The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-29 00:00:00

EVENING,

Hon. Gentleman, on resuming his seat, was again
greeted with enthusiastic applause.
Mr. LOCKE, M P., in responding to the toast of his
health, said that when he came into that room he had
no idea of receiving such a mark of respect as they
bad just paid him, for the very small compliment
which he had paid his friend ,Zr. Stephenson in
coming from London to witness the floating of the
first tube. He sincerely assured the company that
he came to their banquet that day to do honour to
Mr. Stephenson, to whom all honour was due.—
(Cheers.) In rising on that occasion he did so with
extreme reluctance, because he felt that he could say
nothing beyond expressing his cordial concurrence in
all the remarks which the Chairman had made re-
specting their distinguished guest. He could, how-
ever, from personal experience say what must have
been the character of that engineering skill which had
enabled the difficulties encountered in constructing
the Britannia-bridge to be overzoine.—(Great cheer-
ing.) The genius and talent which were equal to
the completion of so great a work must indeed
be of the very highest order.—(Hear, hear.)
When he reflected that Mr. Stephenson was a
friend of his of 30 years' standing, he (Mr. Locke)
thought he might with some propriety say that he did
participate in the honour which they had now paid to
their eminent guest.—(Cheers.) It was impossible
for a man, the member of a profession to which they
both belonged, to witness such a proceeding as the
present, and not feel deeply the honour so deservedly
paid.—(Cheers.) He gladly availed himself of that
opportunity to say, honour to the man wbo had con-
ceived and executed such a noble work. Might they

live long to admire it, and might Mr. Stephenson live
long to receive the homage which intelligence always
pays to distinguished merit.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. PAXTON, in acknowledging the compliment of
his health being drank, said, that so much had been
said by himself and others about the Crystal Palace,
that he felt totally inadequate to find any new sub-
ject to entertain them with. But perhaps they
would allow him on that occasion to mention a cir-
cumstance which he had mentioned before, with re-
ference to the distinguished individual to whom they
had that day done honour; he was not only the author of
the Britannia-bridge, but he considered that Mr.
Stephenson gave him the most efficient support in the
origin of the Crystal Palace—(Hear, hear)—and it
was mainly due to that gentleman's influence that his
plan for the Exhibition building was ultimately
adopted.— (Loud cheers.) "And," continued Mr.
Paxton, " where do you suppose I gained most of
my ideas ? I received them from the same source as
our distinguished guest himself. For many years I
had the felicity to have the acquaintance of his re-
vered father—(Cheers)—and I ask any one who was
ever with that gentleman for five minutes, whether he
did not derive some advantage from meeting with
him ? There is one drawback to the proceedings of
_ _ _ _

this day, and that is, that the elder Air. Stephenson
has not been permitted to live to see the realisation
of the scene which this assembly presents.—(Hear.)
But, gentlemen, his spirit is here; and that spirit
will survive so long as a locomotive engine shall run,
and as long as railways shall exist to advance civilisa-
tion throughout the earth."—(Rapturous applause.)
The various other toasts on the list having been
given and responded to, the company separated shortly
before 11 o'clock.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE:
The Right Hon. Sir F. T. Baring, Bart., who left
the Admiralty yesterday morning to join the Lady
Arabella Baring and family at Spa, in Germany, is
expected to be absent about a fortnight.
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF AT PORTSMOUTH.---
Admiral of the Blue Sir Thomas Briggs, G.C.M.G.,
will succeed Admiral the Hon. Sir Thomas Bladen
Cape), K.C.8., as Commander-in-Chief at Ports-
mouth. The latter gallant officer's term of service
will expire on the 13th September
REAR-ADMIRAL PROVO WALLIL—This gallant
officer, promoted to be Rear-Admiral of the Blue,
only son of the chief clerk in the office of the Com-
missioner of Halifax Dockyard, entered the navy in
1795, and has served afloat 22 years. He was mid-
shipman of the Cleopatra, 32, Captain Sir R. Laurie,
when after " a brilliant and self-sought action of
nearly three hours, and a loss, out of 200 men, 20
killed and 38 wounded, she was captured Feb. 17,
1895, by La Ville de Milan, a French ship of 46
guns and 350 men, 10 of whom were slain. Owing
to the damage she had sustained the latter fell an
easy capture six days afterwards to the Leander, 50,
Captain John Talbot, who at the fame time retook the
Cleopatra. The French frigate being added to the
British navy as the 38-gun frigate Milan, the com-
mand of her was given to Sir Robert Laurie, with
whom Mr. Wallis continued to serve on the coast of
North Ameri3a until there nominated, Nov. 6, 1806,

