of the Fisgard flag-ship at this
port, yesterday, and six or seven to-day, a proof that
there will not be so much difficulty in manning the navy
as has been anticipated by many. The greatest difficulty
hitherto experienced is owing, in a great measure, to the
strictness with which the rules laid down for the officers
entering men have been adhered to, and the registered
young men entering the line service or returning to such
employment as they can obtain for their subsistence.
The Phoenix steam-sloop, was lashed alongside the
coal
.ulk yesterday, in the stream, and worked her
engines slowly for an hour, previous to being taken in
hand by the engineer department. The damage re-
ceived by this vessel during her late voyage to Beechy
Island and home from the Arctic Regions, although
considerable, does not extend to the engines ; they
worked satisfactorily during the trial of them to-day.

THE SUSPECTED MURDER IN HOLBORN.—Yesterday an
inquest, adjourned from that day week, was resumed and
concluded before Mr. Brent, deputy coroner, at the Wil-
liam the Fourth, Brook's-market, Holborn, on view of
the body of Mary Anne Allan, aged 63, a spinster, who
was living in apparently destitute circumstances, in a
back room of the second floor, No. 4, Beauchamp-street,
and who was discovered on the morning of Sunday, Jan.
8, laying on the floor, with two severe wounds on her
nose and forehead, which led to her death, and which
are alleged to have been inflicted with some blunt instru-
ment. The evidence adduced yesterday, in addition to
that which appeared this day week in The Sun, threw
little light on the object of inquiry, and the jury returned
a verdict, "That the deceased was found dead, with cer-
tain wounds and injuries upon her nose and head, and
that her death was caused by them, and an effusion of
blood, but by what means the said injuries and wounds
were caused there was not sufficient evidence to show."
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT HUNSLET.—The ad-
journed inquest on the body of Mr. Thos. Longbottom,
who was found drowned in the River Aire, at Hunslet,
in the West Riding, on the morning of Sunday, the Bth
inst., under such mysterious circumstances, took place
on Monday night last. The following outline of this
tragic affair embraces many facts omitted from our
previous notice :—Some time ago Mr. Joseph Long-
bottom, father of the deceased, purchased some land of
Mr. F. Armitage, of Harlington, Barmbrough, near The threatening aspect of affairs renders it necessary
Doncaster, farmer, and commenced sinking a coal pit that the utmost activity and discretion should be used
there, being joined in the undertaking by his sons at the present time with respect to the entry of seamen
Thomas (the deceased), William, James, and Edward. for the navy. We have the Royal George, Princess
One of the consequences of this was the formation of Royal, Cressy, Euryalus, Pique, Dauntless, and Race-
an intimacy between two of the sons, Thomas and horse now fitting for service at the different home ports,
William, and Miss Armitage, and a cousin of hers. requiring an aggregate of some 2,500 blue jackets, out of
The interference of water in immense quantities led which number scarcely one-fifth are yet on the books of
to the abandonment of the coal-pit scheme, and the those ships. Where 2,000 seamen are to be picked
family removed to Hunslet, where some collieries up is a question few can answer. That there are ten
were taken and worked by them. They resided in times that number of men fit for the sea service to be
Jocelyn-terrace. The front door of the house was ap- found in the United Kingdom no one will doubt ; but
proached by a stone platform, below which was a garden, are we seeking them in the right plaCes ? The old system
the platform being protected by iron palisades. On of sending a lieutenant from each ship
to Portsmouth,, hChristmas-day Thomas and William terminated their. Plymouth, or the Thames, must fall under existingicr-
courtships of the two females, namely, by marriage at cumstances, since there are not seamen enougmuch more toh in those
St. George's Chapel, Doncaster. We have already de- places (unemployed) to man a launch, .
tailed the circumstances connected with the finding of fill up the compliments of the . ships in want of
osaesnt
sent
son Thomas, drowned on Sunday morning, and his them. It occurs to us that the lieutenants should be
wife on the platform fronting the house in a state of in- commissioned to visit all the small seaports from Poole to
sensibility, both having come out of their chamber Padstow, instead of standing like mutes outside the
window, and being injured by the spikes protecting the dockyard gates waiting for seamene to come to them,
platform from the garden. The wife was not so far In addition to wirliaantitbhueityhacria;
posting.do,
t 7
btilllsukshoeuveldrybce
recovered as to be able to give evidence on Monday guard officer stationed at odr near he fishing towns and
night, and the facts connected with the finding of the villages should be d2p.iste
dto volunteer men and boys
Government.
body having been deposed to, the inquiry was adjourned for the navy.
to them for circulation oughouttaitnheGwiahsoslee, lheansg tbhe
been
for a- fortnight.
FlRES.—Yesterday morning, a little before six o'clock, coast, and the expensesf. defrayed by
a fire, attended with great loss of property, broke out at The Vulture
fstreatmi - rigate, Cap
the residence of Hadow Patrick Douglas, Esq., No. 49, doing much for leThceause at Greenock and other
York-terrace, Regent's-park. The inmates were aroused Nautilus, apprentice brig, and
by a strong smell of fire, and on proceeding down stairs LplaadeyesArtah,e_lweveenuerncirsuhiesder,whitahveaaplrreoapdeyr esnhtiperefdorsotmhise
found - stout boys.
coast
,tuaongo:,oc
ipoeunfortunaternnollteo,sohe rdemr
asi
sosphmal aanepo theetootwh
eilrl
increase Assluoteioodt
naet
bah
lhere
oe
navy,
asdove y ship.pr
,s.
faulty managed to make a retreat. The London Fire our eas .
but, n
Brigade engines from Watling-street, King-street, and pliosbe ' the Mo'
d
,000 men and boys, already noticed,
`Well-street were quickly on the spot, but, owing to a plied
The levy
very scanty supply of water from the West Middlesex
added toythoef
mains, the fire spread rapidly. It was not subdued until
it had destroyed the ground floor, and until the front ' being in all 10,000, is a large number to be raised and
g
rooms on the second and third floors were burned out, 1 disciplined in time to catch the ships of the Great Bear
and the rest of the building severely damaged. The fire , when the breaking up of the ice frees them from their
originated from the flue of the hot plate. Another fireo 1 winter
quarters. The complements of the stationary
broke out on the premises of Mr. Richard Wiseman' N
1, Wilstead-street, Somers-town. The fire was not ex- ! volunteers for general service, who should be trained
udships should be increased without delay by
tinguished until the front shop and upper part were as soon as possible, and kept in readines to supply
destroyed ; cause unknown ; contents insured
,earnest,deficienciesand ihnatvhee
asoeyagioni
intention
tisohni pso.f
manning
a nwnei reallyng
o u
rare
ships in
in h
Sun. Another fire broke out at Mr. J. Peat s, Blueguardships
Anchor Tavern, which did considerable damage; cause efficiently, we must have recourse to all the means
unknown. One also happened at Mr. Taylor 's,
118, within our reach. We must immediately set about
Church-street, Bethnal-green,
caused by an explosion of forming a ready and effectual reserve for the hour of
gas ; and, lastly, one broke out at No. 2, Corbett-court, need ; otherwise we may have a Russian fleet scouring
Gracechurch-street, in the occupation of Mr. Davis, boot- !, our coasts, and only a handful of half manned ships
maker, caused by an explosion of gas in the first floor, ! prepared to meet them.—United Service! Gazette.

VOLUN TEERING SEAMEN.