The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-10 00:00:00

tance, Phaeton and Arethusa shook out to single reefed
topsail; the latter set top-gallant sails; Leander under
single reefed main and double reefed fore and mizen
topsails. Arrogant started under treble reefed top-
sails, but shortly after shook out a reef of main
topsail and set main top-gallant sail; Leander shifted
spanker. Dauntless under treble reefed topsails,
reefed courses, and main trysail, ordered to chase
Prince Regent. At 9.45 signal " take angles," when
off these ships started, evidently with as much sail as
they could well stagger under. Shortly after Arrogant
carried away her main top-gallant sheet and split her
jib , in a few seconds the latter sail was blown all to
ribbands. In less than an hour Phaeton bore up, the
Arethusa let fly her top-gallant and topsail sheets to a
squall, and Leander shordened sail. This was to
terminate this day's trial. We were ordered to re-
sume order of sailing, when we observed that Phaeton
had carried away her jib-boom. In reply to the
Commodore's demand " when would she be ready
to make sail ?" she stated her fore-mast head
was sprung, in consequence, it was supposed, of
something happening to the fore-topmast fid the pre-
vious evening. What appeared very odd to most
of us, was the fact of her still carrying her fore-top-
sail. We were further made acquainted with other
disasters that had befallen her; her bumkin and sprit
sail-gaff opening. In order to account for so much
damage she made the signal " the squall had struck the
Phaeton with greater violence than any of the other
ships." Rather an odd assertion, considering that
both the Prince Regent and Arethusa were to wind-
ward of her. One would think that under the cir-
cumstances every one's attention was too much occu-
pied with his own ship to think of looking after his
neighbour's. It was a heavy squall certainly, but we
are of opinion that it was pretty equally felt amongst
the squadron. The result of this morning's affair
was—as you know long before this—the Phmton was
ordered to Portsmouth or Plymouth, as most conve-
nient. It was a pity the trial should terminate thus :
it was getting highly interesting and exciting, and
there can be no doubt but up to the moment the
Arethusa had most decidedly the advantage.
Wednesday—The gale still continued.
Thursday—Still blowing strong. We thought that
we had done with trial sailing in a gale, the Phaeton,
the crack ship of the squadron, having been put hors
de combat in the first breeze we had yet encountered,
we felt pretty safe from further trials—not so : at ten
A.M. on the 21st the Leander, Arrogant, and Dauntless
were ordered to leeward three miles, and then beat up :
this trial only lasted an hour, during which time the
Arrogant had gained on the Leander 100, and on the
Dauntless 110 fathoms.

Friday—Strong gale with a heavy swell. Daunt-
bossed rolled here fore and main top-gallant masts
over the side, and rather oddly the one went imme-
diately after the other, one on one side and the other
on the other. Leander and Arethusa ordered to
supply her with new masts. This morning the In-
constant fell in with us ; and right glad were we that
she could convey to our friends the assurance that
the squadron was together. We felt that they would
naturally conclude the other ships could not have
escaped unscathed in this dreadful storm (as they
would consider it) since the finest frigate had been
so roughly handled.
The Arrogant and Dauntless had two trials under
steam. Io the first the Arrogant went head to wind
under full power 3.5 knots, the Dauntless 1.0 under
half power.
In the second trial the conditions were reversed, on
which occasion Dauntless 7.0 knots per hour and
Arrogant had scarcely steerage way.
On Saturday, the 23d, we had a trial of three and
a half hours' duration ; strong breezy and a heavy
well. All started under double-reefed topsails.
Shortly after Arethusa set top-gallant sails. The
wind continued to lose its violence, and Arethusa and
Leander shook out second reefs of topsails. At the
termination of the trial, which I should say was by
the wind, the Arethusa was to wind ward of
Leander
Arrogant
Dauntless
The latter is a very leewardly ship, but she fore-
reaches in a most extraordinary weather.

On Sunday we were in a most comfortless state,
the wind had chopped round to the S.W. We were
in the skirts of the Bay of Biscay, the ships were
rolling very much and making very bad weather. We
were in general under close-reefed main-topsail and
storm staysails.
Oa Monday the weather was scarcely better, but
the wind had changed so as to enable us to make a
course for Lisbon.

On Tuesday head still in the direction of our port.
Arrogant and Dauntless ordered to try rate of speed
before the wind under the combined effect of sails
and steam. Dauntless very much.the advantage.
You will have perceived that in all these trials the
Dauntless has shown herself a superior sailer, but as
to efficiency, she will bear no comparison with the
Arrogant. Here is a vessel with less tonnage, and
built at a considerably less cost, carries double the
number of guns, and well too, whilst the other has her
main deck ports barely six feet above the water, and
they find the upper deck guns too much for her.
Here we have, in another shape, a repetition of the
same gross misapplication of the adaptation of means
to an end which has been observed in the Encounter
and Conflict—an immense amount of tonnage em-
ployed to carry a small number of guns, which duty
all these vessels very indifferently perform.
We arrived here on Wednesday, bringing with us a
vary strong breeze from the N.E. We entered the
Tagus under treble reefed topsails and reefed courses,
and top-gallant masts struck. All the ships require
caulking.
The Encounter entered the Tagus on the Ist inst.
from Gibraltar.—Portsmouth Times and Naval
Gazette.

