The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-27 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
Paymaster and Purser John Shea (1799) died on
the 20th ult., at Norwood, in the 77th year of his
age. He was on the retired list ; served in the
Loire, and assisted at the storming of Muros Castle,
on the coast of Spain, in 1808 ; and served in the
Glasgow at the battle of Algiers.

APPOINTMENTS.
Acting Master—George Allen, late of Fire Queen,
additional to the Victory, flag ship, at Portsmouth,
for service, in command of the Sprightly, steam-
tender; George Williams, to the Wolverine, 12, fitting
at Chatham.

Paymaster and Purser John Hay, to the Hecla,
steam-sloop, fitting at Devonport for service on the
coast of Africa, vice half-a-dozen, whose appointments
have been cancelled.

Second Master—Gilbert E. Green, to the Sprightly.
Midshipman—C. Ricketts, to the 'Wolverine.
Master's Assistant—James H. Strong, to the
Blenheim screw guard-ship, at Portsmouth.
Boatswain—John Johnson, acting to the I'oictiers.
Commander Wilmot Horton and the officers of the
Superb, 80, at Spithead, give a splendid dejeuner, on
board that ship, to•day, at Spithead. We understand
Lady Capel will honour it with her presence. The
Lieutenant• Governor, Lord Frederick Fit zclarence,
Lady and Miss Fitzclarence, the Commander in-
Chief, the Hon. Sir I3laden Capel, Rear 'Admiral
Prescott, with nearly all the elite of the neighbour-
hood, have been invited. A steamer has been pro-
vided to convey the company to and from the Superb.
Captain Purcell, of the Superb, is still on leave, in
Ireland, and is not expected back till Oetolo@r.
We are sorry to hear that Captain Worth, late of
the Calypso, 18, in consequence of severe illness, has
been removed into Melville llospital.
The Wolverine, 12, was commissioned on Tuesday,
at Chatham, by Commander Falcon ; the two
lieutenants, master, paymaster and purser, and surgeon;
have joined.

PORTSMOUTII, WEDNESDAY. - The Switzerland,
American packet, arrived from the river this morn•
ing ; as there was a fine fair breeze from the S.E.
blowing, she did not anchor, but ran into smooth
water in Stokes' Bay, embarked her passengers for
New York, and at noon proceeded on her voyage,
going out through the Needles.

THE EAST INDIES AND CHINA.
There is very little news from the station. The
Admiral is at Trincomalee.
The Hon. Captain Keppel and the Meander, 44,
was at Labuan, preparing to proceed to Sydney and
the Pacific, en route to England.
The China division of the squadron has been re-
duced to six sea going.,vessels, namely--Amazon, 26,
Captain E. N. Troubridge (senior officer), Colum-
bine, 16, Commander J. C. D. Hay, at Whampoa ;
Arab, 12, Commander Morris, at Shanghae ; Mari-
ner, 12, Commander Mathison, at Shanghae ; Pilot,
12, Commander Lyons, at Amoy; and the Medea,
4, steam-sloop, Commander Lockyer, at Hong-Kong.
The sore feeling with respect to the recent Macao
affair had subsided. Captain Keppel did his duty in
using his power to enforce a right, rather than com-
promise a wrong by accepting the release of a British
subject as a favour.

The Arab has been most successful in scouring the
China seas, and capturing and destroying the pirates
that infest them. His energy will, doubtless, meet
with its due reward.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—This day having been
specially appointed a day of prayer and thanksgiving
throughout the see of Winchester, it was observed in
a highly decorous manner by the inhabitants of the
place and its dependencies. The shops were closed
and trade suspended, no " holiday" or " cheap excur-
sion" party seemed about, and all appeared duly im-
pressed with the solemnity of the occasion. The
troops were marched to church without arms, and the
band without their instruments. Special services
were given in all the places of worship (with the ex-
ception of the Catholic Chapel in Portsea), and on
board her Majesty's ships. The dockyard and all
the Government establishments were closed, and the
entire population presented generally all the " out-
ward and visible signs" of devotion towards the Giver
of all .good. It is very singular that the Catholic
Chapel above mentioned was not opened at the time
all others were, and was a source of considerable in-
convenience and disappointment to that portion of the
troops in garrison professing Catholicism, who
marched to the chapel door, but finding no service,
returned to their quarters. Some admirable sermons
upon this occasion were preached to crowded con-
gregations within the district, and large collections
made to relieve those in want through bereavement
by the prevailing epidemic. The collection after
the sermon, in the morning, at the parish church
of St. Thomas, by the liev. J. P. M'Ghie, vicar,
amounted to upwards of 56/.

