The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-28 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE -MEDITERRANEAN FLEET.

The reinforcements to Vice Admiral Dundas's fleet in
the Mediterranean have at length taken their departure,
and considering how promptly the French fleet was dis-
patched from Toulon, and the strength of the force when
compared with the inferior but efficient English fleet—
looking also to the fact that the French fleet is to have
an addition of three sail of the line to the eight already
en route to the Archipelago, we cannot help notic-
ing the unaccountable delay that has taken place at
home in sending out to the Mediterranean such a num-
ber of ships as would have made the English force at
least equal to that of France. Happily there is a better
feeling prevailing between the two countries than existed
during the Syrian affairs of 1839, 1840, and 1841; else
the inferiority of the British force in the Mediterranean
would excite the utmost uneasiness. The following is
our Portsmouth correspondent's account of the departure
of the squadron :

PORTSMOUTH, SUNDAY.

The Sidon, 22 (paddle), Capt. George Goldsmith ; and
Leopard, 16 (paddle), Capt. George Gifford, hoisted the
blue peter at the fore directly after Church service.
3 P.M.—Both vessels have steam up and hove short.
4 P.M.—The Leopard under weigh. The Prince Re-
gent, 90, Capt. Frederick Hutton, let fall topsails—
hove short.

4.lo.—Canted round—filled under topsails, topgal-
lantsails, royals, jib, and spanker, and away for the Nab
(east end of the island). Wind, W.N.W.
The Sidon steamed away through the Needles, taking
the West Channel.

The Leopard under weigh, in the wake of the Sidon.
4.4o.—The Prince Regent hauled her wind, took in
royals, and rounded the Nab.
Presuming that the Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord E.
Russell, also has been ordered from Plymouth to the
Mediterranean, the force of Admiral Dundas, when these
ships join him, will be seven sail of the line—still inferior
to the French force, as the following will show :

Barrisß.

Guns.
Britannia l2O
Trafalgar
Rodney 92
Albion
Prince Regent 9O
Vengeance B4
Bellerophon 7B

In steamers the followinj

forces :

Guns. h.p.
Retribution 2B 400
Sidon 22 560
Furious l6 400
Leopard l6 560
Tiger l4 400
Wasp (screw) l4 400
Niger (screw)
Fury

FRENCH.

Guns.

Ville de Paris

Valmy l2O
Montebello (screw) l2O
Henry IV lOO
Bayard 9O
Napoleon (screw) 9O
Charlemagne (screw) 9O
Jupiter
Eg will be the comparative

Guns. h.p.
Mogadoro 22 650
Magellan 2O 450
Lave 6 2O 450
Gomer 2O 450
Caton lO 260
Chaptal 8 220
Heron 6 200
Narval 6 160
Sentinelle 6 120

We believe that the French ships do not carry, on the
whole, so many guns as the above statement indicates,
and that the British steamers (omitting the packets and
tenders) are fully equal in efficiency and force to the
French. United, however, we find the French and Eng-
lish forces will be 15 sail of the line, 9 steam-frigates, and
8 steam-sloops, &c. ; making a total of 32 men-of-war—
a force, if combined, fully equal to any service it might
be called on to perform successfully in the protection of
Turkey.—Herald.

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 27.

A new code of instructions, to regulate the entry and
promotion of dockyard employes, has just been issued to
the heads of the several departments in this dockyard.
We presume the late disclosures respecting dockyard pro-
motions have led toithis. The gist of these instructions
is, we believe, that men should be promoted for merit
alone, and candidates for employment entered whose
claims are wholly irrespective of political recommenda-
tion. We believe these new rules apply to all dockyards
and victualling establishments under the control of the
Admiralty, and have been confirmed by her Majesty in
Council under order dated the 11th inst. They are based
on those originally promulgated with the Admiralty cir-
cular letter of the 27th of February, 1847, when Mr.
Ward, the then secretary to the board, published his
dockyard educational project. These new regulations,
while preserving the spirit of those formerly issued,
possess a more practical character, and may, consequently,
operate more beneficially. The rules commence with the
entry of apprentices, the vacancies for whom are to be
reported by the respective dockyard superintendents to
the Surveyor of the Navy, and by him to the board in
June and December of each year.
Candidates for entry will be placed on the superin-
tendents' lists, but not without the sanction of the Admi-
ralty ; preference in all cases being given where the re-
commendations of the superintendents and the dockyard
officers relate to the children of deserving officers and
artificers already employed or who have served.
After the examination by the schoolmaster, in the pre-
sence of the superintendent and one or more of his prin-
cipal officers, and the report is deemed satisfactory, one-
half of the admission will be awarded by the board to
those passed candidates whose names stand at the head
of the graduated list, and the other half will be awarded
with reference to the claims of parents.
Vacancies for shipwrights will be filled by apprentices

(as at present) on the completion of their time, subject
to the consideration of the character of the report made
upon their conduct and qualifications during the term of
service by the respective officers and the schoolmasters ;
but entry into the dockyards cannot be claimed when a
boy is out of his time as a matter of right, but such as
have served will have the preference if well reported
upon, as before mentioned.
No artificers are to be entered but suchas are qualified
in every respect, which must be certified by the superin-
tendents and their professional officers. If found fit,
and entered, they will undergo a month's probationary
trial, and after that, if their qualifications are deemed
satisfactory, they will then be entered " on the estab-
lishment.

