The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-15 00:00:00

T H.E SON LONDON, MONDAY EVENT NG, FEBRUARY 15, 1858

' officers and the composition of the French landing
force. The French have a feeling in regard to the
'
vi thew w a widuli I of course
-
respect. Toe position and number of their ships
are a fact patent to all eyes, and I have therefore
included them in the plan which I forward you.
Perhaps you will send it, as you did my Fatshan
plan, to Mr. Wylde for publication.
In the list of the Naval Brigade we miss the name
of Capt. Edgell. The non-a rival of the Princess
Charlotte keeps the Tribune a prisoner at Canton.
It is sometimes a penalty that a man pays for being
a perfectly reliable officer that he is wanted for
some responsible post where energy and judgment
are indispensable. Such is Captain Edgell's case ;
but we are all here too much indebted to his un-
wearying industry and foresight to forget him. As
protector of Hongkong and general agent to the
fleet he is doing more important work than he
could even do here.

Monday, Dec. 28.
It is five o'clock in the morning, and the north-
wind whistles through the shrouds, and Ms thick
darkness as we climb the rigging to the maintop of
Her Majesty's ship --.
• Yeh knows what must happen at daybreak. It
has been told throughout the fleet, it has been in-
tentionally allowed to be known to the bumboat-
men, and all who have communication with the
opposite shore that the bombardment will com-
mence at daybreak. The frequent reconnaissances
on the eastern side have also told them that the
attack will be on that side, and we know they have
taken the hint, for two new embrasures have broken
out yesterday and guns mounted.
Before the first streak of daylight every glass is
directed upon the berth of the green passage boat.
We call it Howqua's boat, moored on the other
side of the river, and used to carry messages to and
fro, and always having a white flag flying. The
boat and the flag are still there, but she does not
move. No, she does not move. I must use the
seamen's more practised eyes to tell me so, for I
cannot yet distinguish objects. Surely, surely,
these men will yield while there is yet time. There
seems to be no thought of such a thing. Had
there been, it is now too late. A cheer tells me
that, not in the dawn but in the less thick darkness,
up goes the white ensign to the main deck of the
Aetwon' and at the same moment a yellow flag
flies on the main of the Phlegethon. I expected
at that moment to hear a concussion that should
have shaken the earth. Not so. A dropping
fire, gun by gun, runs along the line. I fancy
that the Cru4izer, which has the guns from the
bastion in front of Yeh's yamun pointed down
upon her deck, fires a broadside to anticipate
them, but I may be mistaken, for I am some way
off, and the puffs of smoke are already wreathing
abou.. Some minutes elapse, and the light
strengthens. Then, oft gots one of the mortars
upon Dutch Folly. It is fired upon Gough Fort.
The woistling shell speeds high over the city—just
as I have often seen thew and heard their plaintive
whisrle over the heights of Tchernaya, or from the
earthworks ou the north of Sebastopol harbour. It
does not reach its objnt. At its highest elevation
—far, far away—it puffs forth in a thin white cloud.
I can now see the dark fragments falling, and in
the cold, cloudless morning sky that little c!oudlet
hangs—

' As tho' an angel in his upward flight
" Had left his mantle floating in mid air."
Strange fancies seize us in these highly wrought
moments—the angel of mercy has fled from the
doomed ciiy.
Slow and continuous, with a sombre monotony,
like the firing of minute guns, the cannonade con-
tinues. No broadsides, no quick firing, no excite-
ment. Every gun is accurately pointed after many
minutes' care to strike or sweep the appointed wall,
and to avoid the habitations. The shells are not so
obedient as the round shot. What the opposing
guns are doing we cannot see, for the smoke gathers
thick below us, and the big guns seem to have
brought down the wind. Vainly do the mortar
shells strive to reach those hill forts, which seem to
be sleeping in tranquil security against the cold
gray sky. They all fall short. That red 5-storied
barn, which is called the 5-storied pagoda, and which
is said to be the barrack of 500 Tartars, was nearly
touched. A shell burst half way up the bill. But
Gough Fort has never yet been approached. Some
who must have keener sight than I have say that
the Chinese are endeavouring to bring their mon-
ster guns to bear this way. The strength of the
armament of those forts was placed to bear upon
the eastern face when we reconnoitred them
on Wednesday last. But it is useless, even
if practicable, to change the bearing of
those guns. If we cannot reach them at
this nearly 4,000 yards range with our mortars they
will never reach us. The morning wears on and
the smoke thickens, and still this dull monotonous
minute-gun sound continues. Still no sign of sur-
render. These strange Chinese actually seem to
be getting used to it. Sanpans and even cargo
boats are moving down the river like London
lightermen in the ordinaryexercise of their calling ;
people are coming down to the bank, and watch
the shot at.d shell fly over their heads. Even the
great kites which hover about here all day have re-
turned, and are circling above the smoke.
Now the gunboats leave their stations, embark
the troops and hurry down the river to the landing
place at Kupar Creek. I also change my position,
and dot down these hasty memoranda as I fly. A
strong body has already landed, and through my
glass I can distinctly see the General and his Staff,
protected by a party of bluejackets and redcoats—
either Marines or 59th, I can't distinguish which,
for they are crouched on the ground—pushing a
close reconnoissance to Fort Lin.

