The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-25 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Captain Lewis T. Jones (1840), whose last service
was in command of the Penelope, flag steam frigate,
on the coast of Africa, has been appointed to com-
mand the Sampson, 6, steam-frigate, at Devonport.
Captain Jones has lately been actively engaged in
steam trials, and has just returned from Lisbon, to
which place he proceeded on the first sea trial of the
Dauntless, 24, screw-frigate.
Commander Owen P. Knott (1846) and George
Johnson (1846), to the coast-guard service.
Lieutenant Thomas Brydges (1823), to be Admi-
ralty agent for mails.

DEPLORABLE CATASTROPHE IN TUE MO
ZAMBIQUE.

We have been favoured with the sight of a letter
from Mr. J. 0. Jones, the intelligent second master of
the Dee steamer, from the Quilimane river, Mozam-
bique. The letter is addressed to his fdther, Mr.
Jones, the senior Queen's pilot at Portsmouth. We
give the extract of a deplorable catastrophe that hap-
pened to one of the Dee's boats in nearly the words of
the letter :

I had rather a narrow escape about a week ago.
The Dee was lying in the Quilimane river, and the
Pantaloon brig, 8, Commander Hyde Parker, had ar-
rived off with some supplies. I was sent out in the
cutter to her for provisions. On our return, as we
were crossing the bar of the river, the rollers set in ;
a large breaker came over the stern of the boat, filled,
and capsized her—this 'happened just at dusk. The
people could not see us from the ship, so we drifted
about in the breakers all night, some of us being able
to cling to the boat. In the morning we drifted up
the river, and not far from the ship ; but as our heads
were only being above water they did not see uR,
although they were anxiously looking out for the
boat. At last we drifted on a sand bank, where we
got out more dead than alive, having been upwards
of 34 hours in the water, without anything to eat or
drink. The following day the ship discovered us,
and sent a boat to our rescue. The worst part is to be
told ; out of the three officers and six men, only myself,
another officer, and four men were saved. The mas-
ter's assistant, Mr. Dyer, and three men were washed
off the boat by the breakers in the surf. When the
boat first capsized poor Dyer seized hold of my foot,
and took me down with him. I tried hard to save
him ; but I was at last obliged to shake him off clear
of myself, and was so exhausted that I had diffi-
culty in getting hold of the boat. Altogether those
saved had a most miraculous escape. We expect
to be at the Cape at Christmas, and in England about
July.
The letter was sent by a merchant vessel, which
the Dee boarded in the Mozambique, and was written
hurriedly in the boat, which accounts for there being
no date to it.

EXPEDITION OF THE DEDALUS IN

THE PACIFIC.

The following is an extract of a letter from the
DEcialus, 30, Captain Gennys 14'anshawe, with which
we have been favoured. It is dated—

" Lansolita Bay, San Francisco Harbour,
Ootober 29.

" We have just returned from Vancouver's Island,
bringing back a good many spars for the use of the
squadron. Some Indians of the Newitte tribe having
murdered some English seamen, and refused to deli-
ver up the culprits, we sent some of our boats with the
first lieutenant and second master to destroy some of
their villages, and, if possible, to take some prisoners ;
the latter we did not succeed in doing, but burnt their
houses, &c. Scott, the second master, and two ma-
rines, were wounded slightly.
" We have had no trouble with our men here.
Boats constantly going to the town, and parties of
men hauling the Seine, &c., but no desertions."

TEE SICKNESS AMONG THE CREW OF THE

PERSIAN.

