The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-15 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, SATURDAY.
The Ferret, 8, Commander George Sprigg, arrived on
Thursday mooning from Sheerness. She is going to the
coast of Africa, and will take a mail to the Island of As
tension. Ferret sailed yesterday morning for Plymouth,
taking the supernumeraries for that port which were to
have gone by Emerald.
The Nautilus, 6, Lieut.-Commander John J. M‘Donell,
arrived on Thursday morning from off Brighton, to re-
cruit provisions and water.
Flying Fish, 12, Com. Harris. On the morning of
the 4th of December, a strange sail was discovered, close
under land, by this vessel, stationed off the Gold Coast.
All sail was made, as the stranger appeared trying to get
out to seaward. At nine o'clock the wind fell; the Fly-
ing Fish then got out sweeps, and the hard work of row-
ing the brig was kept up until one o'clock with such
trifling succk ss, th►t it was feared, if the wind should
spring up, the chase would escape. It was now a per-
fect calm, and in this state of affairs Lieutenant St.
Leger volunteered to take her with the two whale-boats,
the only boats on hoard, as the pinnace and cutter were
out on a week's cruise with the First Lieutenant. In a
few minutes the boats were alongside, manned and
armed, and stretching out with eighteen men, under
three hearty cheers, towards the chase, now distant
about six or seven miles. When they were distant about
three-quarters of a mile, they lay on their oars to take
breath before boarding. This was an anxious moment,
and all eyes and glasses were directed towards them,
when, just as the men were giving way again, the chase
dropped her ensign and surrendered. She proved to be
the brig Eliza, only one year old, and fitted up for
slaves three weeks before, when she cost 8,000 dollars.
After cruising about for a month wider command of
Lieut. St. Leger, she was sent up to be condemned.
SHIPS AT PORTSMOUTH.—At Spithead—Superb, Ter•
rible, Cyclops, Retribution, Scourge, and Electra. In
Harbour—St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent, Rodney,
Victoria and Albert yacht, Eurydice, Apollo, Wanderer,
Childers, and Rattler.
SHIPS AT DEVENPORT —ln Harbour—Queen, Cale-
donia, Albion, Bellisle, Favourite, Adventure, Confiance.
SHIPS AT SHEERNESS.—In Harbour—Trafalgar, 120,
flag-ship; Ocean, 80, Raven, 3, and Wildfire and Afri-
can, steam-vessels.
SHIPS AT CHATHAM.—Poictiers, Ral.
APPOINTMENTS.

Lieutenants—R. D. Aldrich and J. King, to Apollo ;
J. Stephens, to Childers.
Master—J. W. King, to Vernon, vice Richardson,
superseded.
As,istant-Surgeons—J. Findley, to Excellent ; J. W.
Reid, to Rodney ; W. W. Wildey, M.D., to Belleisle.
Midshipman—H. Douglas. to Excelh-nt.

Master's Assistant—H. B. Hunt, to superb.
Clerk—T. C. J. Dryden, to Victory.
Naval Cadet—T. C. Chevalier, to Childers.

ROYAL MARINES. —Lieutenant Edward T. P. Shewen,

to be Quarter-master to the Portsmouth Division, vice
Charles Miller, promoted to the rank of captain ; Mr.
Edward Lawes Pym (who was removed from the list of

lieutenants, and who was tried, but acquitted, at the last
Winchester Assizes, for being concerned in the duel at
Brown Down, near Gosport, in which Mr. Sewn lost his
life), has been restored to his former rank in this corp.,

