The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-15 00:00:00

NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE.

contradictthe statement that Mr. T. T. Grant, F.R.S.,
is about
Royal
to vacate that office
are requested to
PORTSMOUTH, Ts URSD AY.—We
Clarence Victualling
Establishment,
sbtolirsehkeeepnet
for the appointment of Controller of Victualling at
the storekeeper
Gosport, of the
Somerset House, vice Meek.

The Niger screw steam-corvette, navigated by the
officers and crew of the steam ordinary at Woolwich,
arrived at Spithead to-day, to join the steam reserve
in this harbour. The same navigating party will re-
turn with the new steam-sloop Argus to get her ma-
chinery.
The Sidon steam-frigate, equipped for sea, and
was removed into the steam
The Serpent, 12, Commander Barker, arrived at
Rio from England, en route to the Bast India and
ordinary from the lower moorings in the harbour to-
day.rd
nai compasses
ry
China station, on the 21st of December.
PORTSMOUTH GARRISON, &c.
The establishment of the depot battalion at Park-
on the 31st of March next.
burst Barracks, Isle of Wight, will be discontinued

—lnstructions have been issued for discontinuing re-
cruiting for the army until further orders.
The following regiments are under orders to
move :-4th Foot, from Portsmouth, and 23d (1 bat-
talion), from Winchester to Plymouth ; 28th and
82d Regiments, from Plymouth to Portsmouth; 77th
Regiment, from Portsmouth to Wales; 91st Regi-
ment (1 battalion), to Dover; 50th, from Dover to
Portsmouth ; 7th and 95th depots, to Winchester.
SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY. - Captain George
Smith, R.N., the Admiralty superintendent of
packets at this station, to-day exhibited before a large
assemblage of officers of the navy, army, Peninsular
and Oriental, and Royal West India Mail Companies'
services and men, his system of training for naval
gunnery, so that the volunteers of these latter com-
panies men desirous of perfecting themselves in the
science of ship gunnery for their respective services
might do so without expense to themselves, but with
great benefit to their interests, and those in which they
are employed. To achieve iis desirahle object, the
Lords of the Admiralty have granted Captain Smith
the use of an iron 18-pounder gun, and the necessary,
tackle and gunnery implements for successfully work-
ing it, together with the services of a gunner's mate,
from her Majesty's ship Excellent, at Portsmouth,
who practically exhibits the system necessary to be
acquired. To-day, for the first time the practice was
publicly exhibited in a long shed, at one extremity of
the dockyard at this port, admirably adapted by size
and situation for the attainment of the object con-
templated In this shed the gun is mounted behind
a port-hole similar in size and construction to the port
of a ship, and, by means of a moving target similar to
that invented by Captain Smith in 1826, and which he
brought into most effective play on board the Excel-
lent in 1832, when he commanded that ship, the
science of practical gunnery is simply conveyed to
the men, who seem to take an earnest interest in the
instruction. In a few week, by means of this drill,
the seamen of the above companies will become expert
gunners, thereby considerably enhancing the value of
their servies to their employers, and rendering them
far more capable than at present of defending those
valuable cargoes (in case of need) which they navi-
gate from the Indies to England and outwards. Too
much praise cannot be awarded Captain Smith for the
energy and enterprise manifested by him in this en-
deavour to increase the useful knowledge and benefit
the crews of our principal mercantile steam marine.
It has been his own exclusive work, undertaken with-
out emolument, and at much pecuniary loss to himself,
but the officer who has invented those inestimable
adjuncts to steamers—their paddle-box boats—and
numerous other important matters for the benefit of
til3 bericu of whioil he is so distinguished a member,
was not likely to stop at trouble or expense when his
talents and fertile imagination could benefit others.