The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-23 00:00:00

PROMOTION.

Lieutenant William Houston Stewart (1842) late
flag to Vice-Admiral King at the Nore, to the rank of
commander.

APPOINTMENTS.
Lieutenants—Robert Shebbeare (1813), to the out-
pension of Greenwich Hospital ; C. C. A. Kane
(1842), to the Ocean, 84, at Sheerness, as flag lieute-
nant to the Commander-in-Chief, at the Nore ; F. P.
Coull, to command the revenue cutter, Chamelion, vice

Voules.
Naval Instructors—R. Wilson to the San Josef flag-
ship at Plymouth ; R. Oran, to the Caledonia, 120 guns,
at Plymouth.
Assistant Surgeons—J. Rose, M.D., confirmed to
Hasler Hospital ; J. B. Nicholson, M.D., to the Merlin
steam-packet, fitting at Portsmouth, J. P. Lawrence, to
the Medusa steam packet, at Portsmouth ; E. T. Wat-
kins (acting), to the San Josef, at Plymouth.
WooLwicu, MAY 22.—The Rifleman steam-vessel
went down the river on Saturday last, under the charge
of Lieutenant Robertson, to try the engines of the
Teaser of 100 horse power, now fitted in the Rifleman
instead of her former engines of 200 horse power.
The result of the three trials up and three down,
opposite the measured mile at Long Reach was B'o2
knots on the average, a speed rather greater than when
she was first tried with her bottom unsheathed, and en-
gines of 200 horse power. This experiment was
anxiously looked for, and Captain Halstead, Captain
Glasse, and Captain Smythe, R.N., Mr. Atherton, chief
engineer at Woolwich dockyard. Mr. F. P. Smith, and
several gentlemen were on board to witness the trials, to
ascertain if the alteration of giving the stern a finer run
would be an advantage to screw-propelled vessels ; and
they were not disappointed, as it was made evident that
the engines of 100 horse power requiring only one half of
the quantity of coals as engines of 200 horse power, gave
a speed of upwards of eight knots per hour, and within
about one knot of the speed she attained on any previous
trial with engines of double power.
The Teaser steam-vessel is at present fitting with two
engines of 30 horse power each, and is fitted with two
rudders, with which a trial will shortly be made.
The Caradoc steam packet, fur the Holyhead station,
was tried again to-day in the basin at the Dynamometer,
and will be tried again tomorrow after an alteration is
made in her floats.

The Trident steam vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Risk, will leave Woolwich this afternoon for Greenhithe,
to have her compasses adjusted by Captain Johnson,
and will then proceed to Chatham to embark a detach-
ment of Royal Marines for Ireland.
The Termagant, steam-frigate, 24 guns, designed by
Mr. Wite, and fitting with a screw propeller and engines
of 620-horse power by Messrs. Seaward and Co., will be
ready for trial in about a month, or as soon us the ship-
wrights have her out of their hands.
The Encounter steam-sloop is taking on board 300
tons more ballast previous to her official trial to bring
her more down in the water than she was on the pre-
liminary trial. The armament of this vessel will be opg
68 pounder gun. 95 cwt., and 10 feet long; one 10 inch,
gun, 85 cwt., and 9 feet 4 inches long; and four 8 inch
guns, 65 cwt. each, and 9 feet long.

WOOLWICH-MONDAY.
ROYAL SAPPERS AND MlNERS.—Lieutenant Wilkin-
son and Lieutenant Farrell, Royal Engineers, seven non-
commissioned officers, one bugler, and thirty-three
privates of the Royal Sappers and Miners, are expected
to embark on Friday next on board the Stebournheath
freight-ship, for a passage to Halifax? Nova Scotia. The
greater number of the, men are married, and have large
families, and intend remaining in Nova Scotia on the
expiration of their periods of service. This arrangement
will be of great advantage to the colony in which they
settle, and will relieve this country of a considerable
burden, which the wives and children of soldiers gener-
ally prove, when the number allowed to proceed with the
corps to foreign stations is limited. The plan is worthy
of adoption in every regiment proceeding to colonial
stations, the West Indies or unhealthy climates excepted.
ROYAL ARTILLERY.—One non• commissioned officer
and thirty-one gunners of the Ist and 6th battalions are
to embark in the Stebournheath freight-ship, to join
their companies at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The garrison
at
.Woolwich is very quiet, the ebullition of feeling
betwixt the recruits of the Royal Artillery and the
Royal Marines being promptly checked by the autho-
rities; and there does not appear to be any truth in the
statement that one of the men was stabbed with a
bayonet, as was reported; on the contrary, the men do
not carry bayonets when off duty.

THE MARINE SOClETY.—Yesterday the annua.
visitation of the governors and friends of the above
Society was made on board the Iphigenia frigate, moored
off the Deptford Creek, to inspect and examine the
officers and boys, &c.—The Right lion. tho Earl of
Romney in the chair. The report made by Mr. Rust,
the secretary, stated that the boys received on board
during the year were 318, of whom 33 were sent into
the royal navy, 40 into the Indian navy, 227 into the
merchant service and fisheries, and six discharged, and
two have died; remaining now on board 100—making a
total number received on board since 1786 of 26,547
boys, at an expenditure of 110,8831. Bs. 3d. The boys
were examined on reading spelling, writing, &c., the use
of the compass, the torniquet, exercising the sails,
working the great guns, the use of small arms, and
rowing in the boats, in all of which they acquitted them-
selves with great credit—the governors expressing them-
selves perfectly satisfied with the proficiency of the boys
and the discipline and order observed in every depart-
ment of the ship. The Iphigenia being an old vessel,
and requiring a great deal of repair, the Government
have given orders to fit up, for the use of the society,
the Venus, a 42-gun frigate.
THE RISCA COLLIERY Exrnosiorr.—An inquest
was held on Wednesday, on the body of Joseph James,
aged 51, and Alfred Chivers, aged 12i years, what ost
their lives by the explosion in the above works t.he
,pre-
ceding day. After hearing the evidence the jury re-
turned a verdict to the following effect:—" J
That the
deceased Joseph James and Alfred Chivers came by
their deaths by an accidental explosion of fire-damp in
the big vein pit of the Wain Vawr colliery." The jury
were unanimous in strongly recommending, for the due
preservation and safety of life and property, that it be
considered imperative by the proprietor of the colliery,
that be direct the big vein openings to be as thoroughly
examined by a fireman as the other portions of the
works; and that in future all fines established in these
works, and infringed by the workmen, be strictly
forced. The wounded persons were progressing favour-
ably.—Monmouthshire Merlin.
PUBLIC MEETINGS IN LIVERPOOL—We under-
stand that the Mayor has, in compliance with the requi
sition of the shipowning interest, called a public meeting
of the inhabitants for Friday next, to consider the pro-
posals of the Ministry to repeal the navigation-laws. In
compliance with the wishes of the Financial Reform
Association, he has convened another great meeting for
tho following Tuesday, to deal with the important
question of reduced and equitable taxation.—Liverpool
Albion.

TRINITY TERM.—On Friday next Trinity Term
commences. The arrears in the Court of Queen's Bench
number 117, consisting of eight cases in the special
paper for judgment, and 33 special cases and demurrers
for argument; 61 rules for new trials,—titid 15 for judg-
ment. In the Court of Common Pleasthe arrears are
as follows:-12 enlarged rules, 74 rules for new trials to
be argued, and 12 for judgment. There are two regis-
tration appeals, and two suspended applications for new
trials. Already 40 demurrers have been entered. The
arrears for this court may be considered as somewhat
considerable.