The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-07 00:00:00

TH. SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 7,184 C.

meaning. A very ingenious question had been raised
respecting the executary devise, as w(.11 as on other
points ; but he had come to the conclusion, looking at
the circumstances, that the children of the testator had
become absolutely entitled to the estate in question.
He would therefore run the risk he must incur in dis-
posing of the property in the absence of Some of the
parties, and grant the decree, the costs to be paid out
of the funds.
The Court rose at three o'clock.

VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR Of ENGLAND.)
His Honour the Vice Chancellor of England heard
demurrers, re-hearings, and further directions to-day.
HINGHAM V. LEE.
In this case the COURT, at the conclusion of the argu-
ments, ordered the demurrer to be allowed
(Before Vice-Chancellor Sir J. WIGRAM.)
FRASER V. JONES.
The arguments in this part-heard cause were resumed
this morning.
His HONOUR took time to consider his judgment.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.)
(Sittings in Banco.)
LYNDIIUSS V. CRAFTS -DISPOSING OF FURNITURE BY

BILLS OF SALE.
Mr. MONTAGUE CHAMBERS, Q.C., applied for a rule
to show cause why the verdict, found in this case for the
plaintiff, should not be set aside, and a new trial had.
The action was tried before Mr. Justice Coltman, at
Guildford, and came before the Court by an issue framed
under the " Interpleader Act." He grounded his appli-
cation on misdirection on the part of the Learned Judge
who tried the case, and because the verdict was against
the evidence adduced at the trial. The question at issue
was whether, on the 30th of May last, certain goods and
chattels at No. 20, Golden-terrace, Islington, belonged
to Henry Lyndhuss, or any or all of them? L 3 ndhuss,
it appeared, claimed the goods under a bill of sale, dated
the 6th of August, 1845, whilst the defendant claimed
them under another bill of sale, dated the 7th of
February, this year. It appeared from the plaintiff's case
that the goods were alleged to have belonged to one
Sarah Benton, and he called an appraiser named Effers-
field, his own son, and another witness, whose evidence
was immaterial, for the purpose of establishing his claim.
Effersfield testified that on or about 6th of August be was
employed to place an execution on the goods of Mrs.
Benton, who then resided in Thomas place, Gravesend,
where the furniture then was ; that a communication
was made to the plaintiff, who was a bill discounter, but
occasionally acting as an attorney, who came to the
house, and that in his presence some money passed be-
tween him and Mrs. Bunton. The rent was paid, and
he consequently left the house; but he distinctly stated
that no bill of sale was executed in his presence. Then
the plaintiff's son stated that he went to the house whilst
his father was there; that he drew up a bill of sale, and
that he was the attesting witness ; he also spoke to the
taking possession under the instrument. He added that
a short time after this transaction his father went down
to Gravesend with two or three of his children, and re-
mained at the house two or three weeks, it being occu-
pied at the time by Mrs. Benton and her son, when he
left a person, named Campbell, who was put in posses-
sion, and the goods were subsequently removed to the
house in Golden-terrace, which Was occupied by Mrs.
Benton and her son, and never by his father. The case
made out for the defendant was this :—He lived in
Gravesend, and on the 7th of February this year he
advanced 351. to liberate Mr. John Benton from prison,
where he was confined for debt, and as security he re-
ceived a bill of sale—or what was equivalent to a bill
of sale—namely, an agreement to make a bill of sale on
the goods, but containing words which mortgaged the
goods to him. The document stated that Mrs. Benton,
and her son, John Benton, agreed, within seven days of
its date, to make a bill of sale in the usual form, trans-
ferring the whole of the furniture of the house in
Thomas-place, Gravesend, to the defendant, and that
the instrument should be taken and considered as equi-
valent to a bill of sale. This was handed to him on the
7th of February, but, to his surprise, he found that,
shortly after the furniture had been removed to the
house in Islington. He was unable to obtain access to
the house under this bill of sale, and he therefore brought
an action against Messrs. Benton, and obtained access
under an execution, when he levied a distraint upon the
furniture as the property of Mrs. Benton. It was on
this part of the case that he apprehended Mr. Justice
Coltman had misled the jury. Upon his taking posses-
sion the plaintiff set up his claim obtained under a bill
of sale of the month of August, 1845, and so the contest
arose. The Learned Judge, in :directing the jury, said, "as
no possession was taken under the document, it was void
against the plaintiff if his was a bond fide security." In
fact, he summed up as if it was a question of fraud on
the part of Crafts, whereas there was no imputation of
the kind. There was evidence which showed that the
plaintiff first said that he purchased the goods from the
son, and afterwards that he purchased them from the
mother, and that he had the bill of sale from Mrs.
Benton alone, which could not be valid, inasmuch as the
son was a joint owner cf them, which was shown by the
defendant's bill of sale, which was given in the name of
both. There was, however, a division to show the
goods belonging to the son and those belonging to the
mother.

