The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-04 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

ADMIRALTY, MAY 2.—John G. Williams, Surgeon-
Superintendent, to the Kinnear convict ship.
Edward S. Burnley, John Bonney, Frederick J. New-
ton, Richard Samson, and G. W. Putt, Acting-Assistant
Engineers, Ist class, to the Blenheim.

George Crichton and George Griffiths, Acting-As-
sistant Engineers, 2d class, to the Enterprize.
Francis T. Hamilton, mate, to the Waterwitch.
PROM,,TION.
Alexander G. West, to be commander.
THE STEAM-PACKET BANSHEE.
We stated that the new Holyhead steam-packet
Banshee bad been attending on Admiral Dundas and Mr.
and during their official visit. This splendid steam-
veesel conveyed them, on Monday, the 24th ult., from
Liverpool to Kingstown in about eight hours. The
Gallant Admiral and Mr. Ward proceeded to Dublin the
same day, and remained there transacting official busi-
ness with the Lord-Lieutenant until the 27th, early in
the morning of which day they re-embarked at Kings-
town in the Banshee, and proceeded to Waterford.
Here they inspected the arrangements for the
packet service, and then continued en route to
Cork, and arrived at Cove on• the 28th, where
they were received by the Rear-Admiral Commanding-
in-Chief the Honourable H. D. Mackay, and Rear-
Admiral Sir C. Napier, K.C.8., commanding the
Channel squadron. At Cove they visited the Crocodile,
22, flag-ship of the port-admiral, Lieut. Commander
Protheroe, on board of which vessel nearly 200 fine lads
are in course of training for the service. The boys were
exercised aloft as well as on deck, and displayed a great
deal of smartness in all their movements. They also
visited the Canopus, 84, Capt. Moresby, C.B. ; the
Prince Regent, 90, Captain W. F. Martin ; and the St.
Vincent, 120, flag•ship of Sir C. Napier, and in the
afternoon of Saturday, after dining on board the St.
Vincent with the gallant Admiral, who invited Admiral
Mackay and the Captains of the squadron to meet them,
they took their departure in the Banshee, for Holyhead,
where they arrived on Sunday last, after a very rapid
passage. They inspected the harbour and Admiralty
establishment at Holyhead, and returned thence to town
by railway on Monday. Both Admiral Dundas and.
Mr. Ward have expressed themselves most highly satis-
fied with the performances of the Banshee. Nothing
could exceed the celerity, steadiness, and regularity with
which she made the passage from place to place, sur-
passing everything on the waters she traversed in easi•
ness as well as swiftness of motion. _ _

The Admiralty are now, we are pleased to find, in
possession of the facts with respect to this vessel's cap&
bilities, and can duly estimate the value of the imputa-
tions which the envious rivals of the designer and builder
of the Banshee have incessantly cast upon her. If,
however, any member of the Board of Admiralty should
entertain the slightest doubt with reference to the com-
prative abilities of the ex-Surveyor and his professional
adviser, Mr. Edye, as against those men whom they
have fur years traduced and kept down, let their Lord-
ships sake a trip in the " Caradoc," Holyhead packet, as
soon as she is ready. It is, indeed, most inexplicable,
that, although in every case in which other builders have
been allowed to try under the most adverse circumstances
against the Navy Office, they have thoroughly beaten
Somerset House, yet the men and their system have up
to a very late period been most pertinacidlisly continued.
—Herald.

The Myrtle, steam-gun vessel, at Woolwich, has been
reported ready for trial in the engineer department, and
a report has been called for as to the time of her com-
pletion.
The Jackal, iron-steamer, one of the " half-dozen," has
been found on examination at Portsmouth to be defec-
tive in the rivets of her bottom. The corrosion has
almost eaten the rivets away—a large number will have
to be removed and replaced by new ones. These defects,
it should be understood, has not arisen from bad work-
manship, but from the deterioration of the iron, which
Mr. Hay's composition now su successfully prevents.
There was no chance for this vessel. She was built for
a packet; but it was soon found that, although she had
150 .horse power to 350 tons, she was useless for that
purpose. She was then called a " gun vessel"—arma-
ment one gun, and was stationed in the Mediterranean to
protect British interests. Thus, from her inactivity, such
a mass of weeds, &c., accumulated on her bottom, that
when she was ordered away it was with great difficulty
that she was enabled to move. But, at the best, her
speed was insufficient to keep the mud off her bottom.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL.
DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES.
The distribution of scholarship prizes and honorary
distinctions took place yesterday, at two o'clock, in
the hall of the hospital. A considerable number of
beautiful and elegantly attired ladies took their
seats some time before the commencement of the interest.
ing proceedings. Altogether, including the students,
who were stationed on a raised platform along the side
of the hall, nearly 500 persons were present. The
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the President,
entered the hall shortly before two, accom-
panied by Mrs. Lawrence, the lady of the
senior physician, and followed by Sir R. E. Inglis, and
the officers of the hospital. The Lady Mayoress occu-
pied the seat to the right of the Lord Mayor. Mr.
Sheriff Hill and the Misses Hooper were present. Mr.
Bentley sat on the left of the Lord Mayor.
Mr. LAWRENCE then delivered the address usually
presented on similar occasions. Having alluded in
suitable terms to the character of the late President,
Mr. Alderman Lucas, he proceeded to say that the
session of the Medical School of the Hospital for the last
six months having been brought to a close, the students
were invited to compete for the prizes awarded
by the officers of the institution. They had so competed,
and it was his pleasing duty this day to announce the
names of the successful competitors. To them it
must be gratifying. to behold so numerous and
se highly an influential assembly, and ho trusted
they would continue in the career they had commenced
so suspiciously.—(Cheers.) Hospitals were originally
established to alleviate the sufferings of the poor, but they
had at all times been resorted to for instruction by those
about to follow the medical profession, on account of
the excellence and practical usefulness of the informa-
tion to be obtained within their walls. To day the
most successful of the students were to receive the
hall
they
crowning glory of their studies—rewards for all the
medical
i eal broughtprhf e
st
soi
obear
which
had expended and for the intelligence they
ion
tthheey werevarious taking
branches of
instruction.the
Both the students and the hospital were much indented to
' Mr. Bentley for the great services he had rendered.—
. (Cheers.) It was gratifying to him to be enabled to
state that the conduct of the students during the past
year had been very praiseworthy ; they had evinced a
great desire for knowledge, shown great respect and gra-
titude to their teachers, and in all respects had acted as
gentlemen, and as perfectly convinced of the great ira-
portance and dignity of their profession. He trusted the
Lord Mayor would long be spared to preside over their
meetings.—(Loud cheers) In conclusion, he exhorted
the students to lead a moral course of life, and to
uphold with the same loyalty as heretofore the
ins:ituttons • Of their native land, which, since
the recent events on the Continent, had acquired
claim upon their loyalty and attachment.
a stronger
It was his pleasing duty to intro-
_.(Loud cheers.)
duce to his I,ordshiP Mr. Horace B. Dobell, of Chel-
tenham, who had recces-tally competed for the Bentley
for the best report of
the Treasurer,
Prize, given by attention of
cases which had come under the
but° r Not only had he
ea •
the hospital during the past y
certain number of these
furnished excellent reports of a
d.
rams (Cheers.)
them by !agr •
cases, but had illustrated
be
was old in know-
He was young in years, but