The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-25 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 24.—The Hogue, 60, screw
steam-ship, Captain Macdougal, C. 8., arrived at
Spithead this afternoon from the Mediterranean. She
sailed from Gibraltar on the Ist inst. Her news has,
therefore, been anticipated by very much later ad-
vice!. When she sailed the Arrogant and Encounter
screw-steamers were loading with provisions for Com-
modore Martin's squadron. A Turkish frigate and
a brig were also lying there. Mr. Charles Andrews,
mate of the Hogue, and Mr. William F. Lew, second
master of the Terrible, have left the service. The
Hogue leeks considerably at the stern.
The Birkenhead iron steam-frigate, Master-Com-
mander John Aylen, laden with provisions and stores
for Ascension, sailed this morning at ten o'clock. In
going out of harbour she took the ground off the
mouth of the Custom-house creek, and remained some
time. Fortunately the tide was rising, and she got
off without damage, as is supposed by her having pro-
ceeded on her voyage.
PLYMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The storeship Rattle-
snake, Acting-Commander Yule, arrived late last
night, after a lengthened passage of 177 days from
Sydney. She sailed on the 2d of May, called at the
Bay of Islands, New Zealand, on the 16th, and left
on the 23d of May, touched at the Falkland Islands
ou the sth, and departed on the 25th of July; called
at Fayal on the 29th of September, and left on the
sth of October. She has on board the Port Essing-
ton Marines, with several invalids from her Ma-
j-sty's ships Havannah and Meander, at New South
Wales. Mr. Crawford and lady are also passengers.
The Rattlesnake did not touch at the Brazils, in
consequence of the yellow fever being reported there.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.—At length we are en-
abled to announce the arrival of the Rattlesnake, sur-
veying-vessel, Lieutenant C. B. Yule acting com-
mander, from Sydney. She left that port on the 3d
of May, having embarked as many of the crew, late of
the Bramble, tender to the Rattlesnake, as wished to
come home; and arrived at the Bay of Islands, as we
stated, on Wednesday, May 16; and the only other
places she touched at in her long and tedious passage
home were the Falkland Islands and Fayal. She has
brought home, in addition to her own crew, detach-
ment of marines and others late of Port Essington,that
establishment having been broken up by the orders of the
Admiralty, by Captain the Hon. H. Keppel, of the
Meander, 44, and the officers and men withdrawn.
When the Rattlesnake reached Devonport she was very
short of provisions and fuel, and indeed those on
board must have suffered some privations. They had
neither wine nor spirits on board from the time they
left the Falkland Islands, and for many weeks lived on
salt provisions. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford and child
have come home passengers in the Rattlesnake from
Sydney. The lady is a daughter of Rear-Admiral
Dundas, and to the great joy of her anxious relatives
joined them in London last night. The Rattlesnake
has been out surveying in Torres Straits and New
Guinea for the last four years, having been commis-
sioned at Portsmouth, September, 1846, by Captain
Stanley, who died some months since. Captain
Cockburn, it will be remembered, has been promoted
to the vacancy from the East India flag-ship, and is
now at Portsmouth, awaiting her arrival. The other
officers of the Rattlesnake are the same, we believe, as
those who left England in her—namely, Lieutenants
Dayman and H. G. Simpson, Master J. J. Brown,
Surgeon Dr. J. Thompson, Paymaster F. Brady, As-
sistant-Surgeon T. H. Huxley, Second Masters G.
H. Inakip and Edward Brooker (acting), Clerk J.
Y. Messum. Lieutenant Yule, who has come home
in command of the Rattlesnake by virtue of his
seniority, has been engaged in command of the
Bramble, tender, in surveying operations in Australia
for the last seven or eight years, having proceeded
thither, we believe, with the Fly, 18, Captain Black-
wood. On the arrival of the Rattlesnake, and her
wants being made known, a lighter, with supplies of
provisions and stores, was sent out; she was shipping
them at five P.M. on Wednesday, previously to pro-
ceeding to Chatham to be paid off.
Rear-Admiral Hornby, C. 8., was at Valparaiso
August 28, but his flag-ship, the Asia, 84, Captain
Stopford, was absent on a month's cruise, and was
expected back to Valparaiso in the course of a fort-
night.
Dr. Clarke, of the Meander, 44, Captain the Hon.
H. Keppel, died at Port Essington, and Mr. Craw-
ford, the assistant-surgeon in charge of the marine de-
tachment, withdrawn from that place, was appointed
to the vacancy on board the Meander.
CERTIFICATES FOR WIDOWS PENSIONS.—The Lords
of the Admiralty have, on the application of certain
widow pensioners, been pleased to permit that a cer-
tificate of identification by a magistrate shall be con-
sidered a sufficient substitute for that of any clergy-
man, as required before the payment of quarterly
annuities. I'he official letter of compliance is dated
Oat. 14, 1850, and states—" Madam,—Having laid
before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
your letter of the 26th ultimo, I am commanded by
their Lordships to acquaint you that they have di-
rected the Collector of Customs at Falmouth to re-
ceive the certificate of identity, signed by a magistrate
instead of a clergyman, as well as the declaration.—
J. H. HAT, pro Sec."
Mr. Henry Torreos Somerville, late naval cadet of
her Majesty's ship Cleopatra, died on the 23d instant,
in the 74th year of his age.
Her Majesty's steam-vessel Banshee, which arrived
yesterday from Pater yard, Pembroke, performed the
passage (over 180 miles) in fourteen hours. Before
paying off she will try her rate of speed with the
Caradoc, at the measured mile in Stokes' Bay. Both
vessels are about the same size and horse power, yachts
in their shape and fittings, with only one boiler, to
make room for stowage, and fitted with Mr. Grant's
distilling galley. These vessels would do well for the
coast of Africa.