WYLD V. HOPKINS.

This was an action in which the plaintiff Mr. Wyld,
of Charing-cross, sought to recover the sum of 71111. 55.,
for goods sold and work done on behalf of the Peter-
borough and Nottingham Junction Railway, in which
the defendant was a member of the railway committee.
A verdict was given for the plaintiff for the amount
claimed.

Mr. WATSON now moved for a rule to show cause why
a new trial should not be had, on the ground that the de-
fendant had never attended a meeting of the committee,
that he bad never been summoned to do so, and that he
took no part whatever in the management of the com-
pany's affairs, they being wholly conducted by a com-
mittee of management, of which the defendant was not a
member, and further, that the orders given to the plain-
tiff, hnd been given by the solicitor, who had the getting
up of the company.
The LORD CHIEF BARON seid, that in his opinion,
that this was one of the most naked cases, with reference
to the subject of provisional committeemen that had come
under his notice. The solitary fact shown in evidence
was that the name of the defendant appeared in the
printed prospectus of the company.—Rule granted.

Lord DENMAN deferred the decision of the Court in
order that he might consult Mr. Justice Coltman.

PHILLIPS V. COLLINS.-LIABILITY OF PROVISIONAL
COMMITTEEMEN.

Mr. Sergeant SHEA applied for a rule to show cause
why the verdict returned for the plaintiff in this case
should not be set aside and a new trial granted, on the
ground of misdirection, and on account of the verdict
being against the evidence adduced at the trial which
took place at the last sittings at Guildhall, before Mr.
Justice Wightman. The defendant was a member of
the provisional committee of a Geneva railway, and the
plaintiff is a cabinet-maker, and the action was brought
against Collins and a person named Greville, (who had
suffered judgment to go by default), for 160/. 10s. for
goods delivered on their credit, for the use of the pro-
visional committee of the railway. The only question
in the case was, whether Collins was liable ? The jury
considered that he was, but he (Mr. Sergeant Shea)
would remind the Court that the case was tried at a time
when, on account of tie deeisions of the Court of
Exchequer, it was unhesitatingly considered that the
mere fact of being a member of a provisional committee
rendered a man liable for whatever expenses were in-
curred by the company with which he was so connected.
The case was tried upon this principle.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN differed with the Learned
Sergeant. The case was left perfectly free
to the consideration of the jury. He sub-
mitted the following questions to them:—Did
Mr. Collins hold himself out to the plaintiff and to the
world as one of the directors of the railway, or suffered
others to so hold him out, at the time the plaintiff sup
plied the goods ? Did the plaintiffs execute the order
on the credit of Collins and Greville being directors of
the company, and were the goods such as the company
required in its then state ? To all of these questions
the jury replied in the affirmative, and accordingly gave
a verdict for the plaintiff.
Mr. Sergeant SHEA said they did, forming their deci-
sion on the principle, that because the defendant was a
provisional committeeman, he was liable.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN repeated that he carefully left
the question to the jury, and held that if the defendant
suffered himself to be held out as one of the directors of
the company, and that if the goods were supplied on the
strength of the office he held then, that they ought to
-find for the plaintiff.
Lord DENMAN-It will perhaps be assumed now that
being a provisional committeeman is an exemption

(1.1 laugh )
he contended that the evidence was as slight as p
Mr. Sergeant SnEA. said he did not contend thoasts,ibbulet
teossalatohwatthhaetshaueotwioaosead
orprovisionalgavenamed Gilbrante and Greville were the promoters
of the line, and various meetings were held at the
the orl/4r committeeman,s, Two much
Ipersons
George and Vulture, Cornhill. There the busi-
ness of the company also, which was very trifling indeed,
was transacted, but afterwards it was deemed expedient
to take apartments at 73, Basinghall-street, and Gil-
brante ordered the furniture from the plaintiff.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN referred to his notes. From
them it appeared that Gilbrante stated, at the trial, that
he was to get directors, and that, if it was carried out,
he was to be assistant-secretary, at a salary of 3/. 3s.
a week, and to have 300 shares in common with the
directors. He told Greville that he wanted two more
directors, when he mentioned the names of some friends
who were members of the Reform Club, and promised to
get that number before the offices were opened. Isle
afterwards stated that he had got Collins to join the
company. Collins it appeared came to the office two or
three times, but his name was in the prospectus as a
director, and on going into the board-room on one occa-
sion he said "You are doing it up very nicely."
Mr. Sergeant SHEA said he called a number of wit-
nesses on behalf of the debt.

Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN—You did ; but I thought
they strengthened the plaintiff 's case.—Rule refused.
BILLS FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINED.—WOOD V. MITTEN
Mr. Sergeant SHEA also moved for a new trial in this
case, and for power to arrest judgment. The verdict
was found for the plaintiff. The action arose out of a
promissory note drawn by the defendant for 6001., en-
dorsed by him to a person named Clarkson to the
plaintiff. The question at issue was whether the
plaintiff knew that the bill had been fraudulently ob-
tained from the defendants. The defendant, who ;vas a
gay man of fortune, was defrauded of three bills in the
month of March, 1845, by a person named Barker ; two
of them came into the hands of a person named Hearn,
who brought actions against the defendant for their
amounts, but he had been in each case defeated. Be
now produced the affidavit of a person named Rickard,
setting forth that with respect to this bill the plaintiff
was well aware that it had been fraudulently obtained,
he having been unable to do so at the trial. There could
be no doubt of the fact, as various proceedings had been
taken in the law courts and at Marlborough-street
Police-court, which were fully reported in the news-
papers. He moved for an arrest of judgment on the
strength of the statute of Anne, which rendered the note
not negotiable. The Court of Common Pleas had
granted a rule for a new trial in a similar case, and the
question was now before the Court of Exchequer on
demurrer.

The Court acceded to the motion for an arrest of
iudgment.

EXCHEQUER.--(THIS DAY.).
(Sittings in Banco.)
HOWDEN V. HOLMES.
Mr. Sergeant CHANNELL moved in this case for a rule
nisi and a, new trial, on the ground 4 misdirection.
The trial took place at Maidstone, before Mr. Baron
Parke. The plaintiff who was employed as the Par-
liamentary agent of the Hull and Birmingham, and
Swansea Junction Railway, sought to recover the sum
of 2.5/. from the defendant, as a member of the provi-
sional committee.

It appeared that in the latter part of the year 1845, 1 his beat he again walked up the court, and found that
the managing committee called a special meeting at the the pile had been increased five more bricks in his ab-
offices of the company, for the purpose of obtaining the Bence. lie stood awhile, in company with police-
accounts of the different persons who had been ern- constable F 158, by the pile, and the defendant Fuller
ployed in the service of the company, and also for the came down the court with a basket in his hand, which
purpose of devising some plan for the liquidation of contained six bricks more.
the outstanding claims. The result of the meeting was Police-constable C 45 took the defendant Maynard
that a resolution was agreed upon, to the effect that each into custody with five bricks under his arm, proceeding
provisional committee man should subscribe the sum of to the pile in the court.
251., in order to raise a sufficient sum to clear off the Police-constalele 158 corroborated the other evi-
liabilities of the company. A letter enclosing a copy of dente, and said the bricks were all of one mark, and
the resolution was forwarded to each member of the Fcim- could b e traced to a heap in New Oxford-street, which
mittee, including the defendant, who was then residing the prisoners could only have reached by passing over a
at Hull. On the 25th of March following—the date of fence six feet high. They had not yet bad time to find
the first application being the 14th of March—another out the owner of the bricks.
application was made by the secretary for the payment Mr. LONG said there could be little doubt about the
of the sum in question. On the 29th of April the de- way in which they had come by the bricks, and he would,
fendant, together with other gentlemen, also members of therefore, remand them till Tuesday.
the committee, residing at Hull, signed a certain docu-
ment, in which they acknowledged the receipt of the
former applications, and requested that a general meet-
ing of the committee should be held in London, for the
purpose of considering the various claims made upon the
company, and to pay such as were proved to be valid
and proper. The Learned Baron who tried the cause
considered this document as containing a promise to pay
on the part of the defendant. and a verdict was accord-
ingly returned for the plaintiff.
Mr. Baron ALDERSON thought the defendant a very
honest man for sending the document referred to, and
bought that he should not be prevented from paying.
Rule refused.

