The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-31 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, SUNDAY.
The steam-frigate Avenger, Captain S. C. Dacres, is
ordered to be attached to Sir Charles Napier's squadron.
Sir Charles will ultimately shift his flag from the St.
Vincent to the Vengeance, 84, Captain Stephen Lush-
ington, on that ship's refitment for sea service.
The steam-sloop Geyser, Commander Brown, left this
harbour direct for Lisbon at eight o'clock on Friday
night, with a large amount of shot, live-shell, and other
ammunition, as well as a good cargo of stores, for Sir
W. Parker's squadron. She also took out dispatches
for the British Minister and Sir William Parker.
The next intelligence from Portugal is very anxiously
looked for.

The Prince of Wales Indiaman, Captain Hoskins,
passed this port this morning for London from Calcutta
—only 93 days at sea. We give her Cape news else-
where. Bear-Admiral Dacree, the Commander-in•
Chief on the Cape station, in the President, 50, Cap-
tail) Stanley, was in Simon's Bay on the 6th of April,
with the Rattlesnake, surveying-ship. Captain Owen
Stanley, and the Nimrod, 20, Commander Dacres, ail
well.

PENANG, APRIL 3.
On Monday forenoon the Vernon, 50, Captain Fitz-
gerald, flag of Rear-Admiral Ingleficd, Comn3ander-in-
,
Ghtef on the East India station, and the Acorn, 16,
Commander Bingham, were signalled from the Great
Hill, coming in to the northward. The Vernon turned
the Pulo Tricoose point just at sunset, and saluted the
Agincourt, 72, flag of Rear-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane,
whose term of service has expired, which the latter re-
turned next morning. On Tuesday morning Admiral
Inglefield proceeded to the Government bungalow, on
the Great Hill, where Admiral Cochrane is at present
residing. The Iris, 26; Captain Munday, is reported to
sail for England on Tuesday next.
The Vernon, and Dido, 20, Captain Maxwell, were at
Penang on the 11th of April, the latter about proceeding
to New Zealand ; the Agincourt, 72, Captain Johnstone,
for England ; the Daedalus, 20, Captain Quhae, for
Hong-kong ; the Wolf, 18, acting Commander Vansit-
tart, for Lebuan ; and the Acorn, 16, Commander
Bingham, together with the Hon. Company's steam-
sloops Nemesia and Ganges, were in port also at Penang
on the 11th of April.
The Vestal, 26, Captain C. Talbot, sailed from China
for England on the 4th of March, leaving the Vulture
steam-frigate, Captain M'Dougal, senior officer's ship, at
Hong-kong until the arrival of Admiral Inglefield, when
she will be stationed at Wampoa.
The Espiegle, 12, Commander Harris, by the latest
advices, was to proceed from Hong-kung to Ningpo,
after undergoing certain repairs ; tho Childers, 16,
Commander Pitman, was to proceed to Shaughae ;
the Ringdove, 16, Commander Clifford, to Amoy ;
and the Scout, 16, Commander Loring, to Foochow-
foo; the last named vessel has captured 39 of the pirates
who had been committing so many erutl murders and
depredations, the boldness with which they perpetrate
which may be judged of from the fact that they do not
scruple to openly attack a man of-war.
The surveying schooner Young Hebe (ordered to be
sold out of ber Majesty's service), whilst at Hong-kong
under repair and opposite the moorings of the Vestal, 26,
was boarded by a pirate boat's crew of nearly 30 men,
and was completely gutted. It is said the Scout is to he
sent to track the pirates.
The Dee steam-transport, Master Commander Driver,
arrived yesterday morning from Ireland.
The King's bastion, on which floats the flag, forming
the principal battery, commanding the entrance to this
harbour, on which are mounted two 13-inch mortars,
ten king 32 pounders, and two 24-pounders, having until
recently only a breastwork of 21 &et in height, con-
sequently affording no protection for the men serving
the guns, supposing an enemy afloat attacked them, is
being altered, and high works thrown up round the sea-
ward side, with deep embrazures for the guns, similar to
the new battery called the King's Ravelin, outside the

The Birkenhead, iron steam-transport, Commander
A. H. Ingram, came into harbour yesterday
.to complete
fuel and have some defects made good.
The Terrible steam-frigate, Captain W. Ramsay, has
had her coals completed at Spithead, from lighters towed
by the Myrtle steam-vessal , When will the Admiralty,
learning wisdom
~by experience, station a coal depot at
Spithead?
The Odin steam-frigate was commissioned yesterday
by Captain the lion. F. T. Pelham, a brother of the Earl
of Chichester, the same officer who temporarily assumed
the command of the Black Eagle for the purpose of
bringing the Grand Duke Constantine to this country.
Rear-Admiral H. Parker, C. 8., having gone on leave
for a fortnight, his flag was struck at sunset last night on
board the Excellent. The duties of the ordinary will
be performed, in his absence, by Captain Pasco, of the
Victory; those of the dockyard, by Mr. C. Brown, chief
Master-Attendant.