THE NORTH WALES ADDRESS

AGAINST THE PAPAL AGGRESSION.
(From the Carnarvon Herald.)
We have elsewhere inserted a leading article from
The Sun newspaper of Thursday se'nnight, in which
most honourable recognition is taken of the course
that Bangor and Carnarvon have pursued with re-
spect to the present movement against the aggressions
of the see of Rome.

In fairness, however, the praise of our metropoli-
tan contemporary applies rather to Bala, Corwen, and
other places in North Wales, than to Carnarvon : for
the petition, quoted as a proof that this part of the
principality has taken the lead in pointing out the true
and proper means of lessening the evil complainedof,
was Simultaneously adopted in Bangor, and the two
other localities, whilst the Carnarvon petition was
silent on the educational views which form the staple
of the other.

It is to the untiring indefatigable energy of a
writer well-known to The Sun newspaper, as a cor-
respondent under the signature of an " Old Reformer,"
that the petition referred to is indebted for its being ;
and the adoption of that petition so generally in the
towns of Northern Wales, must be truly gratifying
to, persons who can love Protestantism, and seek
its conservation and extension, withont indulging in
bitter feelings against those who adhere to the faith of
the Church of Rome.

That our journal has been made the instrument
organ, and exponent, of views so sound, practical,
and beneficial, is a fact of which we have no small
reason to be proud : and we can assure our metropo-
litan " brother of the quill," that Wales is behind no
part of the United Kingdom in every patriotic and
well-directed public movement.

SOUTH LANCASHIRE WINTER ASSIZES.—Mr. Baron
Alderson arrived by the six o'clock railway train, on
Saturday evening, and proceeded direct to the court-
house, in Chapel-street, where the commission was for-
mally opened. The Learned Judge then adjourned the
court until ten o'clock on the following Monday
(this) morning. Yesterday his Lordship attended
Divine service at St. George's Church. The sermon
was preached by the chaplain and son of the High-
Sheriff. Mr. Baron Alderson arrived in town unac-
companied by any other of the Learned Judges, and it
is said that his colleague, Mr. Justice Coleridge, is pre-
vented from attending through indisposition, and that
his place will be supplied by Mr. Justice Talfourd, who
will preside at the Nisi Prins Court, but, of course,
for the trial of criminal cases, the present assize
being merely one of general gaol delivery. The
calendar contains the names of 111 prisoners. One of
the first cases to be tried, and relative to which consi-
derable interest is manifested, will be that of Mr.
William Threlfall (postponed from last assizes) for
extensive commercial forgeries. It is said that no fewer
than thirty-five witnesses will be called for the prose-
cution. The cases, generally speaking, will prove dull.
Amongst the trials likely to be the most interesting
are those of Edward Moran, an officer of the Tib-
street establishment, for manslaughter; Mr. Henry Black-
burst, an attorney at Preston, for an alleged forgery of
his late wife's will; Win. Smith, for manslaughter, by
causing the explosion of a steam-boiler at Mr. Pooley's
works; M'Cauley and Sirrell (the London silversmith),
the one for stealing and the other for feloniously receiv-
ing a quantity of jewellery and plate; and Gregory, Hol-
lane, and Pimlott, for the daring burglary and highway
robberies in Hulme.—Li'ierpool Albion of Monday.
DEATH OF SIR JOHN MACPHERSON GRANT, BART.
."-It is our painful duty this morning to record the death of
one of the moat patriotic and most valued of our countrymen.
Sir John Macpherson Grant, Bart., of Ballindalloch, was
struck with paralysis on Saturday last, and died on Monday,
in the 47th year of his age. Though not robust, the de-
ceased gentleman had for some time enjoyed his usual health,
and the blow was as unexpected as it is lamentable. Since
his accession to the patrimonial estate, about four years ago,
Sir John Grant has lived in Ballindalloch, and has fully
carried out the improvements projectexl and commenced by
his father, Sir George, the first baronet. The deceased
baronet was one of the three members not appointed ex officio
of the board of supervision for the relief of the poor in Scot-
land—an odice to which his father, Sir George Grant, had
been nominated by. the Government on the first institution
of the board in 1845. The loss of such a man is not easily
replaced. lie will long be_ lamented in Strathspey as the
hospitable gentleman, the best of landlords and neighbours,
the farmer's friend, and the benefactor of his country.— Edin,..
burgh Courant of Thursday: