The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-29 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—Your article in yesterday's paper has con-
firmed me in the opinion which I had formed that
huiiness might be done satisfactorily with the house
of S indars and Co., after the declaration made in the
lime of Commons by Mr. George Sandars, M.P.
for Wakefield, and I have in consequence given an
order by this post to Mr. George Sandars, begging
him to supply me with wheat, to be of the finest
quality, at 335. per quarter.
Having already made some trifling speculation i❑
wheat at a much higher figure than that at which
Mr. Sandars appears to be ready to supply customers,
I have no hesitation in extending my transactions
where the margin for loss is so small as at Mr. San-
dar's price.
It being in the highest degree important to the
whole agricultural body that the position in which we
stand as regards the future should be clearly seen,
and that the price at which we may anticipate com-
petition from the foreign grower should be truly
defined, I shall take the liberty of informing you and
the public of the result of my speculation.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN VILLIERS SHELLEY.
Maresfield-park, Sussex, March 27, 1850.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

APPOINTMENTS.

Woor.wrcir, MARCH 2S.—Second Mager Frederick
J. Krabbe (1845), to the Assistance, fitting out for
the Arctic expedition.
Midshipman J. K. E. Baird, to the Phwton, 50, at
Portsmouth.

Tne Megwra steam-sloop, having taken her ballast
on hoard, went down the river at 10 40, A.m., to-day
on an experimental trial, under the charge of Lieute-
nant Robertson.

DOCK ACCOMMODATION AT DIWONPORT AND Ex-
PENSIVE Stites —lt will be remembered that at the

time the Vanguard, 80, was about to be docked fir
repair there was only one dock which was capable of
receiving her; but as this was the only working dock
fur large ships belonging to the establishment, and it
was estimated that the Vanguard would occupy it six
months, it was ❑ot deemed advisable to reduce the
establishment to so lamentable a condition as to be
obliged to send all the other large ships that re-
quired docking to Portsmouth. The notable plan
was consequently resorted to of taking the Vanguard
into No. 5 dock first, to have her bends taken off,
and then, being reduced in size, she was taken out
and transferred to dock No. 4, where she has been
since the 22d of May last, running► up a precious bill
for the navy estimates. She is, however, now ready
to come out, and will have to be taken again into
No. 5 dock to receive her bends before she will be
ready to be placed in ordinary. What a silly affair
this presents to the world. We actually build ships
too large far the docks, and we then pull them to
pieces in one dock before we can take them into an-
other to give them the necessary repairs. The re-
newing ot' this bad ship likewise affords us one of the
worst specimens of dockyard trickery. It was
doubtful whether she was worth repairing at all ; but
as with the Vernon so with the Vanguard ; the ship
was too notorious to be forgotten in a coal hulk, or to
be sunk as the breakwater at Harwich. A low esti-
mate was therefore given in for her repairs, and it
was calculated that she would be completed in six
months, but, as usual, she has been ten months in
dock, at a fearful cost to the country. We cannot
help being reminded of the case of the Dublin,
50-sun frigate, at this same dockyard. Having
no friends, it was proposed to appropriate
the Dublin to the service of a coal-hulk at
Liverpool, as the dockyard estimate for her repairs
was 40,0001. From certain facts, however, which
had reached us, we were induced to expose the
attempt thus to get rid of a good ship, and the result
was, a committee was appointed to survey her, and she
was repaired for 8,0001., there being a difference of
only 32,000/. between the unfavourable and faithful
estimate. In the case of the Vanguard, however, the
estimate is on the other side. By giving in her defects
as comparatively very small, the Admiralty ordered
her to be repaired; but having expended the money
granted upon her, it was discovered that she had ad-
ditional defects, which would take the men four ad-
ditional months to repair. The Admiralty were by
this manoeuvre placed in a fix. It was impossible to
condemn the ship after so many thousand pounds had
been expended upon her, and they were compelled to
finish her at a great additional cost. Surely this is a
sort of dockyard economy which will never more be
tolerated. This is the ship, be it remembered, of
which it was stated in evidence before the Select
Committee of the House of Commons that a portion
of the cost of former repairs was charged to other ships.
We trust that on this occasion, when Parliament calls
for the bill, we shall have no more such " cooking" of
accounts.—. Herald.