The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-05 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

MALTA, FEB. 25.—A private of the 44th, named
James Alexander, will be shortly brought to trial for an
offence which, under one of our laws of the lath of
November, 1785, renders him liable to the penalty of
death. Prisoner, being on guard, and armed with his
musket and bayonet (which brings bim under the law
above), accosted a Greek, from whom he begged money.
This being refused, he seized on him, and by main force
took his handkerchief, valued at 10d. only, and which
was afterwards found on him. He has been committed
for trial, and the full rigour of the law has been invoked
by the Crown Advocate.
The United States steam-frigate Princeton has left
port for Messina.
Her Majesty's ship Hibernia, which at present carries
the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker, is reported to
be ordered home, and is daily expected in Malta. His
flag is to be shifted to the ,Queen, and the Admiral is
re-confirmed to the appointment of Commander-in-Chief
for a further period of three years.
Since Friday last we have not had one arrival of
steamers. The mail from the Levant is due to-day, and
will proceed to Marseilles a few hours after her- arrival.
Her Majesty's steamer Antelope, long expected in
Malta, has left Naples under sealed orders, supposed to
be ordered to Civita Vecchia.
The French steamer,Rhamses, due here on the 15th or
16th inst., only arrived this morning. She was delayed
by bad weather, and obliged to put into a port near
Tripoli, where she remained four dee s. She had on
board eighty-two lladjis, on return home after a pil-
grimage to Mecca, where is the tomb of their prophet.
Her Majesty's steamer Locust, from the lonian Islands
and Greece, arrived this morning.
Her Majesty's steamer Medina, with the India mails,
is in sight.
The French steamers from Marseilles, and from Mar-
seilles and ports of Italy, arrived this morning. The
arrivals to-day have been the ono- ones since the 15th
inst., and their entry was anxiously watched.
On Friday last a private of artillery committed a des-
perate act. Ile placed a loaded carbine under his chin,
and blew it off. The ball passed through the upper
jaw, coming out on the left of the upper part of the nose,
but without injuring the eye or forehead. The poor
fellow is not dead, but it is thought impossible he can
survive. The cause of the desperate act seems to have
been a fear of thing reported by creditors, of whom he
bought goods for re-sale to his messmates, and being
disappointed of the receipt of the amounts due by them
to him, he could not pay, and this affected his brain. Lie
was a man of excellent character.
Last night, at a quarter-past nine o'clock, a private of
her Majesty's 69th Foot, named Hussey, whilst on guard
on the landing of the Palace, eaded his gun, and, placing
it to his lett breast, shot himself. The ball passed in a
slanting direction, and issued at his shoulder. The poor
fellow is not dead, but his wound is mortal.
PORTSMoUTIL SUNDAY.—The Electra, 14, Comman-
der Buuvei ie, is dismantling prior to being paid off. We
stated on Saturday that the violeace of the gale which
this vessel rode out on Wednesday and Thursday tore
out the " bits," but still she hell fast, and whilst very
many vessels came in with loss of anchors, hers held the
ground and saved the ship. We find she was supplied
with Porter's aechor at the special application of her
commander, who, it is but fair to presume, did not like
to risk his ship with no better hold-feet than the treache-
rous " mud-hook" usually suppled to ships. We are in-
formed that the Electra did not bring the Forth's mails ;
and further, that the
,Severn left Bermuda three days
after her, and then the Forth had nut been.heard of.
The following gentlemen recently passed their exami-
nations in gunnery on board the Excellent ;—Messrs.
Hallowes and Wright, Acting-Lieutenants, first class ;
Mr. Russell, Mate ; and Messrs. Nichol!, Trevennen,
Hoskins, Simpson, Rawlins, Parrott, Scovell, and Cam-
pion, Acting-Mates.
The Dauntless new steam-frigate is to be docked and
immediately fitted for service.
Admiralty orders have :been received here this morn-
ing to dock the naval transport Adventurer, Master-
Commander Wellington, which vessel received so much
damage in the late gales as to render that operation ne-
cessary, she having sprung a serious leak, causing her
while at sea to make 10 inches of water an hour. She
will be docked to-morrow.
The Driver steam-sloop, Commander C. R. Johnson,
sailed yesterday morning for Devonport, with a dredging
machine vessel in tow. She is ,to complete fuel at De-
vonport, and then proceed for the Pacific.
The Fearless steamer, Second Master-Commander
Wills, sailed yesterday with supernumeraries for
Plymouth.
The Stromboli steam-sloop, Commander Lord A. W.
Beauclerk,sis ordered immediately on her arrival at this
port (where she is momentarily expected) to be dis-
patched to Sheerness to be paid off.
The Janus steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Powell, arrived this morning from Woolwich to complete
coals, &c., and be paid advance.
The Superb, 80, Captain E. Purcell, and Sappho, 12,
Commander R. C. Michell, are to leave the harbour for
Spithead to-morrow.