POISONIN G AT UIIELTENHAIII.
CHELTENHAM, WEDNESDAY.—The adjourned in-
quest was resumed to-day before Mr. Mayer, coroner,
at the King's Head Inn, and some evidence of a sin-
gularly contradictory nature %as brought forward.
The first witness examined was Caroline Gregory,
sister to the deceased Samuel and Elizabeth Gregory.
This witness had been examined on the inque,t on
Friday. She now added to her former statement that
when her deceased brother Samuel came into dinner
on the day when the whole family were simul-
taneously attacked, he inquired what was for dinner,
and being told " Bread and cheese and cucumber," he
said he did not like it. his mother then said he could
have a rasher of bacon, if he preferred it ; upon which
Barnett (now in custody) said, " Give him a dump-
ling, give him a dumpling, and take one yourself."
The mother accordingly gave him one of the dump-
lings which had been made out of the flier and fruit
provided by Barnett, and he partook of a portion of
it, when he became very ill. This witness also stated,
that when the dumplings were made by her deceased
sister, Elizabeth, some of the flour brought by Barnett
for the purpose was reserved by her for future pur-
poses. About half a teacupful was placed by the de-
ceased (Elizabeth) in a cupboard. 'When Mr. Hatch,
the first surgeon called in, had inquired into the case,
he asked to see some of the dumpling. None could
be found, and he then asked if any of the flour was
at hand, on which witness mentioned that which had
been reserved, but on looking for it in the cupboard
it was gone. Witness did not know who had put it
away. The deceased (Elizabeth) had had some slight
quarrels with Barnett. Barnett kept his room door
locked when he was away.
:Ur. Brookes, the surgeon, who made a post mortem
examination of the body of Elizabeth Gregory, stated
its result. He made the examination sixteen hours
after her death, and found the external appearances
presented healthy. The brain, however, was slightly
congested, and there was rather more serous fluid at
its base than usual. In the stomach there were
about ten ounces of brown fluid, and the intestines
generally appeared healthy, but the mucous coat of
the stomach was much inflamed in two patches. The
witness went into a minute description of the condi-
tion of other parts of the deceased's body, but, with
the exception of the inflamed patches on the coat of
the stomach, there were no other indications of poison.
This, however, he added, was not at all unusual in
cases of poisoning by arsenic.
A widow, named Elizabeth Stephenton, a char-
woman and washerwoman, living in Sherborne-street,
was next examined with reference to a conversation
which she stated she had had with a young girl at
the funeral of the deceased on Tharsday last. When
the two bodies had been deposited in the graves, and
the funeral service was ended, while yet the people
lingered in the churchyard, a young woman named
Harriet Stuart (now present) addressed her. Wit•
ness said to her, " I should like to know where they
got the arsenic from ;" and Stuart replied, "I
know where, but I must not tell, for my mother
would kill me if I did." Witness then asked her
what arsenic was like, and Stuart replied that "it
was very much like loaf sugar;" and added, that it
was white arsenic that killed deceased.
Harriet Stuart, a girl of 14, on being examined on
oath, gave a flat contradiction to all that the last wit-
ness had stated. She declared that she had never
seen Mrs. Stephenton before, and therefore could not
have held such a conversation with her. She swore
that she had never seen arsenic in her life, and did
not know what it was. The witness, nevertheless,
admitted that about the time when the conversation
between her and Mrs. Stephenton was alleged to have
taken place, she went to a shop near the burial-
ground, but had not entered the ground. She did not,
according to her statement, stop on the road to speak
to any person.
However, Mrs. Stephenton persisted in her state-
ment as given above in her evidence.
It was expected that the inquiry would have been
brought to a close last night, but it was being con-
tinued at the time of the dispatch of our parcel.
The CORONER, addressing the jury before they ad-
journed for refreshment, said be thought it was un-
necessary to protract the inquiry much further, end
that there was evidence enough to send Barnett for
trial, leaving him upon his trial to account for the
possession of the poisoned flour.

TEE BERMONDSEY I%lußDEa.—Yesterday
.after-
noon Mr. Binns, the solicitor, forwarded an application
to the Commissioners of Police for the remainder of the
cash found in Mrs. Manning's possesion, the application
being made on the ground that the amount is rcquired
for the proper defence of. the prisoners. Manning, it is
said, occupies his time in gaol principally in writing
poetry, and his compositions are generally presented by
him to his solicitor

ROYAL ARTILLERY.—WOOLWICII, SEPT. 26.
Major Desbrisay's company (3d batallion) has been
placed, under orders to proceed to Ireland in the early
part of next month, to relieve Captain Percy Benn's
company (3d batallion), relieved from duty at Charm°.
mont, and brought to Dublin, preparatory to being ready
onto thereturronstteorhfeoardfqo
Ills Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury has pre-
sented the Treasurer of headquarters,
service.
aas the company is now first
tho Colonial Bishopric Fund
with & donation of 5001.