The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-12 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

Captain Lord John Hay, C. 8., returns to the Ad-
miralty this day, from three weeks' absence at
Ramsgate.
Rear-Admiral Ralph Randolph Wormeley, who
obtains his promotion by the death of Sir Edward
Owen, was born on the 29th October, 1786, in Vir-
ginia, where his family, both on his father's and
his mother's side, had been seated since the period
nearly at which that colony was established. His
maternal grandfather, John Randolph, was attor-
ney general at the commencement of the war of
independence, and was under the necessity of
flying to England, with the loss of a fine property,
of which he and his ancestors had been in pos-
session for 150 years. Captain Wormeley had an
uncle of his own name, who served with distinction in
the southern campaign as captain of one of the loyal
American corps. This officer entered the navy, 30th
October, 1799, as miishipman, on board the London,
98, in which ship, and the Royal George, 100, both
commanded by the late Admiral John Child Purvis, he
served in the Channel until March, 1801. He
was afterwards, until promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant, 22k1 of January, 1806, employed on
the Home, Newfoundland, and Cadiz stations,
part of the time as master's mate, in the
Magicienne, 38, Captains William Ogilvie and
Henry Vansittart; Aurora, 28, Captain Micaiah
Malbon ; Dreadnought, 98, Captain J. C. Purvis;
and Prince of Wales, 98, flag-ship of Sir Robert
Calder. In the Prince of Wales he saw 52 sail-of-
the•line formed in three columns off Ushant ; and he
was on board of her when, with twenty of those
ships, she was detached in pursuit of the French
fleet under Admiral Villeneuve, and succeeded in
reaching Cadiz in time to reinforce Admiral
Collingwood before the battle of Trafalgar. After
cruising for a short time in the Downs in the Otter
sloop, Capt. J. Davies, -Mr. Wormeley was appointed
in June, 1806, flag lieutenant to Rear-Admiral
Purvis, with whom (deducting an interval of five
months in 1807-8, occasioned by ill health) he con-
tinued employed off Cadiz in the Minotaur, 74;
Queen, 98 ; Atlas, 74 ; Terrible, 74 ; and Atlas
again, untirnominated, 22d November, 1809, acting
commander of the Minstrel, 18, in the Mediterranean.
While he was in the Atlas, that ship was for six,
eight, ten, and twelve months at a time off the port
mentioned without letting go an anchor. On one
occasion, when the French army was rapidly
advancing upon Cadiz, Mr. Wormeley was sent with
three hundred and fifty men to the Caraccas, to rig and
rescue from their grasp five Spanish ships of the line.
This service he accomplished in three weeks, and for
his exertions he received the thanks of Lord Coiling-
wood. On February 16, 1810, he was confirmed a
commander in the Minorca, 18, in which vessel,
stationed in the Mediterranean, he remained for up-
wards of four years, conducting himself in a manner
that secured for him the favourable consideration of
his commanders-in-chief, Sir Edward Pellew and
Sir Charles Cotton. In the winter of 1813 14 he
escorted in safety from Malta to Gibraltar, although
harassed for three days by the presence of a
French privateer schooner, a convoy of 18 sail, one
of the richest that had ever left the above island.
Another convoy, which had left a month earlier,
reached Gibraltar on the same day only. Captain
Wormeley had previously, June 4, 1810, captured
the Sans Peur, a felucca-privateer of one long gun,
two swivels, and 39 men. He paid the Minorca off
in May, 1814, and was advanced to post rank 7th of
June following. His efforts to procure employment
since have been as constant as they have been un-
availing. Captain Wormeley married 3d October,
1820, Miss Caroline Preble, of Boston, and has issue
one son and three daughters.— OTyrne's Naval
Biography.
The Hibernia, 104, having had her ordinary fittings
completed, has been towed from the dockyard jetty to
her moorings in Devonport harbour.

The Bachante, frigate, recently arrived at Chatham
from Standgate Creek, is being surveyed to ascertain
her condition.

The Wanderer, 12, and Childers' 12, are to be
taken into dock at Chatham when the Daring, 12,
goes out, to have their defects made good.
The Seagull, 6, picket-brig, Lieut.-Commander
Smail, arrived at Devonport, from Falmouth, on
Monday, to refit.
The Spiteful, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Car-
michael, was commissioned at Devonport on Monday,
by Lieutenant F. A. Herbert.
The Pigmy steam vessel is employed carrying the
mast, geer, btc., at Chatham yard, for the Phaeton, at
Sheerness.
DOCKYARD.—Mr. Hebby, measurer at Chatham, is
ordered to be removed as such to Portsmouth-yard, at
his own request, vice D. Harding, promoted. His
removal will cause a vacancy for a measurer in Chat-
ham-yard.
and
dter putting a long
b
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Hercules store-
ship, 72, arrivedhaetreSpfriothmeadthtohisTmhaomrneisn, morning,
struggloncee
to get
disabled, which seems extraordinary
seamanship when Green's ships and American packets
can make the passage with certainty in spite of a
little adverse wind and weather.
The Serpent, 12, Commander Barber, was removed
from the dock to the basin last night, after having her
copper examined, and the Leander, SO, Captain Dacres.
was docked in her room to undergo a similar inspection.
Both ships are progressing as fast as can be expected
with their rigging and manning. The Leander has
her topmast pointed and her topmast rigging over the
mastheads. The Serpent is all ataunto, and is rat-
tling down. The Scourge (Commander Lord F. H.
Kerr) is masted, and has her foretopmast pointed.
In so heavy a ship as the Leander, with her number
of large shell-guns, a number of marine artillerymen
ought to be provided (at last forty) to work them.
The usual crew will find quite enough to do to work
the residue of the armament and the ship.
Captain Charles Hope and Captain Sir Frederick
Nicolson, Bart., are each named as likely to commis.
sion the Terrible, at Woolwich, when ready.
Wind north-east, fresh breezes and cloudy weather.
PLYMOUTH, OCT. 11.—Her Majesty's steam-vessel
Spiteful was put in commission yesterday by Lieu-
tenant Herbert.

Her Majesty's packet-brig Seagull arrived on
Tuesday from Falmouth and went up harbour' to refit.
New masts and bowsprit were yesterday fitted to
the merchant schooner Eliza, which was dams rci by
her Majesty's 'team-vessel Wow.