The Rodney, 92, Captain E. Collier, C. 8., and the
Electra, 14, Commander F. W. P. Bouverie, are ordered
to be paid off next Thursday.
PLYMOUTH, MARCH 2.—Her Majesty's steam-frigate
Gladiator sailed on the 28th ult. for Portsmouth and
Woolwich.

Her Majesty's ship Caledonia, 120, Captain Sir T. W.
Carter, will go to Malta in about a fortuight, to relieve
her Majesty's ship Queen, 110, Captain H. W. Bruce.
Orders were received yesterday morning t. get her ready
as soon as possible. She shipped 70 hands in about 2i
hours; 450 hands were wanted to complete her comple-
ment
.of 950, including 200 marines. It is said that if
necessary 700 hands might be had at once, in conse-
quence of so many men having collected here in the ex-
pectation of being required for small vessels of war.
Letters dated at Wouhoo have been received from the
Plover discovery ship, Commander Thomas E. L. Moore,
gone in search of Sir John Franklin. The officers and
crew of the Plover are all well.

Orders have been sent by the Admiralty to the De-
vonport Dockyard for a return of the ages and servitude
of all the officers and men employed in that arsenal.
Niue shipwrights and one ropetnaker were yesterday
examined by the surgeon preparatory for superan-
nuation.

THE YACHT BRIG ARlENlS.—Yesterday morning,
about 9 A.M., the Sir Francis Drake steam-packet was
brought near this vessel with an intention to get her off
toe rocks under the citadel, but in consequence of the
northerly wind having cut the tido no effort was then
made. In the course of the day her topmasts were taken
down, a large portion of the iron ballast thrown over-
board, and a number of casks placed in and around her.
About ten o'clock last night her Majesty's steamer Con
fiance was attached to the brig, and every effort again
used, but in consequence of the continuance of the
northerly wind, and the unexpected shortening of the
tide, this attempt was also unsuccessful. She has a great
quantity of ballast yet on board, some of which is ce-
mented in between the timbers and floors, and there are
also several iron tanks containing ballaSt. The tides
continue to decrease for a day or two, and all expec-
tation of floating her must therefore be deferred for
the present. It in the mean time a gale come on from
the southward, she will be most probably beaten to
pieces..
_ _

Wind, northerly; fine.
WooLwicn, MARCH 4.—Captain Lord John Hay,
C. 8., one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and Captain
Ellice, Comptroller of Steam Machinery, visited Wool-
wich Dockyard yesterday afternoon, and accompanied
by Commodore Henry Eden, Mr. Lang, master ship.
Wright, and Mr. Humphries, chief engineer, went on
board the Sampson steam-vessel, at present fitting in the
inner basin. The Sampson has been ordered to be got
ready with the greatest dispatch, and relays of workmen
are to be engaged upon the vessel night and day during
the next fortnight. A small steam machine has been
constructed for this vard for the purpose of boring the
cylinders, without taking them out of the vessel. The plan
has been found to answer well in private establishments,
and was yesterday tried on board the Sampson. It is of
importance when cylinders are bored that no stoppage
takes place, as the expansion and contraction of the
metal by the different degrees of heat would prevent that
great degree of nicety required in the boring of cylinders
to prevent the escape of steam when working.
The Gladiator steam-vessel,Commander Robb, arrived
here on Friday evening, and has brought home the crew
of the Volcano steam-vessel, and they are to be paid off
on Tuesday next. The day for paying off the Gladiator
has not been fixed.

