The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-29 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PonTsat,,urrit, MAY 28.—Rear Admiral Sir Charles
Napier's squAron has commenced assembling at Spit-
head. The Howe, 120, the Terrible and Birkenhead
steam-frigates joined the St. Vincent this morning.
The Queen and Caledonia are hourly expected from
Plymout h.
The following ships and vessels will form the chief
members of Sir Charles Napier's squadron; the greater
number of them are already assembled at this port:—
Guns.
St. Vincent, Captain Milne, flag of Sir
Charles Napier, K.C.B. ..•
Howe, Captain Sir James Stirling
Caledonia, Captain Dixon •••
*Trafalgar, Captain Nott •••
Queen, Captain Sir H. Leeke ...
Vengeance, Captain Lushington
*Canopus, Captain Moresby •••
*Superb, Captain A. L. Corry ... •••
Amphion (300 horse-screw), Captain
Williams
Nautilus, Lieut.-Commander Rivers
STEAMERS.

120
120
Ifo
A. 120
110
84
84
80

Horse-power.
Terrible, Captain Ramsay ... 800
Odin, Captain the Hon. D. Pelham 560
Sidon, Captain Henderson ••• 560
Dragon, Captain Hall ... ... 560
Centaur (captain not appointed)... ... 540
Birkenhead, Commander Ingrain ... 500
Bulldog, Captain Kay ... ... 500
Gladiator, Captain Robb 430
Polyphemus, Commander M`Cleverty ... 200
Whether the ships marked thus (*), at present under
the command of Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker, will be
detached from their service in the Tagus to follow Sir C.
Napier, remains to be seen.
The Vengeance is on her way to this port and is
hourly expected from the West Indies. She will refit,
take in her lower deck guns, and equip for other than
troop service, placing herself under the orders of Sir
Charles Napier. The Odin is getting ready to join with
as much dispatch as possible, and the Centaur will be
put in commission in a day or two, and, if not ready to
join when the sailing orders arrive, will most probably
follow.
The squadron above enumerated comprises the finest
and best ships in the world, built on designs by the most
approved architects or after the most perfect models, the
St. Vincent, Howe, Caledonian, and Trafalgar having
been built be the late Sir William Rule, the latter im-
proved by Mr. Lang; the Queen, the Superb, Centaur,
Gladiator, Bulldog, and Polyphemus, by the Surveyor
of the Navy; the Vengeance and Amphion by Seppings;
the Terrible by Lang; the Sidon by Sir C. Napier; and
the Birkenhead by Laird.
The squadron will victual here, which will be a source
of considerable benefit to the tradesmen of the locality
and the watermen, who invariably reap a rich harvest
from the traffic carried on with the shore; the latter es-
pecially, on account of the vast number of visitors who
flock from the metropolis and other places to visit the
" wooden walls of old England."
We are informed that Lord Frederick Fitzclarence,
Lieutenant- Governor of Portsmouth and Commander-in-
Chief of the South •West District, contemplates having
the quarters of the various troops in this garrison
cleansed and repaired next month, pending which pro-
ceedings the troops will all be encamped on Southsea-
common. Should this prove correct (and we have no
reason to doubt it at present, the military and marine
quarters being alike destitute of comfort and cleanliness),
the spectacle will be one of the most imposing and gra-
tifying ever exhibited on our shores. A large fleet at
Spithead and a small army encamped under the walls
will give Portsmouth the appearance of a citadel block-
aded by sea and besieged by land, the draw-bridges
being drawn up and the moats filled, serving to assist
the illusion.
Ia the above list we have enumerated the ships and
steamers actually under the orders of Sir Charles Napier,
and those most likely to be placed under his command,
and taken as a whole will, we doubt not, be found ulti-
mately correct.
Rear-Admiral of the Blue, W. H. Shirreff, late Captain-
Superintendent of Chatham Dockyard, is named amongst
others as most likely to succeed Rear-Admiral Sir George
Seymour, C. 8., K.G.H., in the chief command on the
Pacific station, and to hoist his flag in the Asia, 84, at
Sheerness.
Admiral Sir John West, K.C.8., Commander in Chief
at Devonport, will give a sumptuous and brilliant enter-
tainment at his official mansion on Tuesday next, to
commemorate Howe's victory of the " glorious Ist of
June;" Sir John being one of the few remaining officers
who shared in the glories of that memorable day, having
been a lieutenant of the Royal George, 100, the flag-
ship of Vice-Admiral Sir A. Wood, K. 8., second in
command on that occasion.

CHATHAM, MAY 28.—The Cleopatra, 26 guns, in
dof•k for the purpose of making good defects, for re-
commis,ion, has been surveyed, and it is reported that it
will require an outlay of 15,000/. to put her in a state fit
for service.
s.

The Aid, Smallman, master, sailed on the 27th inst'
with stores for Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Pembroke
yards.
The Rochester, Sedgwick master, arrived on the 24th
instant with stores from Woolwich; and the Goodwill,
Pledge master, arrived on the 27th from Sheerness.
The arms and accoutrements for the dockyard batta-
lion have been received, and every man is drilled three
times a week. The pay of a private is 6d. per hour; that
of a corporal 7d.; and a sergeant Bd. The drilling goes
on very pleasantly, and the men are making great
pr((gress.
Mr J. Cockle, shipwright, is appointed modeller, vice
Netherwood, appointed inspector at. Portsmouth.

