The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-13 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The Ajax, 56, screw
guard-ship, went out of harbour this morning at half-
past nine o'clock to try her engine and speed. Rear..
Admiral Prescott, C. 8., Captain Austen, C. 8., with a
number of other officers, Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown, and
many other scientific gentlemen, were also on board her.
The day was remarkably fine, a light wind blew from
the N.W., with the water as smooth as at a millpond,
On her proceeding out of harbour round the Spit Buoy
the screw appeared to be working most admirable, the
large hulk gliding through the water without the least
noise, her screw occasioning but the least possible ebul-
lition of the water under her sterh, and the ship the least
possible undulation. We should say that in passing
along Southsea beach she was going ahead at least four
knots, with a flood tide of one knot against her. This
would give her five knots speed. The Ajax proceeded
through Spithead to Stokes Bay, where she unfortu-
nately broke down by breaking one of her pistons before
any account was taken of her speed. Shoul•1 she, how-
ever, be found to have a speed of five or six knots, it
would decide the authorities on not going to the very
costly expenses now effecting in altering the Blenheim.
Of course the admiral and officers returned to Ports-
mouth, and the Echo tug was dispatched to tow her up,
but she will not come into harbour before six or seven
o'clock. On her trial to-day the Ajax had only her bare
lower masts and bowsprit in.
The Grampus, 50, Captain 11. Martin, was towed into
harbour, and brought alongside the dockyard jetty. She
looked well, her rigging and ropes were as taut as bars,
and her tops and mast heads remarkably clear of all top
hamper. She was down very much by the stern, occa-
sioned by her enormous freight, about 80 tons. Her lower
mast did not seem to stand well, her foremast standing
too far forward. They were painted black, with white
mast heads. This evening her people commenced de-
livering her freight, but it will not be all got out to-
-sight. Messrs. Casher have charge of it, and will convey
it to-morrow, by the South-Western Railway, from
Portsmouth to London. We cannot exactly tell the
value of it, as there is a box of diamonds and some gold;
but the greatest proportion is in silver bars and dollars ;
it is said to be worth 3,700,000 dollars. The money is
on merchants' account, and by the present most unjust
and iniquitous mode of appropriating the per centage for
the payment of the freight, Captain Martin will pocket
6,0001. or 7,000/., while the officers and crew of the ship,
who have all the trouble, get nil. The Grampus is dry-
ing sails, and will immediately prepare for paying off.
The Comet (steam-vessel), Lieutenant Commander
Rigge, arrived to-day from Oporto, to pay off.
Wind northerly, light breeze, with fine weather.
APPOINTMENTS.
Commander Henry Harvey, to the Kingfisher; Lieu-
tenant J. W. Pike, to the Kingfisher; Master Henry T.
Ellis, to the Kingfisher; Midshipman George B. Cooper,
Henry J. Urquhart, S. Babington, and Henry Capron
Bridger, to the Kingfisher; Acting Gunner Henry Bluff,
to the Excellent; Boatswain George Faulkner, to the
Illustrious; Master's Assistant Thomas A. Bower, to
the Penelope; Master's Assistant James Boulton, to
the Stromboli; Master's Assistant Frederick Howard,
to the Driver; Clerk's Assistant F. F. Miller, to the
Kingfisher.
THE NEW RIGGING WARRANT.—The Lords of the
Admiralty have appointed Captain Horatio, C. 8., of the
Blenheim steam guard-ship; Charles Brown, Esq.,
master-attendant of Portsmouth Dockyard; W. H.
Thompson, Esq., master of the flag- ship Victory; and
R. C. Allen, Esq., master of the Blenheim, to be the com-
mittee for revising the rigging warrants of the steam
squadron at Portsmouth.
The Kingfisher, 12 gun sloop, was hauled from her
moorings in ordinary at Portsmouth, down to the mast-
ing jetty, on Tuesday night, and yesterday her masts
were put in, and a number of men put upon her, to
rig her. She will be commissioned in a day or two to
carry the November mail to the western coast of Africa.
The Stromboli steam-sloop, 6 guns, in Portsmouth
harbour, will return to the Tagus shortly.
The Driver steam-sloop, 6 guns, sailed from Ports-
mouth on Tuesday night for Jersey, to land a company
of Royal Artillery, and relieve the company serving
there.
THE AVENGER SUBSCRIPTION.—The committee for
the distribution of this bounty to the relatives and
nearest of kin of those drowned in the Avenger steam-
frigate have announced the distribution of further re-
lief to the recognised recipients of the monies of the
fund at the Royal Naval College, on Saturday next, the
14th inst.
The Earl of Auckland has left the Admiralty on a
visit of inspection to the Admiralty works at Holyhead.
Thence his Lordship proceeds on a short visit to his
brother, at the Isle of Man.
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., late Commander-in-
Chief at Portsmouth, has arrived in town. His Ports-
mouth friends will be glad to hear that this gallant and
much respected flag-officer has improved much both in
health and appearance since he left the karassing duties
of port admiral.
Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.8., Com-
mander-in Chief of the Channel squadron, is in town on
leave of absence. The ships under his command:—St.
Vincent, 120, flagship, Captain Dacres; Prince Regent,
90, Captain W. F. Martin; Bellerophon, 78, Captain
Baynes, C. 8., and Reynard, 8, screw-schooner, Com-
mander Cracroft, are ordered to have their defects made
good at Portsmouth, and to be kept ready for sea.
The Bellerophon, it is understood, will be the first
ship dispatched to the Mediterranean to relieve one of
the line-of-battle ships there. The Stromboli, steam-
sloop, Commander Lord A. Beauclerk, is to be read" at
Spithead.
