The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-10 00:00:00

THE SHOOTING SEASON.

As the 12th of August draws nigh, great numbers of
sportsmen are wending their way, to be comfortably
housed among the mountains before that auspicious clay
—as eagerly longed for by many as the coming off of a
Derby or St. Leger race; and, like the points of favourite
racers, the good and bad qualities of moors are estimated
and criticised. The reports which we formerly gave, as
to the strength and abundance of the grouse, areconfirmed
by later testimony. Generally speaking, the birds will be
strong and plentiful. Many beats will present the
singular appearance of broods, too young to shoot at,
and others not to be distinguished from old birds. On
a few moors there are barren pairs, their young having
been destroyed by thunder-clouds, which, falling in
torrents, drowned the cheepers among the heath. We
heard an instance of this from a keeper who rears a
number of pheasants by hand-feeding. At meal times,
five or six, which had their broods in the neigh-
bourhood, brought them regularly to feed ; but after
a storm of thunder and rain, though the dams re-
turned, all their chicks . were gone. Tape-worm
has also been spreading its contagion, not much as
yet in this county, although it can hardly escape
this eccentric and little-known disease. For such shoot-
ings as are unlet, inquiries are still made ; and among
the last taken are—Kilrnorack, by E. J. Collingwood,
Esq.; Dalmally, H. Brooke, Esq. ; Diebdale and Sal-
lachie, M. W. Porde, Esq.; Cantray, J. S. Hodgson,
Esq.; Knoeky, J. W. Perry, Esq.; Auchinault, T.
Garde, Esq, and W. 0. Jackson, Esq.; Dalmigavie, J.
La Touche, Esq. Several sportsmen. who have formerly
been in the north, are to be located a 'step southward.
Richard Winsloe, Esq., is to be at Blackhall and the
forest of Birze; Mr. Ualdwell at Skellater: and H. Clll-
- Esq., and party, at Finzesn. Some good shots
have already been made in the deer forests. At Inver-
broom, Sir George Gore, `sßart., began his stalking by
killing two; the Master of Lovat and the Hon. Fraser,
three in Glenstrathfarer ; and one very fat stag, with
thick antlers, on Fairburn, the property of H. M. Fowler,
Eq. We saw yesterday two fine heads from Fasnakyle,
one of them royal—horns very strong, nearly palmated
at the top, three long tines on each, the inner ones
ap-
proaching each other to six and a half inches. A
from
tit ehe
tn
splendid, wide-spreading royal bead was sent
_
Ithidorrach. It had the well-known cups i,)rmeFd,n
the top branches. At Loubcroy, J. M. E. Jones, -Asti.,
shot his first stag of the season some days since. —lnver -
nen Cola ier.

A feuillf toniste of the Presse gives the following
Londonh:e—EsScuunridaaly. ,
clatnLeown,dnioll
is as dull as the Holy
description of a SundaY\•sirneeLk
amuse oneself better if seated all alone,. without light, at the
,amuse of the well of the Great Pyramid. than in this melan-
choly town, when struck with the dominical catalepsy. The
only thing one can do on that dreadful day is to eat. The
1 glitsh themselves, so heroic with respect to ennui, take to
flight on that day, and fill all the taverns of the environs;
tose who remain cut their throats, or throw themselves into
the Thames.''
We never recollect so much corn, particularly wheat,
secured in so short a time, and in such good order, as was
done last week in this neighbourhood. The weather seems
now rather unsettled; but we escaped the fury of the storm,
and no mischief is as yet done to the aim. The late rains
have refreshed the grass land a good deal; but the turnips
do not grow well at all. Stock of all sorts is doing welt,
but the prices are hardly so high as they were.
Mr. Villiers paired, in favour of abolition of flogging, with
Mr. Patrick Stewart, %abut it,

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, PRIDAY.—The' Comet steamer, Lieutenant-
Commanding C. R. Johnson, returned to-day from Plymouth.
This indefatigable efficer has actually made two voyages to
Plymouth and back in two hours under four days, including
a stoppage in this harbour of seven hours. The distance
traversed is about 650 miles, and this has been accomplished
by one of the oldest steamers in the service, and one generally
held to be a very slow coach.
The Athol troop-ship, Master-Commanding E. reatee, was
towed into the harbour last evening, and is to 'au grounded,
we believe, alongside the dockyard, to have her copper e -
amined and repaired, there being no dock vacant,
The alight repairs required by the royal yacht In conse-
quance of her late acciderit have been completed, and she
was hauled ofd ti Oa buoy opposite Clarence-yard tb:is
Incr^'ig roady fbr her Majesty's use, should she thi
7.4 tit to
employ her.
The ships dressed in flags this afternni at
one, and the pier at Clarence-yard a quarter past
been decorated in like
manner, as from the lateri'7-ss of the hour at which her
Majesty has appointed to arrive, it will be low water, and
she will be obliged to use the barge.
In Harbour--Excellent, Victory, Victoria and Albert,
Nautil-as, Athol, and Seaflower cutter ;• ,
, Gladiator Dasher
Comet., Fairy, and Echo steamers.
At Spithead—Contest and Aurora, Sardinian corvette.
In Dock—Prince Regent, Leander, Cambrian, Naiad,
Rattlesnake, and Rifleman.