RAILWAY RETURNS.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC.—The following are the Total Receipts of Rail
ways for the past week—that is to say, up to the date to which the
respective returns are made, together with the receipts of the same
week in the previous year:—

•Cf
Week
Last ci,: ui
4)
ending NAME OF RAILWAY. week. . ••, '''
co
';.O
C.) E
..------ --------------------, .---- -.----
X X
May 23 Amiens and Boulogne ...............523 -
22 Arbroath and Fortar •••••••• • • • • • •• 161 19-i
21 Chester and Birkenhead .•••••• • • • • • • 689 592
20 Dublin and Drogheda• ••••••• • • • • • " 865 759
25 Dublin and Kingstown .•••••• • • • • • " 9`4 963
23 Dundee and Arbroath. •••••••• • • • • • • 322 272
22 Edinburgh and Glasgow .••••• • • . • • • 3,501• 3,328
23 Eastern Counties and North Eastern- 11,590 8,570
- East Lancashire •• • • ... ••••••• •• • • • • - -
16 Eastern Union ••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • 554 -
22 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr ••• • • • 2,511 2,186
22 Glasgow and Greenock ••••••• • • .• .. 1,173 1,040
- Gravesend and Rochester •••••• • • • • • • - -
22 Great Southern and Western •••• • • .• 1,510 -
23 Great Western, &c •• • •
16 Ipswich and Bury ..... ••••••• - - - - • • • 446 -
21 Lancaster and Carlisle ••••••• • • • • • •• 1,177 -
22 London and North Western, &c.... - . 413:777224 3579;0890040f:
23 London and Biackwan.... ....... ... 1,296 1.131
22 London and Brighton ...
23 London and South Western
22 Manchester, Leeds, and Hull Assoc .• 8,514 7,971
22 Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoinstilro 2,126 1,619
22 Maryport and Carlisle ••••••• • • • • • • . 710 493
22 Midland, Bristol, and Birmingham.. • • 20,986 16,060
22 Newcastle and Carlisle.... • • •....... 2,338 1,934
22 Newcastle, Berwick, and North Shields 728 503
23 Norfolk.. • • ... ...... ... •• ..... ..... 1,935 1.304
22 North British .. •• .... ..... ... ••.• .. 1,731
22 Parts and Rouen ..•.•- •. - ........ 8,254 5,947
- Preston and Wyre•• •••••••••• •• •• •• - 702
22 Rouen and Havre .. ••••••• • - - - .. 2,850 -
21 Shrewsbury and Chester -
22 South Eastern and Branches •••• • • .. 8,274 7,102
21 South Devon .• ••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • . 1,149 -
22 Tat! Vale ••••••••••••• • - •• • • • • • • • • 1,367 1,223
23 Ulster. •••••• • • • • • .
20 Whitchaven Junction .• •• • -
22 York and Newcastle .•••••• • • - - •• 8.463 6,739
22 York and North 3•Uffim___x..l:..'.. 3,603 -

---
HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL—The petition to liar-
liatnent, in favour of the Government Sanatory Bill,
ththeer
froTe mv,
et h tmo
is
soife
eCeor es
and h a
as
lbaeregne signednumber byniTtlllieteo
of
inhabitants, and the county Member is to be requested
t
to present it, and support its prayer. The Government
is n
doing its
moreits part;
nmrte;anpdlaitfn ofthe the badness of thepeopledonotdothedirrsaag
theirs, they
m
or the want of water. • ds at the
THE POTATO BLIGHT.--The piercing win
latter part of last week cut up the growing crops in the
low grounds round Newport and Carisbrook, and put on
them all the appearance of their old enemy—the potato_
blight. The gardeners all were frightened; some of
them still will have it that the potatoes were struck on
Thursday and Friday mornings; others say it was a
frost; but certain it is they are fast recovering, and that
the potatoes all over the island never gave promise of a
finer crop. Every description of grain and grass looks
well; the weather is everyti ing that could be wished, and
there is more corn in rick and store than the holders are
willing to acknowledge; many who could hardly be
spoken to a week since are now running about with their
samples, anxious to sell.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.—On Tuesday, about 80 of
these aspirants to fame, having completed their reform-
atory education, received a conditional pardon, and were
sent from i'arkhurst Prison, and embarked in the John
Somes, for conveyance to Hobart Town. They all go
out as free settlers, and having a knowledge of various
trades, may yet become good mi tubers of society. They
marched down in good order, and were under no guard
or retraint excepting the two wardens.
i
sao„
dAe
oeJi
hiatamil,,edssiisiNtlVienehg
uitthiesaisitied,tieimh,
ieQnfsbeeeli.fn, in etinhle Irishpart beecatarrrirsustseo
afr
sBtwhoa.tt4e,
wh
of health, has now returned from Italy, after an absence of
nearly two years. The Learned Gentleman's health is, we
are happy to hear, restored; and it is hoped he will be able to
resume his place in that profession of which he has been so
distinguished
iNanßorEncaKmEeTnTt.._
The health of the Right
lion. Baronet, we understand, continues to decline, notwith-
standing his removal from his re:Wei:to in London to the
ealubliQua air of Beglitvu.