The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18, 1847.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, SUNDAY.—The Statement of a Con-
temporary, that Captain Pasce, of the Victory, is ordered
" to enter 800 additional seamen on the books of that
ship," is not correct. Captain Pasco is merely ordered
to complete the complement of the Victory (700), and
not to enter one " additional" man. When men board
the Victory for entry, and Captain Pasco shows them
the Admiralty order, which renders men who enter that
ship liable to be draughted, without notice, into any
craft that may want hands, the men immediately decline
to enter, saying, " Oh, no, Sir ; I like to know who and
what I am likely to sail with ; general service won't do
for me." This fact is strikingly illustrated in a letter of
Nelson to his friend Captain Lockyer, in which he thus
expresses himself as to the practice of entering seamen
for " general service," which then existed:—" The dis-
gust of the seamen to the navy is all owing to the infer-
nal plan of turning them over from ship to ship, so that
men cannot be attached to their officers, or the officers
care twopence about them."
The Scourge steam-sloop, Commander J. C. Caffin,
left this afternoon for Bristol, to load with meal for
Ireland.

The Hecate steam-sloop, Commander West, arrived
at St. Helena on the Ist ult., from Kabenda.
The Mutine, 12, Commander Tryon, arrived in the
night at Spithead from her cruise down channel, whither
she was dispatched on the 4th to relieve the homeward
wind-bound traders with provisions and water. A court
martial is ordered upon her Seeond Lieutenant, Mr. T.
C. R. Gill, for alleged drunkenness.
The Geyser steam-sloop, Commander Brown, left to-
day for Ireland with meal, calling en route to render
what assistance she may be able to the Sphynx.
WOOLWICH, JAN. 16.—Rear-Admiral J. W. Deans
Dundas, C.B , and the Hon. William F. Cowper, Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, and Captain Ellice,
comptroller of steam machinery, returned in the Black
Eagle steam-vessel, from Sheerness, on Wednesday
afternoon, and landed at Woolwich Dockyard. The
Hon. Henry G. Ward, Secretary to the Admiralty, did
not join their Lordships at the ports visited, as was
expected.

The Centaur steam-frigate went down the river on
Saturday last to try her engines, and brought up. at
Greenhithe for the night. Early on Sunday morning
she proceeded to sea, and went to the northward as far
as the Maplin Sands, and near to the Mouse Light, pre-
vious to turning. Her engines (by Boulton, Watt, and
Co., worked remarkably well, and she acquired a speed
of ten knots per hour. She returned on Sunday after-
noon to her moorings at Woolwich. On Wednesday
she was taken to Deptford, to be laden with meal and
provision stores for Ireland.
The Tartarus steam-vessel has been refitted at Wool-
wich, and is now ready for sea. Forty seamen, from the
Excellent, came round from Portsmouth yesterday, to
navigate the Tartarus to Ireland, where her services are
required.
The Porcupine steam-vessel, Captain Bullock, left
Woolwich yestei day for Ireland, to convey meal and
provisions from one port to others in that country.
The Lightning steam-vessel, Master Commander
Petley, towed the Cockatrice victualling transport ship
from Woolwich to Sheerness yesterday.
The Avon steam-vessel, Commander Otter, was tried
down the river yesterday, having completed the refitting
she required on her return from the coast of Africa, and
was found to answer very well.
The Charon steam-vessel is to be undocked to-day,
and the Medea steam-vessel, Commander Graham E. W.
Hammond, will be taken out of the basin on Tuesday
next (to-morrow).
Major Pester's company of the. Royal Artillery, under
orders for Malta, and a large detachment to fill up the
companies at that station, were medically inspected at the
Ordnance Hospital on Tuesday morning last, and are ex-
pected to proceed by railway to Portsmouth, to embark
in the Atbol trotp-ship, Master Commander Pearn, for
conveyance to the Mediterranean.
Lieutenant-Colonel Coryton, of the Woolwich division
of Royal Marines, has been placed under orders to pro-
ceed to Spike Island, to take the command of the Royal
Marines in Ireland.

LOSS of her MAJESTY'S STEAMER