The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-18 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR:

The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by
the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, and the Princess
Royal, took a drive yesterday in an open carriage and
four. The Equerries in Waiting, Lord Charles Fitz-
roy and Lieut.-Colonel P. H. Seymour, attended on
horseback.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on
horseback yesterday morning, attended by Lieut.-
Colonel F. H. Seymour.
The Royal Family took their accustomed exercise
yesterday in the garden of Buckingham Palace.
The Royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace
yesterday included her Royal Highness the Duchess
of Kent, the Belgian Minister and Madame Van de
Weyer, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Baroness de
Speth, Lord George Lennox, and Sir George Couper.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Rent visited
her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yes-
terday, at Gloucester House.
A deputation from the vestry of St. Paul, Shad,
well, consisting of Messrs. John Mitchell, Thomas
Hewitson, Thomas Moore, and Thomas Martin, and
Mr. P. ellish, vestry clerk, bad an interview with
the Right Hon. H. Labuuchere yesterday, at the office
of the Board of Trade.

The Balding&mmittee of the Royal Commission
for the Exhibition of 1851 met yesterday in the New
Palace of Westminster. The members present were
Mr. Cubitt, Mr. Barry, Mr. Brunel, Mr. Cockerell,
and Mr. T. Donaldson. Mr. Scott Russell, Secretary
to the Royal Commission, attended. Colonel Reid
and Mr. M. Digby.Wyatt were present.
A deputation from the South-Eastern Railway
Company, consisting of Mr. Mac Gregor, Mr. Free-
man, and Mr. Venables, had an interview with the
Commissioners of Railways yesterday, at their office
in the Board of Trade.

Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office from the Governors of Van Dieman's Land,
Labuan, and Hong► Kong.;

The ex-King and Queen of the French have walked
on our elegant chain pier almost everyday during the week.
On Monday they proceeded from their residence on foot to
the pier, and seemed to enjoy the breeze. Their ex-Majes-
ties attended Divine service on Sunday afternoon at the Ro-
man Catholic chapel. We regret to say that the departure
of the distinguished visitors is fixed for Saturday next, when
they will return to Claremont, and will be joined there by
the Duchess of Orleans, the Count de Paris, and the Duc de
Chartres. Lady Byron, we understand, has devoted her re-
sidence at Esher for the occupation of the illustrious guests.
—Brighton Guardian.

CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.,--Trlfflo for
the week ended April 14, 1850:—C. and H. Main Line,
2,1051. is. Id.; Mold, 901. 6s. 7d.; Steam-boats, 1751.
13s. 11d.; Taal, 2,3711. ls. 7d.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.
The complimentary benefit to Mr. Anderson took
place last evening, and the house was, as we expected
it would b^, a bumper.
Previously to the play, Mr. Vandenhoff delivered
the following address, written by Joseph Lunn, Esq. :
Ladies and gentlemen—kind patrons—friends!
Bafore the curtain for our play ascends,
Some transient moments of your time I claim,
To speak of this night's chance—its cause and aim.
Oft we behold, on Britain's peaceful coast,
A noble ship—of Commerce late the boast,
Moored in some tranquil port! Her sails all furled
have ceased to watt her o'er the watery world:
Her hull, and spars, and cordage idly sleep,
As if they ne'er had braved th mighty deep.
The anxious crew—who oft her deck have trod,
Obedient to some bold commander's nod,
Now daily loitering on the harbour's banks,
Gaze on their long-loved vessel's manless planks,
Eager to sail again the world around,
When some cow ageous spirit can be found
To freight the lark—assume the chief command—
And give empl'iyment to the hardy band.
Thus Iny the good ship "Drury!" stout and tall—
Ample for stowage—staunch for calm or squall!
Day after day, by those who erst had manu'd
The stately argosy, her form was scanned:
Yet no one dared the fabric to equip,—
And risk her freightage—fur a season's trip!
At length a brother came, of venturous mind,
Once more to spread her canvas to the wind!
No upstart dabbler in our noble art,
But one well skilled to take the leading part.
With weather sometimes fair and sometimes rude,
Thus far his course he firmly has pursued:
While we, to him who set the ship afloat,
This night our steadfast services devote;
Trusting to you the union to reveal,
Of your kind succour with our friendly zeal.
Yet not alone your generous aid we ask
To grace this night our tributary task—
That by your smiles our enterprise you'll crown,
And leave our captain then to swim or drown;
But that his future efforts you'll befriend,
And bring his voyage to a prosperous end.
The play was the Lady of Lyons, and at its con-
clusion, Mr. Anderson having been loudly called for,
stepped forward and addressed the audience: He
thanked them for their attendance on that occasion,
and, after alluding to the brilliant success of the
Pantomime, he briefly touched upon the ill-success
which had of late attended his exertions, and spoke
in warm terms of the loyalty of his actors. He added
that the necessity of closing the theatre would be for-
tunately, avoided by the kindness of friends by whom
he should be enabled to make further efforts—there
was a good time coming, and he fully trusted to their
aid in carrying out those objects for which he entered
upon the duties of management. The announcement
that the theatre would continue open for the present
was received with loud applause, and we hope that
those who applauded, and all who rejoice at seeing
the announcement, will not content themselves with
merely applauding and rejoicing, but will, by their
attendance and patronage, enable Mr. Anderson "to
carry out those objects for which he entered on the
duties of management. The grand Easter piece of
the Devil's Ring concluded the evening's entertain-
ment, and we believe that it is principally owing to
the growing attraction of this most gorgeous spectacle,
and the urgent recommendations which Mr. Ander-
son has received from all quarters for its continuance,
that he has been induced to make such arrangements
as will meet the general wish, and supersede for the
present the closing of the theatre.