POPULAR PitEACHERS IN PARIS.
In appreciating the congregations of the various
churches of Paris, we might learn the character of the
quartet, the ideas, the habits, and the social condition of
the population who dwell there. The various quarters
of Paris do not resemble each other, and each parish has
its distinct character, and its peculiar physiognomy.
The conferences at Notre Dame form the exception.
The auditory who throng to the interior of the cathedral
belong to all quarters of the city. Each parish is repre-
sented by a deputation of the elite—they who should
assign this numerous and distingue assemblage to the po-
pulation of the pari-h of Notre Dame would fall into sin-
gular error. The inhabitants of this quarter, for the most
part, go very rarely to church, and, except during the
conferences, the vast aisles of this edifice witness the
performance of divine service in comparative solitude.
The Abbe Lacordaire and the Abt de Ravignan,
whose characteristics are so utterly opposed to each
other, of talent so different, present a remarkable con-
trast with the Abb; Bautain, the preacher this year at
Madeleine. M. Bautain is a thinker of the German
school, is in the pulpit the philosopher who discusses,
the logician of close argument who presses you forcibly
with his reasonings, but who does not move, affect you.
M. de Ravignan has a manner peculiarly his own—me-
li thodical austere, and somewhat cold, but lucid, close,
.
precise : he addresses himself to the understanding, and
endeavours to enlighten and convince. His reasons are
not always the most conclusive, but he speaks with con-
viction, and this conviction seems so deeply identified
with himself, that be ends by persuading his hearers.
Alter the triumph of most exaltei eloquence, !Pie believe
that there is nothing more admirable than this, and we
hardly know if it be not the more effective of the two.
A brilliant orator of the Chamber of Deputies (M
Thiers), who eovets every kind of glory, became a pro-
phet with regard to M. de Ravignan. The Hon. Mem-
ber predicted, at the beginning of Lent, that the cele-
brated Jesuit would preach in the desert, and that Notre
Dame would bewail her solitude. But M. Thiers was a
false prophet, for the conferences are quite as much fol-
lowed as those of last year.
The Abbe Lacordaire has a vivid imagination, full of
vigour and impulses. Under the white gown of the Do-
minican. we find the young and impetuous editor of the
A. war of 1831. M. Lacordaire appeals to the imgina-
lion, excites, affects it; he has fire and enthusiasm, and
he would influence his auditory, if in these our tines
such a thing were possible. Yet his style is something
too free, and his sallies, which are not always in the
best possible taste, are sometimes eccentric. He amuses
his auditory at times even to laughter, and derives his
ideas froth it instead of inspiring it with his personal
feeling. At one of his late discourses, M. Odilon Barrot,
as he quitted Notre Dame, characterised him thus—
" He is neither Christian enough nor Catholic enough."
The honourable member conforms this opinion with one
of the most distinguished prelates in France, who lately
remarked at a clerical meeting, that the Pere Lacordaire
was dangerous, from the character he gave to his con-
ferences, departing, as he did, so much from the theo-
logical severity and gravity of a sermon. It may be said
that the Abbe Lacordaire is an orator, Pete Bautain, a
philosophical thinker, and M. de Ravignan, (who left the
bar for the pulpit), a preacher. The first interests—the
second attracts—the third persuades.

LORD LINCOLN AND THE SOUTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
ELECTION.—The Noble Lord, although defeated et the last
election for the Southern Division, has not forgotten to thank
in a special manner such of the electors as, on that trying
occasion, recorded their votes in his favour. A letter, of
which the following is a copy, has been sent by post to ovary
elector who voted for the IS'oble Lord Whitehall-place,
March 10, 1846.—Dear request you to accept my
warmest thanks for the support which you gave me by your
vote in the late contest for the representation of South Not-
tingham. Although defeated in that contest, I shall ever
look back with pleasure upon the many marks of persona
kindness and regard which I experienced, and.shall remeui-
ber with gratitude the exertions which 1,049 tliends made in
my behalf.—l am, dear sir, yours very
Vottingham Review. faithfUlly, Lirwor.s."
EASTER l'Eum.—Moarlay was a holiday at all the
law offices. On the commencement of Term, on NVednesday,
the several Courts will proceed, with the arrears. In the
Courts of Common Pleas and Exchequer the arrears are of a
limited character, but in the Court of Queen's Bench they
are considerable. There is one reizistration appeal case in the
Common Pleas—New Sarum—Wells appellant, and Adey
respondent.