The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-22 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

It will be seen by a notice elsewhere that one of
the vacant captains' good service pensions has been
conferred upon that distinguished Arctic voyager,
Captain Sir James Clark Ross.
Lieutenants—W. H. Haswell (1845), formerly of
the Penelope, late flag ship on the coast of Africa, to
the Inve3tigator ; Joshua Berkeley (1849), to the
Phaeton, 50, fitting at Sheerness; Thomas Bremer,
from the Penzance coast guard-station to command
the revenue cutter Eagle, vice R. Poole, to the Illus-
trious, depot ship of Portsmouth ordinary ; Robert
Hopkins, from Haddocks coast-guand station, to
Townshend, vice Pearson, removed ; Walker Taylor,
from Milk Cove coast-guard station to Glandore, vice
George Burtchael, to 31 tower station, vice J. B.
Stewart, previously removed.
Masters—William Sanders Hele,to be in command
of a coast-guard station ; William Harry Emes, !rum
Crow beck coast-guard station to Newhaven Harbour,
vice Lieutenant Henry Gordon Veitch, to the Fis-
gard, flag-ship, at Woolwich.
Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, K.C.8., Surveyor of
the Navy, arrived at Moreshead's Hotel, Devonport,
on Wednesday evening, and visited the yard at nine
o'clock on Thursday morning. He repaired on board
the Indefatigable, 50, where he was met by the master
shipwright and Captain Smart. He also officially
visited several parts of the yard, and did not leave it
before 4 P.M.

The Artic searching ships Enterprise, Captain Col-
linson, C. 8., and the Investigator, Commander
M‘Clure, now rapidly fitting at Woolwich, will pro-
ceed as soon as manned to the Sandwich Islands,
where the Plover, Commander Moore, will join the
expedition and be under the orders of Captain Col-
linson. The Enterprise will be taken out of dock
on the 22d inst„ and the Investigator will be corn.
pleted by the 29th. They have entered only half-a-
dozen men yet. The inducement of double pay, to
commence only after they have rounded Cape Horn,
is not deemed sufficient.
The new screw for the Termagant, 24 screw steam-
frigate, has arrived at Portsmouth, and the ship has
been hauled under the shears in the basin to have her
old one taken out and the new one shipped; the latter
is 15 feet 6 inches in diameter, with a pitch of 17 feet
3 inches. She will come into dock early next week.
The Sidon, 26, steam-frigute, is alongside the
Portsmouth yard jetty. There is so much to do to
her that she will not be tried along the measured mile
till the first week in January.
The Penelope, steam-frigate, is being examined in
the new dock at Portsmouth, o. 7. She was taken
in when the Birkenhead went out.

The blocks at the slip vacated by the Argus at
Portsmouth are being placed for the reception of the
Royal Sovereign. Shipwrights are getting her stem
piece and keel ready for placing.
The new steamer, the Argus, will probably IT
docked when the Devastation comes out. The latter
is in a forward state, and has a number of ship-
wrights on her to hasten her completion.
The Gladiator, steam-frigate, at Devonport, is to be
brought forward fur commission. ,
The Lucifer, steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Lloyd, is complete and ready for sea, at Devonport.
She was to be paid wages on Thursday morning, after
which she was to sail for Cork.

The Eurydice, 26, has been towed up Portsmouth
Harbour, but will be brought forward again for com-
mission soon.

The Philomel, 8, has been taken out of No. 2
dock at Devonport, and is to be masted for com-
missioning.

