The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-19 00:00:00

NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, MAncsc, 18.
THE RETRIBTITION.—TRIAL OF STEAMING.—" The Re-
tribution, steam-frigate, Captain Lushington, the Cyclops,
steam-frigate, Captain Lapidge, and the Scourge, steam-
bomb-sloop, Commander Caffin, got underway, on Saturday
morning, from Spithead, and proceeded to Cowes to accom-
pany the Fairy, Royal yacht tender, which was in waiting
there on her Majesty the Queen, to convey her to the Gosport
station, en route to London. The Royal standard was
hoisted on board the Fairy, on leer Majesty's embarkation, a
few minutes after nine ; and the other steamers lay to await-
ing the Fairy to pass them, when a signal was observed on
board the yacht, directing all power to be put on compatible
with the safety of the engines. The four vessels were now
pretty well abreast of each other, and it was a fair start. The
station of the Royal yacht was on the beam of the Retri-
bution, distant but a few yards, which ship the Queen, who'
was on deck, seemed to view with great interest. The Royal
yacht proved that she had the legs of the others soon,
and passed on ; while Cyclops dropped so rapidly that she
was aeon nowhere. The prettiest race imaginable was now
between Retribution and Scourge, and for five miles, with all
the power they could get on, a biscuit could be pitched from
one to the other; or, to borrow a phrase of the turf, a sheet
might have covered them. At length the acquiritive force
of the Retribution, from her greater weight, seemed to pre-
' veil, and it was thought by those looking on that she might
have crossed the bows of the Scourge. The Retribution is
1,641 tons burden, and of 800 horse power. The Scourge is
1,124 tons burden, and 420-horse power. The Cyclops is of
nearly the same tonnage as the Scourge, but only of 320-
horse power." Of the Retribution and her stability the
Portsmouth paper says " Admiral Sir C. Ogle was much
pleased with the state of the ship as far as respects her disci-
pline, arrangement, and cleanliness. What report he can
give of the unfitness or capability of the ship we know not;
but we find that when he desired the guns of one broadside
to be run out, the ship heeled over so much, that her guess-
warp boom was in the water; and when she assisted in es-
corting her Majesty from Osborne House to Spithead, in
rounding the Bellerophon, the effect of the wind on the
colours with which she was decorated had such an influence
on her, that she inclined over six degrees."
DEATH OF THE SENIOR CAPTAIN ON THE NAVY LIST.—
A few days since, in announcing the promotion of his son,
we alluded to the illness of Captain John Clavell. We regn t
to state that this gallant officer died at Greenwich Hospital
on the 11th instant, at the advanced age of seventy. Hs
was the senior captain of the Navy List, the date of his com-
mi,slon being February 4, 1800; and although having no
preface or appendices to his christian and surname, his career
in hard times was nevertheless distinguished, and his brilliant
services were officially acknowledged; and if he did not re-
ceive those honours which are the just and appropriate re-
ward of ,the brave and the skilful officer he fairly earned and
richly deserved them. He was midshipman of the Victory,
at Toulon, in 1793, when Sir G. Cockburn was lieutenant of
that ship, served on shore under Nelson at the siege and
taking of Bastia and Calvi, in 1795; in Hotham's second ac-

tion, In the July of that year, in the action off Cape St. Vin-
cent, in February, 1797, in command of the jolly-boat of the
Victory, with six men, captured two transports laden with
powder. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in July,
1797, and was senior of Lord Collingwoed's ship, the Royal
Sovereign, at the battle of Trafalgar, in which be was
wounded. His services were officially commended, and he
was promoted to the rank of commander, his commission
bearing date the day after the battle. He subsequently com-
manded the Weazel brig, in which ship he engaged for
several hours, and captured, a Spanish privateer pierced for
20 guns. He also took part in numerous actions in the
Adriatic, and on one occasion was again wounded. He
was appointed, in 1837, to the superintendent ship of Chat-
ham Dockyard, and on the expiration of his term of ser-
vice there was appointed to Greenwich Hospital. Captain
Clavell received pecuniary reward from the Patriotic Fund
for his servids.
