The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-16 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

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Captain Norwich 1)utl succeeds to the vacant office of
nasal aide-de-camp to the Queen.
The disastrous intelligence from Canada has revived
the rumour that a battalion of Royal Marines will be
dispatched for permanent military service in that pro-
vince. The Arrogant, screw-frigate, now at Portsmouth,
and the Ganges, $4, at Cork, could take them it re-
quired; but as the Marines are reducel within the
number voted, and form the only real reserve for the
navy that we have, it will be scarcely safe, under the
present state of affairs in Europe, to diminish the avail-
able home strength of this gallant and ever ready corps.
The Plumper, screw-sloop, at Portsmouth, Commander
Nolleth, was uudocked yesterday, and proceeds imme-
diately to North America.
The Queen, 116, Captain U. W. Bruce, was mustered
and inspected in Plymouth Sound on Monday, by the
Commander in-Chief, Sir W. 11. Gage, G.C.H., and
was then towed into Hamoaze by the Salamander and
Lucifer steam-vessels, to be paid off.
PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—Captain Bruce, of the
Queen, 116, just arrived at Plymouth, is considered likely
to have the honour of being appointed extra naval aide-
de-camp to her Majesty.
The arrival of the Queen and Hibernia (the latter
shortly expected) together with the paying off the Alarm
and Scourge, will allow of half a dozen pennants being
hoisted immediately.
The North Star, Master-Commander Saunders, will
sail on Thursday from the Nore with provisions for the
relief of Sir James Ross's expedition in search of Sir
John Franklin, and so anxious are the Lords of the Ad-
miralty for her speedy transport to the scene of her use-
fulness, that they have ordered the Stromboli steam-
sloop, Commander Lord A. W. Beauclerk, to take her in
tow and see her as far towards the ice as prudencemay
dictate. His Lordship has had the honour of an inter-
view with the Board of Admiralty prior to his departure
upon the interesting service.
The ship Euphrates, 557 tons, now fitting at Dept-
ford, is to convey from this port to Quebec detachments
of the 231 Reserve and 2d Battalion Rifle Brigade.
The unsightly out-house looking building in the Cla-
rence-yard, erected as a Royal terminus to the railway
for the use of the Court from the Gosport station to the
water's edge, is found inadequate for its purpose, and
orders arrrived this day to take it down and amend such
portions of it as can be conveniently altered.
The Menai, 26, receiving-hulk in this harbour, has,
we are informed, been lent to the coast guard service,
and will lodge a number of coast guard men, one or two
from each district, all of whom will be perfected in gun-
nery by Commander Jerniugham, on board the Excel-
lent gunnery-ship, Captain H. D. Chads, C.B. Having
concluded the course of instruction, these men will be
returned as instructors of gunnery to the different coast
guard districts throughout the whole service.
The experimental steam-sloops Niger and Basilisk
arrived to-day from the eastward. Captain H. T.
Austin, in the Basilisk, alter three or four trials of
spec(' on the measured mile in Stokes-bay, proceeded
to the westward, and anchored in Cowes-roads about
noon. The Niger anchored at Spithead for about
two hours, and weighed again at ono P.M. She
took several turns oa the mile, and then followed the
Basilisk to the westward, finally sailing from Cowes at
330 P.M. As far as opinion could be formed from ap-
pearances only, without accurate data for guidance, the
speed of the Basilisk was considerably greater than that
of the screw-propelled vessel (the Niger). As a draw-
back on this quality of swiftness, she appeared to steer
very badly, taking a range of nearly three points each
way, which is a very great deviation in smooth water.
The Sphynx steam-sloop, Commanderill. S. Hewlett
(acting), sailed this forenoon for the Downs.
The Scourge steam•sloop, Commander 11. E. Win-
grove, was paid off to-day, alongside the dockyard.
The Columbia, steam surveying-vessel, Commander
P. F. Shortland, came into the harbour this morning.
The Plumper screw-propelled steam-sloop, Com-
mender M. S. Nolloth, was undocked this afternoon.

The fine packet-ship, Devonshire, from New York,
reported to be 1,400 tons burden, called here this
afternoon, on her way to London, and landed passengers.
Wind—S.W. by W.; fresh breezes and cloudy.
WOOLWICH, MAY 15.—The Stromboli steam•sloop,
Commander Lord Aurelius Beauclerk, arrived at Wool-
wich yesterday evening to be docked, a small bolt having
got ire() one of her valves, which it will be easier to ex-
tract from the outside when she is taken into dock. The
departure of the North Star has been consequently de-
ferred, but it is expected she will be able to leave Green•
hithe on Thursday morning with the Stromboli. Mr.
Kay, late chief engineer of the Stromboli, died suddenly
at Woolwich, where he had come on a visit to his wife
previous to leaving for the North Sea, and his remains
were interred in the parit.la churchyard bore yesterday,
the pall being borne by six engineers of the same rank
as the deceased, followed by twenty-four engineers in
their uniforms.

The African steam-vessel, Second Master T. Gill, hav-
ing some defects to make good, was taken into the basin
at Woolwich, and the officers and crew turned over to the
Advice steam-vessel. The latter left Woolwich at four
o'clock A.M., to-day, for Sheerness.
Mr. James M'Callum, late boatswain at Woolwich
Dockyard, whose death was announced yesterday, had
seen a great deal of service, having been pressed into
the royal navy in 1803; he was present in the action at
Trafalgar; he was boatswain's mate in the Bellerophon,
78 guns, Captain Warren, from June, 1808, to January,
1810, and obtained very high certificates of character
from that gallant officer. In 1810, Mr. M'Callum joined
the Reynard as boatswain, and in 1813 served in the
Scamander. In the same year he was appointed to the
Niger, in 1819 to the Atlas, and in the same year to the
Ramilies; in 1828 to the Royal Sovereign, where he
served with the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William
IV. Mr. M'Callum was ultimately appointed boatswain
at Woolwich Dockyard as a reward fur his previous good
service. Mr. M'Callum was most indefatigable in the
performance of his duties, and his great practical know-
ledge was often found advantageous in difficult under-
takings, of which the able manner in which he had a
carriage constructed under his sole directions at Wool-
wich Dockyard, which conveyed the statue of the Duke
of Wellington from Paddington to Hyde Park-corner,
and the ability he displayed in erecting the scaffolding
which enabled the workmen to raise that great weight
of metal to the top of the arch at Constitution-hill, op-
posite Apsley House, affords abundant proof.