The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-08 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE

Rear-Admiral Berkeley, C. 8., M.P., and captain Sir
Thomas Hastings, returned to London on ThuTsday
from Portsmouth.

Commodore Bruce, appointed to succeed Commodore
Fanshawe as commander-in-chief on the coast of Africa, has
selected Captain Henry Lyster (1845), who was promoted
for his services against the pirates at Maluda Bay, to be
commander of his flagship, the Penelope steam-frigate._

Commander Edmund A. Glynn (1848), promOied from
the command of the Dart, 3, en the coast of Africa, has
been appointed to the Penelope.
Lieut. Henry Warren (1840), has been appointed to the
Boscawen, 70, ordinary guard-ship at Chatham, and Lieut.
William Wood (1845), to be first of the Alecto steam-sloop,
fitting at Woolwich.
The 11ev. Edgar B. Barnes has been re-appointed
chaplain and naval instructor to the Prince Ileunt, 80, at
Portsmouth.

Master John Belem (1841), who hashed several responsible
charges of ships, and now ( f the Ocean, flag-stip at Sheer-
ness, has been appointed to command the Rhadamanthus,
steam-transport, at that port.
Assistant Surgeon —J. W. Elliot has been appointed to
the Prince Regent.
Second Masters—J. Rainbott (1846), and F. W. Rea
(1849), to the Rhadamanthus; Richard F. Browne, to the
Victory flag ship, at Portsmouth.
Clerk—Charles Fisher, to the Alecto steam-sloop.

Boatswains—John Goldsworthy, to the Print; Regent ;
John James (acting), to the Boscawen ; Thomas Flintham, to
the Monarch.

Carpenter—John Hooper, to the Prince Regent.
PROMOTION.

John Doyle (1841) the senior eligible clerk on the list,
late of the Arab, 12, has been promoted to the rank of pay-
master.

SHELL PRACTICE OS BOARD THE EXCELLENT.—The trial
of shells was resumed again on board the Excellent yester-
day, under the superintendence of Captain Chads, Colonel
Stevens, and Captain Pickering, of the Rcyal Artillery, who
are ordered to report on theii respective merits. Captain
Moorsom's were alone tried on Wednesday and Thursday ; on
Wednesday at the long range, 1,200 yards at a target and
Topaz, and on Thursday at 5 0 and 800 yard ranges. As we
have be:ore stated, these shells (percussion) were much ap-
proved and burst accurately, averaging 83 per cent. good
shells. Yesterday about one o'clock the testing of Mr.
Moore's concussion shells commenced at the long range, at
the ship-target and Topaz. The committee, Captain Chads,
Colonel Stevens, and Captain Pickering, were present, and
also Colonel Dundas, R.A., Captains Lock, Stopford, Ryder,
Elliot, Key, &c. Three shells will be tried at the three
ranges of 500, 800, and 1,200 yards. The practice will be
continued from the Excellent for several days to come, as
there are other " concussion" shells, the invention of Mr.
Freborne and Mr. Macbrey, are also to be tried and reported
on by the committee.
Apollo, 8, troopship, Commander Rawstorne, left Queens-
town on Thursday, for Corfu, with the colonel and 403 officers
and men of the 92d Regiment. The Apollo.is afterwards to
convey the 97th to Halifax, from Jamaica, instead of to New
Brunswick.
Alecto, 6, steam•sloop, Commander Lavie, is about a dozen
blue jackets abort. She will be ready for sea at Woolwich
by the 11th, and will proceed to Devonport, calling at Ports-
mouth, on her way to the coast of Africa.
Penelope steam-frigate will be complete at Portsmouth on
the 11th, and will be commissioned with a complement at
300 officers and men, as the new flag-ship for the coast of
Africa.

Banshee steam-packeto, Lieutenant-Commander Hosken,
is now ready for sea at 'Woolwich. She is ordered to pro-
ceed to Plymouth to be paid advance and wait for orders.
Bonetta, 3, brigantine, is now ready for sea at Chatham.
She is ordered to Plymouth to be paid advance and to re-
ceive her finalorders for Brazils. _ . .

Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour, flag-ship of Vice-Ad-
miral Sir George Seymour, C. 8., will have her defects com-
pleted at Spithead, on the 11th, and will be ready to sail on
the 12th for the West Indies.