THE COAST GUARD.—lnstances having recently occurred
in which the allowances granted to the widows of officers of
the Coast Guard service, for the maintenance of their children,
until they should attain the age of 15 years, had been paid
after the children had respectively attained that age; and it
appearing that certificates of the ministers and church-
wardens, in accordance with the form prescribed by the order
of November, 1837, had been produced by the parties in each
case; the revenue authorities, with the view of preventing
any similar irregularity, have directed that new forms of
certificate and declaration be substituted for those required
by the order above referred to, and transmitted to the col-
lectors and comptrollers of the several ports of the United
Kingdom for their government; and those officers have been
directed to keep a record of the allowances granted for the
support of the children of officers, showing the ages of the
respective parties, with the dates when the allowance will
cease and have reference thereto, in every case previously to
making any payment claimed on account thereof; and
directions have further been given that on the grant of any
similar allowance in future the dates of the births of the
children be communicated to the Comptroller-General of the
Coast Guard, in order to enable him to check any payments
which may be improperly made. '
Her Majesty's brig-Snake put back to St. Helen's yester-
day morning, in consequence of the heavy gale of wind
which prevailed on-Monday. After setting up the rigging,
Commander Brown put to sea again this morning, the wind
being fair at E.N.E.
The Carysfort, 26, took shelter in Weymouth roads.
The orders for her Majesty's ship Warspite to be paid off
at Plymouth have this day been countermanded, and she is
to be put in commission at this port. She is hourly ex-
pected, and has on board a number of military invalids from
Malta and Gibraltar.
The officers and crew of the Rodney having cleared the
Bellerophon of all her stores and provisions, she has been
transferred to the officers of the dockyard. For the extra
Service of fitting out and dismantling the Bellerophon, the
following allowance is made to the crew of the Rodney, agree-
ably to the Queen's regulations :—Lieutenants of the navy,
captains of marines, and masters, 3s. a day; other officers,
ranking with lieutenants of the navy, and lieutenants of ma-
rines, 2s. 6d. a day ; mates, and officers ranking with them,
2s. a day ; warrant officers, and subordinate officers, ls. 6d.
a day ; first class petty officers, sergeants of marines, and all
artificers, ls. 3d. a day; second class petty officers, corporals
of marines, seamen, and others, ls. a day; private marines
and landsmen, 9d. a day; boys, Bd. a day. The time occu-
pied has been twelve days.
The Electra has a few defects to make good, and will be
ready to be paid, and proceed to sea by Saturday. Her
armament is to be changed, and else is to carry 32-pounders.
The guns and carriages will be shipped at Spithead. The
destination of the Electra is not known.
Commander Alexander Murray, late of the Rodney, is ap-
pointed to the Favourite, 18, at Plymouth.
The Monkey, steam tug vessel, on her passage from Wool-
wich to Cork, put into this harbour on Monday, during a
gale of wind, and was to have proceeded this day ; but a
report being made to the Commander-in-Chief of her unfit-
ness to encounter a gale, and her general debility, a survey
has been held, and the officers of the dockyard have pro-
nounced the Monkey to be no longer adapted for sea duty.
Mr. Bryant, the master, and his crew will be turned over to
another vessel.
The Netley returned to Plymouth this day.
A vessel arrived at Spithead on Monday from the River,
with convicts on board for New South Wales. This morn-
ing some cases of small-pox have appeared among the pas-
sengers, and she has been ordered to the Quarantine-ground,
to wait a few daye, to see if any new cases occur.
Disastrous accounts have been received from her Majesty's
ship Fox, 42, Commodore Sir Henry Blackwood, Bart. It
appears that on her passage to Bombay, she got on some
rocks in the Gulf of Persia, and sustained so much damage
that it was with difficulty she got to Bombay. She was
caught in a hurricane, but had about thirteen fathoms water ;
this suddenly shoaled to 3% fathoms, and her anchors were
let down ; she drove on the rocks, and before she could be
cleared, her guns were thrown over to lighten her; all the
false keel, great part of the stem, and the dead wood, is car-
ried away, and her injuries are described as being much more
serious than those of her Majesty's ship Pique, when she got
on the rocks on the coast of North America. The Fox is in
dock at Bombay, and is estimated to cost 5,000/. to repair,
and make her fit for sea.
Commander Smith, late of the Siren, and Lieutenant W.
