The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-20 00:00:00

THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

The Eider steam-vessel, purchased for the Arctic
expedition, and brought round to Woolwich yester-
day, had her steam np to-day to exhibit the working
of her engines to Mr. Humphreys, chief engineer.
Several of the naval officers studying steam, at the
factory also went on board to Bee the engines at work
with the screw-propeller attached. The Eider is to
be taken into dock at high water this afternoon, and
as many hands as can conveniently work will be im-
mediately placed upon her to get her ready for sea
as early as possible.
The Baboo, a very strong-built ship of 430 tons,
of the best teak, was taken into Messrs. Wigram's
duck at Black wall on Friday last, and a number of
workmen immediately placed upon her. To-day
there are about 60 men employed outside her bottom
and on board the vessel, while others are engaged in
taking out the ballast she had on board when
purchased by Government for the Arctic expe-
dition. Some idea may be formed of the dis-
patch used when it is made known that the
whole of the new copper sheathing with which
her bottom was covered only about a fort-
night ago has been taken off, and very nearly
the whole of the outside planking from her ways
down to the keel has been removed to allow of a new
planking being put on to strengthen her. The new
planking will commence at the keel about four inches
thick, and increase gradually from the bottom of the
vessel upwards, until it is eight inches or more when
it reaches as high as her ways. The greater part of the
poop-deck with which she was fitted has also been
removed, and her bulwarks, at present 6 feet high in
some parts, are to be lowered and made of equal
height. The vessel is said by those who have sailed
in her to be easily managed at sea, and very comfort-
able, and appears admirably adapted for the service
in which she is to be engaged in the Arctic regions.
The gallant officer who is to commie(' the expedi-
tion visited Messrs. Wigram's ship-building yard
at Blackwell this afternoon, and remained nearly
two hours giving instructions relative to the
work required to be done to th • Baboo to
render her competent for the service she is
to be engaged in when ready for sea. Mr. Rice, a,-
aistent-master shipwright at Portsmouth, with the
two foremen of shipwrights who are to assist him in
superintending the strengthening the vessel, and Mr.
Robert Hall, carpenter to the Enterprise during her
recent voyage to the lrctic regions, under the com-
mand of Captain Sir James Clarke Ross, were pre-
sent to receive instructions. Mr. Hall is on sea-pay,
and will attend while the Baboo is fitting at MPssrr.
Wigram's yard. The Ptarmigan is hourly expected
in the river from Newcastle. and will on her arrival
_Be taken into Mr. Green's ship-building yard, to be
fitt for the Arctic expedition. Mr. Abernethy, for-
inerlAunner and icetrnaster o Loans the Entt rpriso
during Captain Sir J stirs Ross ecent expedition,
has ag'aiti offered his ""seWices t roceed its Ca fain
Austin's expedition, although he was placed on the
pvn,ion-!ist about a fortnight age.
It is now decided that the Bal-oo and Ptarmigan
sailing-vessels will be commanded by captain*, end
the Eider and Free Trade screw-propeller steam-ves-
sels by lieutenants.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING—(TH(S DAY.)
LONDON, FEB. 20.—Wind at noon W.S.W.—Moderate
breeze and hazy wea her, with rair.
LIVERPOOL, FEB. 19.—Wind Ma•
tilde, Mauritius Guluare, Savanilla ; Phijadclphia,
State.bury, Now York ; Palermo, S'. John's, Nev
Brunswick. Sid. Hermione, Rio Janeiro; Osprey, Syd-
ney, New South Wales; Nort'l Pole, Philipines ; Li-
vingston, Calcutta • Zarah, Ceylon ; Brothers, Afr;ca ;
G. Dean, Sierra Leone; Larch and NereJs, Panama ;
Black Prince, Lima; St. 11ild3, Coquimbo; Ea.! of
Liverpool, Coquimbo; Lescard, Valparaiso; Madonna,
Rio Janeiro; Reliance, Bahia; Dauntless, Mara! him;
Fortescue, Barbadoes; Isabel, Antigua; A. F. Moore,
Jamaica; Mars, Cuba; Louisa y, Jesuits, Havannah;
Tryphcna, La Guayra;Coatent, Santa Martha; Ma•ion,
Honduras; William Rushton, Vera Cruz; Mary Ward,
New Orleans ; Liverpool, New Oilcans; George Brown,
New Orleans ; James Corner, New Orleans ; L.conic,
Now Orleans; Ashburton Express, New Orleans ; Ben
Nevis, Savannah ; Bona Des, Savannah; El Dorado,
Savannah; James Gray, Charleston ; Evcrthorpe, Sa-
vannah; Keying, Savannah; John Brontram. Savaa.
nah ; Juncata, Baltimore ; John Ravenel,
phis; Monongahela, Philadelphia; Waban, New York ;
Marmion, ditto.
DEAL, FEB. I9.—Wind W. t 1 W.S.W, modera,e.—
Atrd. Beulah, Strachan, lllanilla, Arrd. from the
River, Windsor, Calcutta; Montreal, New York. Put
back Santaipore, Adelaide, South Australia; Belle Ma-
rina, Calcutta; Norfolk, Maims; Rachael, Bonsbay•
Quintin Leetcb, ditto.)
LOWESTOFT, FEB. 19.—The Mary, Seville to Lon-
don, was assistei to-day, with damage from contact, oft
Hamborough Head 9th inst.
RYE, FEB. I9.—The Alert, from Seaham, which got
on shore 14th inst., has to n got off with apparently little
damage.
GOOLE, FEB. 18.—The Hull packet, from Blakeney,
passed a great (inanity of oranges in the Inner Dowsiog,
aboutsuppo a quartersedtobefroofmaawvielsesesl.l;•,i.thotthe
black
Innerasth D r ad(s;wssuingnk
buoy; and also observed another wr(ck N.W. ow-eighth
of a mile from the same buoy.
SCILLY, FEB. 18.—The Narcesso and the !aura Wee,
on shore Gth instant, have been surveyed, and mu,t
discharge.