Captain Smith, of the Rattler steam-vessel, and a
deputation from the Harwich Company, who have pur-
chased the four wooden steam-vessels, Adder, Dotterel,
Otter, and Zephyr, and the Torch and Myrmidon steam-
vessels, visited Woolwich Dockyard on Friday for the
purpose of inspecting them. It is said they have been
sold to the company for 24,0001.
Six men have been dismissed from the factory depart-
ment during the last week for idling at the time they should
have been working, and one boy for having a tobacco
pipe in his pocket, the strictest injunctions having been
previously issued against taking tobacco pipes into the
yard on any pretence whatever.

BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.--The ordinary
meeting was held on Friday at the Society's Rooms,
20, Bedford-street, Strand, J. Reynolds, Esq., treasurer,
in the chair. After the secretary had announced various
donations, Mr. A. llenfrey, F.L.S., communicated a paper
"On the Discrimination of Species." The author pro.
posed that specific characters of flowering plants could
be drawn exclusively from specimens presenting the
most perfect condition of the reproductive organs, whed
this has manifestly not been attained at the expense of
the leaves and other vegetative parts ; and that in very
critical genera the species should be cultivated under
conditions as varied as the plant will suffer, in order to
ascertain what parts are most constant in their character,
on which alone the distinction should be f,,unded.
FIRE NEAR THE SURREY THEATRE.—Last evening,
between seven and eight o'clock, as Police sergeants Goff and
Romaine were passing along the Surrey Circus, they disco-
vered smoke issuing from the upper part of the premises be-
longing to Mrs. Plaits, the Surrey oyster-rooms. An instant
alarm of fire was given, and one of the officers remained on
the spot, and prevented the crowd from forcing in the doors,
whilst the other started off to call the engines. In the course
of a few minutes the brigade and West of England engines
arrived, as well as the Royal Society's escape. An abundant
supply of water was immediately furnished by the Lambeth
Company, and three engines were forthwith set to work;
but the moment the door was opened to allow the hose of
the engines to be inserted, the flames rolled out in such a
huge body as to threaten the adjoining houses, and also the
theatre, with destructitn. The firemen, however, worked
most vigorously, and by following the flames up the stair-
case they succeeded in getting them eventually extinguished,
but not until they had extended from the basement to the
roof, and had done sonic considerable damage.
PLymoUTN, MARCH 4.—Wind S.S.W.—SId. Dorothea,
Adelaide; her Majesty's ship Ratler, Africa. The Eliza-
beth, Gurrcll, from Sunderland to iNew York, and which at-
rived here fat inst., has been laid on the mud to stop a leak.
The Arienisi which was on shore under the citadel, has been
floated off and taken to Frank's Quarry.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE
OF FRIDAY.
DIVIDENDS.
At the Court, Basinghall-street.
T. Williams and J. Waring, F,uchurch-street, tner•
chant, March 23, at eleven—J. Hunt, Horseferry-road
Westminster, builder, March 26, at half-past one—J
Haddock, Bury St. Edmund's, pawnbroker, March 23
at twelve.

In the Country.
T. Ives, Wakefield, dyer, March 27, at twelve, at the
Court, Leeds—G. Shardlow and J. Bradshaw, Stone,
Staffordshire, shoe manufacturers, March 29, at twelve,
at the Court, Birmingham—J. Bremner, W. Yates, and
A. Smith, Manchester, merchants, March 23, at twelve,
at the Court, Manchester—C. Mason, Manchester and
Longsigbt, paper manufacturer, March 23, at eleven, at
the Court, Manchester—J. Taylor, Hollinwood, .Lanca-
shire, rope manufacturer, March 23, at twelve, at the
Court, Manchester—T. Ashworth and M. S. Keywortb,
Manchester, common brewers, March 27, at twelve, at
the Court, Manchester—A. Walker, sen., Birmingham,
March 27, at ten, at the Court, Birmingham T.
Cooper, York, stock and share broker, March 23, at
eleven, at the Court, Leeds—W. Linley, Conisbrough,
Yorkshire, scythe and sickle.naanutacturer, March 24, at
ten, at the Council-hall, Sheffield—F. Kirkby, Leeds,
grocer, March 23, at eleven, at the Court, Leeds—R.
Macoun, Bolton, Lancashire, cotton spinner, March 13,
at twelve, at the Court, Manchester.
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS.
J. Clarke, R. Mitchell, J. Philip, and T. Smith, Lei-
cester, Lutterworth, and Melton Mowbray, Leicester-
shire, and Uppingham and Oukhaw, Itutlandshire,
bankers, Is. 61, to creditors whose names commence A
to C, on Monday, March 5; D to H, on Tuesday, March
6; I to 0, on Wednesday, March 7; P to 5, on Thurs-
day, March 8; T to Z, on Friday, March 9, at the Three
Crow❑s Inn, Leicester, or at the office of Mr. Christie,
Birmingham, on any subsequent Thursday, between
eleven and three.