The following are the promotions and appointments
fur the past week:—

PROMOTIONS.
Mate—Edward A. Racket (18.15) to the rank of
Lieutenant.

APPOINTMENTS.

Captain—• Edward N. Trowbridge, to study at the
steam-factory, Woolwich.
Commander—Alfred Phillips Ryder, to the Vixen.
Lieutenants—Edward Kelly, to be Harbour-Master
for the Island of Mauritius; Augustus C. Hobart, to
command the two gun-boats fitting at Corr(' for the
protection of the .fruit and other vessels from pirates
in the waters of the lonian Island; C. J. I'. Glinn, and
Douglas Herbert, to the Odin; Richard M'Kinley Rich-
ardson, to the Ocean, to do duty in the Fearless.
Master—J. R. Aylen, to the Odin.

Paymaster and Purser—George Hickman (acting), of
the Pantaloon, to be secretary to Commodore Sir Charles
Hotham; John Brickwood, to the Odin.
Chaplain—David Carson, to the St. Vincent.
Naval Instructor—Mr. Turmine, to the Victory.
Second Master—G. L. Carr, in charge, to the Se-
ringapatam; receiving depot at Slieernes, for foreign
service.

Clerk—R. W. Warwick, in charobv, to the Adventure
transport, to be stationed at Black Sod Bay, Ireland, as
a receiving ship; G. W. Webb, to the Odin; H. W.
Death, to the Bulldog.
Assistant-Surgeons—R. Vinigle, H. French, and T.
B. Purchas, to the President.
Midshipmen—J. T. M. Nicholl, to the Shesrwater;
Henry F. Stelling, to the Howe.
Naval Cadets—George T. Gordon, to the Spartan;
Mr. Poole, to the Queen; C. Smith, to the Howe.
Masters' Assistants—O. F. Clemenson, to the Ocean;
B. D. Connor, to the Caledonia; D. Spears and H. V.
Beatson, to the Seringapatam; J. Hitching, Acting
Second Master, to the St. Vincent; Cronin, to the
Howe.
Coast Guard—Lieutenant Arthur John Molesworih,
Royal Marines,
.to be in command of the Winchilsea
Station, vice Mr. Campbell John Pegus, Royal Marines,
previously removed.
WooLwron, MAY 29.—The Cyclops war-steamer, be-
longing to his Majesty the King of the Netherlands,
which conveyed to England the Hereditary Grand Duke
and Duchess of Saxe Weimar, left Woolwich on Wed-
nesday to return to Rotterdam.
The Vixen steam-vessel having undergone a complete
refit at Woolwich, has been commissioned by Comman-
der Ryder, who recently studied at the factory in
Woolwich Do.kyard. The Vixen is to have a crew of
160 men.
The Growler steam-vessel, Commander Potbury, is
now ready for sea, and will leave Woolwich on Tuesday
next, for the coast of Africa, to be employed in the
conveyance of free blacks to several of tho West Indian
islands.
__ _ _ _

The Atholl troop-ship, Master Commander ream,
left this morning for Sheerness and Cork. It was ex-
pected two companies of the Royal Artillery would have
embarked in her for Ceylon, and they were medically
inspected at the Ordnance Hospital last week, prepara-
tory to embarkation, but they will now proceed to their
destination in another vessel, the Athol'. being required
to take on board troops at Cork.
The Barretto Junior, No. 23 transport ship, passe;'.
Woolwich to-day from Deptford, on kvoyage to Malta,
with stores, &c.
The Falmouth left Deptford and Woolwich to-day,
for Portsmouth. _ _

The Sinbad arrived at Woolwich yesterday, from I

coast of Ireland.

The Dockyard Battalion—Six companies of volunteers
of the workmen in Woolwich Dockyard have now been

formed, and assemble: every evening of the we, k days
for drill. The large space of ground formerly us( d,
near the principal offices, for a depository of anchor:,
63 been cleared and macadamized, and forms a spacious
and highly eligible parade-ground. Muskets, of an ex-
cellent description, havo been forwarded from the Tower
for the use of the battalion. The muskets have per-
cussion locks, and appear of a very substantial con-
struction.

