The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-12 00:00:00

EVENING, JULY 12, 1851.

ship, in the Mediterranean, until paid off in June, 1844,
and since April 28, 1847, he has been in command of the
Howe, 120, now on the same station. Sir James Stirling
is a Knight Commander of the Order of the Redeemer
of Greece. IL married, in 1823, Men, daughter of the
late James Mangles, Esq., M.P. foi' Guildfcrd, by whom
he 11,13 issue nine children."

Sir James Stirling, in the Howe, conveyed her late
Majesty the Queen Dowager to Madeira and back, and
paid off that ship last year at Sheerness.
Sir James Stirling was appointed one of the naval
aides-de-camp to the Queen on March 9, 1849; biu he
succeeded to the paid list only a few weeks since. In
addition to two good service pensions, the First Lord of
the Admiralty► has now in his nomination an aide•de-
camp to the Queen.
Independently of what changes may have already been
made in the senior lists of captains by retirement, Capt.
Edward Purcell (1823) comes within the first senior half-
pay list; and Capt. Rich (1838) within the second senior
half-pay list.

EXPEDITIOUS EQUIPMENT.—Odin steam-frigate had
her compasses swung on Wednesday afternoon, and at
nine o'clock P.M. went out of Portsmouth harbour and
proceeded direct for Cork, with provisions in for 300
troops for three months, and two months' provisions for
her crew. On Monday morning she had her guns in
(which she landed); was without masts, or tanks
stores on board; and thus within three days she has or
been
got ready for service by the untiring perseverance of the
rear-admiral-superintendent, the officers and men of the
yard, and Captain Halstead, the officers and crew of the
Dauntless. All have worked early and late. Mr. Davis,
the active master-attendant of the Clarence-yard, has
also contributed much to the fitting out of this vessel by
the expeditious way in which her tanks, provisions, &a,
have been sent to her from the Victualling-office. Ur.
Mang and Capt. Halstead went out in her last evening,
and left her at Spithead, her engines working very satis-
factorily.
Caledonian, 120, has been taken alongside Devonport
dockyard jetty to have defects made good, when she is
to take her place amongst the advanced ships at that port.
Heroine, 8, Commander J. B. Marsh, went into Devon-
port harbour, on Wednesday morning, and will be paid
off in the early part of next week.

PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The American Congress
sailed this morning for Now York. The American
mail-steamer from New York and Southampton, for
Bremen, passed through Spithead this morning.
Mr. Penville, midshipman cf the Orestes, 14, Com-
mander Hawker, was unfortunately drowned at the Cape
by the upsetting of a boat in which he with other officers
was returning to his ship, after a visit to the Castor, 36,
in Simon's Bay.
PORTSMOUTH, JULY 11.—The Furious new steam-
frigate, under command of Master and Commander
Banes, fitted with engines of 400-horse power (paddles),
by Messrs. Miller, Ravenhill, and Co., arrived at this
port to join the steam reserve squadron this morning
from the Thames. Her performances on the passage
have been very satisfactory. At the measured mile off
Greenhithe the average speed of six trials was 104 knots
an hour, and her average speed in coming round was
10i to 11 knots; the engines making 17 to 191- strokes
per minute. She left Greenhithe at 2.40 P.M. yesterday,
and arrived off the Nab here at 9.1 A.M. to-day. In her
passage round she experienced a hard gale cff Beachy-
head, and proved herself to be a good sea boat. She is
a very handsome and formidable-looking war steamer.
By a letter from Queenstown we learn that on her
passage from this port to Cork to embark the troops for
the Cape the Sidon burst her condenser in starting the
engines. Captain Henderson, in the Tiger steam-frigate
started for the scene of the disaster on Saturday night
last, taking with him Mr. Ward, the chief engineer of
the Blenheim, and the repairs were completed en the 9th
(Wednesday). The Sidon will sail to-morrow (Satur-
day) or Sunday for the Cape. Mr. Ward, the former
chief engineer of the Sidon, though in this harbour, was
not sent in her, but the engineers selected for her were
all strangers to the machinery of the vessel. Mr. Ward,
is now, however (experience teaches wisdom), ordered
to go in her to the Cape.
Minden convict ship sailed from Cowes roads last
evening to embark prisoners from Portland.
Seeflower cutter sailed last night to resume her sta-
tion off Jersey. _ _

PEMBROKE, JULY 10.—The Captain• Superintendent
of the Dockyard (Sir T. Pasley) has been absent on
leave. A large number of the men employed in the
yard have availed themselves of the facilities afforded
them for visiting the Exhibition. The following ships,
now in course of building at this dockyard, are in an ad-
vanced state, and most of them could be finished and
launched at a comparatively short notice:—The Windsor
Castle, 120 guns; Victoria, 110 guns; Caesar, 90 guns;
Brunswick, 80 guns; Melpomene, 60 guns; and Sutlej,
50 guns. It is currently reported that a company of the
Marine Artillery will be appointed to the Saturn guard-
ship at this establishment, there being no effective force
afloat for the protection of the arsenal.