The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-10 00:00:00

NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 2.—We are informed, on very
substantial authority, that, prior to resigning the
command of the Constance, .50, gun frigate, in the
Pacific, Captain ,Sir Baldwin Walker distributed
amongst her crew, numbering 500 men, the 2,0001.
freight money he had become entitled to by con-
veying the 2,000,000 dollars from the coast of
Mexico to Valparaiso for transshipment into the
Carysfoot, 26, for Captain Seymour to bring to
England, with which he is now on his way. The
bonus averaged about 17,1 dollars per man.
The Rapid, 10, Commander Dixon, was off Cape
Mount, coast of Africa, on the Bth of December. She
had captured a slave schooner after 13 hours' chase—
a very fine vessel of 280 tons. They sent their prize
to Sierra Leone for condemnation. This is the
fourth she has taken within the last seven months.
They are now gone (says our letter) in search of
two more, which they are in hopes of taking, having
had information about them, the pinnace being away
cruising also. On their way to the Mount from the
Gallinas (where they had been to land the prisoners
in the prize, 16 in number), they fell in with the
Favourite, 18, Commander Murray, who had con-
cluded the treaty he had been so long employed upon.
The Favourite was going to Sierra Leone to await
the arrival cf the Commodore. The Amphitrite, 26,
Captain T. R. Eden, was at Cape Mount when the
Rapid left. The Britomart, 12, Commander Cham-
berlain, was at Loando on the 6th of December, all
well.

The Retribution steam-frigate has at length got in
her new mainmast, and begins to look rather more
shipshape.
The Prince Regent, 90, Captain W. F. Martin,
hauled off this morning from the jetty, alongside her
hulk, the Victorious.
-Wind W.S.WT., fresh gales and squally.
CHATHAM, FEB. 9.—The Triton steam-packet ar-
rived at this port on Tuesday evening last, to receive
her stores on board, when she will proceed to 'Wool-
wich again to be fitted for sea.
The following officers at this garrison have obtained
leave of absence from their several regiments until
March next :—Captain J. E. Duncan, 29th ; Captain
Richard Waddy, 50th ; Captain C. Lempriere, 53d ;
Captain Enslie, 63d ; Lieutenant Annesley, 63d ;
Ensign D. C. Delhoste, 63.1; Lieutenant Cummins,
37th; Ensign C. B. &Amick, 61st; Ensign Patti-
son, 63d; and Ensign T. K. Lawrence, of the 32i1,
until the sailing of the ship Windsor.
WOOLWICH, FEB. 9.—The Fisgard, 42 guns, flag-
ship of Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, K.C.B. and
K.C.IL, has her rigging all up, and will soon be
ready to assume her station in the river opposite the
dockyard.
The Sphynx steam vessel is now ready to be taken
out of the basin, and would have been taken out at
high water this afternoon, every preparation being
made for the purpose, but it was considered advisable
to defer taking her out until to morrow, in conse-
quence of the very strong gale which arose at high
water to-day. The Sphynx will soon be brought
forward for commission.

The Enterprise, bearing the pennant of Captain
Sir James Clarke Ross, is making ready, with every
dispatch, to proceed to the Arctic regions in search of
Sir John Franklin's expedition, and a lieutenant and
purser are stationed on board the Hebe, at Woolwich,
to receive petty officers and seamen for Sir J. Clarke
Ross's expedition. The other vessel which will ac-
company the Enterprise is named the Investigator,
and will be under the command of Captain Bird. She
was built at Greenock, and is expected in the river
about the 16th instant, to be fitted for sea. Captain
Sir J. Clarke Rosa and Captain E. J. Bird both visited
Woolwich dockyard yesterday. No apprehensions
are as yet entertained as to the safety of Captain Sir
J. Franklin's expedition, as they were amply provided
with provisions for another year.
The depth of mud that had accumulated at the
fore part of the Benbow, 72 guns, when stationed
alongside the wharf wall, prevented her being taken
into the stream until a part of the mud was removed
by manual labour. The vessel has been got cff
safely, and will be taken to Sheerness in a few days.
Vessels in the harbour—The Virago, the Black
Eagle, the Trident, the Lightning, and the Pluto,
steam-vessels ; the Benbow, 72 guns ; the Hebe and
the Salsette, receiving ships.
In the basin—The Fisgard, 42 guns, the Sphynx,
the Ilecla, the Phoenix, the Janus, the Driver, the
Dee, the Rattler, the Spiteful, the ,oriel, the Dwarf,
the Teazer, the Myrmidon, the Rifleman steam-
vessels.

