The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-09 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

It is reported that the Mediterranean force, under
Vice-Admiral Deans Dundas, is to be increased, and
that the Channel force is to be at once formed into active
service divisions. Admiral Dundas's fleet is in the most
excellent order. Both ships and men have now a little
rest after ten months' cruise at sea. It is expected, how-
ever, that they will be on the move again by the end of
this month.

We learn from Malta that the damage done to the
Sampson, steam-frigate, by the collision between her
and the .Axethusa, 50, has been greatly exaggerated.
The damaged vessel is by this time nearly ready for sea
again. The weather had been bad in the Mediterranean,
and the shipwrights at Malta were working hard to re-
pair the disasters.

Captain Robert Streatfield (1851), on the retired list
of 1851, died a few days since, aged 68. He was in the
expedition to Copenhagen in 1808, and served continu-
ously for 14 years during the war.
Mr. J. M'Swiney (1847), of the Calypso, 18, in the
West Indies, promoted to the death vacancy in that ship,
has been confirmed in his advancement.

Mr. William Lang has been appointed master's aseia-
taut of the Imperieuse, 51, screw, Chatham.
The officers of the dockyards are reporting against the
present system of performing the repairs and new works
by contract, and recommending that they shall be done
by hired men.

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 8.
The Agamemnon, 91, screw, Captain Sir Thomas
Maitland.—lt becomes almost a melancholy duty to
notice the daily cases manifesting themselves on board
this unfortunate vessel. We are at a loss to understand
the policy of fumigating the Agamemnon whilst her re-
ceiving hulk (Camperdown) is lashed alongside, and a
gangway communication permitted between the ships.
One thing is pretty certain, that there is every chance
for this epidemic to go through the whole crew, officers
and all P • neither is it any joke for the country to be
paying 600 or 700 men who are cooped up in this help-
less and miserable manner, when they might have been
removed to a distance from the affected, and escaped
this lingering and unfortunate sickness.r—Herald.

The Drake, lighter, sailed this morning to the east-
ward with stores for this dockyard.
The Elfin, Royal yacht steam-tender to the Victoria
and Albert, Master Commander Alfred Balliston, went
out of harbour this morning to Southampton, and re-
turned in the afternoon.

The Conflict, 8, screw, is getting fast ready for ser-
vice ; her topmasts are on end, and hands aloft com-
pleting her rigging.
The Duke of Wellington, 131, screw, Captain Henry
Byam Martin, is progressing in the most satisfactory
manner in every department. It is with much pleasure
we witness the energy and zeal displayed to get this
noble ship out of the hands of the dockyard officers.

PLYMOUTH, MARCH 7.
Her Majesty's frigate Leander, 50, Captain George
St. "V. King, which left Portsmouth on the 12th of
February for a cruise off the Western Islands, rounded
Terceira on the 22d of February, and arrived off
Cork on the 6th of March. She left that port at
mid-day on Saturday, and arrived here at half-
past seven o'clock last evening. The Leander hove
to off Cork, and received orders from Admiral Purvis
in person to proceed at once for this port, in conse-
quence of the prevalence of typhus fever and small-
pox on board the ships there. The crew ,of the Leander
are all well. She had fine weather, with the wind from
the eastward until the 26th of February, since which
northerly winds have prevailed. Spoke, Feb. 16, in lat.
42 37 N., long. 13 8 W., the English ship Looshtach,
for Coquimbo; 21st, 20 miles N.E. of St. Michael's,
British schooner Dispatch, inquired the bearings of the
island, and then bore up for it ; 25th, lat. 44 32 N.,
long. 26 53 W., Dutch ship Maria, 84 days from Bata-
via to Amsterdam, wished to be reported to Hermann
Philips or Hermann Smith ; March 4, lat. 50 52, long.
11 22, 78 miles from Cape Clear, passed a large screw-
steamer, going west.

The Arrogant, 47, screw steam-frigate, Captain S. G.
Fremantle, which left Cork on Saturday previous to the
Leander, is expected here in the course of the day.
The Encounter, 14, screw steam-ship, Captain W. D.
O'Callaghan, from Liverpool, will probably arrive here
to-day._

The Magicienne, 15, paddle-wheel steam-frigate, Cap-
rain T. Fisher, went out of harbour on Saturday.
The screw steam-ship Sanspareil, 81, Captain S. C.
Dacres, with topgallant masts struck, steamed into har-
bour on Friday last, against a strong head wind.
The Avon, 3, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, which sailed
on Friday with supernumeraries for Portsmouth, had
on board an eight-oared gig, 36ft. long, built by Mr.
Waterman, of Anderton, in this port, for his Royal
Highness Prince Albert.