Caradoc, iron steamer of 650 tons, and 350-horse
power, built by Ditchburn and Mare, late one of the
Holyhead packets, was taken into dock at Ports-
mouth on Wednesday, to have her bottom examined
and cleaned. About two years and a half ago she
was paid over with Mr. Hay's composition, and since
has received a coating of red lead. Her bottom was
considerably foul from grass and weeds, some few
muscles, and some little coraline. The weeds and
grass came off with a slight touch of a broom, and
there was no oxide or corrosion of the plates. The
composition was still hard, but rubbed off in places,
the red lead was nearly all off. It is said the Caradoc
is to be fairly tried with the Banshee, of a similar
size and horse power ; the latter, designed by 0.
Lang, Esq. After the trial, one of the boilers of the
Caradoc is to be taken out. She has now two, one
before the engine and the other abaft; the boilers,
with the engines at present occupy more space than
the best half of the vessel, and by landing one of the
boilers the steamer will be sufficiently fast, and more
useful for general purposes than she is at present;
though one boiler will scarcely supply steam fur both
engines, unless worked expansively. The Caradoc
was paid off in excellent condition, both as to the
vessel and her beautiful fittings, and also as to her
engines and gear.
Lightning steam-yacht tender, Master-Comman-
der Petley, that arrived at Portsmouth from Ply-
mouthon Wednesday, sailed the same afternoon for
Woolwich.

Pluto, 3, steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
J °We, with the mails from the coast of Africa, had
left Fayal three days before the Rattlesnake arrived
there, consequently she may be hourly expected at
Devonport or Portsmouth.
Portland, 50, Captain Chads, flag-ship of Rear-
Admiral Moresby, C. 8., will be ready to leave De-
vonport harbour on the 26th. She is now only a
dozen blue jackets short.
Captain Leroux, R.N., died at his residence in
Oxford place, Plymouth, on the 18th instant.
Letters from the Caledonia, dated Mahon, October
10, state that the Mediterranean fleet were then in
Mahon Bay. The Queen has lost 30 men by cholera.
The fleet, it was expected, would winter at Malta.
The Dutch merchant ship King William 11., Cap-
tain J. Kooger, from Batavia in 160 days, which has
been up Channel as far as the Start, where she ob-
tained fresh provisions, was blown back to this port
yesterday.
The emigrant ship Jenny Lind, Captain Joseph
Taylor, which left Plymouth on the 28th of February
last, arrived at Adelaide on the 7th of June. Her
passengers have inserted in the Adelaide Times of
Midsummer-day a testimonial speaking in high terms
of the conduct of the master, officers, and crew during
the passage from England.
Letters have been received from the Bellerophon,
Captain Baynes, dated Gibraltar, October 9. She
has experienced a very severe passage of three weeks
from Malta to the Rock. The cholera had. left the
ship, and the crew were all well, but she was placed in
quarantine.
WooLvvicir, OCT. 24.--The Wasp steam-sloop,
Commander Crozier, has received her sailing orders,
and will leave Woolwich at one o'clock P.M. to-
morrow.

APPOINTMENTS.
Second-Class Assistant-Engineer William Saun-
ders, to the Wasp steain-sloop, at Woolwich. •
Acting Second Master Charles Downward, to the
Janus steam-vessel, at Gibraltar.
Master's Assistant Digby De la Motte, to the Fis-
gard flag-ship, at Wmoolwich.
PROMOTION.

John Bairdon to be acting boatswain.
PEMBROKE DOCKYARD. - Sir Thomas Hastings
recently
visited Pembroke Dock for the purpos* of
examining its fortifications. He remained at the Vic-
toria Royal Hotel for some days, and during his so-
journ thoroughly inspected the various sites of the
proposed fortifications for the defence of the arsenal.
The western martello tower, for the protection of the
dockyard, has been completed ; with its heavy artil-
lery it will prove an efficient means of defence. It is
now several years since the fortifications of the haven
and the dockyard first engaged the attention of the
authorities, and at various times officers of high
standing have surveyed and reported on the subject,