The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-10 00:00:00

THE SHELL EXPERIMENTS.

The trial of shells proceeded on Saturday on board the
Excellent, under the inspection of the committee. About
twenty of Mr. Moore'a concussion shells were tried at the
distant range at the Topaz. Two or three of thorn burst
prematurely—the others were good. Mr. Moore's shells
will be proceeded with this day.
THE Loss OF THE FLAMER, STEAM•VESSEL.—A pre-
liminary inquiry took place at the Royal Naval College,
before Captain enacts, C. 8., and the Judge Advocate,
M. Greetham, Esq., on the officers and crew of the
Flamer, for the loss of that vessel. The persons were
not examined on oath, and the evidence was not given
in public. We hope that this inquiry will supersede the
necissity of a court-martial. The Flamer went on shore
" according to the Act of Parliament;" the officers and
men were all at their stations; the look-out men were
placed, and the " blue pigeon was flying," and further,
we understand the commander is a steady, correct, and
excellent officer.

A HAPPY MAN-OF-WAR.—The Powerful, 84, Capt.
the Hon. R. S. nuncios, was paid off on Saturday, along-
side Portsmouth Dockyard, in a most orderly and quiet
manner. We are very glad to see that the system of
dismantling and paying off ships alongside the yard
seems now to be generally adopted. By this plan the
seamen are kept sober; they leave the yard as they are
paid, and they have every chance of steering clear of the
laud-sharks, who always make a market of those sea-
men who are paid off half-sea's over. The Powerful was
in excellent order; she has been a most comfortable ship
for both officers and men, and in the Mediterranean she
was known as " The Happy Ship." She has been die-
masted and entirely cleared out before paying off.
Seventy or eighty of her crew have put their names
down for the Prince Regent. The Sprightly steamer,
Master-Commander Allen, sailed for Plymouth on Sa-
turday night, taking down about ;100 seamen belonging
to that port, paid off from the Powerful.
Vice-Admiral Sir George Seymour's baggage was
taken to the Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour, at Spit-
head, by the Echo, steam-tug, on Saturday.
Boscawen, 70, aptain Richards, C. 8., is progressing
in fitting for the ordinary guard-ship, at Chatham, and
will be completed in May next.
Bonetta 3. brigantine, Lieut.-Commander C. Wake,
was towed to Sheerness on Friday, by the Adder, steam-
vessel. After her compasses have been adjusted, she will
proceed to Plymouth, at which port the advance money
will be paid, prior to her proceeding to her station at
Brazils.

Magicienne, 16, steam-sloop, at Devonport, having
been ordered by the Admiralty for another trial to test
her sailing qualities, Mr. Brown, second master at-
tendant, has been entrusted with the command, and she
was to sail on Saturday morning, with a party of extra
riggers and engineers from the dockyard. She has been
brought to the draft of water of—fare, 15 feet 7 inches;
aft, 16 feet 7 inches.
PORTSMOUTH, SUNDAY.—The Fairy Royal yacht,
Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, G.C.H., embarked
the Queen and Court from the Royal Clarence-yard,
Gosport, yesterday noon, and conveyed them, under the
uival salutes, to Cowes, where the royal equipages were
in waiting to convey them to Osborne.
The Penelope, 22, steam-frigate, was put in commis-
sion at this port yesterday afternoon by Captain Henry
Lyster for the first class broad pendant of Commodore
Bruce, to succeed Commodore Fanshawe in the com-
mand in chief en the coast of Africa. The Penelope s
complement is to be 300 men and officers.
The Kingfisher, 12, Commander.llarvey, was paid off
yesterday at Devonport. Her seamen and marines be-
longing to this port were brought here this morning by
the steam-tender Avon, which returned to Devonport
this afternoon.
The Pyrenees hired convict-ship arrived at Spithead
this morning fret" the Thames to embark transports for
the penal settlements.
In pursuance of an Admiralty order, Captain H. D.
Chub, C. 8,, of her Majesty's ship Excellent, and Mr.
G. L. Greetham, Deputy Judge-Advocate of the Fleet,

assembled on Fridey at the official residence of Captain
Cbads (the Ito 3 al Naval College) to receive the deposi- '
tions of Commander St. Lager, the other officers, and
ship's company ( f the late Flamer steam-vessel, lost on
the coast of Africa, preliminary, wo belibve, to a court-
martial being bald.
Commander Edmund A. Glynn and Lieutenant E.
Marshall are appointed to the Penelope.