The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-28 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 27.—The following are the
results of the cruise of the Blenheim (74, reduced to
a 56, and equipped and stored as a steam guard-ship)
in the North Sea, from the Bth to the lath inst.,
under the superintending command of Captain Aus-
ten, the steam officer of Woolwich. Greatest speed
obtained, sailing and steaming c mbined, before a
single reef topsail and top-gallant breeze, 84 knots
per hour ; sailing alone, with the same breeze, 4i
knots. Greatest speed obtained under steam only,
but running before a moderate breeze, GI knots ; and
running against the same breeze, 51. Expenditure
of fuel, full steaming, 36 tons for 24 hours.
The Meeanee, 80, building in Bombay Dockyard,
we are informed by letters to the 11th of September,
has been attacked by that destructive insect the white
ant, and, although not seriously and irreparably
damaged, has been eaten away to such an extent as to
lead to the belief that had not the discovery of the
attack been made she would have been so much in-
jured as to have required a partial reconstruction. A
quantity of old canvas lying near the ship, and which
was found on moving it to be quite destroyed, led to the
ship being examined ; and fortunate it is she was ex-
amined, as a portion of her.under water inner planking
was found quite destroyed by the ravages of these
destructive insects. The brigs Jumna and Nerbudda
are free from the attack. Great progress was being
made at the above date in building the steam-vessel
in Bombay dockyard.
A short time since the Board of Ordnance, in con-
sequence of the increase of the fortifications, closed
the old sally port stairs, for many years used by the
licensed watermen of this port for embarking pas-
sengers to the ships at Spithead. A memorial having
been forwarded from the watermen to the board, com-
plaining of the serious injury to themselves and in-
convenience to the public (which was transmitted
through Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, the Governor
of the garrison), the board have replied, through his
Lordship, that they have favourably considered the
prayer of the petition, and will make the waterman a
new landing place close to the old one, which is in
course of construction, and will be opened for the use
of the public in a few days.
The Netley tender arrived last night from Devon-
port, with supernumeraries, principally newly entered
hands for the Asia, 84, fitting at Sheerness. These are
ordered to remain here until that ship arrives at Spit-
head. The Netley sailed for Devonport this afternoon
with supernumeraries for that port.
The Amphion, 36, Captain W. J. William, is or-
dered to take on board a quantity of stores for' the
squadron at Lisbon, immediately. It is not likely she
will sail before to-morrow.
The Bellerophon, 78, Captain R. L. Baynes, C. 8.,
had all her sails and stores, &c., hurried on board
this morning, in order that she might be taken from
the jetty to her hulk, the Victorious, to make room
for the Sidon steam-frigate to come alongside the
yard. Orders have been received to-day to expedite
the preparations on board the latter vessel for the
reception of the Earl of Dalhousie. These prepara-
tions had been previously suspended, but she is now
ordered to be ready by the Bth of November, and the
men are to work extra time to complete her, if ne-

cessary.
The Stad Von Amsterdam, Dutch Indiaman,
Captain Zodkiel, 890 tons, which was brought in
here in distress, from Havannah, sugar laden, in
August last, has had her repairs in the dockyard com-
pleted, under the superintendence of M. Vandenbergh,
Netherlands Vice-Consul, and will sail to-morrow for
Amsterdam.
Wind S.S.W., moderate breezes weather cloudy,
with light rain at times.

TRANSPORTATION.
(From the Launceston Examiner of March 31.)

Private Secretary's•office,
Government House, March, 1847

Sir,—l am directed by his Excellency to lay before
you a series of Questions on the subject of trans-
portation ; and to request that you would carefully
consider them, in connexion with such of the gentle-
men and others in your neighbourhood who are com-
petent to form opinions on the subject ; and that you
would return to me the Questions, with such Answers
as you may be able to give to them, as soon as possible.
His Excellency has thought it desirable to take
this mode of ascertaining the views of the inhabitants
of the colony on this very important question, in order
that he may be in a position to lay before the Secre-
tary of State a clear statement of the views and wishes
of the colonists on a subject, which, although of very
great importance as regards the welfare of the com-
munity, i 3 yet altogether unconnected with other
matters of public interest, and should, therefore, be
considered with reference only to its own merits.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) C. E. STANLEY
To

