The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-20 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

Porrrsmounr, JAN. 18.—Admiral Sir Charles Og!e, Bart.,
Commander-in-Chief at this port, gave another entertain-
ment at the Admiralty-house on Friday evening, which,
being the last of the series, was upon a scale of princely hos
pitality and splendour never before equalled in this establish-
ment. The Flag-Captain (Sir Richard Grant) and nearly all
the naval, rmlitary, and civil officers at the port were present,
together with the nobility and gentry of the county, with
their families. These magnificent entertainments, given at
the Admiral's expense, have been conducted upon a scale of
liberal and impartial hospitality highly to the honour of the
gallant chief. All have been invited, from the Admiral-
Superintendent and General commanding the garrison
forces, down to the naval cadet and military ensign ; from
the bishop to the curate, the legal and medical body; in
short, none have been passed over who were eligible as guests
of the Commander-in-Chief of the first naval arsenal in the
world.
The Rodney, 92, Captain Collier, C. 8., is to have her mid-
ship-magazine moved further forward, her bow and sternpost
altered, and other "improvements" made below, too nume •
roux to detail—similar to those in the Queen.
The fatal accident on board this ship arose out of the mu-
tinous conduct of a party of marines left in charge of the
ship after the crew had been transferred to the Victorieuse
hulk, pending the repairs. A sergeant's guard (a ser-
geant, corporal, and eighteen privates) was left on
board to keep watch during the night, but it appears,
instead of performing
_faithfully that important duty, they
broke open one of the store-lockers, and regaled themselves
with wine and spirits until they became intoxicated.
About ten o'clock on Thursday night the policeman
on duty challenged the ship, or party left in charge, accord-
ing to the rules of the dockyard, when a corporal (one of
party left in charge of the ship) appeared at the port at
which the brow or gangboard was placed to answer the
challenge, and he missed his footing, fell into the dock, and
struck one of the shores as he fell, fracturing his skull and
ribs in a dreadful manner. The party were immediately
"relieved" on board the Rodney, and placed under arrest,
where they remain pending a court of inquiry. We have
since been informed that the " relief " also
_got drunk. No
commissioned officer was left onboard the ship, or such dis-
graceful conduct could not have happened.
The Scourge steam bomb vessel, Commandef Caffin, is
having the old mortar beds of the /Etna fitted to her, and
another wooden bed made at Woolwich. She will leave the
basin on Tuesday or Wednesday. The 23d instant is the day
named for her going to sea ; prior to which, however, we
are informed the sea Lords of the Admiralty will take
a short trip to the back of the Isle of Wight, in
her, to witness the firing from the mortar and long 56, and
the respective effects upon the vessel. We are also told by
those most likely to know, that the complement (145, officers
and men) given to this vessel will be very inadequate to her
requirements. She is to be fitted with an electro-galvanic
apparatus for transmitting communications from her paddle
boxes, or bridge connecting them, into the engine-roam,
whereby in any kind of weath• r, day or night, the proper
directions may be given to the engineers for their guidance,
instead of the mode at present adopted of shouting down below
"Goon," "Ease her," " Back her, " Stop her," &c. The ap-
paratus being portable, may be moved to any part of the vessel,
and is therefore not confined to the use of the officer' on the
bridge or paddle-boxes ; the steersman may `save it, or the
" look- wit" forward. A trial of the efficacy of this admi-
rable invention was made on Friday, in the lecture-room of the
New College in the dockyard by the inventor (Mr. W. J.
Hay, chymical referee of the establishment), in the presence
of Admiral Sir C. Ogle, Bart. ; Captain Sir R. Grant ;
Captain Chads, of the Excellent ; Mr. J. Fincham, master
shipwright ; Commander Caffin, of the Scourge ; Com-
mander Otter, of the Sparrow ; Mr. Watts, assistant-mas-
ter-shipwright, and other distinguished and scientific officers,
when the application was found to succeed most admirably.
The extreme simplicity of the invention -astonished every
one present, and no ene more so than the Gallant Port-Ad-
miral, who expressed his gratification in warm terms to the
scientific officer, the originator of the application. The ex-
pense of fitting the apparatus is a mere trifle (about 31.) and
only one passage is required for the wire. Yesterday another
distinguished party of scientific officers Visited the lecture-
room, and witnessed the interesting experiment, which was
pronounced lay all to be eminently successful, and far superior
to every other mode of communication with the engine-room
now in use on board steam-vessels.
The Grampus, 50, Captain H. B. Martin, C. 8., arrived at
Spithead yesterday afternoon from Woolwich. She saluted
the Port Admiral with 17 guns just inside the Nab, which
*as acknowledged by the St. Vincent. This splendid fri-
gate came up in beautiful style. She hove in sight under
topsails, courses, top-gallant sails and royals, jib, flying jib,
and spanker ; wind very light from E.S.E., tacked when to
the westward of the Spit Buoy (the wind having shifted to
he opposite quarter, west-north-west), and stood over to-
wards Sea View, again tacked, in top-gallant sails, up
counts, and ran down to her anchorage, just ahead of the
Superb, under her three topsails and jib. She shortened
sail in a very smart style, and appeared to be worked in a
very easy and seamanlike manner, which is saying much,
considering she is shorthanded, is a heavy frigate, and corn-
parativelv new in all her equipments. When she has completed
her complement, she will receive advance here, and sail fur
the Pacific station to join the squadron under Rear-Admiral
Sir George Seymour oa the coast of California, touching at
Buenos Ayres. Commander Watkins takes passage in her to
join the Modeste, 18, one of the Pacific squadron, to the com-
mand of which vessel he has just been appointed, vice
Baillie, promoted to the rank of captain.
The Fairy Royal yacht tender, Master Commander Roberts,
went out again yesterday on a short excursion.
The Athol troop-ship, Master Commander Pearn, put in at
Madeira on the 25th of December, smallpox having broken
out on board.

he Apol'o troop-ship, Commander Radcliffe, arrived at
Rio on the 17th of November. _ _

The Rhadamanthus steam-sloop, Master Commander Laen,
is about to leave Cork for Corfu, to bring home about 300
invalids.
The Vanguard, 80, Captain Willes, flag of Rear-Admiral
Pigot, the Crocodile, 26, Captain Maxwell, and the Dee
steam-vessel, Master-6kmmander Driver, were in the Cove
of Cork on the 14th inst.