The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-17 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

APPOINTMENTS.
Mates—Thomas William Oliver, to the Rapid; and
C. F. Smith, to the Ajax.
Midshipmen—Alfred Eatom and W. Follett John-
stone, to the Hogue.
PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 16.—Elfin yacht steam-tender
was docked on Thursday, to clean her copper.
Rapid, 8, Commander Blanc, was docked at Ports-
mouth on Thursday, to clean her copper.
Simoom, iron screw steam-ship, is being expedited as
much as possible by riggers, shipwrights, &c., and is
being payed with Mr. Hay's composition.
The inhabitants of Portsmouth and Southsea have de-
cided on the erection of a column or statue on Southsea..
common, to mark their gratitude to Major-General Lord
Frederick Fitzclarence, for the improvements ho made
to Southsea-common, by the formation of the E-planade,
&c., during the time he held the situation of Lieutenant-
Governor of Portsmouth. A committee has been ap-
pointed to consult and devise what the testimony shall
consist of. We understand about 3001. has bean sub-
scribed for this object.
The Sharpshooter, iron screw-steamer, Lieutenant-
Commander J. C. Bailey, is alongside the dockyard,
dismantling, preparing to pay cif.
The Hecate steara,-sl9op lta4 .gone- to Plymottiiiir
await orders.

THE MEDITERRANEAN :COMHAND.—The plot is at
length out—it may no longer be ;concealed or officially
denied, although it has now been periodically .O managed
for years. Rear-Admiral J. W. I). Duada, C. t3.,M,P.,
First Naval Lord of the Admiralty, will succeed Sir Wil-
liam Parker, G.C.8., in command in chief in the Medi-
terranean, and will shortly hoist his flag on board the Wa-
terloo, 120, now fitting to carry it at Sheerness. Cap-
tains R. B. Watson, C. 8., and George Goldsmith have
been named as the Flag-Captains, but Captain Watson
being still a sufferer from severe injuries received by
being thrown out of his gig near Christchurch lately,
leaves Captain Goldsmith the most likely to commission
the flagship. The commander is J. B. Dickson, and the
master Mr. Mainprise. Yesterday week Rear-Admiral
Dundas paid a visit of inspection to his intended flag-
ship, accompanied by his junior co-Lord at the Admi-
ralty (Rear-Admiral Stewart), Captain Eden, the First
Lord's private secretary, &c. They took water in the
Lizard steamer at Gravesend, having travelled so far
incog. by rail, and arrived at Sheerness at two, P.M.
After paying a visit to the Port Admiral (the Hon. J.
Percy) the whole party proceeded on board the Water-
loo, where the future Commander-in-Chief of the Medi-
terranean fleet gave directions as to the neces-
sary fittings for the accommodation of himself and
suite. Eight additional cabins are to be fitted up on the
main deck for the suite. A vary large number of the
dockyard hands are employed on the Waterloo. In the
evening Rear-Admiral Dundas and party dined at the
Port Admiral's, where a select party of officers were in-
vited to meet them. On Sunday, after having attended
service at the Dockyard Chapel, Rear-Admiral Dundas
and party inspected the iron screw-frigate Megasra, on
leaving which he proceeded again on board the Waterloo,
minutely inspected her fittings, holds, &c. The official
party were again the guests of the Port Admiral in the
evening, and left at 7 30 A.M. on Monday in the Lizard
for Gravesend, whence they proceeded to London. Se-
veral of the present officers of the Waterloo (Captain
Stopfurd, Commander Hancock, Lieutenant Lloyd, Mr.
Francis, Master, and Mr. Lung, Purser), are, daily ex-
pecting orders to remove to another ship. The Mo-
narch, 84, ordinary guard-ship, is named as being the
one most likely to be selected, in which case the Wel-
lington, 72, will supply the place of the Monarch; but
should the latter ship not be appropriated for the pur-
pose, it is surmised that either the Ganges, 84, or Su-
perb, 80, will be paid off and recommissioned for that
service on their arrival from the Meditt,rranean.— Times.
By letters from New Zaaland we learn that the Cal-
liope, 26, Captain Sir J. E. Home, C. 8., arrived at Syd-
ney on the 30th of July, and the Fantome, 12, Com-
mander Genneys, on the 25th of the same month, from
Hobart Town and England. The Pandora, 6, Com-
mander Drury, arrived at Sydney on the 21st of July
from the Cape of Good Hope. All remained quiet at
Sydney on the 14th of August. The Acheron steam-
sloop, Captain John Lort Stokes, has been paid off on
the station, and Captain Stokes and Commander Ri-
chards are coming home passengers in the Havannah;
the Acheron having served four years on the station.
The engineers have been left in her until further orders
from the Admiralty, until the receipt of which by the
Commodore she would act as a tender to the Governor
of New Zealand. The Fly, 14, Commander Oliver, was
daily expected from the New Zealand station at Rio, on
her way to England, on the 15th ult. The Havannah,
26, Captain Erskine, is bringing home a freight of about
4,0001. in gold from the Bathurst diggings on Govern-
ment account, and a very rare bird called the " kiwi,"
for Professor Owen, intended, we believe, for the Zoo-
logical Society. This bird will be the first of its species
ever brought to England alive, should success attend its
transmigration; and it is probable Captain Stokes may
bring home in the Havannah some very extraordinary
specimens of parrots, which he has obtained in New
Zealand, called the " kakapo." The Bishop of Lyttelton
tried this summer to bring one of this species to England
alive for the Zoological Society, but failed. Should
Captain Stokes succeed, it is hoped he will present one to
the society.
The Rattler steam sloop, Commander Mellersb, we
learn by letters from her, arrived at Madeira, on the
30th from this port with Lieutenant-Governor Lord
Frederick Fitzclarence and family on board, and, having
landed them, the Rattler sailed on the 31st for the East
Indies.

The Modeste, 14, Commander Lord W. Compton, ar-
rived at Leghorn on the Bth inst.
The following mates and midshipmen passed in navi-
gation at the Royal Naval College on Thursday :
Messrs. W. L. C. Clark, G. Palmer, M. E. Smithett, M.
H. Nelson, C. F. Smith, and A. F. 0. Young; and
second masters C. A. Hayward, F. G. Gambier, and J.
G. W. Paul for m raters.
The following young gentlemen passed for naval calet-
s
B . hips at
Halle t
E. h Naval
H College last week :—Messrs. F. Cooke,
C. , B. . an. U. C. Strceton, C. A. Hay-
ward, F. G. Gambier, and J. G. W. Paul.
Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, R.C.B , Surveyor of the
Navy, visited this dockyard yesterday and returned to
town in the evening.
PLYMOUTH, Nov. 15.—Her Majesty's brig Nauti'us,
manned by naval apprentices, arrived on Friday from a
cruise in the Channel, and came to her moorings in the
harbour, where she is to remain the winter.
The Hamoazo lighter arrived yesterday from Cork
with stores.
The Falmouth lighter sailed yesterday for Portsmouth
and the Devon for Pembroke, with stores.
Her Majesty's sloop Crane, Commander J. J. M'Don-
nell, fitting at this port for the Coast of Africa, will
probably go into the Sound on Tuesdsy. The following
are the officers appointed to her:—
First-Lieutenant T. D. Sullivan (1843), Second-