The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-17 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

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1116..
visited this port yesterday. The illustrious visitors put up
at the Railway
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Hotel, Gosport, where, after the inspection
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cf sundry objects of interest on both sides of the harbour,
they dined, and left by the last train for Loudon.
The Driver steam-sloop, Captain Hayes, having coaled,
left the harbour yesterday afternoon and proceeded to Wool-
wich to be paid oft: She took with her the officers and
crew of the Amphion screw steam-frigate, who have been
navigating the Odin during her relief service." When the
Driver left Rio Commodore Herbert's squadron in the River
Plate were all well ; the crews and marines still ashore, pro-
tecting British property—consequently there are no cruizers
to prevent the slave traffic, and slaves were being landed in
thousands along the unwatched parts of the coast with the
most commercial coolness. She reports that the Inflexible
steam-sloop, Commander lioseason, had run from the Cape
to Port Jackson„Sydney,a distance of 6,392 miles, in 35 days
6 hours.
__ _

and made the yesterda
The St. Vincent, 120, Captain Milne, flag of Admiral Sir
ne-
cessary preparations for going to Spithead this day. The Cen-
taur steam-frigate of 540 horse power, Master-Commander H.
Davy, got her steam up this morning to take her out, and took
her in tow at a quarter before twelve. Unfortunately, before
the steamer could get sufficient way on her to give her a
proper command over the St. Vincent's motions, the latter
Look a sheer to starboard, in trying to counteract which the
steamer was unavoidably thrown broad on her port, which
was also her lee bow ; at the same time the starboard hawser
snapped, and after a vain attempt to recover her proper pc).
,ition the steamer was compelled to cast off altogether, on
iccount of her drifting so near the shore, being only about
:hirty feet from the Custom-house watch-house. In the
,neau time the three-decker, with only her jib set, was
rapidly " sagging" to leeward towards the beach near the
Quebec Hotel. Every exertion was made to get the ship
under canvass, but before the tepsails could be got on her it
was evident the wind was not suitable to enable her to wea-
ther Point. The starboard anchor was immedialely let go,
but the scope was too small for the anchor to bring her up,
and she drifted, broadside on, to the beach, but whether she
touched the ground or not we will not trust oar own eyes to
determine, as the opinion of the multitude was divided as to
whether she did or not. She certainly appeared to hang a
little. By the most skilful exertions of the officers on
board she was immediately extricated from her dangerous
position. Warps were immediately run out to the nearest
buoys, and she was got thereby further into the harbour
channel, whence, at a quarter to two, she was hauled, with the
assistance of her jib and foretopmast staysail, back to her
moorings off Stony Steps, having slipped her cable opposite
the Quebec Hotel, the occupants of which were much
frightened in consequence of being hailed.to get out of the
house at a time when it appeared very possible the ship
would strike and crush it. The hotel was deserted accord-
' ingly until the danger was past. The Queen, 110, was
nearly being the destruction of the Quebec, tin a somewhat
similar manner, when she left this harbour last. A very
experienced harbour pilot, Mr. Davis, as well as Mr. Brown,
the master attendant; Mr. Bellamy-, his assistant; and the
experienced master of the St. Vincent, Mr. Biddlecome,
were on board and exerted themselves to the utmost. To
attempt to describe the excitement caused by this affair
would be a work of no ordinary difficulty. It seemed as
though the inhabitants of the three towns had suddenly
fallen from the clouds upon the beach on either side of the
harbour, so instantaneously was the shore peopled with
anxious crowds. Nor was the bustle confined to the
shore; the boats of the ship, on the first alarm, were
lowered and manned, and others from the other ships quickly
joined to carry out hawsers and render assistance. Great
credit is due to the officers, who, by their skilful and judi-
cious directions, extricated the ship from her dangerous
position.
The Fairy Royal yacht was taken on to the graving slip
yesterday morning to be fitted with a new three-fan screw.
The opportunity was taken at low water to examine the state
of her bottom, in reference to Mr. Hay's composition, applied
to it two months since, when not the slightest symptom of
weed or vegetable matter could be discovered on it, whilst
the painted streak in imitation of copper had the seed of
the barnacle freely deposited on it. This result was very
satisfactory to Commander Crispin, but for whose warm re-
commendation and strenuous exertions this composition
would never have been applied to the bottom of the Fairy.
The Commander-in-Chief and a number of scientific officers
made an inspection of the bottom of the vessel, and it was
the general opinion that the application was a good one,
although Mr. Owen, the chief metallurgist of Chatham dock-
yard, was of opinion that the inspection was premature, and
that to judge of the effects or value of the application it should
have been on twelve months. So far as present appearances
went, however, the opinion was general that the application
was of service to iron vessels. It remains now to be seen,
whether the red lead applied to other iron vessels will have
equally beneficial effects in preventing the adhesion of
rubbish.
The following are the promotions and appointments for the
past week
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