The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-06 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

(From the Hampshire Telegraph.)
PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 4.—Letters from Malta, of
Dec. 16, state that the Minden, 72, and Pembroke, 72,
had sailed for England ; but that the former had re-
turned to Malta, owing to !ier topmast, rigging having
been carried]away,4:and as soon as refitted she was to
proceed. The Rhadamanthus left Malta on the 15th
December, for Vourla Bay, with despatches and letters
for the British squadron. The Tyne and Gorgon ar-
rived at Smyrna on the Bth, from Vourla Bay. Oa the
2d December a Court-martial was assembled on board
the Rodney, to try a seaman of the Powerful for strik-
ing the Master at Arms. The charge was proved, and
he was sentenced to death, but recommended to mercy.
On the 4th another Court-martial was to sit for the
purpose of trying two seamen of the Ganges, who were
found secreted on board an American merchant vessel,
with the intention of deserting. They had been on
lease from the Ganges, but broke it, and were eventually
found as above stated.

The following is an extract from the Gazette de
Malta of the 11th of December :—The Phenix, war-
steamer, arrived here on Sunday last from Vourla,
whence she sailed on the 4th instant, leaving at that
anchorage Admiral Sir Robert Stopford in the Princess
Charlotte, with the Rodney (Commodore Parker), Van-
guard, Bellerophon, Asia, Powerful, Ganges, Implaca-
ble, Benbow, Belleisle, Hastings, and Edinburgh, ships
of the line ; Castor and Tyne frigates ; Dido and
Daphne, sloops ; Zebra, brig ; and Gorgon, war-steamer.
The Phcenix brings down condemned stores, and inva-
lids from the fleet for Malta hospital. Among the latter,
the only officers are Mr. Lewer, of the Gorgon, and
Lieut. Baker,.R.M., of the Ganges. Lieut. Stoddart,
Mr. North, mate, and Assistant-Surgeons Niddrie and
Mustard, all of the Princess Charlotte, have been at-
tacked with fever, contracted on a trip to Ephesus. The
rest of the fleet were healthy. The Hydra, war-steamer,
was at Smyrna coaling.
The Castor, Daphne, and Dido, with the Zebra as
umpire, had had an experimental cruise of ten days to
try rates of sailing, the result of which:3l aces them, as
regards their respective sailing qualities r.i he order in
which they are above named. It was int tied that the
Castor should have proceeded to Constantinople, there
to relieve the Carysfort, but whilst waiting her firman
she received her recal, owing, as it is reported, to Lord
Ponsonby's having some scruples at soliciting it for so
large a ship. The Tyne was about to leave Vourla, for
Corfu, to relieve the Talbot, which, after refitting at
Malta, will in all probability be sent to Constantinople
station, since the Ambassador seems to prefer a Jackass
frigate to one of a larger class and more creditable ap-
pearance. The Vanguard and Bellerophon will not
leave for England until relieved by the Revenge and
Blenheim.

Admiral Lalande, in the:Jena, immediately after re-
ceiving despatches by the French steam-packet from
Marseilles, which looked into Vourla en passant, left

that anchorage for Smyrna on the 23d nit. with the
Genereux (which will shortly be sent to Toulon owing
to the illness of her Captain) and a war steamer.
Mr. M'Night, purser of the Dido, has been removed
:nto the Vanguard, and Mr.Rickford, clerk in, and who
has been acting as purser of, the Vanguard is appointed
acting purser of the Dido. Mr. Lyall, purser, is ap-
pointed to the Tyne. Mr. Bridges, mate of the Bele-,
roplion, to the Phcenix ; and Lieutenant Lillicrap, R.M.
of the Ganges, to the Gorgon, vice Molesworth, inva-
lided. Mr. Follwell, purser, is doing duty as Secretary
to Commodore Parker, in the Rodney. Mr. Lillicrap,
assistant clerk of the Princess Charlotte, is to get a
rating as clerk in the Tribune. Lieutenant Appleton,
B.:111., of the Bellerophon, has gone home on sick leave
in the Pembroke. .

The R. Y. S. cutter Louisa, belonging to Mr.
Jekyll, arrived here on Sunday, from Messina.
The Druid, 46, Captain Lord. John Churchill, having
on board the Governor of New Zealand, Captain Hob-
son, R.N., reached Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope,
from Falmouth, on the 30th of October, and there
found Rear-Admiral Elliot, with the Melville, 78 ;
Columbine, 18 ; Modeste corvette, and brig Childers.
The Druid was to leave, in company with the latter,
on the sth of November. The Lily, 16, was shortly
expected to arrive from the Coast from England. The
Acorn, 16, had been sent to the Mauritius.