Kingfisher, 12, Commander Harvey, will be paid off at
Devonport this day.
Prince Regent, 90, Captain Harris, is slowly entering her
blue jackets. She wants 400 petty officers and seamen. It
is expected that many of the Powerful's men will join her.
Powerful, 84, Captain Hon. R. S. Dundas, C. 8., will be
paid off at Portsmouth this day.
Rhadamanthus steam-transport, is ordered to be commis-
sioned by Mr. Belem as Master-Commander, and to be got
ready for sea at Sheerness with all dispatch.
Vulcan screw troop-ship, Master-Commander Penn, had
her steam up at Portsmouth yesterday, received her water
and provisions, and was to leave for Cork last evening to
embark the 74th Regiment for the Cape.
PRIZE-MONEY FOR THE SEALARK.—Messrs. Hallett, Ro-
binson, and Co., have given notice to Commander Mony-
penny and the officers and company late of the Sealark, who
were actually on board at the capture of the Francellina on
the 6th of October, 1849, that they will be paid their re-
spective shares of the tonnage bounties and
sale proceeds of
instant, the above vessel on Thursday, the 20th at No. 14,
Great George-street, Westminster, where the shares not then
demanded will be re-called for three months :—Flag, 31/. ss.
sd. ; commander, 1501. 6s. lid. ; third class, 201. Os. 11d.;
fourth, 10/. Os. sd. ; fifth, 91. Os. 4d. ' • sixth, 6/. Os. 3d.; se-
,:
;eleventh, eighth, 4l
lOs.;twelfth, 2id.s.; ninth, 3 1.0:; h
. t ldi
r.
_;
tenth,,
251.. Os.cs. 2di
d.

teenth, 15s.
PRIZE- MOWRY FOR TILE PLUTO STEAM-VESSEL.-Messrs.
Hallett, Robinspn, and Co., have also given notice to Lieut.
Crowder, the officers and company of the Pluto, who wen
actually on board at the capture of the Quatro Andorinha,
on the sth November, 1848, that they will be paid their re-
spective shares of the slave and tonnage bounties and sale
proceeds of the above vessel, on Thursday, the 20th inst., at
No. 14, Great George-street, Westminster, where the shares
not then demanded will be re-called for three months:-
Flag, 104/. 16s. Bd. ; lieutenant-commanding, 238/.145. 4d. ;
fourth class, 59/. 13s. 7d. ; fifth, 634 14s. 2(1. ; sixth, 351.
16s. Id.; seventh, 29/. 16s. 9d.; eighth, 23/. 17s. sd. ; ninth,
17/. 183. ; tenth, 11/. 18s. Bd. ; eleventh, 8/. 195.; twelfth,
5/. 19s. 4d. ; thirteenth, 4/. 9s. 6d.

THE COMMAND OF STEAM -VESSELS

TO TILE EDITOR OF TIIE TIMES.
Sir,—ln a letter that appears in your paper to-day, bear-
ing the signature of Sir Charles Napier, it is there stated
that the saving to the State by giving the command of swam
troop-ships to masters is only 66/. I send you, for your in-
formation, the expenses attendant on a commander and his
tail, as well as those of a master and his staff; you will then
see that the old Admiral is rather out in his calculation.
I remain, Sir, yours, and a constant reader,
Southsea, March 6. TRUTT'.

COMMANDER AND lIIS TAIL.
£ 9. d.
... 300 0 0
602 5 0
182 18 0
162 10 0
129 5 0
91 0 0
66 18 4
63 17 6

1 Commander
3 Lieutenants
1 Master ...
1 Surgeon ...
1 Assistant-Surgeon
1 Purser ...
1 Mate ..
2 Midshipmen

Total sum ... £1,618 5 10
Thus leaving out second-masters, of which the Apollo has
,wo and one assistant.

MASTER AND STAFF.

1 Master ... ...
4 Second-Masters
1 Assistant-Surgeon
1 Clerk ... ...

£ s. d.
212 18 4
292 0 0
184 0 0
66 18 4

Expenses attending the Master ... 755 16 8
Ditto the Commander 1,618 5 10

£862 9 2
8621. 9s. 2d. saved to the public in pay only, and the work
ten times better done and in a threefold proportion to what
is done by vessels of that kind commanded by commanders.

