The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-11 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH', WEDNESDAY, Nov. 10.—The
greatest activity prevails in every department of this
dockyard to get through the large amount of work
which it is so pressing to have out of hand. We have
the Bellerophon, 78, fitting for conveyance of troops ;
the Birkenhead steam-frigate, fitting for like ser-
vice ; the Terrible steam-frigate, ditto ; the Retribu-
tion steam-frigate, fitting for service again; the Comet
steam-sloop, fitting for service on the Lisbon station;
the Fire Queen steam-yacht, fitting for service in the
Archipelago; the Tartarus steam-vessel, completing
for sea; the Prince Regent, two-decker, fitting for
commission ; the Ajax steam guard-ship, fitting for
service ; the Firefly steam-sloop, refitting for service,
&c. Total amount of tonnage, 12,829.
The Terrible steam-frigate was removed from her
rather awkward position in Clarence-creek last night ;
but the artisans had been unable to get at the damaged
part, owing to her not having been grounded high
enough. It was, therefore, necessary to lay her on
the ground again to-day, which has been accordingly
done, and she now lies nearly in the same position, but
a little further up the creek.
The Tartarus steam-vessel, Lieutenant Command-
ing Sir Godfrey 'Webster, went out of the harbour
to-day, and was paid wages in advance. She sails
this evening for Devonport, and thence for Malta.
The Belleisle troop-ship, Captain John Kingcombe,
arrived this afternoon from Quebec. She is ordered
to refit at Spithead immediately.
The Earl of Dalhousie, with his family and suite,
will embark to-morrow, at half past twelve, in the
Sidon, for Alexandria. A small steamer will take him
to Spithead.
The Asia has not arrived here as yet, though she is
expected every instant.
The Undine steam-yacht, Master Commanding
George Allen, returned last evening from Jersey.
Wind S.W., moderate breezes and fine weather.

Letters have been received from her Majesty's ships
Herald and Pandora, dated Guayaquil, September 16.
They left Callao on the 23d of July, and after calling
in at Payta on their way up, arrived at the River
Guayaquil on the 31st, and commenced their
survey at the island of Poonah. About 12 miles
up the river there is a bar, which can only be crossed
at the spring tides. The river is about a mile and a
half in width, very rapid and muddy, the banks of
,limy mud, dotted in every direction with alligators.
The ships continued moving up the river by six and
eight miles at a time, in order to allow of the boats
returning to the ship every night, as the mist and
smell would be highly injurious to the men if sleeping
in open boats. The scenery is very like that of the
rivers on the coast of Africa, and almost as productive
of fever. About ten miles below Guayaquil the river
is not more than half a mile wide, and the banks dense
mangrove swamps. All breezes are excluded, and
the air is insufferably hot, although it is now called
the " cool season." The town presented a very pretty
appearance at the time, being built on the bank of
the river, with windows all lighted up for the evening
visiting parties. A promenade runs the whole length
of the town between the houses and the river. The
officers of the ships received great attention and kind-
ness from the inhabitants. The town is chiefly built
of wood, and the French possess most of the retail trade.
Cocoa is shipped here in large quantities for Spain and
the United States. The water for the use of the
town is brought from a considerable di,tance up the
river, in earthern jars, from a hundred to a hundred
and fifty of which are packed on a bolso (logs ( f very
light wood lashed together with vine), and floated
down. The river opposite to the town is fresh at the
last of the ebb, but the water is considered unfit for
drinking, passing as it does through a mass of
poisonous mangroves. The mosquitoes are so trou-
blesome that the ships lying opposite to the town are
obliged to send their crews on shore at night. On
the 25th they had completed their survey, and de-
scended the river, and anchored on the 29th at
Poonah, outside the bar, where the captain and 60 of
the officers and men, in two divisions of three boats
each, proceeded to survey the island, which would
occupy them ten days. They expected to quit the
neighbourhood on the 16th, and proceed upwards to
Esmeraldez, so as to arrive at Panama about the end
of November, then returning southward to survey
from Point Garrachino to Cherambirar; then to the
Sandwich Islands in March, and to be at Mazatlan or
San Blas in June. They will then again proceed
northward, to the Gulf of California, and be again at
San Blas in November, 1848, when they expect to
receive orders for home.

The Pandora has been sent, by order of the Admi-
ralty, to the Gallepagos, to look after coal, as the
surgeon of a Yankee whaler had reported that he had
seen some in those islands. She had just returned
when our letters came away, but we are unable to
learn the re,ult of her visit. Saw-mills are rapidly
finding their way out here, so that a discovery of such
valuable mineral would be inestimable, when it-has
now to he brought across the Atlantic.
The Grampus, Collingwood, and Carysfort were at
Valparaiso on the 27th of August. The Constance is
daily expected to arrive there from the northward,
whither she hqd gone to collect freight.