Acting-Lieutenant of the Triumph, 74. On No-
vember 30, 1808, he was prcmoted officially into the
Curieux, 16; in her he was wrecked while at the
blockade of Guadeloupe, Nov. 3, 1809. In January,
1812, was appointed to the Shannon of 50 guns,
throwing a broalside weight of 5381b5., and 306 men,
Captain Philip Bowes Vere Broke. On June 1,
1813, he assisted as Second-Lieutenant at the famed
capture of the Chesapeake, of 50 guns, yielding a
broadside of 5901b5. and 360 men—an exploit achieved
after fifteen minutes of desperate combat, wherein the
British had 24 men killed and 59 wounded, and the
Americans 47 killed and 115 wounded. Lieutenant

George Thomas L. Watt, the First-Lieutenant of the
Shannon, being killed in the moment of victory, and
Captain Broke, being severely wounded, the com-
mand, at the close of the action, devolved upon Mr.
Wallis, who, for his gallantry was promoted, July 9
following, to the rank of commander, besides receiv-
ing a letter of thanks from the Admiralty, and a
sword from his captain. From Jan. 19 until Dec.
28, 1814, Captain Wallis served at Sheerness in the
Snipe, 12 ; he was advanced to post rank August 12,
1819, and he was afterwards, from June 4, 1824,
until November, 1826, from April 14, 1838, until
September, 1839, and from October 13, 1843, until
April, 1846, employed on the Cape of Good Hope and
Halifax, the North America and West India, and the
Mediterranean stations in the Niemen 28, the Mada-
gascar, 46, and the Warspite, 50. In the Niemen
he commanded the first experimental squadron, con-
sisting of the Champion, Orestes, Pylades, Calliope,
and Algerine ; and while engaged in the Madagascar
in watching the French operations before Vera
Cruz he received the thanks of the British merchants
for his attention to their interests. When senior
officer in the Warspite, at Gibraltar, he obtained the
approval, in 1844, of her Majesty's Government, for
his judicious arrangements with the Prince de Join-
ville, whose attack upon Tangier and destruction of
Mogador he was afforded an opportunity of witness-
ing. Captain Wallis was appointed a naval aide-de-
camp to the Queen, Aug. 5, 1847. He married,
Oct. 19, 1817, Juliana, second dsughter of the
Venerable George Massey, of Chester, archdeacon of
Barnstaple and prebendary of Exeter, by whom he
has issue two daughters.
Lieutenant Lord John Hay (1846), son of the
Marquis of Tweeddale, and flag-lieutenant to his
uncle, the late Rear-Admiral Lord John Hay, super-
intendant of Devonport Dockyard, has been promoted
to the rank of commander. _ _ _

Retired Colonel Thompson Aslett, recently colonel
commandant of the Royal Marine Corps at Ports-
mouth, died at his residence, Hampshire-terrace, on
Wednesday night, aged 75. He served in the Mon-
tague, at Camperdown.
Mosquito, new 12 gun brig, in charge of Mr.
Biddlecombe and company, master of the St. George,
arrived at Devonport on Wednesday morning from
Pembroke.
Pique, 36, en route for Milford, to be altered and
repaired, was detained at Plymouth on the 26th inst.
by the bad weather.
Sprightly, steam-tender, Master Commander
Allen, left Portsmouth for Plymouth, and is expected
back with a sufficient number of seamen to complete
the complement of the Vengeance to-day.
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Fairy, royal
steam-yacht, was taken on to the graving-slip last
night to ship a new screw. She was taken off this
morning, and afterwards went out to Stokes' Bay at
half-past eleven o'clock to make a trial of Macin-
tosh's flexible two-fau screw. The water was very
rough and the weather unpropitious for such an ex-
periment, but, notwithstanding, a favourable result
was manifest, the vibration in the vessel having much
decreased and the speed increased nearly half a knot.
Other trials will be made.
The Centaur steam-frigate, Captain Cannon, flag
of Rear-Admiral W. W. Henderson, C. 8., went out
to-day to try her engines, &c:
The Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord Edward Russell,
was paid advance at Spithead to-day.