---
SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
NEWPORT PAGNEL STEEPLE CHASE.
Weights for the Newport Pagnel Annual Steeple Chase;
forfeit to be declared on or before the 12th instant ; the
Winner of any handicap between the sth and 20th of No-
vember, both days inclusive, to carry 71b extra.
st. lb. at. lb.
Brunette
Pioneer
St. Leger ••• 12 0 Cigar
Saucepan l2 0 Latitat lO 12
Vanguard
Switcher ll 13 Tramp lO 12
Salute .......... 11 12 Wednesday ...
Discount
Lucifer.. ... ...... ... ...... 11 7 Quicksilver
Culverthorpe
Eagle
Christopher North
Ditto (second entry)... 11 4 Sparta .. ...........
Telegraph
Peter Simple
Nimble Harry ll 0 Amazon, 4 yrs
The P0pe...... ........... 11 0 Sacrifice
Wanderer
Rocket ll 0 Magic ••
Everton ... ... 11 0 Profligate
Tamworth ....•• 11 0 Sir William lO 0
Ambassador
(RECEIVED THIS DAY.)
WORCESTER STEEPLE CHASES.—FRIDAY.
The Worcestershire Handicap Steeple Chase Sweepstakes of
20 sovs. each, 10 ft, and 5 only if declared, with 100 added.
Four miles. Gentlemen riders.
Lord Strathmore's The Switcher, 12st (Owner) 1
Captain Barnett's Marengo 2
Mr. 0. Higgins' Pioneer .....
Mr. Preston's Brunette... ,
The following also started :
Hon. D. Ward na Salute
Mr. Tilbury's Culverthorpe
Mr. Moseley's Jerry
111 r. C. Smith's Tramp
Mr. James na Sparta
Captain Boyd's Mahomet 0
Mr. Harrison's Little Johnny 0
Mr. Stapleford's Gilrag 0
A fine race with three.
The Free Handicap Hurdle Stakes of 10 soya. each, and 50
added. Heats, two miles. (9 Subs.)
Mr. Oakey's Valeria, 4 yrs (Oliver) 0 1 0 1
Mr. Hawkins' Teresa, 5 yrs
Mr. Haynes's bg, by Young Cadland, 4 yrs
Mr. Ibbotson's Pimento, 5 yrs
Mr. Pearce's Jack ............... ..... 0 3 dr
Mr. Wesley's Councillor ................ 0 dr
Mr. Sheppard's Mudlark, aged .................... 0 dr
Mr. Turner's Tincton, aged ... 0 dr
Mr. Brown's Hipbriar, aged

SHROPSHIRE UI.V_9N RAILWAY

AND CANALS.

Perceiving that the arrangements effected by this
company with the London and North-Western are not
yet perfectly understood by the public, nor by the rail-
way press, we shall, perhaps, be doing a service to
parties interested if we publish the following letter,
written by the respected Secretary of the company to a
gentleman who has permitted us to use the
,communica-
tion:--

—•
"Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company,
9, Great George-street, Westminster.
"London, Nov. 2, 1846.
"Sir,—l beg to acknowledge thereceiptofyour favour
of the 31st instant, and to inform you in reply that the
directors have concluded the following satisfactory ar-
rangement with the London and North -Western Com-
pany, viz.:—the London and North-Western Com-
pany guaranteed to this company half the divi-
dend payable annually to their own proprietary,
with a participation by our shareholders in all
their new stock to be created in the pro-
portion of ten 201. shares (or their equivalent in other
shares) of this company to 1001. stock of the London
and North-Western Company—if the lines make more
than the half dividend this company to receive the excess
up to 6 per cent., the profits over 6 per cent. to be
equally divided.
" It is not improbable that 4 per cent. will be allowed
upon the calls, but this is not yet decided.
" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" WILLIAM COWAN, Sec."
From the foregoing it is obvious that this stock
is not by any means so eligible for investment as
the stock of the London and North-Western at present
prices.

THE FALLING STARS OF
NOVEMBER!

