The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-20 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

- -
The Lion. Captain Berkeley, C. 8.. M.P., Capt. Milne,
and Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, K.C.8., the surveyor
of the navy, lef,, the Admiralty yesterday morning, en
route to Portsmouth, by the South-Western Railway, but
having proceeded to Winchfield the train could get no
further in consequence of the snow; consequently they
were obliged to return. Their intended visit was said
to be with reference to the armaments of the Plumper
and Roynard. The Plumper is said to carry her guns
with perfect ease to the ship in the worst weather. She
is much fuller aft than the Reynold. The latter bas-
tard copy of the Plumper has very fine run, and, per-
haps, from having too much weight abaft, and not ris-
ing quick enough to the sea, is the reason of her having
had her port quarter timber heads stove in during her
recent cruize.

PROMOTIONS.
Lieutenant Richard Purvis (1846), late flag-lieutenant
to Commodore Sir C. Hotham, K. 0.8„ returned from
the coast of Africa, and Lieutenant Henry S. Phelps
(1842), late flag-lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Sir Charles
Napier, K.C.8., ha►ing been nominated for promotion
by the above commander-in•chief on striking their flags
have been promoted to the rank of commander. They
are both highly deserving officers, and each has been
distinguished in action. Commander Purvis, who is the
son of Roar• Admiral Purvis, was midshipman of the
Blonde, and, according to Allen's List, " was officially
mentioned for service in the boats of that ship during
the operations in Canton River, and also in storming the
heights of Canton, where he served as aide-de camp to
the officers commanding the brigade of seamen and
marines; wounded at the attack upon the batteries of
Woosung; and present at the capture of Chin- Kiang-
Foo, and when the treaty of Nankin was concluded."
Commander Phelps, according to the same authority,
was mato of Sir C. Napier's ship, the Powerful, 84. at
St. Jean d'Acre, and was also at the capture of Chin-
Kiang-Foo, as mate of the Cornwallis; for which service
ho was officially mentioned and promoted.
APPOINTMENTS.

Midshipmen—H. H. Morgan and R. 0. Leach, to the
Ganges, 84, at Cork; G. J. Malcolm, G. D. Fitzroy, H.
C. Farrington, T. E. Frampton, Thomas 0. Kidd, G. J.
Dall, to the Wellesley. 72, flag-ship in the West Indies;
H. C. Burleigh, G. F. Aston, to the Superb, 80, at Spit-
head; H. B. Phillimore, G. W. Strong, A. B. Black.•
wood, to the Victory, flag-ship at Portsmouth; IL L.
Holder, Henry Michell, to the Raleigh, 50, flag-ship at
Monte Video; Clare R. Jeffery, R. P. Jenkins, H. C.
Wogan, Edward S. Mears, to the Centaur, steam flag-
ship, coast of Africa; R. P. G. Helps, E. J. Webb, to
the Hastings, 60, flag-ship, East Indies; H. G. Payne,
to the Plumper, 8, screw-sloop, at Portsmouth, for
North America ; Henry Golden, to the Reynard, 8,
screw-sloop, at Portsmouth, for the East Indies; C. G.
Nelson, to the Rattler, screw-sloop, coast of Africa; R.
P. Gresham, to the Impregnable, 78, flag-ship at De-
Tonport; J. R. Ouseley, to the Prince Regent, 90, Me-
diterranean; J. A. Gregory, to the Powerful, 84,
Mediterranean.
Naval Cadets.—M. W. Woods, to the Wellesley;
Henry Baiilie, to the Superb; P. B. Pratt, to the Prince
Regent; W. J. Arnold, to the Arrogant, screw-frigate,
at Portsmouth; Duncan Stewart, Arthur A. Smith, to
the Hastings; J. B. Butler, Henry Corbett, Edward H.
Hickman, to the Southampton, 50 flag-ship, at the Cape;
Philip Brock, to the Raleigh; Francis H. Hastings, to
the Fisgard, flag-ship at Woolwich.
Master's Assistants.—H. J. Sutton, to the Woodlark,