EXHIBITION
AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTION.

A brilliant exhibition of paintings is now opened
to public inspection in the Portland Gallery, 316,
Regent-street, immediately opposite the Royal
Polytechnic Institution. The society under whose
superintendence the galleries are hung with these
productions of our living artists is the same which
has hitherto been known as the " Free Exhibition
of Modern Art," opening its annual collection to
public view in the Hyde Park Gallery. For certain
sufficient and cogent reasons, mentioned by the Coun-
cil in an "Address to the Public" prefixed to
the catalogue, reasons unnecessary to particu-
larize in this place, the name of the association has
been changed to that of the " National Institution,"
and thg locality of its exhibition transferred to the
Portland Gallery. Whether or not an additional
effort has been made by the members and associates
of the institution to exert their talents additionally on
the occasion of these alterations we know not, but
unquestionably, to our thinking, the exhibition for the
present spring season evinces, in many respects,
a considerable and very visible improvement.
Out of the three hundred and seventy-three works
of art hung on the walls of the dif-
ferent apartments devoted to the exhibition, we
should find no difficulty in making a comparatively
large and valuable selection of paintings, in many
respects, eminently meritorious. Our time and space,
just now, however, being somewhat limited, we are
only enabled to specify one or two of the most re-
markable of the numerous productions which arrested
our attention on Saturday afternoon, when we had
the gratification of attending the " private view" of
the exhibition.

Among the classical pictures in the gallery, No. 38,
"Medea," by J. T. Eloulton, cannot fail to be ob-
served with much interest, from the graceful vigour
with which the mythic narrative has been rendered.
No. 51. A Sketch from Shelley's glorious " Queen
Mab," by J. Harris— •

