The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-27 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—A court-martial, comprising
Captain Moubray, of the Victory, president ; Captain Corry,
of the Superb; Captain Chads, of the Excellent ; Captain
Martin, of the Grampus; Captain Sir R. Grant, of the St.
Vincent; Captain Lushington, of the Retribution; Captain
Seymour, of the Carysfort ; and Mr. G. L.Greetham, Deputy
Judge-Advocate of the Fleet, assembled this morning on
board the St. Vincent, flagship, to try, at the instance of
Captain Collier, two seamen of the Rodney, named, respec-
tively William Walkingshaw and John Berry, for desertion.
It appeared the prisoners obtained leave of absence on the
23d of December, while the Rodney was at Spithead, which
leave was extended, on account of Christmas-day, to the 26th,
but the prisoners never returned, and entered on board the
Scourge, steam-bomb-vessel—Walkingshaw in the name of
Fearless, and Berry in the name of Roxberry--then in the
basin in this dockyard; but the Rodney, requiring alteration
and repair, came into dock, when the deserters, from their
close proximity, were speedily recognised and arrested. This
was proved by several witnesses.
On being called upon for their defence, Walkingshaw said
he had liberty from the Rodney to the time stated, but hav-
ing been in company during that time with other persons
than his companion, and having lost his clothes, he feared
the consequences, which he mentioned to his companion
Berry, and they agreed to desert and enter on board the
Scourge, hearing that she was fitting out and going imme-
diately to the Pacific station. He further said •he did not
intend to quit the service, which was evidenced by his enter-
ing
on board the Scourge. He threw himself upon the mercy
of the Court.
Berry said Walkingshaw had expressed his (Berry's) sen-
timents exactly, and he also threw himself upon the mercy
of the Court.
The COURT, after due deliberation, found the prisoners
Guilty, and sentenced each to receive fifty lashes on board
the Rodney, and to be each imprisoned for two months and
kept to hard labour in the county gaol of Winchester.
A seaman named Main, a deserter from the Grampus, was
then put upon his trial, and, after very conclusive evidence,
convicted, and sentenced to be imprisoned for three months,
and during that time to be kept to hard labour in the Win-
chester gaol. The corporal punishment in this case was re-
mitted on account of five years' good character in the ser-
vice which the man had previously borne.
The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander William
Pretyman, arrived last evening from the eastward with su-
pernumeraries for .the Grampus and Janus. She left Wool-
wich on last Saturday week, but the weather was so foggy
on reaching Gravesend that she was obliged to anchor. She
started at one P.M. on Sunday, and anchored at Sheerness
the same night; left the next day at eleven, anchored in
Margate Roads the same afternoon in consequence of a gale
blowing from south-west; at eight o'clock next morning
started again, but was compelled to anchor in the Downs
from the extreme foulness of the weather, where she re-
mained three days, during which time she encountered wea-
ther which would have compelled less experienced officers to
abandon her and take to the boats. On Friday morning at
five o'clock she started again, and at nine—itmdefast in Dover
harbour, where she took in coals and water, the wind still
blowing a hurricane at the time. Here an extraordinary
instance occurred of the truth of the adage that "drunken
men and children have charmed lives." A man named
Robert Braxton, ship's corporal of the Grampus, was comng
to the Comet from the shore, when, in walking along
the pier to the vessel, he lost his equilibrium and fell
over into the dock into a boat, a distance of 35 feet. He
was taken up insensible, but the prompt and skilful at-
tention of Dr. Babingtoo, assistant-surgeon of the Comet,
soon restored him to consciousness, and he was sufficiently,
well next morning to answer his " muster," the only
injuries he appeared to have received being a few bruises.
The Comet left Dover at 8 o'clock on Saturday morning,
the wind having somewhat lulled; she went along then
exceedingly well until 4 o'clock yesterday morning, when
she was abreast of the Ower's light, at which time a perfect
hurricane was blowing, and an awful sea running. She was
obliged to haul off the land, and stand to the southward,
when a tremendous sea struck her on the starboard side,
carrying away her stern-boat, and staving in the starboard
paddle-box, sweeping fore and aft. At noon she bore up,
and ventured to make the land, the master (Mr. Braidon)
being convinced land was in sight, or very near, although
the weather was so very thick nothing could be distinctly
made out at any distahce from the ship. At I P.M. yesterday
she made the land, which proved to be Dungeness, and
about 5 o'clock entered this harbour, after having been eight
days in making the passage from Woolwich to this port. She
will now have to be docked and repaired before she can be
sent to sea. The Comet is a fine old craft, the first man-of
war steamer ever built.