In the Basin—Neptune, Edinburgh, Penelope, Trincoma-
lee, and Amphitrite,

POIITSMOUTIT, SUNDAY.--Captain A. L. Corry, of the
Superb, 80, has not proceeded to sea in his ship this last
cruise, but left her at Cork, on Admiralty leave, Mr. Cory
being dangerously ill. Commander W. K. Stephens (acting)
has command of the Superb pro tem. Captain Corry states
that the fleet is much hnproved in efficiency—an improve-
ment which could not possibly have been attained without
sending the ships to sea. This opinion, upon a question
which has been much agitated and disputed, formed by an
officer of Captain Corry's experience, is very valuable.
The Inflexible steam-sloop, Commander Hoseason, takes
out a large amount of ammunition, 2,000 stand of arms, six
field officers, arid a number of supernumeraries, for service at
the Qape of Good Hope. She makes her trial trip to-
morrow, and will sail on the day we have already named
(the 12th), for the Cape. Commander Hoseason intends
steaming direct for the Cape, without calling at any inter-
vening port for fuel, and as the gallant commander has a
thorough knowledge of the use of the expansive gear, we do
not despair of his success, which will be one of the most ex-
traordinary feats ever recorded in navigation.
Captain the Hon. William Gordon, M.P., late ono of the
Lords of the Admiralty, is now staying at Anglesey awaiting
the arrival of Captain the Hon. John Gordon, in command
of the America, 50, hourly expected from the Pacific with an
enormous freight in specie.

The Rattlesnake, 26, Captain Owen Stanley, will not be
ready for the pendant so soon as was expected, and as she
requires so much work to make her fit for her new commis-
sion, it is contemplated to bring forward the Volage, 26, at
Devonport, to take her place.
The Contest, 12, Commander M'Murdo, is detained at
Spithead for the want of lieutenants. When they join, she
will sail immediately for Sierra Leone. She takes out mails
and dispatches. Her sailing orders do not hold out any
prospect of a trial of sailing with the Recruit, as was antici-
pated. The circumstance is much canvassed, and looks like
fear for the result of such a " contest" with the iron craft.
The Contest has five months' provision under hatches. It
is stated she can stow six. If she can, why does tole not ?
Commander Douklas, son of Sir Howard Douglas, goes out
in the Contest to join the Pantaloon, 10, on the coast, vice
Wilson, invalided.
_ _

The Columbine, 16, Commander Booth, is coming to this
port from Chatham to receive advance wages. Her destina-
tion is the East Indies. She will take out dispatches, which
are lying ready for her, for Rear-Admiral Dacres, the Cola-
mander-in-Chiet on the Cape of Good Hope station, and
Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, Commander-in-Chief
on the East India station.

The Formidable, 84, at Sheerness, recently the flag-ship
in the Mediterranean, is the ship selected to take the place
of the Agincourt, 72, as flag-ship in the East Indies and
China.

First Lieutenant H. C. M. Hawkey, of the Royal Marines,
joined this division this morning for duty.
The Griffon, 3, Lieutenant-Commander Wilmot, arrived at
Santa Cruz, Teneriff, from Madeira and England on the 29th
of June.

The Athol troop-ship, Master-Commander Pearn, was
grounded alongside the dockyard last night, and the copper,
which was defective, put to rights. She was hauled off again
as soon as she floated.

The Nelson, 120, advanced-ship, was removed to her
moorings off the north end of the yard yesterday.
The Penelope, 22, steam- frigate, was removed from the
basin yesterday and placed alongside the jetty.
The Seaflower cutter, Commander Roepel, sailed yesterday
for Jersey.

The Daphne, 18, Captain Onslow, was at Valparaiso on the
18th of May.
The Sampson steam-frigate, Captain Henderson, arrived
at Valparaiso from England on the 19th of May.