Hero I must leave off. It is now half-past 11
o'clock. The Opossum leaves with the mail exactly
at 12; and I have small time to close my despatch
and reach the Admiral's office.

HALF-PAST 12.

No sign of surrender. The embarkation of the
laud force continue,, and the bombardment goes on.
BEFORE CANTON, DEC 29, 1857.
Untaught by experience, some officious person at
Holigkoug has taken upon him to delay the mail.
Whoever it may be, it was done without the know-
ledge of Lord Elgin or the Admiral, for their
despatches went by the steamer which conveyed
mine. Possibly the consequence may be that you
will get no China mail at all, as happened in the
case of that to which we are still without answers.
However, I send you a supplementary letter on
the chance of its arrival.

I broke off iu my first despatch while the bom-
bardment was still proceeding, while the troops
were landing at Kupar Creek, and while the Gene-
ral was prosecuting a close reconnoissance of the
East (or Lin's) Fort.
So near did the reconnoitring party advance
without any appearance of defenders that we ima-
gined the fort 'mist be deserted. I suppose, how-
ever, the General had reason to think otherwise,
for the 59th and the Artillery were ordered up, and
were posted in the broken ground to the left, while
some of the Naval Brigade and Marines, who had
now formed upon a hill-side, were advanced into the
village at the right of the fort. Immediately this
movement took pldce some matting which covered
a square building on the top of the round stone
fort was removed, and three guns from the lower
embrasures and a volley from jingalls on the top
soon told that the place was occupied. Our men
were well under cover, and skirmishers were pushed
forward, who with the deadly Enfield made it
dangerous for the gunners to appear in their large
embrasures. They continued their fire, however,
with great pertinacity until the 9-pounder field-
pieces were got into position and battered and
shelled the place (from the village side and across
the ravine which separates the village from the fort)
at close quarters. A storming party was now
formed, but the Chinaman had had enough of it,
and after firing a general volley at the advancing
column they absconded in some mysterious way and
were seen swarming up the hill towards Gough
Fort ; a moment after, and two men appeared in
the embrasures waving the English and French
flags.

My view of this operation was from the river
side of the fort. What happened afterwards saw
less distinctly. About an hour after the fort had been
in our possession it blew up with a loud explosion.
The occupying party and also the troops encamped
on the lull side were put in motion, ascended the
hill, and descended on the other side. I saw Capt.
Maclure's and Capt. °Thorne's men, conspicuous by
their white gaiters over their blue trousers, gather on
a little summit and disappearinto the valley beyond.
There we lo3t sight of them. Volleys of musketry
and flights of rockets continued in that direction
for several hours, and there was all the appearance
of au obstinate fight, which lasted till sun down ;
but whether this was occasioned by the discovery
of some unknown fort commanding the east fort
and reuderit g it necessary to blow up the latter, or
whether some body of Chinese troops i;ad come out
into the open, we shall not know until we can draw
out the separate threads of this wide- spreadeutangle-
melt.

