The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-01 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—The Meander, 44, Cap-
tain the Hon. IL Keppel, will sail to-morrow, if pos-
sible, for the Cape of Good Hope direct, en route to
Singapore and Borneo, taking the latest news from
England to the former place and dispatches from the
Government. Mr. Brooke, the Baja of Sarawak, and
suite arrived this afternoon and will embark to-
morrow. The Meander has been visited by some moat
distinguished officers and personages since she arrived
here ; she is a very handsome-looking vessel, and s
fitted with all the very latest improvements incidental
to active service. During her stay at Spithead she
has been riding at single anchor, and experienced
some very heavy weather. Owing to the paucity of
anchors in the dockyard on Porter's plan, she was
supplied only on the eve of her departure from
Sheerness with this valuable appliance ; its having
been specially demanded of the Admiralty by an
officer of Captain Keppel's experience speaks highly
in its favour.

The Meander takes out the following personages :
Mr. Brooke, Raja of Sarawak; Mr. William Napier,
Lieutenant Governor of the island of Labuan ; Mrs.
Napier, Miss Napier, the two children ; Mr. St. John,
private secretary to Mr. Brooke ; Mr. Low, Govern-
ment secretary to the island of Labuan ; Mr. Scott,
engineer and surveyor of public works to the island ;
Lieutenant Hosken, R.N., postmaster of Labuan ;
Mr. Gwynne, postmaster of Hong-Kong, who goes
out in the ward room ; Lieutenant Paton (son of Sir
Henry Paton), of the 98th Regiment, quartered at
Calcutta, as the guest of Captain Keppel; and the
lion. Granville Egerton, naval cadet, to join the Ver-
non, .50, flag •ship on the East India and China station.
The Raja was most hospitably received by the
Commander-in-Chief, who invited the following
distinguished party to meet his Highness :—Mrs.
Ogle, the Hon. Mrs. Keppel, Rear-Admiral Sir
Thomas Cochrane, C. 8.; Rear-Admiral Prescott,
C. 8.; Captain Mindy, R.N. ; Captitt the Hon. H.
Keppel, R.N.; Mr. Napier, Mr. St. John, Flag-
Lieutenant Cochran, and Captain Ogle, R.N.
The Firefly steam-sloop, Lieutenant-Commander
Ponsonby, was paid advance to-day, and will leave.
to-morrow for the cost of Africa station, taking mails
and supernumeraries, together with dispatches for the
Queen Dowager at Madeira, and the Commander-in-
Chief on the African station, Commodore Sir Charles
Hotham, K.C.B.

The promotions under given, which were made by
the Admiralty this day, will, we are convinced, give
much satisfaction. Commander Robert Sharpe is a
lieutenant of 1813, and a commander of 1806, & ser-
viceable and gallant officer, lately commanding the
Scylla. He has seen much service on the coast of
Portugal in bygone disturbances, and was for his
gallantry and support created a Knight of the Tower
and Sword. Commander Sharpe heads the list of the
promoted, and Lieutenant Henry Need, the gallant
First-Lieutenant of the Terrible steam-frigate, con-
cludes it. Of this latter officer's merits the public
are well aware. His last praiseworthy act was saving
the life of a fellow creature from drowning, a few
days before the Terrible left this port for Lisbon and
Malta. Of the other officers we regret we know
nothing, and the explanatory navy list gives us but
little assistance. They are all deservedly advanced,
however, and we heartily congratulate them.
It will be seen also by the appointments that Cap-
tain Sir James Clarke Ross (1834) is this evening
officially charged with the expedition to search for
Sir John Franklin and his lost voyagers. Sir James
is appointed to the Enterprise, a ship purchased of
\Vigram and Green, of Blackwall.