The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-10 00:00:00

In the circular of April 26, 1852, it is stated that the
circular of February 27, 1847, will be strictly adhered
to, and that their lordships deemed it advisable to revert
to the system then in force of having all communications
addressed to the Admiralty in the first instance. As
your gra,ce by this time sanctioned the reversal of a sys-
tem that had been a system at the Admiralty for some
years, may I ask your grace upon what grounds this
reversal was based ?—May I ask what the matter is—
what we cancelled was reverting to Lord Auckland's
original regulation for promotions in the dockyard,
which were these,: The master shipwright on a vacancy
named three persons, and named them to the superin- ,
tendent, who erased one name which IA thought the least
worthy of promotion. The superintendent then sent
these two names to the secretary, who selected one, and
that selection was the whole of the patrohage the secre-
tary had. -pi-omotions._:- The circular of_ 1849 madam
this alteratioir.' The superintendent sent these two"
names to the surveyor, and the surveyor selected one
name, and so had the patronage. The question of pa-
tronage was one known to Lord Auckland and his suc-
cessor. It was reverting to Lord Auckland's regulation,
and my opinion now and then was that Lord Auckland
was right.
Does your grace mean that the surveyor had the ab-
solute choice of one name, or that when the two names
were sent to him he forwarded them to the Admiralty,
with his remarks ?—I do not think he was justified by
the circular of 1849 in making the selection, but he
always did, it was a matter I never knew anything of,
and of which I was not cognisant. But, on reading at-
tentively the circular of 1849, I do not think it justified
the surveyor in taking the patronage.
The circular of 1849 merely, as I understand, ordered
that the correspondence from the superintendents should
go through the surveyor before it came to the Admi-
ralty ?—So I understand.

After some further questions, and the examination of
Commodore Eden and Captain Hamilton, the committee
adjourned to this day.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

WOOLWICH, MAY 9.
APPOINTMENTS.
Lieutenants—Edward Barkley (1853) to the Comus,
14, sloop, at Sheerness ; Charles A. Wise (1847) to the
Vulture, paddle-wheel steam-frigate, at Devonport.
Naval Cadets—C. Townshend and Henry Philipps,
first nomination.

The Breadalbane, hired ship, for conveying stores to
be left at Beechey Island for Sir Edward Belcher's expe-
dition left Woolwich to-day at one o'clock, and will be
towed by the Monkey, steam-vessel, to the Nore, where
she will remain until the Diligence is brought round and
ready to take her departure, with the Phoenix, screw
steam-sloop, for the Arctic regions.
The workmen in the masthouse are preparing new
shears to be put upon the wharf wall between the basin
and the river, for the convenience of putting in or taking
out boilers and heavy machinery from the largest steam-
vessels in the service. Some idea may be formed of the
size of the masts when finished, when it is stated that
there will be four of them, each 104 feet in length, and
40 inches in diameter. Formerly it was with the
greatest difficulty trees in any degree approximating to
the size required could be obtained ; but now no diffi-
culty whatever exists, as the four masts now making
will be formed of pieces of timber only 10 inches square,
and of moderate length, the pieces being joined together
by marine glue, until the full size is attained.

PORTSMOUTH, MAT 9.

The Cyclops, 6, paddles linder, the command of Lieu-
tenant Luccombe, arrived at Spithead last evening from
Woolwich, having on board the new boilers for the En-
counter, 14, screw, as well also the new intermediate
shaft for the Sidon, 22, paddle. The Cyclops will come
into harbour to-morrow, Tuesday, to land the boilers.
The Sidon will also come in to receive her new shaft.

The Vulcan, 6, screw troop-frigate, Commander Von
Donop, hauled out of dock into the steam basin, where
she will complete her refit, and in a few days go to Spit-
head.,The ports have been fitted with plate-glass sashes,
which will add much to the comforts of the troops on
their voyage to the colonies.
The Menelaus, quarantine vessel, having undergone
extensive repairs, and having had berths fitted for the
reception of invalids coming from abroad, will again take
up her station at the Motherbank, the moorings there
having been relaid and strengthened with heavier ground
tackle.

The Victory, flag-ship, Captain John Shepherd, was
paid wages to-day.
It has been a most boisterous day, blowing half a
gale, and raining in torrents.

MALTA, MAT 2.

The little flotilla which, as we announced formerly,
had left Malta to ascertain if a rock due E. of
the island, distant 90 miles, and laid down in some
charts as doubtful, did or did not exist, returned to port,
having under the most favourable circumstances failed
to find a bottom with 2,000 to 2,500 fathoms of line out.
An area of 20 miles in circumference was swept, with
the same result, and it was only in returning, when up-
wards of 40 miles from the indicated danger, that bot-
tom was struck with 175 fathoms, and gradually be-
came less till the vessels reached port.
The Modesto sloop is ordered to sea to-morrow, and
will be absent on a cruise of a month or 5 weeks, visit-
ing ports on the coast of Sicily and Tuscany.
The Arethusa is ordered home, and will leave during
the week. Mr. Potts and Mr. Webbe, both under sen-
tence of imprisonment, will be sent home by her.