MANNING THE NAVY.—HaIf a dozen sail-of-the-lino
could be well manned in a very short time, with no diffi •
calty, were the Admiralty to give the word. The King-
fisher, 12, Commander Harvey, was manned at Ports-
mouth in a few hours after orders for her commis-
sioning.
Captain Chads, C. 8., and his officers and men,
returned to his own ship, the Excellent, at Portsmouth,
on Wednesday, and Captain Austin, C. 8., and his
officers and crew, returned to the Blenheim, from the
Blake, the former resuming her position as the advanced
screw guard-ship of the steam reserve at Portsmouth.
The Gossamer tender, at Cork, has been appropriated
as an exercising vessel for the naval apprentices there.
The Comus, 18, Commander D'Eyncourt, arrived at
Sheerness on Wednesday, to be paid off.
The Jumna, 2, Lieut.-Commander Rodney (acting),
will be paid off at Chatham on the 14th.
The Seagull packet-brig, Lieut.-Commander Dicken,
has arrived at Devonport to be refitted.
The Amphion steam screw-frigate, Captain W. J.
Williams, is ordered to be paid off at Sheerness on the
16 t h.

The Cyclops, 6, steam-frigate, Captain the Hon. G.
F. Hastings, left Plymouth Sound on Tuesday for the
coast of Africa.
The Cuckoo steam-vessel, Commander Dumaresq, has
had her completion deferred by the engineers at Ports-
mouth until the 17th, when she will proceed to the
Channel Islands to resume her duties.
The Urgent steam-packet, Lieut.-Commander Mann,
is ordered to be paid off at Portsmouth after her crew
has had the usual notice. Her defects are then to be
made good.
The Lucifer, 2, steam-vessel, Lieut.- Commander Lloyd,
is ready for sea at Devonport, and is to be paid advance,
preparatory to proceeding to Scotland to protect the
coast fisheries.
The Sharpshooter, screw-schooner, Lieut.-Commander
.Barley, has been ordered to have new trusses provided
for her and cleared of her present armament. She is to
have two 32-pounders, 56 cwt., and four 32 pound( r.,
25 cwt., on Hardy's carriages, and she is to proceed
from Woolwich to Portsmouth to be tried against the
Rifleman screw-schooner, sister vessel, built of wood in-
stead of iron, and with half the horse power.
ROYAL DOCKYARD BRIGADES.—The Admiralty have
issued directions to all the brigades that the field pieces
attached to the corps shall bo kept in the respective
dockyards, under she'ter when it can be done, daring
winter, and to be in charge of the drill serjeants.
PLYMOUTH, OCT. 11.—Her Majesty's steamer Comet,
Lieutenant-Commander Rigge, came in yesterday from
Ireland.
THE GERMAN ROCK AGAIN.—Her Majesty's packet
brig Seagull, Lieutenant-Commander James Smail in
entering Hamoaz from the Sound yesterday afternoon
at half-past one o'clock, with a stiff breeze from north.
west, grounded on the outer German Rock. Signal was
immediately made ;for assistance from the ships in the
harbour, and help was speedily sent from the dockyard.
At high water, two o'clock, she fortuuately floated off
without much injury. This is the second Gove nment
vessel which has been ashore this month on the German
Rock. The first was the Peterel brig, mentioned on the
4th instant. She was going out at ebb tide with a fresh
breeze from the south.
Captain M`Quhae, of the frigate DmJalus, has
brought from China a variety of works of art the
produce of that interesting country. We have had
an opportunity of inspecting some of these speci-
mens at the Royal William Victualling Yard. Be-
sides several elegant China vases and tea sets, &c , there
was a josshouse table and a sacrificial pan. The
table was formerly used in a josshouse at Chingkiang
Foo, and was presented to Captain M‘Quhae by. a native
merchant. It is about five feet long by two fret wide,
and massively made from a dark heavy wood. It stands
high on four dragons' scaled legs, the clawed feet clasp-
ing four balls; the framework of the table is full of alle-
gorical figures curiouily carved and gilt. This specimen
is, we believe, to be presented to some public institution.
The sacrificial pan is stated to be 2,000 years old. It is
roughly made of brass, of a circular shallow form, and
capable of holding seven or eight quarts, supported on
three short legs, which spring from rams' heads of a
more finished character than the other parts of the ves •
sel. By these heads the date of manufacture is calcu-
lated. The pan rests on an elegant hollow-work stand,
carved from the hard root of a dark-coloured tree, and -
has a cover of the same material. The stand and cover
are of modern construction, and are replet,) with well-
executed representations of leaves, fl ,veers, and reptiles.
The pan was obtained from a josshouse at Poo-choo-foo,
where it had been used to receive the blood of animals
sacrificed in the performance of certain religious cere-
monies.

WOOLWICII, OCT. 12.—The Athol troop ship, Master
Commander Pearn, embarked Captain the Honourable
R. liandcock's company, Ist battalion of the Royal
Artillery, for Barbadoes, and Major Barnaby's company,
6th battalion, for Jamaica, and was towed down the
river yesterday at twelve o'clock by the Monkey steam-
vessel. Strong detachments of the 2J, 4th, 6th, and
battalions embarked at the same time to fill up the
companies at those stations whose turn of relief has not
yet arrived.
The Teazer steam-vessel is ordered to be made ready
for the sea by the 15th inst., and the men are employed
from the earliest hour of daylight until dirk in the even-
ing to forward the works required upon her. She has
been supplied with a 32-pounder gun of 56 cwt., instead
of the 8 inch gun originally intended for her, and will
be commissioned to take out the next mail for the coast
of Africa, where she will be stationed for some time in
pursuit of slavers.