The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-20 00:00:00

ROIllglL MARINES.

Captain and Brevet-Major Charles W. Pierce, of the
Portsmouth division, has been allowed to retire upon
full pay. By this
First-Lieutenant William Alfred Garner Wright, of
the Plymouth division, becomes Captain ; and
Second-Lieutenant George Oliver Evans, of the Wool-
wich division, becomes First-Lieutenant.

PLYMOUTH, JAN. 19.
Her Majesty's ship Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord
Edward Russell, arrived in the Sound yesterday morn-
* from the" eastward.

—La Hogue, 60, screw steam block-ship, Captain Ram-
sey, and the Confidence and Pike steam-vessels, steamed
round the Eddystone on Monday to try their engines
and exercise the crews.

The Vulture steam-vessel arrived on Sunday, and went
into Barnpool to make good defects, having carried away
her capstan.

By the steam-ship Canada, which arrived at Liverpool
on Monday, we have a Bermuda Herald of the 30th ult.,
containing extracts from the Trinidad Herald of the
15th of December, two days later than the last mail.
Her Majesty's ship Cumberland, 70, flag of Captain Sir
George H. Seymour, sailed from Trinidad on the 16th
of December for La Guayra, in consequence of some
disturbances in that locality. Commander Henry J.
Matson, of her Majesty's screw steam-frigate Highflyer,
21, has died from the effects of the epidemic prevailing
on board that ship, after a very short attack. The body
was borne to the grave on a gun-carriage drawn by
seamen, and followed by a detachment of Artillery and
Infantry, with arms reversed, the officers of the. Cu-
mberland and Highflyer, Doctors Anderson, De Verteuil,
and Van Buren, Mr. Davenport, Assistant Commissary-
General, and Mr. R. H. Stewart, harbour-master. The
carriage of the Governor contained his Excellency and
Admiral Sir George Seymour. The venerable Arch-
deacon Cummins was accompanied by the Rev. H.
Richards and the Rev. Mr. Jemmett. The town-clerk
and chiefs of police closed the procession, which extended
nearly a quarter of a mile, and was attended by the
band of the 36th Regiment.
Mr. Thomas Weiss, Master's-Assista,nf of her Ma-
jesty's surveying-vessel Scorpion, died of yellow fever at
Grand Cay, Turk's Island, on the 18th of Dec., aged 22.

CHATHAM, JAN. 19.
Considerable improvements have been recently made
at this dockyard, more especially since the appointment
of Captain Peter Richards, C. 8., in May, 1849, to be
Captain-Superintendent. Three spacious slips have been
built, and the roofs constructed of iron, supported upon
iron pillars, as a protection from fire. These slips are
all capable of building the largest ships in the Royal
Navy ; and another spacious slip is in progress of con-
struction, the foundations of it having been all laid
out, and a considerable portion of the wharf or stone
wall raised next the Medway. Some idea may be
formed of the shipbuilding capabilities already pos-
sessed at Chatham dockyard, when it is stated ;that
there are five 80-gun ships on the stocks, equal in ton-
nage to many of the first-rate ships . of war, and two
50-gun frigates, all of which are to be fitted with screw
propellers. The names of these fine vessels, several of
which will be ready for launching as soon as the alter-
ations necessary for their screw propellers are effected,
and all in a very forward state, are as follows :
The Cressy, 80, screw steam-ship, of 2,473 tons, from
a design by Read, Chatfield, and Cruese.
The Majestic, 80, screw steamship, of 2,589 tons,
from a design by Sir William Symonds, late Surveyor of
the Navy.
The Irresistible, 80, scre Steamship, of 2,598 tons,
Sir William Symonds.
from a design by
The Hoed, 80, screw steam-.3hip,.of 2,600 tons from a
design by the Navy-office. ,
The Orion, 80, screw steamship, of 2,600 tons, from a
design by the Navy-office. This vessel is to be length-
ened 28 feet, and with the two preceding, is under the
iron-roofed slips.
The Euryalus, 50, was originally designed as a screw
steam ship, and will be fitted
with engines by John Penn
and Son.
The Severn, 50, was designed as a sailing-vessel, but
is to be converted into a screw steam-ship.
The Royal George, 120, built at Chatham in 1827, of
2,616 tons, on a similar plan to the Caledonia, is at pre-
sent in dock at Chatham, for the purpose of being con-
verted into a screw steam-ship. The Caledonia, 120,
now at Plymouth, was built at that port in 1808, of
2,712 tons, from a design by Rule.
The Imperieuse, 50, screw steam-frigate, Captain R.
13. Watson, C. 13., is only waiting for dry weather to
have her rigging all put up. She has now upwards of
220 on her books, and among these are about 70 able
Seamen. Captain Watson has numerous promises of
entry of seamen from those who have served with him
on previous occasions.

SHEERNESS, JAN. 19, 8 A.M.
Her Majesty's steam-vessels Myrtle and Adder pro-
ceeded to Blackstakes yesterday, and towed the Phaeton
down to the docking basin buoy. In consequence of
the tides, she cannot be taken into the basin until Mon-
day next's afternoon tide. The crew have commenced
stripping her, and before sunset last evening her topgal-
lantmasts were sent down, sails dried and unbent, and
all her running rigging, blocks, &c., with spare gear,
were sent •n shore to the dockyard. The steam-vessel
Myrtle, Mr. Mugford, acting-master, pro tern. in com-
mand, has been placed at the service of Capt. Geo. Elliot,
in order to facilitate the return of her stores to the dock-
yard. Thero are only about 20 ordinary seamen in
this frigate, and, to their credit it may be remarked
they have principally been promoted from first-class
boys trained in this ship. It appears none of the crew
will volunteer for any ship unless they are permitted to
have two months' leave of absence and borne out on such
ship's books, as usual in such oases. Six weeks leave of
absence has generally been granted volunteers on paying
off, and therefore several of the officers from the ships
fitting here have promised the Phaeton's crew that they
will make an especial application to obtain them the two
months' leave, provided they volunteer. They are cer-
tainly men to be desired, being thoroughly disciplined
men-of-war's-men.

Mer Majesty's screw steam-sloop Miranda is now ready
for the pendant, having been rigged by the crew of her
Majesty's steam screw guard-ship Horatio, under the
directions of First-Lieutenant John Seccombe of this
frigate.
Her Majesty's sloop Rattlesnake, Commander Henry
Trollope.—The hot air pipes of 20 inches by 4 inches
are being fixed from the stove forward throughout all
the cabins on both sides of the main deck, and there is
no doubt she will be quite ready by the 27th inst., as
far as the dockyard is concerned.

WOOLWICH, JAN. 19.
APPOINTMENT.
Acting Assistant-Surgeon Archibald Stevenson (1852),
from the Victory flag-ship at Portsmouth, for service in
a naval hospital, to the Rodney, 90, at Portsmouth.

Sir James Graham, Captain Alexander Milne, and
the Hon. William Cowper, Lords of the Admiralty, and
Mr. Bernal Osborne, secretary, transacted business at
Somerset-house until a late hour on Tuesday evening.