FALBIOUTII, Fr .B I9.—Wind W.—Off Port 27th
May, Elenerd, Porto Pla.a, and sid for Hatnhurgh. -
SCILLY, FEB. IB.—Wind W.S.W.—Std. 130 Glan-
morris Castle, West Indies. ,
ABERDEEN, Fan. 16.—Arrd. Indus, Gibson, Callao.
SUNDERLAND, FEB. 19.—Wind James and
Elizabeth, Bona Thankful, Liston, Unite 1 States;
H.arothoen, ditto.

,
STRANRIER, FEB. 18.--Two vessels are reported to
have been seen going down at the Mull during the let•
gale.

CLYDX.—Acrd. Nelverty, Scott, St. John's, New
Brunswick; Casket, AVNeill, Jamaica.
BIDEFORD, FEB. 18.—The Rising Sun has been hove
off shore, apparently very little damaged.
GUNIINSEY. An. 16.—A boat, painted whit., marked
Gleaner, of Milford, Barrie, was picked up yelterd4y.

GOVERNMENT OF CBTLON.—Yesterday the Corn-
natheo' c chair,ic kto
no
CommitteeCommitteere-assembled
.rootnso.l3,sir.Baaitniteweinlre
name witnesses, order documents, and settle the ulterior
course of proceeding. The witnesses the Committee
have determined to call, in addition to Sir Emerson
Tennent and Captain Watson, who were in attendance
yesterday, are Colonel Bray brooke, the Chief Jnatice of
Ceylon, Lieutenant Henderson, Mr. Wareing, Mr. John
Silby, and Mr. Elliott. After the transaction of some
routine business, the Committee adjourned until Mon-
day next.

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRATII COMTANT.—Yester •
day the Select Committee on standing orders decided
that the standing orders might be dispensed with in fa-
vour of this company, who applied for leave to deposit
a re t'tion for a Money Bill. The petition, which is signed
by three-fourths-of the proprietors, states that the capi-
tal of the company was originally 600,000/, in 6,000
shares of 100/, each; that 501. per share has already been
paid up, and that no more capital is required at present.
They are, therefore, desirous of dividing eaoh 501. share
so paid up into two 251. shares to be considered as paid
up, reserving power to raise the remaining 300,000/. of
unpaid-up capital as occasion may require. The pro-
moters assign as a reason for not having lodged a Bill
for the plarpose earlier, that they had not decided on this
financial plan until the present month of February.
SPECIE.—The vessel Octavia, arrived from Islay
and Arica, has brought from the latter place 8,231
bags of copper (ore), and 3,332 bars of copper, consigned
to an eminent firm in the metropolis ; the Nile, from
Calcutta and the Cape, has brought three boxes of
similarly
naedliaigned and
sthPeecisehifproymiothweryla,ttefrromplace,
Port Philip Sydney, has
brought from the latter place two boxes of gold-clast,
individually addressed to firms in London, and also two
boxes of gold-dust consigned to order.