The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-05 00:00:00

Gladiator and Scourge appeared to have suffered a great
deal during the gale, as they looked as if they had
shipped some heavy seas, and their berthing and spon-
sons appeared to have started; one of the Gladiator's
quarter-boats appeared to have been stove, but in other
respects she appeared to have behaved very well, and
joined the fleet in good order; and after having taken
off her paddle-floats, sailed and kept company with the
squadron under all sail,
and certainly appeared by
far the finest looking steam-frigate in the squadron;
in proof of which it may be stated that with her paddle-
floats shipped, and her engine connected, she kept com-
pany with the sailing ships of the squadron, when the
Terrible, Retribution, and Cyclops were obliged to part
company, and take shelter in the gale from stress of
weather. In making her passage to this place the Gla-
diator broke one of the brasses of the connecting rod of
one of her air pumps, and was obliged to stop her en-
gines, to discover the defective one, for four hours, but
proceeded on her course, and came here with one engine
only. She is a noble-looking frigate, and is far lighter on
the water than any we have seen here. The squadron
may be expected here on the 2d or 3d inst.

Extract of another letter, dated Chops of the Channel,
May 29 :—" I have only a moment to tell you that the
equadron are ' all well' in the Chops of the Channel, this
29th of May.
" St. Vincent—sails well.
" Queen—not so well as when Sir Baldwin Walker com-
manded her.

" Trafalgar—very badly.
" Superb—best.
" Rodney—not so well.
" Albion—better than Rodney.
" Vanguard—next to Superb.
"The Rattler, propelling steamer, is the only one that has
been able to keep company with the sailing ships, all the
others or most of them have been damaged. The Terrible
lost her rudder, Retribution a paddle-box, Cyclops severely
damaged; and you may confidently state that except Rattler
not one of our steameri are fit for,' ocean work,' and they
may retire to the Lakes, or into smooth water, as soon as
they please. The Rattler has been on the weather bow of
the Commodore, her station, every morning at daybreak
without a miss. We have had many trials of sailing, in
which the false keel and the skill of Captain Corry have made
Superb the fleetest of the fleet, and in every evolution, by
day or by night, the superior officers of the Superb have
proved their superiority.
" The squadron go to Cork, land the marines, and astonish
the natives. Then on a cruise—then to Bantry-bay—then
to cruise—then to Spithead—then to cruise—and then to
Plymouth—another cruise—and lay up on the Ist of Novem-
ber, unless we should be wanted upon foreign service.
" I could have wished to have been more particular, but
the signals for Letters to England' immediate, leaves me no
more time."

SQUADRON OF EVOLUTION.
We publish in another part of our impression of this
day a series of communications from the squadron of
evolution, which form a most striking contrast to the
observations we had unfortunately occasion to make on
the sluggish performances and inefficient command of
the trial squadron last year. On the present occasion
the whole arrangement of the cruise, the nature of the
evolutions, the evident improvement in the ships' com-
panies, and the masterly handling of the vessels, have
produced most interesting, satisfactary, and instructive
results. The severe gale which blew in the Channel im-
mediately after the squadron had left Spithead defeated
one of the principal objects of this cruise, which was to
try the powers of the large steamers under sail, and to
put in practice some novel combinations of naval tactics
produced by the union of first-class steamers of war with
a squadron of line-of-battle ships. But the accidental
cause which frustrated this project and dispersed the
principal steam portion of the fleet, has served to ex-
hibit in a most striking light the vast inferiority of our
best steamers to ships of the line at sea, and the incon-
veniences attached to this whole class of vessels. With
the exception of the Rattler, which is, we believe, fitted
at this time with Woodcroft's screw propeller,
and which distinguished herself on all occasions, under
sail as well as steam, the large steamers have proved
huge incumbrances to the fleet. The Terrible and Cy-
clops were missing, for they had, in fact, put back into
Plymouth to refit after the first gale ; the Retribution,
though less shaken by the gale, parted company on the
17th of May ; and the Gladiator was the only steam-
frigate that held on with the fleet, and upon her joining
the signal was made:to take off her paddle-floats. The
Devastation had proceeded at once on a particular ser-
vice. As an experimental steam cruise the failure is
complete, but it is all the more instructive. We have
never affected to undervalue the importance of steam-
vessels as auxiliaries to a fleet, more especially in ope-
rations near land, or in rivers, &c. ; but it is clear that
very large steamers constructed on the present system
are comparatively useless at sea. If this fleet had been
ordered to proceed to the coast of America on a rapid
hostile expedition, or if it had been engaged in one
of those terrible chases of an enemy's squadron
which have so often tried the whole patience and
energy of our seamen, the presence of the steamers
would have defeated the object, they would have
retarded the squadron, and perhaps proved useless for
want of coals on their arrival at their destination. The
Rattler, indeed, the only screw-propelled steamer of the
squadron, must be excepted from these observations ;
and the experiment is highly favourable to that Inge.
nious mode of applying steam power. But, generally
speaking, the advantage has been in favour of the prac-
tical utility of small rather than of first-class steamers,
and none of them have, es sea-going ships, the indis-
pensable qualities of the man• of-war:under canvass. This
experiment has, therefore, greatly strengthened the con-
viction we have repeatedly expressed, in opposition to
the doctrines of the Prince de Joinvill9, who holds that
steam-vessels are destined to supersede the ancient bul-
warks of the navy. Commodore Sir Francis Collier de-
serves credit for the spirit and activity he has infused
into the movements of the squadron during this cruise.
The trial of the 19th of May between the Vanguard and
the Rodney, which our correspondent has described with
a sailor's enthusiasm, shows how completely the com-
manders of those fine ships and their gallant crews have
now got them in hand. The night exercise at the guns
on the 27th of May was performed with astonishing ra-
pidity and precision. At 11 o'clock Pat. the order "„Lash-
up hammocks" was heard, followed by beating to quarters;
in five minutes from that moment the Queen fired her first
gun, and within seven minutes more the whole squadron
had opened its fire, ending with the deep roar of the
huge artillery of the Scourge. Thee rounds were fired,
and in less than an hour from the first signal the ships
had resumed their former appearance, hammocks were
piped down, and at midnight the watch was called. The
squadron will probably reach the Cove of Cork about
the 9th of June, where some experiments will be made
in lauding the marines of the squadron, the field-pieces,
and a large party of seamen on Spike Island ; and
another similar demonstration is also projected on
Whiddy Island, in Bantry Bay, where the shore is more
difficult of access. As, however, it is intended very
shortly to re-assemble the whole squadron at Ports-
mouth, for several important reasons, these operations
may possibly be postponed. We may hope that the
evolutions of the combined steam squadron and ships of
the line will still be tried, as they may be applied with
increased rather than diminished utility within reach ofour
coasts. We trust that, to these pacific and inoffensive
exercises, the strength of our navy may long be confined,
and that the bare reputation of their power may suffice
to shield the honour and interests of the country. But
if, without our seeking fresh opportunities to raise the
renown of British seamen, and in spite of the sincere
efforts of a temperate policy to preserve the tranquillity
of the world, we are driven to resort to more decided
measures, we are proud to think that a finer squadron
has never left our ports, and that it would be followed,
if necessary, by reinforcements eager to attain the same
degree of excellence. Meanwhile, the detachment of
Sappers and Artillerymen who are about to leave Wool-
wich, under the orders of Captain Blackwood, for the
purpose of strengthening the British forts in the Oregon
territory, are ready to proceed on their destination, and
they will take out with theta stores amply sufficient to
provide for the defence of thet province by the agents of
the Hudson's Bay Company.— Times.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT LONDON-BRlDGE.—Wednesday,
Mr. W. Baker, jun., held an inquest at the Town of Rams-
gate, Wapping, on the body of William Somers, aged eleven
years. It appeared from the evidence, that on the 20th of
May the deceasc was leaning over one of the recesses on
London-bridge, when the wind blew the cap off his head on
to the stone work outside the balustrades. He attempted to
reach it, and, in so doing, he lost his balance and was pre-
cipitated into the i iver. Every exertion was made to save
him, but without effect. A sailor, named Brown, picked the
body up off Wapping Old Stairs, on Monday morning last,
and conveyed it to the dead•house. The mother identified
the body as that of her son. The jury returned a verdict of
" Accidental death."