The rules regulating promotion mostly relate to the
representations of the respective officers and to the ac-
quisition of knowledge by the candidate.
Every species of recommendation out of the autho-
rised channels, whether direct or indirect, is discoun-
tenanced ; and further (it is stated), will check the future
advancement of the parties on whose behalf it is exer-
cised.

The office of measurer is re-established, with improve-
ments on its constitution of 1809.

For the purpose of keeping accurate account, and
checking the issue of stores and materials, the Lords of
the Admiralty order the employment, in each of the
larger dockyards, of four measurers, who, with four ship-
wrights' writers, are to form, under the direction of the
master shipwright, an office for the measurement of work
done, the formation of estimates for repairs, and the
statement of actual expenditure.
This new code concludes by cancelling the circular
order of the 13th of April, 1850, permitting the superin-
tendents of the dockyafds to select their secretaries from
different ranks of officers, and restricting the selection
in future, as formerly, to one of the principal clerks of
the dockyard.
The Admiral's good-service pension of 3001. per annum,
which reverted to the gift of the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty by the demise of Admiral of the Red the Hon.
Sir Bladen Capel, G.C.8., has been bestowed on Vice-
Admiral Sir George Seymour, C. 8., G.C.H., Comman-
der-in-Chief on the West Indian and North American
station.

The Captain's good-service pension of 1501. per annum,
which fell in on the promotion of Captain Boxer to the
rank of Rear-Admiral, has been bestowed on Commodore
Michael Seymour, superintendent of Devonport dock-
yard.
A report is published that Captain the Right Hon. the
Earl of Hard wicke will super..ede Captain Hutton in the
command of the Prince Regent, 90, the latter having
completed his sea-time for his flag-rank, whereas the
gallant ex-Postmaster-General has not.
The Duke of Wellington, 131, screw three-decker,
Captain fL B. Martin, C. 8., is ordered to be undocked
to-morrow, and placed in the steam-basin to complete
her fittings ; she has her topgallant masts on end, top-
sailyards across, &c. ; she is ordered to take in twelve
months' stores for foreign service.
The Megmra 6, steam-troop-ship, Commander John-
ston, embarkedat Spithead, yesterday afternoon, draughts
of the 36th, 67th, and 69th Regiments, for conveyance
to Barbadoes to join their respective service companies.
Mr. Thomas William Millar is appointed assistant to
the superintendent engineer in this dockyard, vice Mr.
Lambert, resigned for a better appointment with the
Screw Steam Shipping Company.
The Highflyer, 21, Captain Heathcote, will come into
harbour from Spithead to-morrow, to undergo a slight
refit. Her crew will, in the meantime, be paid down,
and be granted leave.
The Dasher, 2, paddle steam-vessel, Commander Le
Febvre, arrived in harbour this morning from the Chan-
nel Islands, to have her crew paid wages, and to undergo
a slight refit.
The Rhadamanthus, port transport, Master-Com-
mander Belam, sailed yesterday afternoon with stores
for Plymouth and Pembroke.

The Sprightly, steam-vessel, Mr. George Allen, acting-
master commanding, returned from Devonport this morn-
ing with about 40 supernumeraries. _
_ _

—The Tyne store-ship, Master-Commander Wellington,
went out of harbour this morning, and sailed this after-
noon with stores for the squadrons on the coast of Africa,
and the Brazil stations.

The Southampton, American line-of-packet ship, ar-
rived this morning from the Thames, and sailed this
afternoon for New York.

The Prince Regent, 90, Captain Hutton ; the Sidon,
paddle-frigate, 22, Captain Goldsmith ; and the Leo-
pard, paddle-frigate, 12, Captain George Giffard, are all
ordered to sea, supposed for the Mediterranean. The
Prince Regent went out through Spithead and St.
Helen's-roads at a quarter past four, and the steamers at
the same time, taking the westward course and through
the Needles pessage ; the Sidon considerably ahead.
Wind W., freshening, with threatening indications as
night advances.

PLYMOUTHmARon 26.
The Sprightly, steam-tender, arrived yesterday fmin
Portsmouth with the baggage ef Rear-Admiral Corry,
which she placed on board the Queen, 116, captain
Michell, in the Sound. To-day she
returned to Po
mouth.

The St. J
The steamer Spiteful received her masts to-day, pre
paratory to sailing for Woolwich to be repaired.
A large line-of-battle ship was observed at half-past 6
on Friday ean d'Acre was placed in dock.
morning off the Start, going a fair course
down Channel under double reefed topsails and top-
gallantsails, held canvas stowed. Wind easterly, blow-
ing strong.