Then came the night--and such a night ! The
ships almost ceased from their firing, but the city
soon became like our own Shropshire iron counties
at night—a plain of fire. At first it appeared as
though the besiegers were bent upon reducing the
place to ashes ; but little by little, as I gained by a
change of position some idea of the scene a; a
whole, the destruction was not without a phu.
There was a great blaze at the north-west angle of the
city. The gate there is surmounted by a Chinese
guardh, use, withthe usual grotesque upward pointed
roof. Shells and rockets were poured in volleys upon
this structure, and it soon became a sheet of flame
through which the roof, the rafters, and the walls
sto9d out in dark outline, By constAnt ftliowera of

rockets the flame was led up and down the city
wall, and in an incredibly short time the long, thin
hue of tire shut 'nigh into the heavens, and then
subsided into a smouldering smoke.
While this was still raging those vengeful rockets
described a new parabola. They came hurtling
through the moonlight along the line of the eastern
wall. They sought out the three spots which have
been marked as the objects of the triple assault of
the English and French troops to morrow. As those
dreadful 24-pound rockets flew flames arose. They
seemed to lead the fire about as a tame element pre-
cisely as they willed ; and, strange to say, it never
seemed to spread inwards or to stray from the line of
the city walls. I expect that when, at some more
convenient season, I come to see the interior, I shall
find that all the conflagrations we have been watch-
ing to-night with an awe-stricken pity have de-
stroyed
only that line of old houses which leant
against the inner side of the wall and afforded cover
to those gingalls whence all our great losses in
affairs with the Chinese have arisen. I may be
wrong, for I pledge myself to nothing that I write
in this confusion of showering rockets and crashing
roofs—if lam wrong I can correct my impressions
hereafter. _ _

TUESDAY, Dec. 29.
I mark the change of days, but they are not
divided by repose. All night the city was girt by
a line of flame. The approach of morning was in-
dicated by a suspension of the rocket practice, and
by the re-opening of the mortar batteiy with re-
doubled energy. As the day broke the flames sank
down and the sun rose upon a perfectly smokeless
city. It is necessary to desoribe the conformation
of a Chinese city more accurately than I now have
time to do to account for the rapidity with which
the wallside houses perished. For police pur-
poses every city is divided into walled depart-
ments of some fifty yards square, with gates
that can be closed. The houses that lean
upon the inner walls are, in most cities
that I have soen, divided from the rest by a mound
or a ditch ; they are encroachments—hovels made
by squatters—wood and thatch, that blaze and
vanish.
The charges of powder must have been increased
in the mortar batteries, for the shells now flew high
up to the hill forts. One of them at daybreak burst
upon an embrasure of Fort Gough, and another
went right over it. The ships that had been enfi-
la-ling the eastern wall now ceased firing. It was
the moment for the assault. In the neighbourhood
of the E tst fort the three divisions formed and the
rush was made. For two hours nothing is visible
but smoke—nothing is heard but the rattle of
muske,ry and loud cheering. What deeds are
done among this broken ground—among these
trees and brushwood—on the tops and in the in-
terstices of these grave-coloured hillocks—how fare
these forces, spread over more than a mile of
attack, what divisions are first, who fall and who
survive, I must tell hereafter. At eight o'clock the
wall is gained and I see the bluejackets, English
and French, racing along it northwards. Gough's
Fort gives us its fire, let us hope without effect,
but, well-served, its guns might sweep the wall.
There is a check and silence for half-an hour. I
can recognise the blue trousers of oue of the
divisions of our naval brigade. The leaders are
probably teaching them how to take that five-
storied pagoda upon the north-western wall.
Along the city wall, and protected by its
battlements, they pa,s, I think, unscathed,
the fire from Gough Fort away to their right, and
come in front of a gleaming white battery, newly
built, and full of guns erected upon a ledge of the
rock upon which the wall and the five-storied
pagoda here stand. If the assailants would only
go to a proper distance, how these guns would
riddle them. But with a rush and a cheer a de-
tachment strikes from the cover of the wall, which
the guns de not command, and houses itself
safely at the foot of the very rock which bears the
battery. Not a shot can it fire. The riflemen
from the walls now ply this half-moon for some
minutes, and in a quarter of an hour the detach-
ment at the foot of the rook has gone round and
taken the position from behind. Relieved from
these guns, which might have swept them down by
hundreds, our men in serried mass s are now swarm-
ing along the wall. The five storied pagoda (which
is no more a pagoda, according to our notion of a
pagoda, than it is a bum-boat, but an old square
red building divided into stories) is carried by the
bayonet, and the French and English colours are
hoisted simultaneously. Now, Gough's Fort opens
out sulkily upon its late ally ; but the assailants,
not waiting to reply, hurry along the intervening
wall westward. I can follow them for some time
from my position, and I hear them cheering, when
I lose them in the hollow. A few minutes of sharp
fusillade and blue jackets emerge from the tress
and up go the two bits of bunting which tell that
this key of Canton is our own.
It is now 2G minutes after 10. In four hours,
therefore, the hill defences of this city have been
captured. Gough's Fort yet holds out, but this is
a mere question of a few hours or minutes more or
less—the Magazine-hill commands it, and it is
within point-blank range.
The whole of the operations have been conducted
with a view to occasion the smallest possible sacri-
fice of life, and especially of the lives of our own
teen and of our allies. We may hope, therefore,
that the victory will be a cheap one. I purposely
refrain from repeating any of the rumours that are
flying about as to deaths and wounds, but I may
state it as within my own knowledge that Captain
Bate was killed while superintending the placing
of the scaling-ladders. Captain Hackett was also
killed, and Lord Gilford is wounded in the arm.
How many others are lost it is impossible to say
The Chinamen are still shooting at our men from the
tops of the houses, and is this goes on I fear it will
be m-essary to treat the city less tenderly than
hitherto.

While the Algerine gunboat, Lieutenant Forbes,
is witi steam up taking the supplemental despatches
on board, 2.5 p.m., Gough's Fort is assaulted and
taken.

(From a Supplement to the Overland Register.)
HONG KONG REGISTER OFFICE, DEC. 30.
The French and English Naval Brigades advanced
on Monday forenoon and took Fort Lin ; one
French officer was killed, and several French
casoaltiel ; some English wounded severely. The
troops then advanced towards the south, and
bivouacised for the night off the south-east angle
of the city wall.
We believe Lieut. Hackett was acting as aide-
de-camp to General Straubenzee, and while at
some distance from any corps, carrying despatches,
was set upon by a party of Chinese, who over-
powered and slew him.
The advance on the Magazine or City-hill Fort,
as it is variously termed, took place at 9 a.m. yes-
terday. Capt. Bate was killed and Lieut. Lord
Guildford wounded there. Capt. Bate, as usual,
ever forward where duty called, was volunteering
to place the scaling ladders, when he was shot from
the wall through the stomach. He died as he had
lived, a Christian hero, with the sounds of
victory ringing in his ears. The expedition
could not have sustained a greater loss than the
death of this excellent officer, not more remark-
able for the sweetness of his temper, the child-
like purity of his life, than for the extent of his
scientific acquirements and the shining splendour of
his personal valour ; this lamented officer in his life
and death was a bright example of the Christian
hero. His rare intrepidity, his perfect self-com-
mand, his ready talent, rendered him one of the
most valuable officers of the naval service. He
was equally beloved by officers and men, superiors
andinferiors. In the words of Southey respecting
Nelson, be has fallen in the hour of victory, and if
the horses and chariots of fire had been vouchsafed,
he could scarcely have departed in a brighter blaze
of glory.

Mr. Hackett was a young promising officer, much
esteemed by his immediate commanding officer, and
beloved by his regimental companions. His death
is much regretted.

Besides Bate and Hackett we hear only of the
loss of Mr. Thomas, midshipman, of the Sanspareil.
Gough Fort was taken between 2 and 3 p.m.:
but th• casualties had not reached the river when
the Firm left.

The bombardment was to be renewed during the
night with greater severity.
The body of Captain Bate and that of Lieutenant
Hackett are being brought down in a gunboat for
interment here.

The destruction of China life is not known, but,
as the Admiral humanely delayed commencing ope-
rations until it was apparent that all 1% ho desired to
leave had left, it is supposed that the loss of life has
been comparatively small for such a city.
The following is the Admiral's order :
" The p-r.od being nearly at hand for commenc-
ing active operations against the city of Canton, the
Commander ie-Chief has to call the serious atten-
tion of the captains, officers, seamen, and marines
of the squaoron to the necessity of carefully protec:-
ing the lives and property of the peaceable and un-
armed inhabitants—not only on the score of hu-
manity, but likewise on the policy which renders it
so important to retain the goodwill of those classes
of the Chinese population whose material interests
and Fredilections separate them from the high Man-
darins and the military power o f CAnton, against
whom alone our hostile action will be directed.
" The Rear-Admiral has also to impress upon the
officers and men who may soon be actively employed
his determination to discountenance and prevent all
`looting' or plundering, both as demoralising as
well as subversive of the discipline that is
essentially AocesaAry to 4119C04P ; anti he

