The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-06 00:00:00

CUMBERLAND.

Lower deck S 10 8-incb, 65 cwt., 9 ft. 0 in long.
116 32 prs., 56 cwt., 9 ft. 6 in. „
•
Main deck 2 8-inch, 65 cwt., 9 ft. 0 in, „
126 32-prs., 50 cwt., 9 ft. 0 in. „
Quarter deck and {
16 32-prs., 42 Grit., 8 ft 0 in. „
forecastle

Total 7O

WELLESLEY.
{
Lower deck
6 8-inch., 65 cwt., 9 ft. 0 in. long.
22 32-pre., 56 cwt., 9 ft. 6 in. „
Main deck /
S2B 32-pre., 42 cwt., 8 ft. 0 in.
4 32-pre., 42 cwt., 8 ft. 0 in. „
Quarter deck and
312 32-p, C., 17 cwt.
forecastle

Total 72
WINCHESTER.
S 8 8-inch, 65 owt., 9 0 in. long.
Main deck
Quarter deck and S 4 32-pre., 45 cwt., 8 ft. 6 in. „
forecastle ll6 32-prs., 25 cwt., 6 ft. 0 in. „

Total 5O

Herald.

Bloodhound, steam-tender to the Sampson, steam-
frigate, Captain Jones, fitting at Devonport for the
Coast of Africa, has arrived at Devonport from Ports-
mouth.

A court of inquiry assembled at Lisbon a few weeks
since to investigate the conduct of Mr. Dawes, carpenter
of the Prince Regent, 90, reported for drunkenness.
The court found a true bill against the carpenter, and
the commodore sent him home with a suggestion to their
Lordships that he should be dismissed the service, which
suggestion has been duly attended to.
PORTSMOUTH, JAN. s.—Commodore Martin, of the
squadron of evolution, has been promoted from the second
to the first class, which gives him the same pay and pri-
vileges as a rear-admiral, and will continue in the com-
mand of the Lisbon squadron of evolution, shifting his
flag from the Prince Regent, 90, into the Leander, 50.
Volcano steam-vessel, Commander Rivers, sailed this
afternoon for Devonport, to embark the mails for the
coast of Africa. She took down with her supernumarics
and 17 seamen apprentices for the Impregnable,
flag ship.
Arrogant steam frigate, Captain Robinson, was taken
into the Angle-dock yesterday to have her bottom over-
hauled.

The Fantome, 12, Commander Gennys, will drop out
to Spithead to-morrow, and proceed to Devonport to
receive her advance.

Commander Edmund Fleathcote will be the Comman-
der of the Cumberland, 70, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir
G. Seymour.
The Dragon steam-frigate, Captain Giffard, was at
Cagliari on the 17th ult., all well. The Queen, ,the
Caledonia, the Superb, the Ganges, and the Powerful
were also there at the same time, having put in on their
passage from Barcelona to Malta.

The Amphitrite, 28, Captain Frederick, was removed
from dock to-day.
The Mermaid convict-ship, having embarked 150
convicts from the Portland depot and others from Park-
hurst Reformatory Prison, sailed from Spithead for Swan
River, on Friday night.
The following ships are on the stocks at Pembroke:—
Windsor Castle, 120; Victoria, 116, to be:launched this
year ; Caesar, 90 ; Brunswick and James Watt, 80's,
the latter a screw ; Melpomene and Immortalite, 60's ;
Sutlej, 50, to be launched this year ; Rover, 16; Mos-
quito, 16, to be launched this year ; Squirrel, 12 ;
Valorous and Barracouta steamers, to be launched this
year.

The Wasp steam-sloop, Commander Crozier, arrived
at Madeira on the 15th ult., en route from this port and
Plymouth to the coast of Africa.

THE TRIAL OF THE FRIGATE SQUADRON.—
PHAETON AND ARETHUSA.
(From the Herald.)
One day last week we printed some extracts from a
puffing letter, sounding the praises of the ex-Surveyor's
50-gun frigate Arethusa, commanded by Captain Sy-
monds, and detracting from the merits of the Phaeton,
Captain Elliot, built by White, of Cowes. We then
stated that our experience of the reports of former trials
of the ex-Surveyor's ships led us to put no faith in any
et them, for they have always been of a description most
flattering to the "intuitive" vessels, and tending to mis-
lead the public.
We remember when Mr. White's Waterwitch was
;rolight out as a rival to Sir W. Symond's Pantaloon,
the latter was cried up as a far superior vessel to the
former, although it was subsequently proved that the
Waterwitch almost invariably beat the Pantaloon.
Again Mr. White's 12-gun brig Daring was said to be
nowhere in the race with Sir William Symond's Flying
Fish, when those who knew better found cut that the
Daring wile always first in every weather. Again, when
;he School of Naval Architecture's 12-gun brig Espiegle
was tried with the Flying Fish, on their return to port
letters ran through the Isle of Wight, claiming the advan-
tage iur the Flying Fish, on board of which was Captain
S y trends himself,but when the official reports came out the
Espiegle was shown to hare beaten the Flying Fish
five times out of eight trials. Similar reports are now
being circulated claiming credit and superiority for the
ex• Surveyor's ship Arethusa, which is an improved
" Constance," which was an improved " Vernon,"
which was the " chef d'auvre of naval architecture ;' but
here again Mr. White's production, according to his
explanation, which we have every reason to believe as a
correct one, gives us fair grounds for believing that the
reports of the Arethusa are of the old manufacture.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.

Sir,—l shall be obliged by your inserting in your
paper a few remarks arising from the manner in which
her Msjesty's ship Phaeton has been attacked since she
left the experimental squadron off Ushant. She has been
reported as almost a wreck, from damage sustained
while the Arethusa was beating her ; and whether it
is for want of early contradiction or not, the writer
seems to grow on his own assertions. Lest, however,
he should beat himself too much, I will lay before you
what I believe to be the facts, particularly as they were
given me by Captain G. Elliott and the gun-room offi-
cers of the Pnaeton.
The day before the Phaeton parted company, the iron
fid of her foretopmast broke short off, and let the top-
mast down, with all attached, six to eight inches; this
slacked all the topmast rigging, and the foremast head
was consequently wrung; notwithstanding this, she was
ready for trial next day, when it blew very hard. Tier
station was to leeward of the Dauntless, which ship aas
to leeward of the Arethusa. On making sail Dauntless
was dead on the weather bow of Phaeton; a signal was
made from Phaeton to Dauntless " to keep her wind,"
which was complied with, and the ships soon changed
their position. Continuing the trial, Phaeton gained on
the Arethusa as much, if not more, than on any other
occasion, until the accident which caused her jihboom
to go. In a very heavy squall the pin of the shackle of
the jib guy broke, and of course the jib-boom, without
1 any security, gave way, taking all with it. At this time
8 the officers had sighted Arethusa's weather foretopmast
15 1 studdingsail boom clear of her jibstay. I have no doubt
Commodore Martin will give the fleet another opportu-
,2"l3u nity, and it is to bo hoped the Admiralty will allow his
reports to be published. The truth will then be made
apparent, and tell one way or the other on the industri-
ously-circulated letters in the Isle of Wight.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant.
JOSEPH WHITE,
Constructor of H. M. S. Phaeton.
I East Cowes, Jan. 3, 1851.
8

15
Iv. 30