It must be sufficiently known to the reading public
generally, and especially to philosophical readers, that,
for a number of years past, telling stars in great num-
bers, though larger in some cases and fewer in others,
have been observed to fall, accompanied generally, or
preceded by, the aurora borealis, fiery balls, and other
meteoric phenomena. The periodical time when these
falling stars have been observed during fourteen or fif-
teen years past, has been a regular interval, extending
from the 9th to the 14th of November, and the observa-
tions which have ascertained this fact have not been con-
fined to this country nor to Europe, the same phenomena
having been noticed precisely at the same time in
this country, in France and Germany, in Russia,
in America, and even in Australasia. It was
only in 1831, that scientific attention was first called
to the asteroids, or falling stars of November; but since
then the synchrcmism of their appearance, both as to
date and locality, has been accurately ascertained and
registered. On the 11th and 13th of November of that
year, Captain Bernard, when off the coast of Carthegena,
in South America, observed a shower of falling stars,
which, during three hours, he calculated to be at the
rate of two stars per minute; and precisely at the same
time Dr. Wright observed a similar shower in the pro-
vince of Ohio, in the United States. In 1832, on the
13th of November, a shower of shooting stars was ob-
served at Oremburg, in Asiatic Russia, between three
and four o'clock in the afternoon. They were in large
and continuous numbers, and traversed the horizon in a
regular current, from north-east to south-west. In 1834
numerous showers of shooting
stars were seen
in most of the states of North America,
where the circumstance caused great excitement,
and was recorded in the principal journals.
The phenomenon occurred, as usual, on the 12th and
13th of November. In 1835 these appearances in Ame-
rice, were resumed at the same date; and on the nights
of the 13th and 14th of the same year,
M. Delejeune
observed at Lisle an igneous meteor, like a star, larger
and more brilliant than Jupiter, and which left behind
its track on its disappearance a shower of smaller stars.
In 1836, at the usual petted, in the month of November,
simultaneous observations were made of showers of fall-
ing stars, in a great number of the provinciul districts
of France. In Paris, at six o'clock, on the evening of
the 12th, the celebrated astronomer and savant, M.
Arago, observed one hundred and ninety of these stars,
the tracks of which were principally confined to the
constellation Leo. At Berc at the same time, M.
twenty Meret saw one hundred and of these stars, half
of which proceeded from the same constellation. At
Strasburg, at the same time,
eighty-five were seen
by Professor Fangean, out of which fifty-seven
were visible in the direction of Leo ;
at Angiers, fort)-
nine were seen by Professor Moren ; at Rochfort,
twenty-three were seen by Lieutenant Salneuve ; and at
Candth irteaecine. hours
Contemporaneous
Aix La Chapelle, thirty-six were observed within the
spaceal a
is of
and three quar
withters,
theseby
oh
Messrs-
.
vations in France, one hundred and sixty of the same
falling stars were seen at Plymouth in the same special
interval of their periodical return, namely, between the
9th and 15th of November. Onthe 13th of
November, 1760, a large fire ball exploded with a loud
detonation, near Disson, in France, and set fire to a
house there. On the 12th of November, 1791, about
half-past six in the evening, a large and brilliant meteor,
which burst into a shower of stars, like a rocket, was
observed at Gottingen, by Professor Lichtenburg. On
Nov. 13, 1603, a remarkable meteor, called in the papers
a " fire-ball," passed over a considerable track in Eng-
land, and was observed by several persons at the same
time in different situations. In 1813, on the 10th of No-
vember, between six and seven o'clock in the evening,
England was again visited by a_ brilliant and detonating
meteor of considerable magnitude. In November, 1819,
as seen nearly at
a meteoric globe of fire was seen the same time
in Hayti, in Bohemia,
and in England. On the 14th of
November, 1825, a large meteoricd fire-ball exploded in
Scotland, and the years 1826 and 1827 were marked by
similar visitations in England. After this date
scientific attention was first drawn to the periodical ap-
pearance of showers of falling stars in different parts of
occurrence the world in November, and their _ was duly
registered. From the foregoing details, to which
a vast series of coincidences
might meteorological • •
dences
we had space
' lit be added (if or lei-
sure),migrs that there are some distinctions in
it appears
and that the
phenomenal,
the manifestations of these
well ascertained interval between the
asteroids of the
9th and 14th of November, are only visible when they
penetrate the atmosphere of
the earth. Sometimes they
appear in a numerous, and sometimes in a more limited
form. It will bethehistory
found, on looking to
their periodical appearance, that phenomena of a
mag-
netic or electrical description have been more regularly
seen in this countryot than the more striking phenomena
' falling stars which occur in the.
of the showers
western hemisphere.
Supporting himself on this fact.the celebrated astronomer, M. Biot, has brought forward
a theory respecting
these periodical meteors, which, in
concurrence with the scientific excit t d b
emen cause y
the phenomena, and vvith the universal preparation of
it
observation, he read before the
" Academic des Set
scientific men for .1e twes.,,
M. Riot's theory is in per
feat coneuttenee •
with the sttnosphprie phenomenaof the Zodiacal light. His opinion is, that
the result is produced in consequence of the
earth (on reaching - a par tictilar point of its course on the
12th of November) coming
in contact with that solar
nebulosity to which the
aurora borealis is by the majo-
rity of astronomers attributed.
He says, "that on thel3th of November the earth
arrives very near to the
ascending node of the nebulosity towards which she is
will soon travel;
approaching, and towards which she
and by her colli-
that she will operate by her attraction . •-xity which
Sion ou the material particles of the nebul.__

will be at the same epoch near the ascending nodes of
their orbits, and at similar distances as the sun from the
earth, or very little different; from which would result
phenomena, that would be coincident as to direction and
time, with those that the periodical phenomena of No-
vember have presented. Finally, the usual, and much
more central passage of Mercury and Venus
through the region of the above described ne-
bulosity, must disperse innumerable multitudes of
its particles into orbits slightly inclined to the
ecliptic, and in every direction, so that the earth may
accidentally meet with them again in other points of its
course. These multitudes of particles, travelling in one
and the same direction, are the asteriods, or falling stars,
which we periodically encounter in November."
Thus far the astronomer Biot ; and there is good rea-
son to infer, from observations latterly made, that Biot's
theory is baud upon correct data, and that the pheno-
mena of the solitary igneous meteors and of the showers
of stars in November, being synchronical, are connected
with and depending upon, the more familiar phenomena
of zodiacal lights. Sometimes the globular meteors
which have been described apps ar alone, and in consi-
derable voluMe. The most brilliant of them in No-
vember, 1836, shed a lustre equal to that of the planet
Venus. According to another Continental Professor of
Astronomy, M. Milet, "Stars, or fragments of stars,
do really fall to the earth ;" and thus it would seem that
the vulgar superstition of " falling stars " is philosophi-
cally correct.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PoarsmouTH, Nov. 6.—An order is down from the
Admiralty for the reduction of the complements of all
men-of-war, taking fifty men from first rates, and from
all others in proportion to their class; and also taking
away one lieutenant from each ship. It is said this
measure is to enable the Board to commission more
ships, but there appears to be about as much reason in
that idea as in the showman's, who commenced his ex-
hibition by saying, he'd "put out the candles to show
more light."