surveying vessel at the Orkneys; Richard C. Drew, to
the Reynard; Edward J. Young, to the Wellesley.
Clerk's Assistant —William Young, to the Strom-
boli, steam-sloop, at Portsmouth.
ingineer.—H. M. Jones, first-class assistant, to the
Fire Queen, steam-tender, at Portsmouth.
Gunner.—J. 0. Byrne, to the Seagull, packet-brig, at
Devonport.
PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 18.—His Netherland Majesty's
corvette Amphitrite, 26, Captain Limberg, from Helvoet
for the West Indies, put in here this evening with
damage, having been in contact with the schooner Maria,
last from Plymouth from London, laden with wine from
Cadiz. It appears that about a quarter to 12 last night
the man-of-war ran into the schooner, which received
such severe injuries that her crew were compelled to
abandon her, many in a state of nudity, and others with
scarcely any clothes on; they were taken on board the
corvette and brought in safety to this port, and will be
landed to-morrow. M. Vanderbergh, his Netherlands
Majesty's Consul at this port, has made an application to
the Port Admiral for the corvette to be towed into har-
bour to-morrow, where she must undergo extensive re-
pairs, having herself sustained serious injury by the col-
lision. The schooner, from the nature of her cargo, did
not founder, and was seen some time afterwards drifting
towards the coast of France,

A pilot has landed here this evening, and announced a
fine Danish brig of war having put into Cowes roads this
evening, bound westward.
The Hong-Kong packetarrived at Spithead this even-
ing, outward bound.
APRIL 19.—The St. Vincent, 120, Captain Dacres,
was paid off to-day alongside the dockyard, and this
evening her late Admiral and Flag• Captain were enter-
tained at a dinner at the George Hotel, given by the
officers of the ship. The pay-books were not sent into
the pay-office hero from the ship until 10 o'clock on
Friday morning, and although dispatched by the 1 10
P.m. train hence on that day, did not reach the Admi-
ralty until Saturday morning. The gentlemen there
worked upon them all that day and until half-past 12
at night, forwarding them to this office by the mail•train
on Sunday night. Since then the clerks of the pay-
office here have devoted 18 hours a day to casting the
wages, and ascertaining the net pay due to each man,
and at half-past eight o'clock this morning commenced
the paying off the ship under Admiral Prescott, C. 8.,
which occupied half a day, and was performed, as such
matters usually are hero, in a most business-liko way.
Her marines were disembarked to-day paddle box
boats, and marched to Forton under their respective
officers.

The Lords of the Admiralty were expected here to-
day on an official visit, but they have since telegraphed
a postponement.

'The Dutch corvette Amphitrite, 2G, Captain Limb.rg,
which put into Spithead yesterday in the evening, with
damage from a collision with a schooner, was got under
weigh this morning at 6 30, the Echo steam-tug having
been sent out to tow her into harbour soon after daylight
Before she came in, however, it was requisite, according
to the regulations of the port, to remove her powder, and
the tug was obliged to keep her in tow till the boy came
out to effect this. In the mean time she fired the cus-
tomary salutes, the first at 7 .A..x ,of 21 guns, to the
garrison, and the second at 730 A.m., of 17, to the
Commander-in-Chief, which were duly acknowledged.
The authorities of the port received the Dutch captain
with much respect on presentation by hi. Vandenbergh,
the consul.

The Arrogant, 46, Captain Fitzroy, will be removed
from dock if possible on Saturday, when she will receive
her crew from her hulk.

Wind--N.E. by N.; strong gales, and thick hazy
weather, with heavy drift of snow.
WOOLWICH, APRIL 19.—The Vivid, Dover mail steam
packet, Captain Smithett, has received orders to be at
Calais on Sunday next, to convey her Royal Highness
the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelita
to this country on Monday, the 23d inst.
The Monkey steam-vessel, Master-Commander W.
Bryant, left Woolwich yesterday afternoon, for the
Downs, to bring up the River to this port the Magicienne
steam-vessel, recently launced at Pembroke.
The North Star, prepared it Sheerness for proceeding
to the North Polar regions, is hourly expected at Wool-
wich, to receive provisions and stores for the use of the
vessels already at the Arctic regions.
The Elfin steam-vessel was taken out of the basin this
morning,
Iphu r preparatoryand Hv
be beingo again tried h
av
ebeen downee he
nvic t ships
re-
moved from their moorings at the Dockyard to moorings
river.Thes to her e
opposite the Royal Arsenal, where the Convicts kept on
board are usually employed, and in the Marshes.