" Long did she pia-, and silently,
Upon the slumbering maid,"
though ingenious in conception, is principally no-'
ticeable from what appears to us the deformity of that
mischievous immortal. No. 55, " High Shamus gu
brath mo Mhac—Here's his health in water,"
by R. R. M'lan, is an impressive representation
of the last moments of a Highland gentleman of 1715
in the prison of Carlisle. No. 76, " The Highland
Coronach," by the same artist, is replete with pathos,
earnest, and passionate. No. 106, " Marie Antoi-
nette and her Children," by M. Claxton, pourtrays
with singular effect the escape of those royal unfor-
tunates from the apartments of the French Queen at
Versailles through a secret door, while the mob are
besieging the palace. The interest of such a picture
is of course materially enhanced by the recollection
that the young Princess, now remarkable from her
age and her misfortunes, is still to this day a sur-
vivor of three terrible revolutions. No. 140, " Win-
ter Scene," by A. 0. Deacon, forms a cleverly de-
picted snow-clad landscape. No. 143, A Scene
from Shaksperc's " Twelfth Night," by W. Deverell,
stands forth conspicuously in the collection
as one of the most highly imaginative
productions in the whole exhibition. The
listening countenance of the Duke, the observant
look of Cesario, and the chaunting mouth of the
Clown being as inimitably drawn as the garden view
in the background is odd and fantastic to the very
last degree. No. 147, " The Sun dispelling a Mist,
with Smugglers landing their Cargo," by H. P.
Parker, deserves some mention, if only in reference
to the absurd felicity with which the luminary of the day
is transformed in the semblance of a burst orange. No.
159, " The Excommuniation of Robert King of
France and his Queen Bertha," by L. W. Desanges,
is altogether a bold and, in many respects, a highly
successful and splendid composition; the features of
the excommunicated sovereigns being drawn with
surprising energy of expression, and the figure of
Abbon, the ecclesiastical dignity, robed in purple and
crowned with a round of jewels, who is pronouncing
the terrible anethetna of the Pontiff, having a noble
grandeur of aspect and attitude. Abbon, by the way
in profile, is something like an effeminate and blunt-
nosed Napoleon. No. 244, " Captivity and Liberty,"
by Mrs. M'lan, though unquestionably clever, is
marred by the circumstance that the swallow intro-
duced into the dungeon looks, like an uncertain waver
between a bat and a cobweb. No. 251, " A Jealous
Man, disguised as a Priest, hears the Confession of
his Wife," by D. W. Deane, represents in a most
humorous manner a ludicrous incident mentioned in
the immortal " Decameron" of Boccaccio. No. 280,
" Christ appearing to Two of his Disciples on the way
to Emmaus," by R. S. Lander, forms a brilliant
specimen of the school in which Mr. Herbert, the
Royal Academician, has proved so eminently suc-
cessful. Other productions, both in the water-colour
room and in the apartments already traversed, will
deservedly arrest the observation of future visitors.

REVIVAL OF ANTIENT COSTUME.--A visit to some
of, the leading 'West-end houses induces the conviction that
a greater self-dependence is manifest in the production of
articles of fashion and taste. Whether this has arisen since
the revolution from the dearth of newness among the French
—the source from which all neighbouring nations expect to
be supplied—or from an improvement in our native ability,
is a Imatter for more mature inquiry. It is, however, the
opinion of many, that our English milliners have as equal an
aptitude as the French, but that the latter from our de-
pendence upon them have always been upon the alert to
seize, add to, and reproduce whatever former periods had
deemed recherche. From the conviction that such is the case;
the Messrs. Jay, of Itegent-Etreet, have caused a research
into numerous antient MSS., which they are led to believe
will produce results gratifying to public judgment; and to
which, when these revivals appear, we may again refer.
Observer.

CIVILIZATION.—A consolatory progression, which
ought to make us proud of the present, and to inspire us with
confidence in the future.—Eliza Cook's Journal.

DRINKING AT MEALS.—It is injurious to drink
much at meals. Those who take a large quantity of liquids
during dinner generally eat more than those who take less.
The sensation of thirst depends upon the quantity of aqueous
fluid circulating in the blood. It has been found by physiolo-
gists that the most severe thirst of animals is appeased by
injecting watery fluids into the blood. A moderate quantity
of liquid should betaken at dinner; too large a portion acts
injuriously by dilutingt he gastric fluid. Persons whose diet
is more animal than vegetable require more liquid during
their meals. Drinking before a meal is pernicious, whilst by
drinking during the meal the digestive process is promoted.
Those who eat fast require more drink than do others, for, as
Dr. Philip says, ' the fuod is swallowed without a-due ad-
mixture of saliva, and forms a dry mass in the stoulacht'••••
Tr-inflater; ,Elealt4 of /hey and Inc.

WATERFORD, WEXFORD, WICK-
LOW, AND DUBLIN RAILWAY COMPANY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SU.V.