Her Majesty is expected to revisit Osborne early next
week. The Fairy is being got ready to convey the royal
party over. She tried her engines to-day.
Orders have been given this morning to repair the
defects of the Resistance, and get her ready for the con-
veyance of troops with all possible dispatch. It is un-
derstood that on her being paid off, (Commander Gower
Lowe, of the Crocodile, will recommission her, and that
his officers and crew will be turned over to her, that
vessel being reported as unfit for any service, but that of
a hulk or coal depot. It is a pity, in these circumstances,
that, her refit should have been allowed to proceed, as
much expense has been incurred which might as well
have been spared.
The Scourge steam bomb-vessel, Commander James
C. Caffin, went to Spithead this morning, and remains
ready for immediate service, if required.
No orders have yet been received for launching the
Dauntless steam-frigate. She is cradled, and can be
prepared for launching in a few hours, but it cannot take
place now for nearly a fortnight, on account of the tides.
The other steam-frigate (the Arrogant) is also in a very
forward state. _ _ _

Thirty-seven blue jackets were draughted yesterday
from the Victory and sent on board the Sphynx steam-
sloop, Commander J. B. Cragg, for passage to join Vice-
Admiral Sir W. Parker's squadron. The Victory is,
in consequence of the frequent draughts lately made
upon her, getting very short of hands, nearly all the dis-
posable men and boys having been sent away.
An order has been received here from the Admiralty
to superannuate all the dockyard riggers of 60 years and
upwards, and all such men as are incapable from infirmity
of service at sea. (If this rule were generally ap-
plied, we wonder where the Admiral- Superintendent

would be.)
The Vengeance, 84, Captain Lushington, is very fast
progressing in her fitting, and will be ready to leave the
basin next week. Seamen are rather scarce.
George M. Balfour (1843), at present in the Hibernia,
100, flag-ship in the Mediterranean, is promoted to the
rank of Lieutenant.

The Birkenhead steam-sloop, of 1,400 tons and 500
horse power, built by Laird, of Glasgow, is commis-
sioned at Sheerness, by the appointment of Commander
A. H. Ingram, 1841, who was Lieutenant of the Blonde,
42, in the operations at Canton.
The Medea steam-sloop, of 835 tons and 220 horse
power, built in 1838 by Lang, is commissioned at Wool.
wich by the appointment of Commander G. E. W. Ha-
mond (1843), who was midshipman of the Blonde at the
taking of Morea Castle (1828).
The Rosamond (late Eclair) steam-(loop, of 1,050
tons, and 286 horse power, built in 1844 by the Sur-
veyor of the Navy, is commissioned at Sheerness by
Commander John Foote (1845), late lieutenant of the
Dublin, 50.

The Albatross, 16, recently from the coast of Africa,
is commissioned at Chatham by Commander A. Far-
quhar (1844), who was mate of the Princess Charlotte
at St. Jean d'Acre.

The appointments of the:above officers appeared in The
Sun of yesterday.
The Salamander steam-sloop, Commander A. S. Ha-
mond, arrived at Valparaiso from Otaheite, en route to
England, to be paid off, on the 17th of August.
The Talbot, 26, Captain Sir T. Thompson, Bart., ar-
rived at Valparaiso from St. Blas on the 24th of August.
The Sampson steam-frigate, Captain Henderson, sailed
from Valparaiso for Coquimbo on the 25th of August.
We are happy to state a subscription is set on foot in
the endeavour to raise some respectable sum for the
relief of the family of the late Lieutenant W. P, Green,
whose hard case appeared in The Sun of yesterday.
Everything remains in statu quo on borrd the St. Vin-
cent, 120, Captain Milne. She is all ready for bending
sails, and leaving the harbour at a day's notice, if re-
quired.
The Rattlesnake surveying ship, Captain Owen Stanley,
is painting, and in a state of great forwardness.
The Naiad coal depot, Master Commanding W. L.
Brown, is rigging with great dispatch. Her topsail
yards are crossed, lower yards across the bulwark, top-
gallant masts pointed, and rigging ratlined down.
The Penelope steam-frigate, Captain Giffard, does not
make much show yet. Men are very scarce; and as she
is being rigged alongside her hulk, there is not the
facility for getting the requisite materiel that there is
alongside the jetty, or in the basin.
In the Harbour—St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent,
Victoria and Albert, Rattlesnake, and Resistance; Pene-
lope, Sphynx, Myrtle, and Echo, steam-vessels.