]DUCHY
oy al HRY OF
CORNWALL COURT.
I li-hreqs PRINCE ALBERT presiding.)
fe of Warden of the Duchy of oowaii,
his Royal Highness Prince Actlb_ert,in
virOtune
Council Chamber of the Privy Council
held a court in the
Soaftuhrisdaofy
lc
Office Downing-street. Besides his Royal Highness,
the Court consisted of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Lyio-
burst, and another Learned Lord. The case under con-
sideration was that of
BASSETT V. REYNOLDS.
This case involved the ownership of sixteen shares in
a certain mine in Cornwall. The mine was divided into
shares, and it was alleged on the one hand that Mr. J.
Basset deceased had purchased these shares, and an
entry to this effect was found in the books of
the mine. The entry was, however, erased (not in
such a manner as to obliterate what had been written,
nor did it appear that intention of the kind
had existed), and it was contended on the part
of Mr. Reynolds that the entry was not of any validity
as a proof of the shares being Mr. Bassett's, or that
if they had been his, they had been re• transferred back
to Mr. Reynolds, of whom the entry and allegation
stated that Mr. Bassett had purchased them. In sup-
port of the assertion it was said that subsequently to
Mr. Bassett's death Mr. Reynolds continued for some
years to pay the losses attendant upon those shares,
which at that time wero considerable, and which he cer-
tainly would not have done if he had not known that
they were his, and had hoped to reap advantage from
them should they at any time, as had since become the
case, prove a source of profit. A trial before a jury had
taken place under these circumstances, at which, how-
ever, the shares were decided to be the properity of Mr.
Bassett, or his heirs and assignees. The present was
an appeal against the verdict of this jury.
The LORD CHANCELLOR summed up the facts awl ar-
guments of the case, and
His ROYAL HIGHNESS delivered the judgment of the
Court, which confirmed the decision of the lower Court
with costs.

Mr. Hudson, M.P., had an interview with the Right
Hon. E. Strutt on Saturday.

THE TRIPLE MURDER AT MIR-
FIELD.
The prisoners Michael M'Cabe and Patrick Reid,
underwent a long examination before the magistrates at
Dewsbury on Saturday. About nine o'clock the pri.
soners arrived in Dewsbury from Wakefield, in the
police van, and at ten o'clock were placed at the bat of
the magistrates' room, in the Court-house. Some time
before the hour named fur the examination a large
concourse of persons had assembled in the vicinity of the
Court-house. Joshua Ingham, Esq , H. W. Wickham,
Esq., J. B. Greenwood, Esq., and J. Hague, Esq., were
the magistrates upon the bench. Mr. Belson, solicitor/
of Middleton, near Manchester, appeared for the prisoner
Patrick Reid; and Mr. Watts, solicitor, of Dewsbuil,
appeared on behalf of M'Cabe. Both the priecel
throughout the examination appeared quite cool and ao
lected, and paid great attention to the evidence.
Evidence of similar purport to that given before the
coroner having been adduced,
Mr. INGHAM asked it there were any more witness.:
to produce today?—Superintendent Green replied tbs
there was no further evidence at that time, but be b
bee
lieved that in a week, or at furthest a fortnight;
should be in a position to adduce further evidence.
Mr. INGnam thought a fortnight too long.
Mr. Hensall (Mr. Watts having declined to say any
thir, on behalf of M'Cabe), then addressed the bench for
._
Reid'. He said the liberty of his client was of course ins the
hands of the bench, but in so saying he was fully satisfied!
that the magistrates would take a fair and most prope..
view of the whole circumstances. Whatever suspicion ate
tached to the other prisoner, he contended that
one,
attached to his client. Between the two prisoners there
was a wonderful distinction in this respect. With regao
to what had been stated about the prisoner being ne_ e
the premises of the murdered persons on the day of the
diabolical outrage, he would submit to the bench "I
there was nothing in that. Both men were hawkers,
and both followed their avocations in that neigh
hood, and called at every house in the place. It ?
never been shown that the two prisoners were sequin
antes. That was an important fact, because he cant!:
confessed that if it could have been shown that .jd
he oho:.
prisoners were acquaintances and companions'
have had his doubts. He complained of the prejudice
tfahcatt
thathad thheeeynwicariesedlriaaghaminenst: the prisoners, froze 1111
that poverty was a crime ; but he was 11311 adafrlaoindg, fbeer Es:
had occurred in this case, that in the estimation of •
persons a man's being an Irishman was another. ,yet ii
pains
had not been shown that there was a previous secln7
ance between the parties, much less an acting
cert, and if there had been anything of the sort it .
r
have most certainly been brought to light by Ow' —of
eellent officer, Mr. Green. Therefore, in the absencei.;.,
all proof, he confidently contended that there was 12°L"-"'
to justify the committal of Rreeid.
The prisoners were thenremanded to SaturdaY
and the inquiry terminated at four o'clock.