By a letter from the Persian, 12, Commander Bul-
man, dated Port Royal, Jamaica, we are sorry to hear
that a large number of her officers and ship's crew
were suffering from fever—forty-seven of her crew
were in hospital prior to the date of the letter (28th
of November), and four more were to be sent in on
that day. The officers had suffered so much, that
the boatswain of the sloop was in charge, and there
was only a midshipman or two and an assistant master
to do duty. All the others were on the sick-list or in
hospital. As yet, however, there had been but few
fatal cases. The surgeon of the Imaum, Dr. Beve-
ridge, came home in the last mail packet.
It is now stated that Vice-Admiral Sir George
Seymour, C. 8., G.C.H., who is to succeed Vice-Ad-
tniral the Earl of Dundonald, G.C.B , as Commander-
in-Chief in the West Indies, will not have the Inde-
fatigable, 50, as his flag-ship, but will have a 50-gun
frigate with a poop, commissioned for that service ;
and the old Winchester, 50, at Portsmouth, is named
as the ship. We would rather see the Cumberland,
70, or one of the old 74's, like the Hastings and Wel-
lesley, preferred. It is also stated that the Gallant
Admiral's son, Captain George H. Seymour (1844),
will be flag-captain.
Amphitrite, 25, Captain Frederick, is progressing
rapidly at Portsmouth. She can get plenty of sea-
men, but they will not ship till after Christmas-day.
Her first lieutenant has joined. Mr. Morgan, the
paymaster, whose appointment to this ship wa, can-
celled, says—" I consider I am responsible to the
Lords of the Admiralty alone for the reasons which
impelled me to this course (declining the appointment),
and had their Lordships deemed those reasons in-
sufficient, they would, doubtless, have directed me in-
stantly to proceed to take up my appointment."
Now, without doubting for a moment that Mr.
Morgan's reasons for declining an appointment that
hundreds are seeking for in vain, were sufficient, in
tbeir Lordship's opinion, inasmuch as the Admiralty
have thereby an opportunity of serving an officer
who has no profits of a commercial business to add to
his half-pay as a naval officer, Mr. Morgan may de-
pend upon it that the newspaper press, however im-
pertinent it may appear to a public officer, will not
fail to canvass if not to question, the discretion of that
Admiralty to whom " Mr. Morgan alone is respon-
sible," in allowing an officer of any rank to decline
service, and yet to continue on the half-pay list.
The royal yacht establishment will be paid off on
the 31st, and re-commissioned Ist January, and we
believe nearly all the officers will be re-appointed.
Spy, 3, brigantine, was undocked at Chatham on
Saturday, after having been refitted for another term
of service on the coast. The Benetta, 3, brigantine,
was undocked at Chatham, and having had her
mast and bowsprit put in place, was re-docked, in
order to be refitted for servive at sea.
Tiger, steam-frigate, at Portsmouth, having dis-
charged the stores that she was ballasted with, appears
to have the same lopsided propensity as Sir Charles
Napier's Sidon—she has lopped over to port along-
side the jetty, and, looks in distress. Mr. Belau, the
master, and the seamen that navigated her round
from Chatham, were put on board the Sprightly, and
she sailed on Monday for Sheerness.
Water witch, paid off on Saturday morning, was
taken into dock in the afternoon, to be repaired and
refitted for further service.
PRIZE MONEY FOR THE SEALARK.—IIAIIett, Ro-
binson, and Co. have given notice to Captain Money-
penny and the officers and company of the Sealark,
who were actually on board at the capture of the
Ohrite on the 30th July, 1849, that they will be paid
their respective shires of the tonnage bounties and
sale proceeds of the above vessel on Friday, the 10th
Janurary next, at No. 14, Great George-street, West-
minster, where the unclaimed shares will be re- called
for three months :—Flag, 341. 17s. 21. ; commander,
1701. 17s. Bd.; third class, 221. lis. 81.; fourth, 11/.
7s. 10d. ; fifth, 101. ss. ; sixth, 6/. 164. 81; seventh,
.5/. 13s. Ild.; eighth, 4L 11s. ld, ; ninth, 31. Bs. 4d. ;
tenth, 2/. ss. 6d.• eleventh, 11. 14s. 2d.; twelfth, 1/.
2s. 9d.; thirteenth, 17s. ld.
PRIZE MONEY FOR THE CYGNET.--Messrs. Chard
have given notice to the officers and crew of th,,
Cygnet, when commanded by David Robertson, Esq.,
tlaat an account of the sale proceeds of the Volador
Brazilian brigantine, and of the bounty money upon

LONDON,

the toms-we and slaves captured on board the said
brigantiz, O!1 the 24th May, 1849, will be deposited
on or before the 20th January next.
PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—AdmiraI of the White
the Marquis of Thomond is reported to be the Port-
Admiral on this station on the expiry of the term of
service of Admiral the Hon. Sir Bladen Capel, K.C.B.
The Eardice, 26, has been taken into dock to-dsy
vacated by the Electra and Rapid, for overhaul and
repairs.