TAXES ON NEWSPAPERS•
TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—ln your paper of to-day my attention was called to
the following passage in a speech reported to have been
made by 11i r. Cobden, at a meeting held in reference to what
are called the "taxes on knowledge :"—" The fact was that
this country had no daily press. The daily press only existed
in London. It was scarcely known in the country." Being
myself one of the many thousands of your country readers
who receive your paper daily at a distance of more than 100
miles from the metropolis two hours after its publication, 1
was rather surprised at this statement. But I was still more
surprised when I found, on a further perusal of the same re-
port, that the speakers at this; meeting relied on the superior
merits of the American press as a leading argument for the
repeal of all the taxes they condemn.
Having twice visited the United States, and having tra-
velled through nearly all the northern States, I have had op-
portunities of witnessing the utter indifference with which
newspaper statements are treated, and the powerlessness of
the press as an organ of opinion. The little fly-leaves which
are hawked about the railway cars for two cents a-piece, with
are generally torn up and thrown out of window as soon as
Heralds, and couriers, and Chronicles,
the news of the latest British
attempt to redress a grievance, or advocate a reform, or vin-
dicatelt would be as hopeless to
thethsteamer,e liams ot
ghsuiaonstg,ae
quotations
nleenss
of
fsf
ccHeortettraoainni
coar.
principle,
tb:e•
through the columns of the New
sapPePa:eirinsgat St. Martin's-hall right by
York Tribune, as it would
to the American public
addressing this note to one of the weekly retailers of penny
blasphemy in Holywell-street.
The newspaper press of this country, as at present consti-
tuted, has a vast power, whether for good or evil we need not
f r me tao tryPri ntcoi
now inquire. Let it be once assimilated—either by the re-
moval of taxes or otherwise—to that of the United States,
and it requires very little acquaintance with the two coun-
tries to assure us that from that moment its power is gone for
ever.—l am your obedient servant,
Bath, March 6.

A. M,

HULL PUBLIC BATH COMPANY.— On ThUrsday a
meeting was held before Master Sir vv illiam Hoi'ne to ar•
range the list of contributories, Which is diviJed hit° three
parts ; the first contains the names of seventy-five members,
holding 119 shares, and who have all signed the deed of
e'ihgehty names, representing
set-
tlement, and paid the calls. All these persons were settled
as contributories. The second portion of the list consists of
deed, but who paid upon
decided generally as re-
third division of the
The
ef
twenty-five persona,
etceghioagnnerhtitdrtrreyii
re-
garded ttroionrerreei)ele;ssal
hibwsaaitnhlr
iced:
soy.
contains
of
fxmi
ntnobhsotrihttas
hicsnceei
gigsanns
names
a es
Ts
h lding one share each, and who agreed to accept the shares,
but did not take them up. After good deal of discussion,
expressed surprise and
the transactions of the
chhe books, the names of all
the list were expunged.
in
1841,
n4hiabitants of Hull, than of
idetnhoi
dissatisfaction
ahppteaai
srneftofec
parties
bis
oieanndo
the
hbt which
ehthnhieci n
ihr
rdeochdoiers d iendHonour.portioniwnhofit
Mr. Goodchap, the official manage,r,niniohreiswreipthorttlestdaetessirtehaotf
shares only
theni making
ki companyngconferring
a n 3a. the
were subscribed for,
and about 3,30e1. was raised by calls.
FORGERS EXTRAORDINARY. CI
--N,ACTION TO THE
Puxuc.—At Rochdale petty sessions on Wednesday last,
Mr. John Whittles, of Nelson-street, flannel manufacturer,
aged 58 years, was brought up by the county police superin-
tendents, Jarvis, of Rochdale, and Carswell, of Burnley,
charged with having paid forged Bank :cot England notes at
Todmorden, Burnley, and other towns. When taken into
custody on the day previous he had upon him 2201. in tbrged
notes—namely, thirty-six 5/. and four 10/. Bank of England
notes. Joshua Butterworth, a dealer in wool, )was also
charged with a similar offence, and there were found upon
him one 10/. and two 51. forged notes. The prisoners were
remanded till this day. Several other persons, residents of
Rochdale, Littleborough, and Todmorden, who are supposed
to have been carrying on a similar business, and are con-
nected with a gang, have absconded, but the police are
making great exertions to apprehend them. The notes
are said to be excellent imitations.—Liverpool Mercury of
yesterday.
The CAPE OF GOOD HorE.—The 74th (High-
landers) and a strong reinforcement of the 91st (Argyll-
, shire) Regiment are under orders for immediate embarkation
for the Cape. It is reported these troops will proceed to
their destination in steamers.—British Amy Dispatch.