In dock—The Niger and the Caradoc.
ArrOINTMENTS.

ADMIRALTY, FED. 9.—To the Agincourt, Simeon
Ruby, acting boatswain. To the Avon, George
Gelling, master's assistant. To the Champion,
Horatio Hales, naval cadet; Richard Batchelor,
clerk. To the Ocean, James Driver, 21 class assis-
tant engineer. To the Powerful, James Wilson,
boatswain. To the t4t. Vincent, William Dean,
acting carpenter. Lieutenant B. Williams, chief
officer, Coast Guard. S. Augear, inspector of ship.
wrights, Devonport yard.

LAUNCH OF THE VIVID STEAM•PACKET.—The
Vivid steam-packet was launched at Chatham on Mon-
day, at a quarter before two, in the presence of Captain
Superintendent Sir T. Bourchier, and the principal
officers of the yard, and numerous naval and military
officers. The ceremony of naming was performed by
Miss Lang, daughter of Mr. 0. W. Lang, the designer
of the Vivid. The principal dimensions, &c., of the
Vivid are as follow (as ordered):—Length between per-
pendiculars, 150 feet; ditto keel for tonnage, 136
inches; breadth, extreme, 22 feet 1 inch; ditto tonnage,
22 feet; ditto moulded, 21 feet 5 inches; depth in hold,
11 feet 4 inches; burthen in tons (old rule), 352 18-94
ditto new, 235 58; engine-reom, 108 feet 9 inches; re-
gister tonnage, 126 68; draught of water forward, 3 feet
9 inches; ditto aft, 4 feet 7 inches; broke in launching,
13th; of an inch. The vessel was taken into the third
dock the same tide, and -will he coppered and put out of
dock, and on Thursday will proceed to Greenwich to
have her 150-horse power machinery put on board by
Penn and Co. The band belonging to the Royal Dock-
yard Battalion were present ie. uniform at the launch of
the Vivid, and made a very respectable appearance,
and their performance was much approved of by all
present.

ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.
—Yesterday morning, much alarm was occasioned on
the London and North Western Railway, by an acci-
dent which, though fortunately not attended with any
fatal consequences, caused the train to be detained for
nearly two hours. From the particulars, it appears that
the train, which left Euston-square at nine o'clock, A.M.,
travelled at a very slow pace until it arrived within one
mile of Rugby, when the whole of the fire-bars and fire
fell from tha engine, causing a loud explosion. Upon
examination it was found that the engine, which was one
of Stephenson's long boilers, had given way in some
portion of the machinery, which had caused the fire-
box to fall put. The train was obliged to remain on the
line for upwards of an hour. until another engine could
be procured from Rugby, when it was enabled to proceed
on its journey.
To RESTORE STALE OF HARD JLE.Mix an
ounce of genuine Durham mustard with simple water,
as you would fur table ; toast the top crust of a half-
quartern loaf on both sides, until it is hard, and spread
the whole of the mustard upon it. Cut it in pieccs three
inches square, put them into the cask,
.and stop it up
safely. and in a tr.oritl-. as mild as whva
Li,i, way coneiude you have
no remedy, and had better brew it afresh to made vinegar
of it.--,Robinson ou Winc-making,