The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-09 00:00:00

SALE OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS.

Yesterday at two o'clock, pursuant to order, issued by
the Commissioners for executing. the Office of Lord High
Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, a squadron of superannuated ships of the line, frigates,
and other Government vessels were put up for sale by Dutch
,auction in the hall of the Admiralty Office, Somerset-place.
Sir Thomas Troubridge and Lord Dalmeny were the
Commissioners superintending the sale. A number of emi-
nent shipowners and builders, connected with the Port of
London, and also from Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth,
Liverpool, Glasgow, Dublin, and other places were in at-
tendance. The ships and vessels to be sold were the fol-
•

lowing :

Guns. Toni. Lying at
Scarborough
Surley (lighter)
Greenwich
Salisbury
Swallow (packet brig)
Zephyr (packet brig). ... .. 228
Experiment
Santa Margarita
The conditions of sale having been read, Mr. Allen, the
auctioneer, put up the Scarborough at 7,500/., and, ac-
cording to the inverted style of Dutch auction, continued
offering the vessel, deducting 101. from the original propo-
sition at every announcement until he had descended to
the sum of 6,220/., when Mr. Thomas Ward, of Shad-
well, bid for her at that sum, and the vessel was knocked
down to him. At sales by Dutch auction there is no com-
petition of bidders, but each speculator having himself or
his agent examined and estimated the ship, or the object
for sale, sets the price he would give for it in his book, and
when the sum demanded is reduced to this, or fortunately
a few score pounds below it, he calls out to the auctioneer,
and the sale is effected, Mr. Ward having deposited 25
per cent. of the purchase money according to the conditions
of sale.
The Surley was then put up at 700/. The price of this
craft, which was said to be in good condition, was allowed
to descend to 4001. without a bidder, when the Commis-
sioners not thinking it proper to make any further abate-
ment, Sir Thomas Troubridge desired the auctioneer to stop.
The Greenwich was then put up at 7,500/. As the
abatements came below 5,5001., many seemed inclined to
bid ; however, they were allowed to descend to 5,3101.,
when she was knocked down to Mr. Sedyer, of Rotherhithe,
for that sum.

The Salisbury was put at 5,6001., but no bidder having
offered, at 3,0001. the sale was stopped.
The Swallow, which is said to be a beautiful brig, was put
up at 1,200/., and bought somewhat suddenly by Mr.
Wheeler for 1,0001.
The Zephyr was offered at 1,0001., and bid for at 6501.
by Mr. Greenwood, of Plymouth. That gentleman thought
that he had spoken out contemporaneously with the de-
duction of the next 10/., but several gentlemen having stated
that the auctioneer did not say 640/. he paid a deposit of 1701.
The Experiment was offered at 2,500/., and stopped by
the Commissioners at 1,400/.

When the Santa Margarita was put up at 2,5001.,
Mr. Christal said that he should feel obliged if Sir Tho-
mas Troubridge would inform him whether it was the fact
that by a recent statute a duty of 50 per cent. was imposed
on the purchaser of a foreign vessel from the Commissioners ?
Sir T. Troubridge said that he was not aware ; but at
that time he could not precisely answer in the negative.
Mr. Christal said that he had been so informed by the
Custom House officers, so that should he buy the Santa
Margarita at 7001. he must pay 350/. more to the Commis-
sioners of the Customs. He had frequently bought foreign
ships from the Government, and had always broken them
up, without being applied to for duty. If the tax he spoke
of, then, were in existence, it must have been very recently
enacted. He would, however, hand a letter which be had
received from Sir Thomas Troubridge's secretary on the

subject.
Sir Thomas Troubridge, having read his secretary's letter,
said that Mr. Christal's question was already answered, and,
as it appeared, in the affirmative ; for it stated that the pur-
chaser of a foreign vessel was subject to a duty of fifty per
cent.
This announcement excited great interest amongst the
bidders.
Mr. Christal hoped the question would be now set at
rest, as he was anxious that the purchasers should not be
permitted to deceive themselves.
Lord Dalmeny, having looked over the statute, said that
as the Santa Margarita, though originally foreign, had
been registered ps a British vessel, the duty would be but
fifteen per cent. on the purchaser.
Mr. Christal said that even 15/. per cent. would be a
heavy tax on the purchaser. For Iris part he should not
purchase unless he were protected against duty by a
written declaration from the Commissioners.

