The Sun.
London, England, 1825-06-06 00:00:00

ROYAL NAVY, &c.

PORTSMOUTH., JUNE 4.—This morning arrived the Penn,
IS, Capt. Courtenay, from the Coast -of Africa, where she had
been actively employed upwardi of three years in the suppres-
sion of the abominable Slave-trading. The Bann left Sierra
Leone on the 234 March, Acrat 11th April, and touched at
St. Thomai's. We are happy to hear that the crews of the
ships on the station, viz. the Maidstone (Commodore Charles
Pailletn.C.-B.), Athol, Esk, Victor, and Swinger, were generally
healthy. Liept. Kneeshawe, Agent of Transports, and Mr.
Fraser, Mestee of the Victor, had lately died
Yesterday the Antoro, 46, Capt.]. Maxwell, dropped down
to St. Helen's,- tor-wait -a change of wind, when she will proceed
to join the squadron in the Tagus. The Champion, 18, Capt.:
Studdert, will also sail, when} the wind is fair, for the Cape of
Good Elope and the East Indies; and the Redwing, 18, Capt.
D. C. Clavering,. for the Coast of Africa. These sloops have
since gone down to St. Helen's.
The Albion, 74, will be paid off on Monday, by Sir Wm.
Hoete, and re-commissioned by Captain H. Hill, for Channel
service. It is- expected she will relieve the Ocean, 74, Captain
'Akins Hardyman, C. B. one of the Squadron of Observation
and of Protection lying- in the Tagus. ,
REmaire AT gPITHEATL—Phaeton, Brazen, Tweed, Bann,
Harlequin, Pandora, Calliope. . In the Harbour—Victory,
Ganges, Albion, Diamond, Pyramus, Romney, Herald. •
The following appointments have-taken place in consequence.
of the recent premotion to Flag Officets :—Captain Sir 111. Sey-
mean, Bart. andR.C.B.- to the Royal George yacht, at Ports.
mouth ; Captain Hoetc, Bart. -and K.C.B. to the Royal
Sovereign yacht, at Deptford ; Capt, I. C. White, to the Royal.
Charlotte yacht, at Woolwich ; Captain Monday, to the Prince
Reent:yaCht, at Deptford e Capt. E. D. King, to the Wind-
tor Castle, and Captain W;Bathurst, to the Genoa, guard.
ships at Plynioirtlf; Captain -11: Hill; to the Albion, guard.
ship at Portsmouth ; and Captain Horton, to the. Gloucester,
guard-ship at'Sbeernese. - . - • - •'
Tbe Lords of the Admiralty', have-been pleaied to promote'
the following officers, in:Oemeideration of. their being tang-and.-
. actively employed
To be Captains---eCeNixon, F. Denman, ,D. Barber. 11.
Jane, J. Skekel, Gs Hire, C. 31. Walker (bf 'the Myrmidon),
J. Stoddart.(of the Primrose), .G. Lempriere, T. B. Devon.—
(The senior of these officers had been 16 yc srs, and the, junior
12 years a Commander.) • .• -
To be.Commanders.—T. C. Sherwin, D. Weld. J. Peerce,
J. Bray, W. S. Gammon, J. C. Morris, G. E. Marshall, T.
'Phipps, H. Slades W. Saunders, R. C. Curry, Francis Ormond,
James Mc. Donahl. (Six of. these officers were most success-
fully employed in Revenue Cutters.)
To be Lieutenants.—R. C. Robinson, (3. Hewitt, A. Brown,
A. Robinson, J. Hill, C. .Moss, J. Procter, 31. Connell,. D.
Gledwell, R. Telford, T. Brent, Q. Mitchell, W. Wright, W.
S. Riviston, and James Pratt.
Captain George Cornish Gambier is appointed to the Para-
mus frigate, at this port • Lieut.. .J. Foster, Victory ; Lieut.
Best, Diamond ; Lieut. Clay, Aurora.
Lord Combermereelately appointed Commander-in-Chief in
India, will embark here on Tuesday next, in the ,ship Thalia,s
'for Calcutta.
-INTERESTING EXPEDITION TO THE NIGER.
We are happy to the arrival in England of Major
Denham and Lieutenant- Claperton, who left-this' countrye
in the year 1821, on 'an exploratory journey into the in-
terior of Central .Africa, connected with ascertaining the '
source, course, and termination of the river Niger, which has.
been an object of geOgrephical research more then two -thou- •
sand years. Mungo Park, threw a more, full and decisive'
light on this subject than ever. had been made to e.ptlear dur-
ing this long period; after penetrating through a variety of
the kingdoms of Western and interior Africa, he came at
length to Sego, the capital of Bamberra,, where he beheld
" the long sought majestic Niger, glittering to 'the morn-
ing sun, as broad ae the Thames at Weetminetcr, -and flowing
slowly to the eastward." then traced its course down-
wards to Silla, and upwards to Barnmakoo, (about a thousand,
miles), where it first became aavigable, to am extent of 308
miles. This, however, -appeered- to be onlysa commencement
of the career of this-mighty stream, leaving its subsequent
.
...progr ess . involved in increasing mystery._ Jackson, Horne-
mann,. Turkey, Bowditein Ritchie, - Lyon, Laing, and now
Denham -and Claperton, have all since, by their persevering
efforts, contributed to cur previous mass of information, re-.
specting the mos -celebrated of 'African -streams: Nye un-
derstand that Majoa Denham and "Mr. Claperton helve as-
certained with great . certainly, that Lake Tyad a great
fresh water lake, having no outlet, and that it is fed by
two large Rivers one at which, the Sliary, flows from the
same chain of mountains in which the western branch of the
Nile (otherwise the White Nile) takeh ThaShary tuna
in a -direction nearly due north front its source to the Lake ;
whilst it is ascertained that the other river called the Yao. enters-
. the lake as its N. W. aitle, flowing from the westward;
but it is not a continuation of .the Jaliber, or Ricer of Tim-
buctoo. These travellers. confirm the account of the Mahone.:
mcdan Priest, that, between Cano and Ny fTe, there is no river.
• consmunicatio.n.—Ceno is in hit. 13 N: long. 9 E. and SUccatoo,
which our adventurers sublecniently veined: is in 12 N.
3. E.A-This town is the capital of a great ration; or-Which
we appear to haite had' zio.previctre information, though
the King of the country (whose name is Belle) was much
pleased with the appearanc:4 -of our countrymen, and, - to
:their esarprise they saw his house
.was furnished-with English
crockery, which, it appeared, he had obtained in the way of
traffic, with the inhabitants of tha Bight of Bean. He expeeseed.
a hope, that a mode would-be found by which his subjects could
trade with the English. His country appeared very productive
and abounded with cattle. it further eppears by the informa-
tion collected by Messrs. Denham and Claperton, that the.Tim-
buatexi River runs B.E. to NvTe, then southernly, and empties
itself into the Bight of Iftein, which ascertained fact is of-
-much importance, as it opens a communication with-the Atlan-
tic, and will greatly facilitate-the object intended to be pursued
by Major Laing, in the course of the ensuing winter or the
next spring. Whilst crossing the Desert our travellers were
..much distressed for provisions, yet they have happily ar-
rived home in telerahle health, having suffered less from the
climate than any of their predeceSsors in this arduous enter-
prise. They were everywhere-Fell received by the natives, who
-made them various presents, which are on their way to England
from Malta. Among them are five live ostriches, and a beau•
tiful horse for our King, presented to him by -one of the native
Princes..s..(Hernpthire l'elegrap7r. )