SUPERARRUATIONS AT DRYONPORT. —Nicholas
Luke, locksmith, 241. pyr annum ; Robert Wright,
shipwright, 241. ditto; Charles Jope, shipwright, a
gratuity of two months' wages.
PORTSMOUTH, FRlDAY.—During the week the
halfzyearly examination of the students at the Royal
Naval College in this dockyard has been held.
To-day the result has been promulgated, by which we
are enabled to announce the names of the successful
officers:—

Mr. Alfred P. H. Helby, mate, R.N., has earned
his promotion to the rack of Lieutenant, having passed
the best examination of his class of candidates. This
officer is the eon of Commander John H. Helby
(1847), and was the first recipient of the prise for
proficiency in study established by the late Lord
Auckland amongst the numerous other boons given
by that First Lord to the service—the Naval Cadet-
ship to the Royal Naval School at New Cross.
Second-Lieutenants Jull and Bridges have also
passed their examinations, and been found qualified
for their appointment to the Royal Marine Artillery
Corps.
The following gentlemen cadets hare been found
qualified for commissions in the Royal Marine Corps
at this examination : Messrs. Maul], Williams,
Foster, Tait, and Harrington.
Messrs. Foster and Harrington have been recom-
mended to study for the Royal Marine Artillery, and
will return to the Royal Naval College at the close
of the recess.

Mr Harrington received his appointment as cadet
from the Royal Naval School, New Cross, last Mid-
summer, which was awarded him for his proficiency
in mathematics and classics. He also carried off the
gold and silver medals.
The students of the Royal Naval College broke up
for the Christmas recess this day. They will re-
assemble on the 21st of January.
Yesterday the Royal Marine Artillery, under the
command of Colonel Gibsone, its Commandant, went
out to Fort Cumberland for practice, when some most
effective firing was exhibited with spherical case from
6.pounder guns, 12 pounder medium guns; 12
pounder, 24 pounder, and 8 inch howitzers, at targets
placed seawards, at the respective ranges of 700 and
1,100 yards. The firing was most admirable. There
was also rocket practice from the 8-pounder rocket
guns, 6-pounder, 12-pounder, and 24 pounder
rocket tubes. In consequence of the high wind
this practice was not so good as we have witnessed
on former occasions ; still the firing from the
3-pounder guns showed the great advantage, in our
opinion, of the gun (when it can be used) over the
tube. This day's firing concluded the practice for the
year. There is a new sea-service practice battery to
represent the lower-deck of her Majesty's ship Howe,
120, in course of erection at Fort Cumberland, under
the able direction of Mr. Benjamin Bramble, Mayor
of Portsmouth, who has the contract for that and
other important works connected with this dockyard
and defences.

Much speculation is rife as to whether the suc-
cessor to Sir Francis Collier in the India and China
command will commission a ship for his flag, or take
to the Hastings, 72, Captain Morgan, already out
there. Our letters from the station express warm
hopes of the latter, as the Hastings has only been 18
months in commission, and is in first-rate order in
every respect; her officers and crew are admirably
assorted, and she has not lost a man by sickness or
any other cause since she was commissioned—a most
extraordinary and remarkable fact. In pint of
economy, too, the retention of the Hastings in her
present position will be highly advantageous.
The repair of the damage done to the Contest by
her late collision with the Fairy will be complete by
Wednesday next. She will be paid advance here,
and will sail from Spithead on or about the 28th, for
Plymouth, to ship the mail for the coast of Africa.
The Fairy is to be docked on Monday, to see if she
has sustained any damage in fouling the Contest.

IN POET AND FITTING.

In Harbour—The Victory, Excellent, Illustrious,
Blenheim, Contest, Rolla, Fairy and Elfin royal
yachts, Portsmouth yacht and Echo tug, the Sidon,
fitting as an advance steam•frigate.
In Dock—The Dauntless, L Queen, Britannia,
Fantome, Lily, Devastation, Fox, and Penelope.
In the Basin—The Princess Charlotte, Argus,
Termagant, and Bee steam vessels.
In the Steam basin—The Ajax, Basilisk, Urgent,
Victoria and Albert, Blazer, Pike, and Asp.
SINGAPORE, OCT. 18.—Her Majesty's ship Renard,
11-guns, Captain P. Cracroft, arrived at this port at
midnight on the 14th inst., having picked up the
Cleopatria, 26, Captain Massey, becalmed and very