The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

MALTA, DEC. 18.—The French steamer from the
Levant, due here on the 14th instant, has mot yet made
her appearance. The mails will be closed this evening
for the continent by the Pericles, which will leave to-
morrow morning, having waited the prescribed time.

The Europeari mail by the French steamer, via Naples,
from Marseilles, due yesterday, has also been
delayed.
The Neapolitan mail of the 12th did not come in, the
Mongibello having fouled a vessel from the Levant, and
is ordered to perform a long quarantine at Civita
Vecchia.

The Alecto, with the India mails, duly arrived here on
the 15th. She had a very rough passage ; but the re-
port of her being damaged was untrue. The Oriental
put to sea on that night.
A court-martial sat on the 9th and 10th inst., on board
of her Majesty's ship Formidable, to try James Nichol-
son, boatswain of the Snake, on charges of quarrelling
and fighting. Sir Lucius Curtis presided, with Captains
Rich, of the Formidable, and Lord C. Paget, of the
Aigle ; Commanders Carpenter,of the Geyser, and Can-
non, of the Orestes, as members. Mr. Milner, of the
Geyser, officiated as Judge• Advocate.
This Court was ordered by the Board of Admiralty
on application from a Mr. Streathfield, father of a
boy who was formerly a midshipman on board. The
following are the facts of the case which may be re-
lied on :

Some months ago Mr. Nicholson being unwell, went
into the cabin of the surgeon of the ship for
some medicine. Finding him labouring under no
serious indisposition, the surgeon asked him to
" take a glass," which he accepted. Mr. Streath-
field was present, and made some very imperti-
ment remarks as to the right that Nicholson had to be
in the cabin ; replies were given and a wordy quarrel
ensued, Nicholson winding up by saying to Streathfield,
"Your father's a soldier, but you're six feet of bad stuff."
The next morning Streathfield, smarting under the in-
sult he had received, and which he had brought on him-
self, told the prisoner he had insulted him and wanted
to fight. Prisoner refusing him, the midshipman struck
him several times, whereupon a fight ensued. On this
coming to the ears of the officer on duty he was put
under arrest, and a court of inquiry was held, which,
though it exonerated the prisoner from the blame of com-
mencing the quarrel, resulted in his being sent out of the
ship and in the middy leaving the service.
The case having been proved against the prisoner, he
was sentenced to be severely reprimanded, and to be put
at the bottom of the list for twelve months.

Excellent testimonials of character and good conduct
were produced, and Capt. Devereux, of the Snake, in
giving evidence, said, " I never had a better man under
my command, and nothing would give me more pleasure
than to have him on board again."
Her Majesty's steamer Ilecla returned to port on the
11th inst. She did not bring Lady Hardinge, fur her
Ladyship having been on board, suffered so severely that
she put back, and defers her departure till another occa-
sion. The Hecla left us yesterday for Alexandria, having
on board Mr. Ilardinge, son of the Governor-General of
India, and some other passengers.
The Formidable arrived here on the 7th instant from
Naples, whither she had been sent with the Hecht
steamer, in compliment to his Royal Highness the Duke
d'Auinale, on his recent marriage.
A most extraordinary circumstance occurred which has
created much surprise and disappointment on board. The
Duke had sent invitations to the Captain of the For-
midable and his officers for the wedding ceremony, and
seats were reserved. The captain did not give the in-
vitations, and, consequently, not an officer of the ship
wasipresent. Those of the Hecla attended. An official
inquiry took place through our Ambassador, and from
all I can learn, the only explanation was, that he, the
captain, had forgotten them. The French Ambas-
sador gave a splendid ball, and every officer on
board, including even the midshipmen, was invited
personally and separately, a thing, perhaps, never
before heard of. Nothing could equal the attention paid
by the Neapolitans to the British. The nary of the
former gave a splendid dinner to the officers of the flag-
ship, which was prepared by the King's cooks, and a
service of gold sent from the palace for the occasion.
The English officers returned the compliment. During
the stay of the Formidable the 'rondo was opened to
them, San Carlo for two nights, and every public place.
Carriages also were at their command, and the British
uniform was a passport to every kindness and attention
that could be shown.

Her Majesty's ship the Tyne; from Beyrout, arrived
here on the 4th inst, and is now performing quarantine.
The French steamer the Rainier left port on the 15th
inst. for Toulon ; she did not carry a mail.
The Acheron left pert on the same day for the lonian
Islands.

On the 16th the Snake left the harbour for Tunis,
Cagliari, and Genoa, taking mails.
The Ariadne yacht returned to port on the evening of
the 14th, and having reprted that she had fallen in with
a Greek brig, with loss of rudder, the Admiral sent out
the Acheron to look for her and tow her in, which she
accomplished. The vessel was called Aglaia.
The barque Susan has put back from her passage
to Alexandria, at a distance of 250 miles from port.
She sprang a leak and made so much water that the
pumps would not keep her clear. On being hove down
she was discovered to have been pierced by a sword fish,
a portion of whose spear was taken out by a ship-builder
of this place,
Her Majesty's steamer Volcano, with dispatches for
the Admiral, arrived here yesterday from England and
Gibraltar.

The Sydenham has returned from Athens and is per-
forming quarantine.
The Medea is ordered home from Corfu.
The Geyser will be reported ready for sea on the Ist
of January.
In Port.—French—Steamers Pericles and Mentor, both
under orders for sea.

English—The Formidable, the Ceylon, L'Aigle,
the Orestes, the Tyne, and the Beacon surveying ship.
Steamers—Geyser, Sydenham, Volcano, and Alecto ;
Scotia, trading steamer.
Oa Foreign Service—Bonetta, surveying ; Gibraltar,
Scout and Flamer ; Pincus, Belvidera ; Corfu, Medea ;
Smyrna, Warspite ; Constantinople, Devastation.
En route to different Ports—Polyphemus, to Gibral-
tar ; Hecla, to Alexandria ; Virago, to Constantinople ;
Snake, to Tunis, Cagliari, and Genoa.
The Racehorse, 18, Commander Hay, having been
docked and had her copper cleaned, embarked her
marines on Tuesday.
The Seagull, 6, is ordered to be fitted fur packet
service.

In Harbour—The Caledonia, San Josef, Albion,
Superb, Actaeon, Firebrand, Racehorse, Acorn, Persian,
Cruiser, Ranger, Daring, Espieglu, Mutine, Osprey, Fly-
ing Fish, Waterwitch, Pantaloon, Sylph, Snipe, Con-
fiance, Adventure transport, and Rochester, Camel,
Devou, Tortoise, and llarnoase lighters.
In the Sound—The Dordrecht, Dutch store-ship,
wind bound.