The Commissioners promised to guarantee the purchaser
of the Santa Margarita from all demands for duty. The
bidding was then resumed, and Mr. Browne, of the firm of
Browne and Askayne, bought her for 1,710/.
Purchasers of King's ships are not allowed to refit any
vessel larger than a sloop—all others must be broken up ;
nor is the agent of any foreign State allowed to purchase
them. The purchaser must pay the remaining 75 per cent.
within two months, and take away the ships, or forfeit the
deposit. All copper articles and articles of mixed metal
found afterwards in the vessel, marked with the broad ar-
row, are to be returned to the nearest King's stores, where
the proprietors will be paid Hid. per lb. for the copper
articles, and 9d. per lb. for those of mixed metal. Before
the ships are delivered each buyer is to produce a declara-
tion to the store-keeper of the yard where they are lying
that he has not given, or caused to be given, nor will
thereafter give, or cause to be given, to any officer,
clerk, labourer, or other person or persons employed by or
any under the Commissioners, and concerned in the delivery
of the said ships, or to any other person or persons, on
their, or any of their, behalf, any money, beer, or other
liquor, or any other consideration whatever ; and, further,
that he has not at any time entered into any private agree-
ment or understanding with any person or persons whom-
soever, that the ship or vessel so purchased shall be dis-
posed of or sold by any knock out imitation of sale, mock
auction, or otherwise, and that no other person has any in-
terest in the purchase than those whose names were given
in as the purchasers at the time of his signing the agree-
ment for purchase.

FINE INSTANCE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY.—
For many months past the clergymen, (with one solitary ex-
ceptions) of all the different denominations in Airdrie, have
been in the habit of preaching by rotation to a number of aged
and destitute poor people in the town school-house on the Sab-
bath evenings, and of distributing Bibles and other books for
the instruction of those who found it convenient to attend. The
object contemplated by the clergymen in giving discourses in
the school-room alluded to was that they might thereby draw
together a number of persons, who, from infirmity or destitute
circumstances in life, were unable or unwilling to attend the
ordinary places of public worship ; and such was the success
attending their labours in this undertaking, that the place be-
came gradually filled with the very persons for whose benefit
it was contemplated. Some time ago a few narrow minded
bigots were found mean enough to interfere with the East Pa-
rish Committee (whose property the Town School is) and,
aided by a paragon of anti-voluntaryism, they ultimately suc-
ceeded in depriving the poor of their place of meeting. In these
peculiar circumstances, and having no place equally central
to meet in, the idea of continuing these evening discourses
was about to be given up, when some one suggested the pro.
bability of getting the Catholic Chapel, Accordingly, no
time was lost in making application to the Catholic clergy of
Glasgow, and, to the honour of that body be it mentioned,
they not only granted the Airdrie Catholic Chapel for the
purposes already specified, but they forwarded a letter to the
Presbyterian clergymen here, couched in the most polite
terms, and expressing the gratification it afforded them to
grant the Chapel for such a purpose. But the most singular
part of this singular affair remains to be told—that Sabbath
after Sabbath, the Popish Priest—the gowned Presbyterian
Churchman—the Voluntary Seceder—the pious Burgher—
and the saint-like Cameronian—may be seen wagging their
heads from the same pulpit and place of meeting—the property
of the despised and calumniated Catholics !—Conimumcate,l
to the Glasgow Argus.

We have had a week of very stormy weather, in-
cluding one or two days of very heavy rain. On Thursday
and Friday the rivers and brooks in the neighbourhood were
very much swollen, inundating the low lands, and in some in.
stances doing, a good deal of mischief to the standing crops.
A good deal of grain is cut in the forward districts, but very
little housed, and there are complaints already of its beginning
to sprout. We fear the wheats in this neighbourhood, and
over the county generally, are going to turn out very ill,
They are short in the ear, thin on the ground, and ill fed.
Barley and oats, the latter in particular, will be good crops,
and should oats retain anything like the high price relative to
wheat which they have borne for the last two or three years,
the mountain fafrners will not be so ill off. —W hitehaven lire,