.
In the basin—Vengeance, Naiad, Fairy, and Asaphi-

In Dock—Ajax, Edinburgh, Prince Regent, Leander,
Crocodile, Champion, and Serpent.
At Spithead—Scourge.
" COVE OF CORK, Nov. 3.—The Myrmidon, steam
vessel, Lieutenant Commander Jenkin, still carries the
flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Pigot, Commander-in-
Chief. The Dee steam-vessel, Master Commander
Driver, is taking on board 1,500 bags of bread for
Valentia, whither she will go when sbe has completed
with these provisions. The lihadamanthus steam-
vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Aylt n, and the Comet
steam- sloop, Lieutenant-Commander Johnston, are in
harbour, awaiting orders and cargo. The latter has
been put upon the war establishment, a corporal and
seven additional marines have been added to her com-
plement, which also was strengthened before she left
Portsmouth. The Blazer steam-vessel, Captain Wash-
ington, and the Acheron steam-sloop, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Dunlop, have left; the former for Bantry Bay,
with marines, and the latter for Galway, with marines
and provisions."
CHATHAM, Nov. 6.—The Gloucester, 50 guns, was
put out of the first dock into ordinary on the sth inst.
The Elk, a new 12-gun brig, will be built in the same
dock immediately, as she must be completed in the pre-
sent financial year.
The Warspite, 50 guns, fitting in dock for com-
mission, will be ready for the pendant by the end of this
month. _ _

The Albatross, 16 guns, fitting for sea, has got
her lower rigging over the masts heads, and will be
ready for the pendant by the middle of this month.
The Rochester, Sedgwick master, arrived yesterday
with stores from Plymouth and Portsmouth yards.
The Duck, Savage master, arrived on the 4th instant,
with stores from Deptford and Woolwich yards.
The Gun hoy, from Woolwich, arrived on Wednes-
day, the 4th inst., with guns and stores, and is reloading
with guns for Woolwich. She conveys on board 44
guns (32-pounders, 9 feet, 45 cwt.); and 7 guns (32 -
pounders, 8 feet, 41 cwt.) She sails to-morrow from
the Gun-wharf.
The Marlborough boy is loaded with guns and un-
serviceable arms and accoutrements, recently brought
home by the Belleisle troop ship from Quebec and
Montreal, for the Tower.
Professor Moseley paid his first annual visit to the
Apprentices'-school in Chatham-yard on the 4th inst.,
and commenced with the examination of the apprentices,
of which number there are 141 in the school. The Pro-
fessor will close his examination to-morrow.

Sir William Burnett, Physician-General of the Navy, I
arrived on the 4th inst., on his annual inspection of
Melville Hospital, and the dockyard surgery, &c.
Two clerks have been sent from the Admiralty to
assist in taking a general survey of the stores of this
dockyard, consequent on the appointment of Mr. Miller,
as storekeeper of the yard.
In harbour is the Mutine, 12 guns, Commander R.
Tryon ; she will be out of the hands of the dockyard on
Monday next. No day is yet fixed for herleaving the port.