W. Rolfe, Manchester, music seller, sid., on Tuesday,
March 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven
and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester.
J. Collins, Salford, Lancashire, common brewer, 4d.,
on Tuesday, March 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, be-
tween eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Man-
chester.

T. Bowser, Morpeth, linendraper, 16s. 6d., on new
proofs, on Saturday, March 3, or any subsequent Satur-
day, between ten and three, at the office of Mr. Baker,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
J. J. Ferens and R. Ferens, Durham, drapers, 4s. 6d.,
on new proofs, on Saturday, March 3, or any subsequent
Saturday, between ten and three, at the office of Mr.
Baker, Newcastle upon-Tyne.
W. Richardson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, glass manu-
facture;•, 6d. (in addition to 2s. 10d.), on Saturday,
March 3, or any subsequent Saturday, between ten and
three, at the office of Mr. Baker, Newcastle upon- T) ne.
E. Pearson, Norwich, modeller and plasterer. 35., on
Saturday, March 3, or three subsequent Saturdays, be-
tween eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Edwards,
Frederick's-place, Old Jewry.
Mary Elizabeth Bell and J. Bell, Finch-lane, Cornhill,

newsvenders, 16s. on neW proofs, on Saturday, March 3,
or three subsequent Saturdays between eleven and two, at
the office of Mr. Edwards, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry.
H. C. Brown, Winchester, builder, 2s. 9d, on Satur-
day, March 3, or three sub,equent Saturdays, between
eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Edwards, Fre-
derick's place, Old Jewry.
E. Smith, chide, Isle of Wight, brick and tile maker,
ls. 9d., on Saturday, March 3, or three subsequent
Saturdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr.
Edwards, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry.
NOTICES OF CERTIFICATES.
At the Court, Basinghall-street.
R. Dawson, Thornley, Cambridge, grocer, March 26,
at two—J. Slaney, Wellington-place, Hackney, cabinet
maker, March 26, at half-past twelve—J. J. Curtis,
Erith, hotel keeper, March 26, at halt-past eleven—F.
Batcheldor, Queenslsorough, Kent, straw dealer, March
23, at half-past eleven-I'. Hutchinson, Dover-road,
Surrey, lineudraper, March 24, at half-past one.
In the Country.
W. Shaw, jun., Salford, printer, March 26, at one,
at the Court, Manchester—W. B. Walters, Embsay
Yorkshire, cotton spinner, March 23, at eleven, at the
Court, Leeds J. Jackson, Clifford, Herefordshire,
farmer, April 4, at twelve, at the Court, Birmingham
—T. B. Jenks, Birmingham, jeweller, March 27, at
ten, at the Court, Birmingham—H. R. Benbow, March
27, at ten, at the Court, Birmingham—J. Scott,
Devonport, jeweller, March 27, at eleven, at the Court,
Exeter.

At the Court of Review, March 23.

W. Price, Strand, merchant—J. Roles, Maiden, Dor-
setshire, linen draper—J. Hall, jun., Shrewsbury, timber
merchant-11. lloldaway, Petersfield, Southampton,
brewer—J. Baines, Wbitchapel-road, baker—W. Stiles,
Lisle-street, Leicester-square, coppersmith—J. Walker,
Upper Seymour-street, Edgeware-road, hotel keeper—
J. Stevens, jun., Coalbournbrook, Staffordshire, glass
manufacturer—T. Coleby, Salford, Lancashire, cotton
spinner—J. M. Wathew, Nuneaton, Warwickshire,
brick maker—W. Bower, Wilmslow Chester, cotton
spinner—J. P. Durant, Plymouth, chemist.