The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-03 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

DEATH OF REAR-ADMIRAL JAMES
MURRAY GORDON.
We regret to announce the death of Rear• Admiral
of the Red James Murray Gordon, which took place
On the 28th December, at Balmaghie House, in the
79th year of his age. The gallant deceased was son
of the late Thomas Gordon, Esq., and brother of the
late Lieutenant Colonel Gordon, of the Fusilier
Guards. He married, Dec. 10, 1810, the daughter of
Archdeacon Caulfield, and relict of Captain Charlton,
E.I.C.S. That lady died in 1821, leaving issue two
sons and two daughters. The second sou, a lieutenant
in the 92d Highlanders, died in 1841.
We learn from O'Byrne's " 8i0g7.-aphy " that Rear-
Admiral Gordon served fourteen years afloat during
the war. He was born March. 1782; entered the
navy June, 1791, on board the BritAnoia, ICO. bear-
ing the flag in the Mediterrenn of Admiral I'l/4-Lilian)
flotham, in whose ensuing acb an tt. July 13 with
the French fl,et evac a participator.
After serving for rather looro that, .ive years as mid-
shiptuan 03 the SAIII,I and ti)o home and East
Iniia stations, in he Tarhon and Virginie, Mr.
Gordon b. came acting lieutenant, July 18, 1800,
of the Vulcan bomb, also stationed in the East
hales ; where he ieznovcd in a similar capacity
to the Trincomalee; IS,
,and De laigneue frigate,
to which latter vessel he we-, coetirmed by commis-
sion dated Feb. 25, 1803. lie assumed the acting
command on May 2G, 1805, of the Albatross sloop,
and being officially appointed to that vessel Feb. 1,
1806, continued to serve in her in the East until Feb.
28, 1807. He then returned to England, but was
soon again ordered to India in the Procris, 18, of
which vessel he assumed command on the 19th of the
following October. As a post captain—a rank he ate
tamed Feb. 15, 1808—Captain Gordon was further
employed on that station in the Terpsichore frigate
from April 28, in the same year, until July 28, 1809.
'We do not find that he his since held any appointment.
His promotion to flag rank took place Nov. 9, 1846.
By the death of Admiral Gordon the following pro-
motions and changes take place :—Captain John Toup
Nicolas, C. 8., K.H., to be rear-admiral of the blue,
vice Sir J. Rowley, Bart., to be rear-admiral of the
white, vice the Hon. Sir Fleetwood B. R. Pellew,
C. 8., K.C.H., to be rear-admiral of the red. Captain
W. W. Henderson, C. 8., K.H. (Oct. 9, 1815), be-
comes senior captain on the active list ; Captain W.
C. Courtenay (1828), succeeds to the senior half-pay
list of 14s. 6d. per diem ; and Captain Sir W. Dick-
son, Bart. (1838); to the half-pay list of 12s. 6d. per
diem.

The senior captain on the retired list, W. Stanhope
Lovell, K.H., being senior as a captain to Rear-Ad-
miral Nicolas, obtains his promotion to the rank of
rear-admiral on the retired list, without increase of pay.
COMMODORE MARTIN.—It is reported, and we have
good reason for believing the report to be correct,
that Commodore Martin, who has most ably com-
manded the frigate squadron for the last twelve
months under a blue pendant, is to be appointed com-
modore of the first-class, with a red pendant, and to
be continued in command of the division of frigates.
We trust this arrangement will be fully carried out,
for Commodore Martin has deserved every considera-
tion that the Admiralty can bestow. He has shown
himself a most able commander-in-chief in every
respect—whether in professional ability as an officer
and a sailor, discretion in the administration of his
important and responsible duties, and gentlemanly
conduct and dignity in the high position he has been
selected to fill. This richly-deserved advancement
will give the gallant Commodore an additional 2/. per
diem, and the patronage of nominating a captain to
his flag-ship.—Herald.
THE NEW FLAG-SHIP FOR THE WEST INDIES:
We intimated yesterday that the Admiralty had
decided upon commissioning some more powerful ship
then the Winchester (second-class 50), to carry the
flag of Vice-Admiral Sir G. Seymour, and to relieve
the Wellesley, 72. Their Lordship' have very wisely
taken into consideration the fact that our colonial
possessions on this station require a more dignified
specimen of a man-af-war than a 50-gun frigate, or
even a vessel like the present flan. ship—the Welles-
ley, and therefore determined that the new 72 gun
two-decker Cumberland, commissioned at Chatham,
shall carry Sir George Seymour's flag. This ship
will be fitted in a very short space of time, and no
doubt will be soon manned. She bears at present the
pendant of Captain Richards, C. 8., superintendent at
Chatham.
Sampson steam-frigate was commissioned at
Devonport, on the 31st ult., by Captain Jones, but
there were no entries before the new year's morning,
so as to commence with the new scale of victualling.
Indefatigable, .50, Captain Smart, K. 11., will be
taken out of ...No. 5 Dock, at Devonport, this morn-
ing; and the Sampson will be taken into the same
dock to-morrow.
PORTSMOUTH, THUR:.DAT.—TiIe Winchester will be
removed troin the fitting basin and replaced is or-
dinary on Saturday.
Amphitrite, 24, Captain Frederick, will be removed
from dock on Saturday.
Bloodhound steam-vessel has been brought down
from the ordinary and placed alongside the Malabar
to-day to coal. She sails in a day or two for Devon-
port to fit out for the coast of Africa as a tender for
the Samson st-I‘am• frigate, Captain Lewis T. Jones.
Althouih Mr. Biddlecombe, the Master of her
111 j-sty's yacht Victoria end Albert, has been dis-
placed, and Mr. Penn, Master of the Britannia,
ordinary guard ship, appointed to succeed him, and
Mr. King, Master, appointed to succeed Mr. Penn,
the appointments of the latter officers are withheld
until her Majesty's pleasure respecting them is known.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 1. In COMM-
quence of the recent Admiralty order for the altera-
tions in the supply of provisions to the navy, which
comes into operation to-day, great discontent prevails
among the crew of her Majesty's ship Indefatigable,
50, Captain R. Smart, recently returned from the
West Indies, and now refitting in No. 5 dock. Up-
wards of 200 men have applied for their discharge,
stating that they had entered under the old system of
supply. The application is now under the consider-
ation of the Lords of the Admiralty. The Indefati-
gable will be taken out of dock on Friday morning.
Her Majesty's steamer Samson was put in com-
mission yesterday by Captain Jones.
Her Majesty's ship Caledonia, 120, Vice-Admiral
Sir W. Parker, sailed on the 9th of December with
the fleet from Barcelona for Malta.
Letters have been received here from the Amazon,
26, dated Whampoa, Oct. 24. Captain Barker had
taken the command, vice Troubridge, deceased ; the
crew were all well.
Apprentices to be entered in the dockyard, Devon-
port, in the year 1851—Twelve shipwrights, two
ropemakers, two caulkers, and two smiths.
APPOINTMENTS.
WooLwicn, JAN. 2.—Lieutenants—Russell Patty
(1844) to the Samson steam-frigate, at Devonport ;
and Theodore M. Jones (1849) to the Pandora, 6, brig,
at Devonport.
Master—William J. Olive (1845) to the Samson.
Second Master—Thomas 11. Laity to the Ajax
steam guard-ship at Cork.
Masters' Assistants—George Stanley to the Pan-
dora, and Henry Y. Slader to the Fisgard flag-ship at
Voolwich.