MALTA, APRIL 7.—The line-of-battle ships expected
from Naples have not yet appeared. It is surmised that
the Queen has gone home direct, the Racer on her pas-
sage out having seen a large ship homeward bound,
which she supposed to be her. She had, however, no
flag displayed, which made the matter doubtful.
The several mail packets due have all arrived.
The pirate, a merchant steamer, from Liverpool, ar-
rived on the 2d inst., and proceeded the following day to
the Levant.

Her Majesty's brig Racer, after a beautiful run from
Devonport of 13} days, arrived here on the 3d instant,
and left on the following day to join Sir W. Parker's
squadron. There is a circumstance connected with this
vessel deaorving to bo recorded, and this is, that in three
weeks from the day she was commissioned she was in our
harbour. This fact tells much for the popularity of her
Commander, and not a little for the sailing qualities of
the vessel. •

The Volege surveying vessel will put to sea on Tues-
day next, for tho purpose of renewing the surveys in the
waters of Cyprus.
The Earl of Auckland steam-vessel has left Malta for
London, having been taken into dock and repaired.
There was no appearance of rock or stone in the da
maged part of the vessel, nor any indication by which
to infer that she had struck a rock. Several persons
are said to have seen it, and in the time of Sir P. Mal-
colm especially its existence was insisted on, but not
discovered.

The following information is published in the Malta
Mail, of the sth inst., taken from the "Notes from the
Official Correspondence between the late Greek Consul
and Sir P. Malcolm :"

"1. We have heard of the danger' being seen as long
ago as 1802 by a Ragusan, Captain Bratich, who describes
it as being in lat. 35 deg. 42 min. N., and long. 22 deg.
30 min. E. of the meridian of Cadiz, and distant 95 to 100
miles due east of Malta.

"2. In 1813 Captain Borg, of the brig Viacitore, dis-
covered the Secca di Malta (by which the rock is also
known) on his passage from Alexandria to Malta, and at
the distance of 95 miles due east of the island. It was
calm, and he saw a ripple like that produced by a cur-
rent, and sent his boat to examine it. On reaching the
spot his men found feet of water. They landed, and
he saw them wade over it. The ' danger' is reported
from north to south, about the length of a galley, and
from east to west a little less.

"3. In 1826, March 19, Emanuel Ervsnce, of the
Greek brig Aristocles, left Malta for Spezia. On the
following day, at eleven P.m , baring run nine knots en
hour from the time of sailing, and smooth water, he ob-
served a heavy lopping- sea, and found his ship going
down by the head, and thought she would have capsized
—a'sea broke on board and filled her decks, and nearly
swamped her. At this time the rudder was lifted, but
tfawtohepri,ecleirsi,ng a
onet
ISaprgezeia and,
o n
e by
small,
with ml
on getting into smooth water fell into its place. On
looking at his chart he ascertained the distance he had
run was 95 miles from Malta. The rock, too, had been
seen ce
waterl
by E
describedl
so r
betweenwatovbone in s
them fora boat to pass.
u to oseue
ghat
zupy
of
thc
le Rho are

said to have seen the rock, on being closely pressed,
have wavered, and only reported from what they had
heard from others who had seen it.

" A man also named Carlo, pilot of her Majesty's
ship Malabar, is also said to have seen it, and on the
23 of January, 1839, the captain of the Austrian brig
Cyro is said to have seen it 95 miles east of Malta.
"In 1838. Mr. Millar was sent to look for the rock
in the Meteor steamer, but owing to the unfavourable
state of the weather he did not fall in with it."