The Wildfire steam-vessel arrived from Sheerness- last
evening, and landed at the Sun-pier Colonel Fox, the
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, and Sir T. Hastings,
storekeeper at the Tower. The vessel returned to Sheer-
ness this morning.
Woomvica, Nov. 6.—The Rosamond steam-vessel
was commissioned yesterday at Woolwich, by Com-
mander John Foote (1845), and when ready for sea will
proceed to the Mediterranean for service on that station.
The Geyser steam-vessel was commissioned yesterday
at Woolwich, by Commander Graham E. W. Hammond
(1843).
The Medea steam-vessel, Commander Francis T.
Brown, who commissioned her on Monday last, was tried
down the river to-day, and gave great satisfaction.
Captain Crawford, Captain Wellesley, Captain Pleydell
Bouverie, and Lieut. Lysaght, R.N., at present studying
steam at the factory in the Woolwich Dockyard, and
Mr. Murray, chiet engineer of Portsmouth Dockyard,
were on board to witness the working of the engines, and
the vessel was in charge of Lieut. Laurie, of the Sidon
steam-frigate, with Master Commander Petley, of the
Lightning steam-vessel. The vessel did not leave her
moorings opposite the dockyard until nearly one o'clock
P.M., but she then proceeded down the river with great
speed, her engines working remarkably smooth, and
during the whole of her experimental trip they had
not the least appearance of heating in any part.
The Medea was built from a design by Mr. Oliver
Lang, master shipwright of Woolwich Dockyard,
and served with great credit under Commander,
now Captain Austin, C. 8., on the Mediter-
ranean station. She possesses great breadth of beam,
and is a most commodious vessel of her class. Her en-
girpswere originally of 220 horse power, on the beam
principle, and constructed by Messrs. Maudslay, Field,
and Sons. These engines have been removed, and two
new enginos of 350 horse power have been substituted,
on the double cylinder principle, by the same engineers,
to attain the desideratum in speed now expected in steam
vessels belonging to the Royal Navy. The pres for:
gines, although 130 horse power greater than thenn
mer, are only of the same weight of metal, and
nnl
efener
at lessand space,atnkerwhich
tn
work affo
themrd s a
toin ample room
greatest for the
t!ePni T
g.h
e tanv and comfort of all employed connexion with
them. On arriving at the measured mile in Long Reach,
the speed of the vessel was ascertained to be, on the
average with and against the tide, 10.99 knots per hour;
mile
the time occupied in accomplishing theagainst
the tide being 6 minutes 45 seconds, and with the tide
4 minutes and 35 seconds. The measured mile was
run twice up and twice down, and the result was al-
most precisely the same. The engines have a stroke
of 5 feet 3 inches, and acquired twenty-nine revolu-
tions per minute. The stokers have an excellent friend
attached to their boilers in the form of a small engine
having a power of 10 men, which is set in motion by the
waste steam, on the engines being stopped, to supply the
boilers with water by pumping, which it does moat
effectually. The Medea, on her return to Woolwich,
kept abreast of the Railway steamer, one of the fast
boats to Gravesend, and was only distanced by the latter
being of light draught and taking the shortest course
of the river. The Medea had 215 tons of coals on board,

during her trip, which gave her paddle-wheels a suffi
dent immersion in the water.

The Waterlily, a screw propeller steam-vessel, with
engines on the direct action principle, by Messrs, Mauds
lay, Field, and Sons, recently left the river for Naples,
and went from Blackwall to Falmouth in thirty-two
hours, and from Falmouth to Gibraltar in 113 hours,
although she had to encounter the storm in which the
Ripon went on shore, having left Falmouth on the 18th
of October. The Waterlily is only 180 tons, with engines
of 50-horse power, and yet she gallantly accomplished
her voyage to Gibraltar when numerous other vessels of
greater tonnage and power suffered from the severity of
the weather.

The Teazer, gun steam-vessel, with screw propeller
and engines by Miller and Ravenhill, proceeded down
the river to-day to try her engines and speed, but she
did not appear to have a great degree of velocity,
although her engines worked well. The Teazer was
built of wood at Chatham, and was under the charge of
Commander Smith, of the William and Mary yacht.
Mr. Atherton, assistant to the chief engineers of the
Woolwich dockyard, was on board to witness the work-
ing of her engines, and report her speed.
SHEERNESS, Nov. s.—The le troop-ship, Capt.
Kingcome, was towed into harbour on Monday, where
her defects can be more conveniently and expeditiously
made good than at the Nore.
The lEolus 44, being completely fitted as a store-ship,
was discharged from the basin on Tuesday, and taken in
tow by the African steamer to-day, for Deptford.
The Dragon steam-frigate, of 560 horse power, was
ordered on Tuesday to be fitted for sea, with all despatch;
she is now all ataunt in the basin, and taking on board
her sea stores and provisions. No appointments are as
yet down for her.

The Birkenhead steam-frigate, the Formidable, 84,
and the Horatio, 44, continue in dock.
The Rochester lighter arrived from Portsmouth on
Tuesday, with stores, for the dockyard, and the Sinbad
lighter, from Woolwich and Devonport, on Thursday.
Captain David Price (1815) has been officially nomi-
nated to succeed Captain Arthur in the superintendent-
ship of this dockyard, and the command of the ordinary.
Captain Price is an old and distinguished officer ; he was
midshipman of the Ardent at Copenhagen, in 1801, and
in the Centaur at the capture of four French frigates, in
1806 ; the bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807 ; the
destruction of a Russian 74 in 1808. When lieutenant
of the Hawke he frequently distinguished himself in
her boats in the Channel, and on one occasion was se-
verely wounded ; was in the San Josef in the partial
action with the French fleet off Toulon in 1813 ; and in
command of the Volcano bomb was actively employed
in America, particularly against New Orleans, siege
of Fort Bowyer, &c., where he was again severely
wounded.