SlR,—The necessarily brief notice of the discus•
sions "at the bar of the House of Lords," in your
papers of the 16th, 19th, and 23d, and your "edito-
rial summary" thereof, as well as the proceeding
place the interests which I have to maintain in
a.position, and with an aspect so unjust, that I trust to
your sense of fair play to let me make the matter
more intelligible from the evidence.
A brief summary of the facts will demonstrate the
injustice inflicted. Two questions were raised. The
first, that a "statement" sent into the " Railway
Commissioners" was a forgery, because it had been
mistaken by them for an "original," instead of being
a " copy ;" and an opprobrious phrase was applied to
it, and is continued in your reports, although that li
mistake was corrected the same day through the
feelings of justice entertained by the Peers. After
it had been demonstrated to ordinary business
minds that there was a " mistake," and that there was
not, arid could not be, any intention to inisle,rd, nor
object to gain thereby, the second aspect was put to
the discussion, namely, the " volunteering informa-
tion" to the " Railway Commissioners for their use,
if they thought proper ;" that was the second ques-
tion, and the " breach of privilege" involved, based
on the following evidence :—An " order" was made
by the " House of Lords," on 31 May, 1849, fur a
" return of share capital, &c., of every railway com-
pany" (Lord Brougham's order). It was not made
upon any one; and, having revised it, I inn able to
say that it was framed advisedly so, and to enable any
one (commissioners or shareholders) to comply with
it; the object being to get that unpalatable informa-
tion on the financial condition that session. The
object failed so far as the leading companies did not
comply with it before the prorogation of 1849. I❑
concert with nearly all the genuine shareholders in
this hopeless company (five hundred of whom coin-
cide in our objects, and not fifty are aginst them),
I was anxious to see what information our
officials would give to Government, which they had
refused to us on our financial position ; but no return
was made, nor has it been made up to this hour, al-
though the directors are promoting a Bill through
Parliament, based on our financial position. I had
long been in communication with the Railway Com-
missioners, especially frequent since Christmas. Our
opposition was notorious. I had also offered to supply
them with the information required by the "order ;"
and having afterwards received requests for written
statements of any facts we wished to lay before them,
and it being material to our interests to have our true
position known, and any returns by the company
corrected, as inaccuracies existed in former returns
by them, I prepared the financial " statement" in
question (in the form of a return to the order), and
sent it in to the Commissioners, after the House of
Lords had made a peremptory order for the returns,
and after letters inviting or sanctioning our making a
statement of facts.

That was signed by me with my own name and ad-
dress, and on behalf of a "committee of shareholders,"
accompanied by a letter from myself for the " Com-
mittee." There could be no mistaking of us for the
"company." We have knocked often at the doors of
Parliament and the commissioners "for inquiry" into
the position and management of our company. At-
tached to that " statement " were three appendices
verifying its allegations. Eight and a half pages were
in my own ordinary writing, and the signature in
question (to Appendix 3) also written by me, in my
usual style, to perfect the copy ; the rest were copied
by a clerk, and corrected by me. " Appendix 3"
was referred to thirteen times in the body of the
" statement," as a copy of a "Return made to Par-
liament in 1846," under the "Duncombe resolutions"
(which required information from all companies of
their financial affairs at that time). Those papers were
lodged in Parliament by the directors. Every railway
and Parliamentary man of business could not help
knowing that the paper was only a copy. It was
headed " Return made to Parliament," and my addi-
tion of "Courtown, Chairman" was made so as to
correspond to the original, and not with any such
ab3urd intention as to mislead, or pass this off for the
original, which ought to be in the Parliament•office.
Certainly if the paper had stood alone, or I had sup-
posed that any official would look only at the last
page, and not into the interior, I could, and would
have removed all chance of error, by writing " copy"
at the top and bottom, sides, and back of the paper un-
der discussion. The handwriting was familiar to the
Commissioners, Lord Courtown and his solicitors,
they having had many communications in the same
writing; and my writing was well known to their
solicitor, as I had the honour of being a fellow-clerk
with him.

I handed in the fac sirnilii of the writings which
also demonstrate the non-resemblance. All these
papers are printed by the louse, and a copy lies in
the cofft e-room here for inspection.
If the original has been mislaid since the spring of
1848, whose interest was it to supprss it ? Not
ours ; fur it is essential to our cause to preserve and
have it. Have the papers of the House of Commons
been kept or removed by wholesale from place to
place, so as to warrant the statement that they are not
?

The documents show that up to the day this matter
was mentioned in the House (16th of March) I was
infrequent communication with the Commissioners,
who were calling for more statements, yet never asked
one word about that document which they bad had for
.oven weeks from me.

I hope the House will not content itself without an
inquiry into the truth of the statement itself, and the
oppression exercised, and wrongs inflicted upon a body
of shareholders.

I am, with apologies, yours respectfully,
CHARLES R. NASH.
Fendall's Hotel, WestminBter, April 4.