THE WEST INDIES.
The Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir G. F.
Seymour, K.C.8., in his flag-ship Cumberland,
70, Captain Seymour, with the Highflyer, 24 (screw),
Captain Heathfield,. left Port Royal for Bermnda Feb. 3.
The Dauntless, 33, screw, Captain Halsted, remained
at Barbadoes, Feb. 13.

The Calypso, IS, Captain Forbes, was at St. Kitt's.
The Vestal, 26, Captain C. B. Hamilton, was at Ha•
vannah Feb. 15.

The Geyser, 6, paddle, Commander Wilson, left Port
Royal Feb. 1, for Greytown.
The Devastation, 6, paddle, Commander C. Y. Camp-
bell, left Port Royal Feb. 1, for Honduras.
The Persian, 12, Commander Mitchell, left Port
Royal for England, to be paid off, Feb. 1.
The Daring, 12, Commander G. Napier, left Port
Royal, on cruise, Jan. 29.

The Alban, steam-tender, Lieut. Commander Mey-
nell, left Port Royal, for Falmouth, Feb. 7.

PRIZE MONEY FOR THE GLADIATOR AND FLYING FISH.
—Woodhead and Co. have given notice, that the account
sales of the proceeds arising from the capture of the
slave-vessel, name unknown, by her Majesty's ship
Gladiator, Captain John Adams (her Majesty's ship
Flying Fish, Commander G. E. Patey, in company),
Jan. 18, 1851, will be registered in the High Court of
Admiralty on and after the 15th inst.
PRIZE MONEY FOR THE CLROPATRA.-11alford and
Co. have given notice to the officers and crew of her Ma-
jesty's ship Cleopatra, Christr. Wyvell, Esq., captain,
that an account of bounties received for the Pachetto de
Monte Video, captured March 16, 1845, will be forth-
with deposited in the Registry of the High Court of
Admiralty ; in consequence of an appeal in this case,
the distribution has unavoidably been delayed.
THII NAGLER PRUSSIAN MAIL STEAM-PACKET.—The
Prussian Government and the authorities of the Post-
office department of that country having decided on ac-
celerating the postal communication through the Prus-
sian kingdom, an order was transmitted to this country
for Mr. Elbertzhagen, the agent for the Prussian Go-
vernment in London, to contract for the building of a
fast steamer, to be employed in conveying the mails from
Stettin to Stockholm, a distance of about 440 miles. In
compliance with his instructions, Mr. Elbertzhagen en-
tered into arrangements with Mr. Mare, of Orchard-
wharf, Blackwall, for the construction of an iron vessel
of 600 tons, to be fitted with oscillating engines of 220
collective horse-power, by John Penn and Son, and the
vessel, having been built and fitted with her engines, was
tried down the river to ascertain her speed. he Nagler,
the name given to the packet, in commemoration of the
late Postmaster-General of Prussia, left Mr. Penn's wharf,
Deptford, at half-past 10 o'clock a.m., and on arriving at
the Lower Hope, in Sea Reach, below Gravesend, the
time was taken, and she ran the measured mile in 3
minutes 35 seconds, or at the rate of 16.744 knots per
hour, with the tide. On returning past the measured
mile, against the tide, she accomplished the distance in
5 minutes 12 seconds, or at the rate of 11.538 knots per
hour. On again running the measured mile with the
tide, she made the distance in 3 minutes 28 seconds, or
at the rate of 17.308 knot per hour ; and her last run
against the tide occupied 5 minutes 19 seconds, or at the
rate of 11.285 knots per hour, giving an average speed
on the four runs, two down and two up, of 14.320 knots
pir hour. Mr. Elbertzhagen, the agent, Captain Gra.e-
yen, whb superintended her construction, Mr. Water-
man, jun., who designed the vessel, Mr. Hartree, of the
firm of John Penn and Son, the constructors of her
engines, and Mr. F. P. Smith were on board during the
trial, and all were much gratified with the result. The
Nagler is a paddle-wheel steam-vessel, drawing 8 feet 6
inches of water, and her engines, with a stroke of 4 feet
6 inches, made 331 revolutions on the average of the
four runs, the working pressure being 141 b. to the square
inch.