trusts that the officzrs by precept, and especially by
example, will carry out his views and instructions.
" The CommPA,nder-in-Chief takes this opportu-
nity to express his warmest thanks to the commo-
dore, captains, and commissioned officers, seamen,
and Royaj Marines of the squadron for the patient
endurance they have evinced during the last twelve
months in the monotonous and frequently harrass-
ing duty of keeping open the navigation of this
river. And he further assures them that, whatever
may be the nature of the future operations, he shall
enter upon it with the strongest confidence in their
ready and gallant co-operation for the maintenance
of the honour of the British flag awl the success of
our arms.

" MICHAEL SEYMOUR,
"Rear-Admiral, Commanding-in-Chief.
"To the Commodore, Captains, Commanders,
Officers, Seamen, and Marines and the Squa-
dron in China."

A supplement to the Friend of China, dated the
30th of December, has the following :
" The gunboat Firm, Lieutenant-Commanding
Nicholas, arrived about 4 this morning, bringing
despatches from the Earl of Elgin. (The Algerine,
with the despatches on board, had got on shore, and
was high and dry a short distance below the barrier,
when the Firm passed her about 5 last evening.)
The Firm reports as follows
`About a dozen of the gunboats were busy all
Monday forenoon landing the 59th and English and
French Naval Brigades and Artillery, in all about
2,500 men, abreast Kupr's Island. On landing,
possession was at once taken of the round fort,
which some of our readers remember crowns a
small height about 1,000 yards below the French
Folly, and there they remained all Monday, and
up to 10 o'clock yesterday morning. At the hour
mentioned the bombardment, which commenced
before daylight on Monday morning, and was con-
tinued throughout both day and night up to that
hour, ceased, and the assault of the bill forts took
place afterwards. These, it was understood (only
Gough's Fort can be seen from the landing place),
were in our bands, as well as the lower section of
the eastern wall, at the time the Firm passed down.
Particulars of the casualties have not reached us ;
but may be looked for by the Kestrel, with the
Admiral's despatches for the mail, directly.
" ' But saddest of all is the death of Capt. Bate,
and that of Lieutenant Hackett. Capt. Bate, that
heroic man for whom all Hong Kong will mourn,
with Lieut. Viscount Gilford and party, was en-
gaged in making an inspection of the ground over
which the assaulting party would have to pass and
the best point for escalading, when a shot from the
walls struck him in the abdomen and he died
almost immediately. Viscount Gilford was also
shot through the arm, but not seriously. Thanks
to the gallant boat's craw who were with
the officers, the body was brought off. Lieu-
tenant Hackett was bearing a despatch from an
taking a short cut, was sud- '
doeuntliyyinagssapilieckdebt,yad,
anman in ambuscade, and killed
in a moment. The wretch who did the deed, how- ,
ever, was caught by our Jacks, and hung on a tree
with short shrift. His body still dangles to the
breeze. After these painful occurrences our men
became so excited that they destroyed the village
near which the last mentioned death occurred, and,
with large sections of the suburbs, it was in fierce
blaze when the Firm left. The Chinese return-fire
appears to have been confined to their small arms ;
no large guns were aimed at the squadron.'
ft P.S.--A letter received from a fr;end since the
above was printed supplies the following additional
particulars : 'Captain Bate, when killed, was
choosing the spot to place the scaling-ladders at the
five-storied pagoda. Lin's]Fort, Five-storied Pa-
goda, and Eastern wall are in our possession."

The atrocity has been ascribed to an outbreak of
Mahomedan fanaticism, but it seems as likely it was
merely an aggravated case of burglary, and Mr.
De Leon, the United States Consul, will no doubt
find the Turkish authorities fully disposed to second
him in his efforts to trace out the authors of the
crime, without the necessity of the threat that
would be implied by the presence of a ship of war.
The place of the Constellation has been taken by
a Swedish frigate which came into port this
morning.