VICTORIA PAaK.—This now popular place of resort
at the east end of the metropolis has been a great source of
attraction during the holidays. It was visited on Whit San-
day alone by upwards of 25,000 persons, and by about 5,000
each on the three following days. Since Easter it has been
twice visited by royalty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert
having made an inspection on his return from laying the
foundation of the Sailors' Church, and the Duke of Cambridge
about a week afterwards, each being attended by Mr. Curtis,
the forester.
THE LATE SWINDLING CASE AT WINDSOR, &C.—
WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.—Under the impression that it was
not unlikely letters might have arrived through the post, at
Windsor, for the person who had swindled the innkeeper and
tradesmen in this vicinity out of their property, Mr. Dotesio,
of the Royal Hotel, Slough, caused inquiries to be made this
morning at the Windsor post-office, in order, if such had
been the case, to endeavour to find means to trace the soi-
T he,la tte r.
p therrt handwriting ntethwe r i
directiontin g o f-a
disant Mr. Wyndham. A letter was found lying at the
post-office, which was originally addressed as follows, and in
apparently Esq , ona e Hotel,
re-addressed to of
It appears out,oysantneddd-
Charles-street, Haymarket"
hwaodnlbane been —he crossed Haymarket."
ebdil:e.n Wp
in Cleveland-street, Fitzro - are,. on Friday, the 29th of
May, the very day on sehicK al
obtained the property in
neighbourhood, and left the Royal Hotel for town. .A
letter
has been forwarded this evening to the secretary to the Post-
master-General, from Mr. Dotesio, suggesting that if the
letter were returned to the General Post-office, and opened
by the proper authorities, fur the purpose of ascertaining if
it would he the means of enabling those whom he has plun-
dered to discover the place of his retreat, in order that he
might be apprehended and brought to justico, the public
materially benefited by a stop being put to his ne-
uld be wo
; f " doings." ar.ous During his stay at Slough he called twice
at the Windsor post-office and received his letters, which
were merely addressed, ~ JAL Wyndham, Esq., Windsor."
THE ROYAL THAM
ES YACHT CLUE
HALLENGE
CuP MATCH.--The great trials of C
aquatic skill between
members and owners
of yachts belonging to this club
The start will take place at
will come off to-day.
Greenwich, and sail to Coa llwas e-point, below Gravesend,
will start :—Prima Donna, Thomas
and back. The following
F,sq.; Secret, J. Smith, Esq.;
Harvey, Esq. ; Inn, H. Gibson,
Belvidere, Lord A. Paget;
Vixen, Messrs. leighintons ;
Fleur-de-Marie, Twisden Hodges, Esq. The Star steamer
will accompany the yachts in the match, for members and
their friends only.
To MILITARY IMPOSTORS.--Found, on the Epsom
race-course, a pair of moustaches. They
are of a dark colour,
and turned up at each end. The proprietor can have them
tli e.--Punch.
by sending his name and address to our o c