The Wasp, 16, has proceeded to Tarragona, from
Gibraltar, to render assistance in the efforts making to
get the Tribune off. The Minden, 72, from Malta,
was also to go there for the same purpose, on her way
to England.
The Wanderer, 16, Commander the Hon. J. Joseph
Denman, fitting out in the river, will be at Spithead by
the 25th inst. Her destination is not accurately known.
The Flamer steam-vessel calls here on her way to
the West Indies.
Commander Deare takes a passage in the Fantome,
to rejoin the Lily ; and Lieut. Beddocs to rejoin the
Harlequin—both on the coast of Africa.

The Secretary of the Admiralty and Surveyor of the
Navy, Mr. More O'Ferrall, and Sir W. Symonds, ac-
companied by Captain Brandreth, R. E., Inspector of
Naval Works and Buildings, have been for some days
looking over the dock-yard, in order that the new Se-
cretary may know, from ocular conviction, the real state
of naval matters which he will have to speak and be
questioned upon, when he moves the estimates for the
ensuing year.

In Harbour.—Britannia, Victory; Blenheim, Excel-
lent, Royal George, Blonde, Pique, Andromache, Pan-
taloon, Raven, 'Messenger steamer.
• At Spithead.—Fantome.
In Dock.—Queen, St. Vincent, Warspite, Dublin,
Andromache, Harrier, Tweed, Emerald tender.
NAVAL PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS.

PROMOTlONS.—Captain.—Commander J. B. B. Mac-
hardy, from Coast Guard, Isle of Wight.
Commander.—Lieut. George Parker, of the Coast
Guard Service.
Lieutenants.—Lord Wm. Compton, J. Malin;, and
W. 11. Brooman (from the revenue Service).
Purser.—James M. Hobbs, additional clerk of the
Britannia.

APFOlNTMENTS.—Lieutenant.—Lord W. Compton,
to the Melville ; J. Maling, to the Charlotte ; C. B.
Warren, from the Blenheim to the Excellent, vice Thos.
Wilson, who exuhanges.
Mate.—John Tode, to the Blenheim.
Commander Woodthorpe and Lieut. E. C. Smith
have invalided from the Blenheim. •

VOLUNTARY SURRENDER OF ADAM MER-
CER, THE POAEHER.—Adam Mercer, alias Adam
o'Cute, one of the men against whom a verdict of wilful
murder was returned last week by the Jury sitting to
inquire into the death of Thomas Isherwood, has volun-
tarily surrendered himself to justice. He wes brought
up yesterday before John Lister, Esq., and from the
voluntary statement then made by him we learn the
following particulars of his proceedings since the fatal
affray. After the poachers had -escaped from the
keepers, the whole of the former made their way to-
wards Blackburn, about two miles from which place
they separated, Mercer and Abbott passing through the
town, and going along the old Preston road nearly as
far as Walton. There they turned off towards Man-
chester, and reached that town on Monday morn-
ing. There they remained nearly all the week,
and on Saturday set off again on their return
to Blackburn, both of them arriving here before
it was light on Sunday morning. They then separated,
And Mercer did not visit his own house, but stayed at
Nova Scotia until it was dark in the evening, and then
went to Padiham, where he remained all night. On
Monday he resolved to surrender himself ; he returned
to Blackburn, and gave himself up to Mr. Perris, the
constable. The prisoner declares that he, individually,
was opposed to the attack made on the keepers. Mr.
Lister committed the prisoner for re-examination.
Mercer appears to have been a good deal bruised in the
scuffle which took place between the poachers and the
keepers. and among other evidences of the severity of
that scuffle he has a rather extensive cut on his head.
He has seen nothing whatever of Crossley and Parker
since the morning of the murder. It appears that nei-
ther Mercer nor Abbott knew that Isherwood was
dead, until they returned to Blackburn on Sunday
morning.—Blackburn Standard. _

EXTENSIVE ROBSERlES.—lnspector Wiggins,
of the D division, has been actively employed in endea-
vouring to discover the perpetrators of a robbery to the
amount of upwards of 1001., at the residence of S. Har-
vey, Esq., 24, Quebec-street. The property stolen
consists principally of sovereigns, and was in a most mys-
terious manner abstracted, on Wednesday evening last,
from a *chest in the principal bedroom, during the ab-
sence of Mr. Harvey and his family. On Thursday
evening, between six and nine, a quantity of jewellery
and plate, the property of J. Mortimer, Esq., 43,
Doughty.street, was stolen from that gentleman's resi-
dence, and it is supposed that the thieves effected an en-
trance from an adjoining house under repair.
A shepherd tending his flock, near Versailles,
three days ago, found in a field a tin box, much rusted,
oontaining 387 Napoleons, with a paper on which was
written, " July, 1815. This belongs to Jean Barthe-
lemy Frazeaux, of Marchiennes-ac-Pont, soldier in the
regiment of the line." The number of the regiment
s illegible.