BISHOP OF EXETER. .
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN:

Sia,—Agreeing with you entirely that " it is the
law, and the law only, that can decide between the
Bishop of Exeter and Mr. Gorham," I consider you
have done good service in giving so able an explana-
tion of the matter in The Evening Sztn of Thursday
last. The lay members of the Church, as by law
established, seem particularly uninformed as to the
nature, origin, and maintenance of their Church po-
licy, and consequently more liable to be easily im-
posed on by the representations of jesuitical divines
longing to reacquire the ascendancy enjoyed by the
Catholic priesthood of yore. It is, indeed, one of the
many remarkable features of the present day, that
those divines who desire to usurp (under the flatter-
ing name of the Church) a papal supremacy in mat-
ters of faith, afford in themselves the moat striking
proof of our Church being pre-eminently " an Act of
Parliament religion." Whence got they their bene-
fices and rich endowments and scholarships but through
that mighty arm—the law of the land ? that law
which a rebellious prelate would fain set aside. For
the dissenting part of the community they indeed re-
quire little enlightenment on the subject, seeing they
pay for keeping up a boasted uniformity which exists
nowhere in reality, and certainly not in the Church
of England at the present day; the only matter of
surprise is, that the Dissenters have not long since
demanded of the Prime Minister which schism of the
Church is to be upheld, which to be condemned.
The clergy will do well to consider that men who pay
towards the support of a set of doctrines which they
approve not themselves, must ever do so reluctantly :
if the law compels them to contribute, they have on
their parts an undoubted right to protest against any
misapplication of such payments from their legitimate
purpose. The value and boast of an Established
Church has ever been that it upholds uniformity of
belief (that dreaded nightmare which has so often
scared the human intellect), but what becomes of this
boasted plea, when in the same Church we find one
set of divines insist that eternal salvation depends on
a few drop% of the material element being scattered
on the infant forehead, whilst another as firmly
maintain that nothing man can do will ever lead to
life eternal—a blessing granted only to those who
believe in the doctrine of atonement as set forth by
themselves ?

ill not the English Protestant learn from these
discrepancies what the most Catholio King discovered
three centuries ago ? "That as two watches could not
be made alike, it was folly to attempt bringing men's
minds to an exact conformity." However much it
may amuse theologians to enter into long discussions
on infant baptism, prevenient grace, &c. &c., they
may rest assured the more they write on such matters
the more will the common reader discern, and feel too,
that real religion in its earnest simplicity is little un-
derstood by these men ; that the mercies of God are
not poured out to us according to the desires and
conceits of man, but in every country" He who feareth
God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him."
I would not undervalue the forms of baptism, sacra-
ment, &c., or any of those helps to devotion which
frail human nature so gladly clings to; these are
indeed the outward expressions of our inward fifth,
beneficial as means to lead to our improvement. They
become dangerous only when we rest upon them as
ends to be attained.
The grand aim of our Saviour's mission on earth,
all pious Christians in all ages must agree, was to
plant his religion in our hearts; to every Church and
every sect he left the freedom to choose its own pe-
culiar form and rite, as best might suit the frailty of
our nature ; to none did he give permission to lord
it over his fellow man. Wher, therefore, an indivi-
dual, be he prelate or otherwise, dares to limit the
rich, free, and everflowing mercies of the Almighty
-Maker of this stupendous Universe, he has gone be-
yond the bounds of his natural province, is amenable
to, and requires to he brought up at the bar of com-
mon sense, there to receive the verdict of censure
which he has so justly merited.
That before this truly English tribunal the Posey
section of the clergy, along with their evangelical

brethren, may shortly have to appear and hear judg-
ment pronounced, is the very earnest wish of,
Sir, your obedient servant,
A FRIEND 'lO COMMON SENSE.
pril 15, 1850.

REWARDS TO FIREMEN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—As you have ever been ready to assist the
working classes, may I he allowed most respectfully
to solicit a corner in your wide spread journal rela-
tive to Rewards to Firemen, a deputation concerning
which waited on Mr. Cornwall Lewis at the Home-
office a few days ago.
As one of the London firemen, I thank you on
behalf of my fellow-servants and myself for the praise
von have often bestowed on us in your journal, and
it will always be our anxious wish to merit the same,
thus showing that the public are satisfied with our
services.

