The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-31 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 30.—0 n the 31st inst. all the
-cmsphore or telegraph stations, from the Admiralty
Whitehall to this dockyard, will be closed and
their occupants discharged, the masts of the tele-
graphs being housed in for the future. Such is the
nature of an Admiralty order some time since issued
and at present in force.
The case of the semaphore officer is a hard one.
The semaphore has been the borne of many a veteran
,ieutenant, the last berth to be given—the very last
to be asked or accepted as long as a spark of hose
remained of obtaining anything better, but now even
this resource is no longer available. The following
list shows the names, dates of commission as lieu-
tenants, at what semaphore employed, and the date\of
appointment thereto of those thus engaged, by whilt
it will be seen that there is reason a "tra;l‹ for ta
complaint :
Lieutenant William V. Lee, Chelsea station ;^ds.4
of commission Oct. 27, 1827 ; date of appointrhent
June 20, 1844.
Lieutenant Lardner Dennys, Putney station ; dats
j;,iarfch 6
commissionllB47.
Feb. 6, 1812 ; date of appointment
Lieutenant William H. Dixon, Kingston station;
date of commission May 25, 1807; date of appoit-
station ; -date of commission Feb. 17, 1815 ; date of
meLniteNutoevn.anits,TlhBo4mla.
s Wright, Esher (Cooper's Hill)
appointment June 20, 1844.
Lieutenant Edward Robinson, Cobham station ;
(late of commission April 15, 1813; date of appoint.
meat May 5, 1847.
Lieutenant James road, Pewly Hill station ; dat*
of commission Aug. 24, 1812 ; date of appointment
Nov. 25, 1841.

,r.nett4erearge_ Murton, Godalming station ;
date of commission April 15, 1813 ; date of appoint•
--t July 28, 1838.
Joseph Williams, Haslemere station ;
- Nov. 17, 1807; date of appoint-
date of commission _
went March 22, 1847. 'burst station ; date
Lleutenant Thomas Hills, kit, e appointment
of commission Nov. 7, 1806 ; date a.
Nov. 25, 1841.
Lieutenant Henry Garrett, Petersfield statio:i;
date of commission Aug. 21, 1809 ; date of appoint-.
went Dec. 8, 1841.
Lieutenant George Fraser, Petersfield (Compton
Down) station ; date of commission Nov. 1, 1821 ;
date of appointment Nov. 30, 1839.
Lieutenant John Wildey, Bedhampton station; date
of commission Feb. 21, 1817 ; date of appointment
Oct. 16, 1841.
Lieutenant George Williamson, Portsmouth station;
date of commission April 10, 1807; date of appoint-
ment March 10, 1842.
Four of the above are Trafalgar men ; one was in
Hotham's action of 1795 ; one was a mate in Sir
Richard Strachan's actions in 1805 ; one was a Lieu-
tenant of the Denmark in the Walcheren expedition ;
one lost a leg at Navarino ; and all the others have
distinguished themselves in their country's service.
We are all aware of the proneness to derangement
of the electric mode of communication, and its ser-
vices have not been available on some of the most
portant and interesting occasions. What, for instance,
would be easier than for any evil disposed person to
cut the wires of the electric telegraph in any obscure
place on this line ? The means of communication
would be at once annihilated, and a considerable space
of time lost in repairing the damage. Such mischief
as this could not be perpetrated upon the semaphore;
there the Government had an exclusive anct ..cafe, as
well as speedy means of communicating their Om;
wands or instructions always at their own disposak•
It will now be dependent on the fallibility of the
electric mode, for the officers and men of the semaphores
once discharged, those heretofore valuable appliances
to the sources of speedy intelligence cannot be
worked again without a complete reorganization of
the system of instruction, as it takes years to
thoroughly comprehend the vocabulary of figures b%
means of which all the Government notifications are
made. Many of the assistants to lieutenants in the
semaphores have been upwards of a quarter of a eerie
tury acquiring and practising their duties. It will
therefore be no easy task to resuscitate a 'system such
as this, if once allowed to lapse into desuetude. At
all events, whatever may be the resolution of the
Adrniarlty with regard to the disposal of the stations
and the telegraphs, we trust those who have hitherto
looked to them as their last resource will receive some
" consideration" for the less of their appointments,
..specially those who, from the shortness of their
tenure or other ill luck, may more particularly have
deserved compensation.
The Cygnet brigantine will sail on Saturday, after
post time, for the coast of Africa station. She takes
out mails for Madeira, St. Jago (Cape Verds), Sierra
Leone, Ascension, and St. Helena ; also 10,000/. in
small specie to the latter island.

Wind N.N.W., moderate breezes, and hazy wea-
;her-5 P.M.

PLYMOUTH, DEC. 29.—The schooner Undine, Cap-
rain Stribling, of Limerick, bound therefrom to
London, came in yesterday, having on board Captain
Conolley, formerly master of the brig Mary Anne, of
Greenock, and three Irish pilots belonging to Lough
Swilly, viz., Stephen Ferry, John Doughley, and
John Ward. These four persons were on board the
brig Mcry Anne, Captain Leitch, lying in the outer
harbour of Lough Swilly, when, on the 14th instant,
a violent storm arose from south-west, which caused
her to part both anchors and cables, and drove the
ship to sea. The pilot's boat, with a quantity of fish
in her, was swamped, and went down alongside the
brig. No doubt the relatives consider the pilots
drowned. On the 19th, the Mary Anne fell in with
the Undine, and placed the four on board the schooner.
The Mary Anne pursued her voyage to Trinidad, in
the West Indies. At that time the Undine was near
the south coast of Ireland, but she has experienced
very heavy weather, lost sails, &c., and has been com-
pelled to put in here.