Prices in the Alexandria grain-markets have
continued depressed throughout the past fortnight,
and all shipping business has been much obstructed
by the weather. Saida wheat is quoted from about
255. 3d. to 275. 4d. per quarter, free on board ;
beans, 225. Bd. to 235. 2d. ; barley, about 13s.
Cotton, on the other hand, is very firm, and the
late advices from England have caused an advance
in prices of fully id. per lb. Sales are estimated
at 21,000 cantars, at from 6id. to lid. per lb., free
on board. Freights 4s. 6d. to ss. 3d. per quarter
for beans to the United Kingdom, for orders.
Exchange on London for three months' bills
continues at 1011 piasters per pound sterling.

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAY EVENING,

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tagus, Captain Christian, has arrived with mails in
charge of Lieutenant Seaward, R.N. Her dates
are Gibraltar, February 5 ; Cadiz, 6 ; Lisbon, 9 ;
Vigo, 10. The Tagus brings 16 passengers, specie
value 11,7321., 100 boxes of eggs, 52 boxes of tan-
gerines, 516 boxes of almonds, and 102 packages
of sundries.

Stormy weather from the eastward set in at
Gibraltar on the afternoon of the 29th ult. Heavy
squalls, accompanied by rain, thunder, and light-
ning, occurred at intervals throughout the night.
On the 30th a gale of wind blew from the eastward
with a heavy sea rolling into the bay from the Me-
diterranean, which gradually moderated on the 31st,
and terminated in copious showers during the night.
followed by fine weather on the Ist inst. and a light
breeze from the north-west. Numerous casualties
to shipping during the gale were reported.
Lisbon exchanges are quoted, this packet, at three
months on London 531 to 53, with money over at
the latter rate, bills continuing scarce on London,
as also on the continent, at 532 for Paris ; Amster-
dam, 52i ; Hamburg, 471 ; Genoa, 530. Three
per Cent. Stocks had been less in demand at 461 to
47 ; Coupons, 461 to ; and Deferred, 28i to 29 ;
Bank of Portugal shares, 10i to 11 per cent. pre-
mium ; and Oporto Bank shares, 20 to 22 per
cent. premium.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

Orders were yesterday received at Chatham by
Major-General W. H. Eden, commandant of the
garrison, directing the officers in command of the
three battalions of infantry to hold in re tdiness
additional reinforcementq, to the number of nearly
1,000 men of all ranks, to embark for India, for
the purpose of augmenting the service companies
of those regiments now stationed in Bengal,
Madras, and Bombay. The above detachments
are in addition to the officers and men at present
under orders for India, which will make nearly
2,000 men of all ranks in readines at Chatham
Garrison to embark for India as soon as tonnage
has been taken up for their conveyance.
The volunteering for the line, from the 3d Royal
Lt.nark Militia, in Kilkenny, closed on Wednesday
evening, exactly the number of men asked fur, 112,
having volunteered, although ong subsequently
" paid the smart."

Admiral of the White John Sykes died at his re-
sidence, Wilton-terrace, on Friday last. By his
death the following promotions take place :
Admiral of the Blue Sir George Francis Seymour,
K. C. 8., G. C. Fl., Commander-in-Chief at Ports-
mouth, to be Admiral of the White.
Vice-Admiral of the Red the lion. Sir Fleet-
wood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, C. 8., K.C.H.,
to be Admiral of the Blue.
Vice-Admiral of the White Sir John Gordon Sin-
clair to be Vice-Admiral of the Red.
Vice-Admiral of the Blue Provo William Parry
Wallis, Commander.in-Chief on the south-east
coast of America station, to be Vice-Admiral of the
White.

Rear-Admiral- of the Red William Fansba-we
Martin, Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard,
to be Vice-Admiral of the Blue.
Rear-Admiral of the White Henry Smith, C. 8.,
to be Rear-Admiral of the Red.

Rear-Admiral of the Blue Henry John Codring
ton, C. 8., to be Rear-Admiral of the White.
Captain Richard Henry King (1839) to be Rear-
Admiral on the reserved half-pay EA.
Captain Richard Laird Warren (1839) to be
Rear-Admiral of the Blue.

By these promotions the appointment of Super-
intendent of Portsmouth Dockyard and the gift of
a good-service pension fall to the patronage of the
Admiralty.

The sailing frigate Cambrian, 40, Captain James
J. M'Cleverty, bent sails on Tuesday, and was
towed on Thursday from Hamoaze into Plymouth
sound.

