The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-05 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

WOOLWICH, MARCH 4.—Commander George Lavie
(1846) to command the Alecto steam•sloop at Woolwich,
for service on the coast of Africa, vice Rowlett, who de-
clined his appointment to that vessel. Commander
Lexie is the son of Sir Thomas Lsvie, K.C.8., and en-
tered the service as a volunteer in 1826; became mid-
shipman in 1830, and was promoted to lieutenant in
1834, and served in the Revenge, 78, at the siege of
Acre. In 1842 he was appointed first lieutenant in the
Isis, 44, and served in that capacity three years
on the Cape of Good Hope station. He joined
the Flamer in 1845, and was advanced to his present
rank in 1846, continuing to command the Flamer
until she returned to Woolwich, and was paid off in
1848. The Alecto will be taken out of the basin on
Thursday, and be ready for sea on Saturday, but she
will not leave Woolwich before Tuesday next, when she
will proceed to Parfieet to take in her powder and have
her compasses adjusted at Greenkithe, when she will
proceed to Plymouth, to be paid in advance for service
on the coast of Africa.

Master Richard Stokes (1840) is re-appointed.to the
Prince Regent, 90, at Portsmouth.
Surgeon James Salmon (1840) re-appointed to the
Prince Regent.
Paymaster and Purser A. Sugden (1822), of the Prince
Regent, to be secretary to Commodore Martin, com-
mending the Lisbon squadron.
Assistant-Surgeon William Macleod, M.D., re-ap-
pointed to the Prince Regent.
Second Masters—George R. Heather, to the Fisgard
flag-ship, at Woolwich; Valentine F. Johnson, to the
Prince Regent.

PROMOTIONS.
Jobn James and Thomas Flintham to be acting
boatswains.

The Shearveater steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Com
man der Turnover, is to be paid off to-morrow at Wool
wich.

The Zephyr steam-vessel is to be brought down from
Deptford to Woolwich to take the place of the Jasper
steam•vessel, the latter being in want of repair.
VESSELS AT 'WOOLWICH.
In the Basin.--The Pluto, Dwarf, Garland, Minx,
Fury, Caradoc, Alectro, Hydra, Cyclops, and Banshee
steam-vessels.

In Docks.—The Tenzer and Tartarus.
In liarbour.—The Fisgard, flag-ship ; Monkey and
Shearwater, steam-vessels ; Mastiff, surveying-vessel ;
and Sardinian steam-frigate Governollo, Captain Count
Persano.
Off the Royal Arsenal.--The Pyrenees convict-ship,
with male convicts for Swan River. Mr. Macleroy, sur-
geon-superintendent ; Mr. Eagles, master.

SINGULAR DISCOVERY.
There is a tradition in Edinburgh that some centuries
ago a bagpiper entered a subterranean passage at or
near the Castle, intending to proceed underground
down through the centre of the old city to the palace
at Holyrood House. It is said, also, that he was a
distinguished Highland chief, and that he under-
took to play the pipes during the time of
his progress. He entered, according to the
story, on his perilous and singular adventure, but
having never again made his appearance, imagination,
ever attendant on the supernatural, gave forth that
the mysterious piper was still on his underground jour-
ney, and that often, at the " sma' short hour ayont the
twal," his pibroch might be heard in the quiet courts
and closes of the High-street and Casiongate, in
plaintive and melancholy strains, as if it were bewailing
a long exile from the beloved hills of his northern nati-
vity. For some time back, numerous workmen have
been employed in excavating and building a spacious
reservoir at the Esplanade, for the better supply of the
inhabitants of Edinburgh with water; and on Saturday
morning last, while the workmen were engaged in level-
ling the east end of the Esplanade at the Castle, the
earth suddenly gave way, and presented to their view a
large cave or passage. Two of them entered with a candle,
but, from a superstitious fear, probably, were deterred
from proceeding and exploring it thoroughly. A gentle-
man, however, named Mr. James Sinclair (Unicorn
Pursuivant to the Scottish College of Arms), who hap-
pens to have property in the vicinity, having heard of
the circumstance, took a mason, named Bruce, along
with him, during the time the workmen were at din-
ner, and determined to explore this singular cavern.
Although several cart loads of stone and earth had
been thrown in, the two men managed to get access
into the chamber or passage, when Bruce, the
mason, discovers, as he styles it, " a cave dug by
no mortal hand;" and in which, to their astonish-
ment, were found a quantity of human bones, a coat of
mail, and the drone of a pipe! Whether these relics
are any part of the Highlander, and of his costume and
instrument, who form the subject of the tradition, it is
not easy of course to determine, but it certainly gives
room for very plausible conjecture, and throws an air of
truth on the old story. A certificate, narrating the cir-
cumstances of the discovery, together with the relics, is
to be laid before the Royal Society of Antiquaries.