Relative to the fire rewards granted under the 14th
George the Third, viz., 303. tOr the first engine, 20s.
for the Fecond, and 103. tOr the third engine, as also
103. fur the first turncock, the public will be sur-
prised to hear that very seldom more than half,
and sometimes not one-third of those rewards are
pe.id us; and, in fact, one-twelfth only liberally
awarded by one parish, that of St. Anne's, ...-ohe; and
from St. James',,, Westminster, tl,e most wealthy at
the West-end, the rewards vary from 2/. 103. to 16s.
for fires, and from 13%. to 163. fur: chimney?, and
these sums for three engines and a turncock, to say
nothing for a doz_n or more assistants, who demand
payment for assistance; and the consequence is, that
sometime?, from the vexatious feelings of some paro-
chial functionaries towards us, we are money out of
pocket. Therefore the public can judge of our in-
terest in such matters. 'The parish of St. Pancras is
still lower, allowing only 18q. 6d. for three engines and
turncock for fires, and 13s. 6d. for chimnies, and St.
Anne's, Soho, with 1-12th of the rewards.
Look to the parish of Marylebone, where they say
they have paid 3001. fire-rewards during the last fire
years, but according to a return made from July 1 to
Dec. 31, 1 ii4B, it appears that the sum paid for rewards
during that period was 76/. Bs., out of which sum
651. 4t. had been repaid to the parish by persons in
whose houses those fires happened, thus leaving the
ratepayers in that extensive parish only 111.45. to
pay. Bermondsey parish paid 691., St. Pancras 231.,
and St. Luke 481. But these authorities do not say
how much they have returned them from church-
wardens' summonses for chimnies, &c.
When it is considered that one-third of the fires in
London have been occasioned through foul chiennies
—and I know from experience such to have been the
case—as also from carelessness in many other in-
stances where, was it not for the dread of engines and
firemen arriving, some would allow their chimnies to
burn out to the danger of their neighbours with im-
punity. Ido respectfully hope that you will allow
your readers to form their judgment of the propriety
of our rewards remaining in force, and settled as
allowed by law, without a compulsion of submitting
to the various caprices of parochial functionaries who,
in many instances, from the timely arrival of our
engines, are deprived of the premiums awarded in
case of fire.

As to foul chimnies being the cause of many de-
structive fires, I need only refer you to the cases of
the Thatched House Tavern, Islington, the Houses
of Parliament, the Tower, and an establishment at
the corner of Bond-street, Piccadilly, where unin-
sured property to the amount of 3,0001. was destroyed.
In fact, in nine cases out of ten, when fires happen,
not more than three out of every ten have been
known to be insured.

I trust, Sir, that I have shown the necessity of
these rewards, as they tend to teach the careless por-
tion of the community the duty they owe to their own
property as well as those of their neighbours.
I remain, Sir, on behalf of my fellow servants and
myself, . _ _

A LONDON FIREMAN.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE COURT-MARTIAL AT PORT ROYAL.
By private intelligence from Port Royal, Jamaica,
we learn that the Commarder-in- Chief, Vice-Admiral
the Earl of Dandonald, G.C.8., had arrived there in
his flag-ship, the Wellesley, 72, Captain Goldsmith,
with the Plumper, 12, screw-sloop, Commander Mat-
thew Nolloth, and remained there on the 18th ult.,
with the Imaum, depot ship, Commodore Bennett ;
Trincomalee, 25, Captain Warren ; Helena, 16, Com-
modore De Courcy ; Sappho, 12, Acting Commander
A. Cochrane ; Persian, 12, Commander A. G. Bull-
man ; and Vixen, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Jenner.
The court-martial on Commander Mitchell and the
officers of the Sappho, on account of that vessel getting
ashore at Belize, had been held, and the result was
the commander was sentenced to be dismissed the
ship ; Lieut. Malcolm was sentenced to he admo-
nished fur not having kept the lead going ; and tha
acting-muster, Mr. Gilpin, second master of 1847,
was sentenced to he admonished, and to be reduced
to the rank of master's assistant, and to serve in that
capacity for two years before he swill be deemed eli-
gible for promotion.

The Commander-in-Chief has appointed his flag
lieutenant and on, the Hon. A. A. Cochrane (1845)
acting commander of the Sipphot vice Mitchell di..
missed.

A PPOINTMENTF.
Commander—Walter Reid (1846), to the 'mann;
depot ship, pendent of Commodore Bennett, at
Jamaica, vice IVorsfold invalided.