E. Triscott, formerly acting flag-lieutenant to Admirals Sir
C. Rowley and Sir C. Ogle, have this week been promoted.
Her Majesty's ship President, 50, with the flag of Rear-
Admiud Pacres, was at Rio Janeiro on the 19th January,
all wen. She had had a very good passage of five weeks
from Madeira. The President, after completing water and
provisions, was to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope with
all speed.
The North Star, 26, Captain Sir J. E. Home, Bart. ; the
Racehorse, 18, Commander Hay; and the Hon. East India
Company's sloop Elphinstone, were at Auckland, New Zea-
land, on the 22d of November.
The Hazard, 18, Commander Egerton, had left Auckland
for China, to communicate with the Commander-in-Chief,
Rear-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane, on her way to England to be
paid off.
The Wanderer, Commander Sommerville, and Harlequin,
Commander Curry, have nearly completedertheir rigging, at
d Pittman, is also
Portsmouth ; and the Childers, C.enum
beginning to make a show, having heran
lower rigging over
and tops and caps °
"• They have not yet received their
guns, but it is still said they will only have 12 32-pounders
each, instead of 16 carronades.
Tun JANUS, STEAM-SLOOP.—The workmen have not yet
commenced the repairs of the damage done to the engine of the
Janus at the last trial. If any more of the public money is
to be spent on her, it is said that to make good her defects
she will have to be taken to Woolwich, as they cannot be re-
paired at Portsmouth.
The Scourge, homb-steam-sloop, Commander Coffin, will be
sometime under the hands of the dockyard at Portsmouth.
It is said her cathead and bilboards require some:alteration.
SHEERNESS, MARCH 17.—The America, 50, Captain the
Hon. John Gordon, was at Mazatlan on the 6th of January,
collecting freight, of which she o had on board specie to the
amount of 1,000,000 dollars, and was tho sail for Valparaiso
vherveesssseei.would most pro.
about the middle of February,
bably transfer her specie to another
The Hecla steam-sloop, Commander John Duffill, arrived
at Constantinople on the 18th of February, with dispatches
for the Embassy.
The Athol troop-ship, Master-Commander J. Pearse, ar-
rived at Port Royal, Jamaica, on the Bth of February, from
Barbadoes, where she had transferred the troops affected with
small-pox intended for that island, to a separate vessel,
bringing on Major Vaughan and Captain Glasgow's com-
panies of Royal Artillery for Jamaica.
The Blenheim troop-ship sailed front Jamaica on the 25th
January, with the head-quarters of the 77th Regiment, under
the command of Col. Wilson, for Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Virago steam-sloop Commander G. G. Otway, in con.

sequence of the intelligence from India, has been Placed at
the disposal of the Consul-General at Alexandria.
The Brilliant, 20, Capt. R. B.lWatson, C. 8., progresses
favourably with her rigging and manning ; Lieut. Wm. H.
Bridge has been appointed first lieutenant. It will be re-
membered that this officer was lieutenant of the Cormorant
steam-sloop at Valparaiso, and was dismissed his ship by
court-martial for refusing to shake hands with the Vice
Consul at Islay.
The Speedy cutter, Lieut.-Commander George Spong,
having been found very defective, has been paid off into
ordinary.
The 'Speedwell has been undocked, and continues her fit-

,
dugs in the Camber. The Goodwill lighter has replaced her
in dock, to have her bottom repaired.
The Cornwall, 50, is under the shears, to be masted.
The Conquestador, 50, will be undocked in the course of,
text week, to be masted, when the Worcester, 50, will be
hauled in to be fitted.
The Trafalgar, 120, flag-ship, Capt. J. N. Nott, is ordered
to he got ready for sea, and take on board six months' stores
and provision.. She is now all ataunt in the harbour, but
requires considerable repairs. Since her last cruise she has
lost upwards of 100 men by desertion.
The Avenger steam-frigate, and Inflexible steam-sloop, are
ready for the penant at Devonport.
The Favourite, 18, is ordered to be commissioned at that
port by Commander Alexander Murray.
PLYMOUTH, MARCH 17.—0 n Sunday letters were received
from the Lords of the Admiralty, expressing great satisfac-
tion at the manner in which the Calcutta had been got ready,
and ordering her to be restored to her original position, and
also directing that the men should have extra pay for the
time that they had been employed. She was removed from
the Sound and towed up the harbour to-day, the weather
yesterday being too bad.