-----
MANNING THE NAvT.—The report on manning the
navy has not yet been made public, but copies of the
document were flitting about amongst the members of
the Cabinet and the committee last week: The United
Service Gazette says :—" The scope of the inquiry, as
originally contemplated, has been wide enough. Ac-
cording to the statement of the noble duke, who lately
presided at the Admiralty, it embraces the state of the
seaman from the day he entered the navy as a boy until
received into Greenwich Hospital." It is one of the

great defects of modern inquiries, that in the labyrinth
of investigation the practical object of inquiry is lost ;
and so we fear with regard to the " manning the navy"
question. A mass of details has been allowed to con-
fuse the notions of the committee, that the doubtful is
only rendered more secure. The history of the state of
the seaman from the day of his entering the navy
as a boy to his reception as a veteran in Greenwich
is a mere episode—interesting to magazine readers,
but too romantic for any useful purposes of the pre-
sent day, and, moreover, it would be only a rechauffe
of Marryat, Dane, and Co. All we want to hear
of now is the present condition of the boy and the
present condition of the A. 8., the position and. pay of
the warrant-officers, 'and the hopes of the boys, men,
and petty and warrant officers of the navy, of pay, pro-
motion, retirement, and pension for their widows. There
is another important subject which materially affects the
question of "manning the navy," and that is the subject
of punishment, as well as reward, and the entire reforma-
tion of the naval code. This subject was very slightly
touched upon in the House of Commons last week ; but
the Admiralty may depend upon it that no scheme of
manning the navy will have any good effect upon the
seamen of the present day if it be not accompanied with
some measure of revision of naval punishments. Seamen
continue to " earn their money like horses ;" but they
are grown too intelligent now to " spend it like asses ;"
and what is more, they begin to have h greater respect
for themselves, their wives, families, and connections, to
be subjected to be tied up, without open and fair inquiry,
and flogged like poor "Uncle Tom" and the black
slaves of Cuba, Brazil, or America.—Plymouth, Mail.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

DONCASTER SPRING MEETING.

TUESDAY.—The Trial Stakes of 7 sovs each, 3ft, with 30
added, for three-yr-olds' Est 101 b ; four, Bst 71b ; five,
9st ; six and aged, 9st 31b ; mares and geldings
allowed 31b ; and maiden three-yr-olds at the time of
starting, allowed 31b ; four, 51b ; and upwards, 71b.
Winners extra. T.Y.C.
Mr. Kimberley's Snowdon Dunhill, 6st 101 b (Wells) 1
Mr. Murland's Ammonia, 4yrs, 7st 131 b (E. Harrison) 2
Mr. R. E. Oliver's f by Birdcatcher, out of Grace
Darling, 3yrs, Est 41b (Ashmall) 3
Mr. H. Robinson's Eagle's Wing, 4 yrs, Bst 71b 4
Mr. Chilton's Audubon, 3 yrs, Est 101 b 5
Betting-7 to 4on Snowdon Dunhill, sto 1 agst Au-
dubon, and 6to 1 agst any other. Snowdon Dunhill
jumped off with a great lead, was never caught, and won
in a canter ; a neck between second and third. Run in
1 min. 49 sec. ,

The Hopeful Stakes of 5 soya each, with 100 added, for
two-yr-olds ; colts, Bst 71b ; fillies and geldings, Bst
31b. A winner before starting to carry 41b extra.
Half a mile.

Mr. T. Hawke's Midsummer (Bumby) 1
Mr. Taylors's eby Orlando, dam by Don John (Wells) 2
Mr. T. Dawson's Diligent (Templeman) 3
Mr. J. Scott's Welham (Harrison) 4
Mr. J. Adkin's Contender

General Anson's br f by Cotherstone, out of Gos-

sam er
Mr. E. R. Clark's eh c by Napier, out of Glenhawk's
dam
Mr. Coate's Pope Joan
Mr. T. Harrison's The Jewess

Mr. W. Knapton's The Merry Monk
Mr. H. Lister's Little Jem
Mr. T. Masterman's The Sheriff

Mr. Morris's Squirrel
Mr. J. Osborne's The British Queen

Lord J. Scott's f by Alarm, dam by Elis 0
Mr. J. Shepherd's Card Sharper 0
Mr. J. Skelton's Whitenose - 0
Capt. Skipworth's Magic 0
Mr. H. Smyth's Bright May 0
Betting: 3 to 1 agst The Jewess, 5 to 1 agst f by
Alarm, dam by Elis, 5 to 1 agst Contender, and 10 to 1
agst any other. Won by a head, and the same between
each of the three placed, Bright May and The Jewess
next, close up. Run in 57 sec.