[QUESTIONS.]
1. Do you consider it desirable that the trans-
portation of convicts to this country should cease
al together ?
In considering this question, you must balance the
moral evil which you say, and which I am quite
prepared to believe, does result from the presence
among a limited, and comparatively speaking a con-
demed population, of a large number of convicted
felons, against the material advantages which you
have enjoyed from their presence, and which you
do to a certain extent still enjoy, in a reduced
cost of labour. Ido not mean that you are to
balance the pounds, shillings, and pence, which
you may individually or collectively gain or save
by the labour of the convict, against any amount
of moral evil, however small it may be ; but that
you must consider fairly whether greater evils
may not arise from the shock to society which a sud-
den cessation of the supply of labour may, and indeed
must cause, than can be considered essentially con-
nected with transportation under a proper system of
management.
You must consider whether, under the circum-
stances of the colony at present, you are in a position
to be able to raise the price of labour, so as to enable
you to hold out inducements to the labouring popu-
lation, whether bond or free, to remain with you in
preference to seeking another market in the neigh-
bouring colonies. You may fairly assume that, if you
do not raise the wages of labour to something near the
amount of those paid at Port Phillip and South Aus-
tralia, your best labourers and mechanics will flock to
those colonies, leaving only with you the aged and
infirm

2. If you think it desirable that convicts should
still continue to be transported to this colony but in
reduced numbers, what number should you consider
would be adequate to the wants of the country in order
to keep up a proper supply of labour ?
You must take into consideration, that a large
proportion of those convicts who will in the course
of a few years obtain conditional pardons will (should
the market for labour remain in its present state)
flock over to Melbourne or Adelaide ; and, therefore,
that the supply of men's labour will, in all probability,
he diminished by about 3,000 men annually for the
next two years.
The average duration of the sentences of convicts
appears to be about 74 years : if, therefore, any given
number of convicts are supposed to be landed in this
colony annually, by multiplying that amount
inby 71
you will arrive at about the number who, the
various capacities of probationers, passholders and
ticket-of-leave men, will be resident in the colony at
any given period.
3. You are requested to state what alterations in
the regulations respecting the hiring of passholders
arc desirable, with a view to rendering the labour of
the convict of more benefit to his employer, keeping
in view at the same time the necessity of encouraging
habits of industry, steadiness, and regularity of con-
duct in the convicts.

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF BLUES.—Last evening
the half-yearly meeting of the Benevolent Society of
Blues was held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-
street, for the purpose of electing three pensioners, and
transacting the general business. Thomas Hughes,
Esq., one of the Vice. Presidents, took the chair. Sarah
Spencer, John Willis, and Thomas Delafons, were de-
clared the successful candidates, and in accordance with
annual custom, each successful candidate was presented
with one sovereign from the funds of the institution.
The report of the directors, and a statement of ac-
counts, which showed a balance in the hands of the
treasurer, amounting to 1481. 18s. 7d., having been
read and adopted, Lieutenant-Colonel Pettingol was,
in accordance with the suggestion of the directors,
elected a vice-president. Mr. Perkins then moved that
in all cases of legacies bequeathed to the society, the
executor first named, or the acting executor, should en-
joy during his life, the same privileges in respect to
voting, as would belong to the testator, in respect to
such legacy, subject to such qualifications as might be
contained in the riles. The motion was seconded by
Mr. Webb, and carried. It appeared that the society
has distributed, during the period of its existence, in
gifts, loans, and pensions, upwards of 5,0001., and, in
addition, has funded more than 6,0001. Consols, the
dividends arising from which
havedeclining
ebled it to supply
the wants, and to soothe the
aged pensioners, of whom there are eof forty
nowars
eighteen
y
living. Votes of thanks were passed t o the
president,
secretary, and chairman,
after which the meeting
separated.

LEFT-BANDED GRATITUDE BY A PUBLIC COM-
PANY.—MOSE of our readers are aware of the great con-
venience afforded by a pier attached to Vauxhall-bridge
for steamboat passengers to land and embark. It has
been opened two years and a quarter, and in that time
has produced fifty per cent. profit upon the outlay or
cost of it. At the general meeting of the company in
May last, the gentleman who proposed, contrived, and
industriously attended to its construction was turned out
of the committee of directors in which he had been for
the last fiteen years, through the machination of a cabal
formed for that purpose. It remains to be seen whether
the next general meeting, convened for the 4th of
November, will confirm the above determination of the
last.