The steam frigate Valorous, 16, Captain W. C.
Aldharo, from SO, head, which arrived in Plymouth
Sound on Thursday, went up Hamoaze on Friday
evening to make good defeots. She is to convey to
Sheerness Captain Storey, and the officers and crew
of the Eagle, who are appointed to the screw block-
ship Russell, 60, fitting to replace the Eagle at
Falmouth.

The screw steam frigate Euryalus, 51, was planed
alongside the sheer hulk at Devonport Dockyard
Friday, preparatory to her being put in commission.
It is reported that she will be sent to the Pacific.
The screw steam sloop Encounter, 14, Captain
O'Callaghan, which returned from the China and
East India station on Sunday, the 7th inst., was
inspected by Port-Admiral Sir Barrington Rey-
nolds, K.C.8., on Tuesday, and is ordered to be
paid off at Plymouth.
The screw steam ship Royal Albert, 131, flag of
Admiral Lord Lyons, on returning from the Medi-
terranean, is ordered to be paid off at Plymouth.
The Southampton, 50, guardship, is to be re-
moved from Elarwich harbour. The Pembroke,
60, is expected to succeed the Southampton on the
station.

On Friday courts-martial assembled on board the
flag ship Waterloo, Captain Henry Harvey, at
Sheerness, to try Commander Armin° Wodehouse,
Henry D. Sarratt, master, and Mr. John John-
ston, the last being in pilot charge of the screw
steam gun vessel Alacrity, to inquire into the cir-
cumstances under which her Majesty's ship Alacrity
was run aground (while under charge of the said
John Johnston) on the Shingles Spit, at about
14.20 a.m. of the 3d of February. After hearing the
evidence for the prosecution and the defence the
Court fully acquitted Commander Wodehouse and
Mr. Sarratt, the master, from any blame whatever,
highly eulogised them for the exertions they made,
and for the judioious management and sound judg-
ment exercised by them in getting the Alacrity off
the Shingles Spit and into Sheerness. The court was
then dissolved, and immediately sworn in to try Mr
John Johnston, the pilot. The prisoner, on the
case closing for the prosecution, was asked if ho
was prepared with his defence and if he wished
to call any witnesses. He replied that he was pre-
pared with his defence, but did not wish to call any
witnesses. His defence was then read by the Deputy
Judge-Advocate, wherein he informed the Court
he had held his warrant for nearly 12 years ; that
during that period he had never had the misfortune
to gob any ship on where under his charge ; that
had he been on board a merchant ship he should
not have got under weigh during a dark night such
as it was, but knowing he was in charge of one of
her Majesty's ships, and in company with the Royal
yacht squadron, he considered, when he was
ordered to get under weigh, he was bound to do so.
He attributed the accident to the very thick wea-
ther and darkness of the night, having repeatedly
to alter his course in a narrow channel to avoid col-
lisions with the other vessels in the Alacrity's
course, and to the strong current setting her over
to the northward and running direct across the
Shingles Spit. He produced certificates from a
great number of naval command, rs. The sentence
of the Court was to the following effect :--
"That they were of opinion the result was owing to
the thick weather, and having to repeatedly alter her
course for other vessels, and from not making a sufficient
allowance for the current running across the Shingles
Spit ; bet in consideration of the high character given
the prisoner by Commander Wodehonse and Mr Sarratt,i.
the master, also the high testimonials produced by ill-)
from other naval commanders, the Court do adjudge
him to be admonished to be more careful for the future,
and that he is hereby admonished accordingly.
The new =crew steam corvette Racoon, 22, of 400
horse-power, Capt. J. A. Payne r, at Sheerness,
commenced on Saturday last to have her compasses
adjusted.
The Russell, 60, Lieut. Robinson, is ordered to
be ready on the Ist March. Mr. J. Martin, assist-
ant surgeon, took up his commission on Saturday
last and joined.
The Royal George, 102, screw steam ship, has
had her fitment completed at Sheerness. She was
put out of the basin on Saturday last and berthed
at harbour moorings next the Formidable, guard-
ship of ordinary.
On Saturday last her Majesty's ship Challenger
was launched from the building-slip at Woolwich.
Herb ittery will consist of 20 8-inch guns of 65 cwt.,
and one pivot GB-pounder of 95 cwt., carried for-
ward or aft as may be convenient. The propeller
is designed so as to be lifted by the spanker-boom.
Arrangements aro ordered to bo made I
for laying