Lieutenant— George J. Malcolm (1849), from the
Sappho, 12, to Wellesley,; 7.2, flag-ship, West Indies.
Masters—Edward J. P. Pearl' (1827), from com-
mand of the Athol, troop-ship, to be master. attendant
of Deptford Victualling-yard, vice Morice, promoted
to the retired list of commanders • Manser Bradshaw
(1824), formerly in command of the Alban steam-
transport, to command the Resistance, troop-frigate,
at Sheerness.

Second Masters—George R. Morrison (1845), John
C. Solfleet (1847), and J. W. M. Burnett (1849), to
the Resistance.

Asdstant-Surgeons—James M. E. Wallace (acting,
Jan. 27, 1849), re-appointed to the Wellesley, flag-
ship, East Indies, on confirmation in rank ; Dr.
Francis C. Sibbald (acting, Dec. 31, 1846), con-
firmed in Adelaide, tender, at Sierra Leone ; Thomas
W. Rimell (1844), to the Wellington, depot-ship,
Sheerness ordinary.
Clerks— John Retallick (1844), in charge to the
Columbia, surveying-steamer, Bay of Fundy, vice
Phillipps, promoted ; J. E. Tiery, to the Resistance.
Midshipman—Douglas Walker, to the Bxcellent
gunnery-ship.
Master's Assistant—C. T. Renny, to the Fisgard,
flag-ship at Woolwich.
Naval Cadet—Nathaniel C. Barton, to the Superb,
80, at De vonport.
CAPTAIN AUSTIN'S ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Downman, C. 8.,
K.C.H., Colonel-Commandant, and the officers of the
Artillery at 'Woolwich, will entertain Captain IL J.
Austin, C.D., Captain Ommanney, and the (Beers of
the Arctic Expedition at the Artillery mess on Mon-
day next.
The squadron is fast progressing towards completion.
All the provisions are on board, with the exception of
the four months supply, which is to he taken on board
from the hired transport Emma Eugenia at the Whale
Fish Islands.

The 'Marquis of Westminster and other noblemen
and persons of distinction have visited the ships. As
there is nothing, however, very peculiar or very
striking to be seen on board, and as the interest is
more in the perilous enterprise on which the officers
and men are engaged than in the ships that will con-
vey them to the Arctic regions, it is very desirable that
the crews should not be interrupted or the work of
completion retarded by swarms of visitors running
over the ships.
Ajax, screw two-decker, is alongside the Vic-
torious hulk, off Portsmouth Dockyard. She is not
yet commissioned for the flag-ship at Queenstown.
Alert, 8, Commander Dunlop, was paid off at De-
vonport on Tuesday.
Bulldog, sloop-steamer, Commander A. C. Key, was
paid off at Portsmouth on Tuesday. She was dis-
masted and taken into the steam basin.
Cygnet, 8, has been taken into No. 4 dock at
Devonport, to be repaired.
, Dauntless, screw-frigate, is nearly rigged, and is
taking stores on board at Portsmouth.
Devastation, steam-sloop, is nearly rigged. She is
coaling, and it is said will be commissioned to-day at
Portsmouth.
Encounter,
12, screw-corvette, Capt. Gordon, joined
Commodore Martin's squadron of exercise in the
Tagus on the Bth, after a long and boisterous passage
from Spithead.
The Geyser, 6, steam•sloop, Commander Brown,
was in Simons Bay, Cape of Good hope, Feb. 24.
She returned from Dassen Island on the 18th, with
passengers and part of the crew of the wrecked ship,
Childe Harold. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson and child,
Mr. Waller and two servants, Mr. Minde, chief
officer, Mr. Hawkins, surgeon, and fifteen of the
crew. The bull is bilged, but not broken up.
Griffon, 3, brigantine, Lieutenant- Commander
Thurburn, was also paid off at Portsmouth on Tues-
day, and dismasted, and has been taken into the old
but.in, to be fitted up for apprentices' exercising brig
at Cork.
Human, lighter, Wood, master, arrived at De-
vonport on Tuesday, with stores from Pembroke.
Recruit, 12, gun iron brig, sold some months back
to Mare and Co., of Blackwall, was towed down to
Southampton, from Portsmouth yesterday, by one of
the Southampton tug steamers.
Sea Lark, 8, Commander Monypenny, arrived off
Aseemion, March 7, on her way to England, to be
paid off.
Sharpshooter, ecrew schooner, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Bailey, had her defects completed et Deeop
port, on Tuesday evening.