The Grand National Steeplechase Handicap of 15 sovs
each, 10 ft, and only 5 if declared, &c., with 100
added ; a winner of 100 soya clear after the weights
are published, once, 71b; twice, or a winner of 300
sovs clear, 101 b extra. About three miles and three-
quarters.
Captain Little's eter Simple, aged (T. Oliver) 1
Mr. Mason's Miss Mowbray, lOst 101b...(Goodman) 2
Mr. J. J. Henderson's Maley, 9st 51b (Harrison) 3
Mr. W. Whitfield's Lucy Neale, aged, lOst 91b 0
Mr. W. Barnett's Sir Peter Laurie, aged, list 71b 0
Mr. Higginson's Bourton, aged, lOst 121 b
Captain Scott's Victress, aged, lOst 61b
Mr. A. Thursby's Talisman, 6 yrs, 9st 71b
Mr. Green's Benedict, aged, 9st 61b 0
Mr. Dolman nd Ringdove (h b), aged, 9st 0
Mr. James's Friendless, aged, 9st
Betting-2 to 1 agst Miss Mowbray, sto 2 agst Peter
Simple, 6 to 1 agst Sir Peter Laurie, 8 to 1 each agst
Lucy Neale and Friendless, and 10 to 1 agst Talisman.
Won by fide lengths. Run in 8 min. 45 secs.

The Municipal Stakes of 5 sous. each, with 25 added ;
for three-year-olds, Bst ; four, 9st 91b ; five, lOst 31b ;
-- six-and-aged, lOst 71b ; half-bred horses allowed 71b.
and mares and geldings 31b ; maiden horses, 51b. The
winner to be sold for 150 sous., if demanded, &c., and
allowances if to be sold for less. St. Leger Course.
Mr. Southwood's b f by Liverpool Junior, out of
Fair Louisa, 3 yrs, sst 111 b. (Kendall) 1
Mr. Taft's ch f by Don John, 5 yrs (h b), 7st 71b
(301.) (Ashman) 2
Mr. Boynton's Newport, aged, Bst 71b (301.) 3
Mr. R. Nelson's Luck's All, 5 yrs, Bst (including 31b
over) 4
- - - - -

Setting-5 to 2on the Liverpool Junior filly. Won
by a length, Newport a bad third, and Luck's All beaten
off. Run in 3 rain. 40 secs.

The Sheffield and Rotherham Plate of 501. One mile.
Lord Chesterfield's Humphrey, 6 yrs, 7st...(Ashmall) 1
Mr. Cunningham's Mire Hill, 4 yrs, 6st 91b .(Wells) 2
Mr- J. Osborne's Lady Agnes, 4 yrs, 7st 61b (carried

21b over)
0
Mr. G. Barton's The Surveyor, 4 yrs, 7st 21b... 0
Mr. Gibb's Nancy Martinson, 4 yrs, 7st 0
Mr. Arran's Timothy, 6 yrs, Est 71b 0
Mr. J. Wright's Tower, 5 yrs, Est 0
Mr. Wise's Broughton, 3 yrs, 6st 81b 0
Mr. Shepherd's Child of the Mist, 5 yrs, 7st.
Mr. Rowley's Bess of Hardwick, 4 yrs, Est 61b 0
Mr. Masterrnan's Shamrock, 3 yrs, sst 71b 0
Betting-3 to 1 agst Humphrey, 3 to 1 agst Mire
Hill. Won by two lengths.
Ethelbert has arrived for the Doncaster Handicap.
CHESTER Cur.--25 to 1 agst Trifle.

INTERESTING TO NAVIGATORS.-THE
FALKLAND ISLANDS.

Under this head we find in a recent number of the
New York Express the following remarks, in reference
to the Falkland Islands, now attracting so much atten-
tion in this country, because of their exceeding eligibi-
lity for purpose's of transportation, when the dispatch of
convicts to Australia shall cease. The importance of
these islands to Great Britain, in a commercial sense, is
strengthened from the fact of the rapidly increasing
number of Australian vessels coming home by way of
Cape Horn ; and, we believe, it is the intention of the
proprietors of some of our great lines of steamers to
establish a coal depot there, in which case there will
necessarily be a vast augmentation to the advan-
tages already specified by. our American contempo
rary, namely—" For the interest of American and other
shipowners, whalers, and all other vessels, it cannot be too
generally made known that the Falkland Islands, off the
coast of South America, now afford an excellent station,
with many good and safe harbours, at which vessels of
every class may find supplies. Ships proceeding to or
from the East Indies, China, or from the Pacific coast
and Polynesia, round the Cape of Good Hbpe orCape Horn,
will find, at the Falkland Islands, the means, in ordi-
nary cases of damage, of repair, supplies of provisions,
&c., in short, all such stores as are required by merchant
vessels. There, there are no port or Custom-house
charge whereas, at all the South American continental
ports, ethera in Brazil or on the River Plate, the
charges are very high, delays and vexations frequent,
and labour and articles required for repairs exorbitant.
But the most serious objection to the Brazilian ports is
the prevalence of a malignant yellow fever, particularly
dangerous to the ships' companies, on board vessels in
the harbours. From these reasons, as well as from the
conveniences and facilities afforded by the authorities,
and by the new settlements at these islands, the number
of vessels touching there has been very much increased,
and will, no doubt, continue to increase in every suc-
ceeding year."