The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-24 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

' PLYMOUTH, SATITHDAY.—Tbe steam-vessels gen-
t fiance and Avon, with Mr. Mills, 'Assistant Master
I ! A'tendant, some seamen riggers and stores, sailed
to-day for Pembroke, to navigate the Martin brigs _to
this port.
Tt.e St. George, 120, has been removed from the
jettyttoortels.ie Endymion hulk, to Complete her armament
and
The Virago steamer went round the Eddystone on
Wednesday to try her engine*.
On the.. arrival of the Bellerophon, 78, Captain
Baynes, from the Mediterranean, she will be paid off
in Barn Pool, and be placed in charge of officers
and hands from the Impregnable until recommis-
sioned.
Lord John Hay, Commodore-Superintendent of
the Dockyard, went on leave of absence on Wednes-
day; and Lieutenant Warren, Flag-Lieutenant, on
Thurtday. The government of the yard devolves ad
interim, on Mr. lienderson, .Master-Attendant.
Mies Dulling, daughter of the late Captain W. B.
Dolling, It.N., and sister of Lieutenant Dolling, her
Msjesty's brig Nautilus, wasfrfound drowned at Bo-
visend-bay on Friday. The unfortunate lady is
supposed to have lost her life in an effort to save that
of a favourite dog. .
Mr. Manning (boatswain) and Mr. James Watson
(carpenter), of the Agincourt, have been superan-
nuated—the former on 851., and the latter on 751. per
annum.

Mr. Keene, passenger by the John Calvin •,
which
eft this port for California on the 23d January last,
writes as follows, under date 21st of Aril, from
Stanley Town, Falkland Islands :—" A schooner has
just entered this harbour laden with Government
stores for the use of the colony, and has lot us know
she will take letters. My last to you was by the On-
tario, and we have only spoken one ship since, which
proved an American, hailed her and asked where she
wos bound. The skipper answered ' California,
last from Boston, carrying only freight, no
passengers ; name, Lowell. We kept company
exactly one week ; we spoke her on the Sunday,
and left her on the Sunday following, steer-
ing our course for New-bay, on the coast of Patago-
nia, where the captain intended to water; but in the
sequel his attempt proved a total failure, and had nigh
cost us dear. We reached New-bay on the 7th of
April ; the captain know nothing of this bay, except
what he read in his guide-book, which stated it to be
a fine place for watering, &c. Tae person who
wrote the directions never saw the place, or know-
ingly penned a wicked deception. After a minute
search no water could be found. As we were obliged
to stop until next day before we could weigh anchor,
a dozen of us, by the captain's permission, rowed to
the land of the giants. I never saw a country so bar-
ren : nothing but sand; not a tree nor a drop of
water. I enclose a need-pcd and leaf which I picked
from a shrub, as a remembrance of Patagonia. After
leaving New-bay we steered for the Falkland Islands,
which we made on the 13th inst. (April). It was
' touch and go' with us after making the land,
for we had not been able to take any ob-
servation fur three days, on account of fuggy
weather, and there remained only a chance of
two courses—to get into a port or he wrecked, for we
were off a lee shore, the wind a gale, and night com-
ing on. The captain managed his ship beautifully;
tot k her through a narrow strait, not more than a
third of a mile wide, and anchored safely in Stanley
harbour, with Stanley Town on our larboard side.
This town consists of a few wooden and mud houses,
with 200 inhabitants, who do nothing but smoke and
drink, and are as independent as men of high fortune
in our old civilization. The land is exceedingly
boggy : springs are found at every step; and it is
really a fine place for ships to water at ; but as for
culture of any kind, it is impossible. As soon as the seed
is up, it is, they say, cut (loan by the southerly winds
which are always blowing hard ; they cannot even
grow a cabbage, and all their vegetable food is im-
poved from England or America. The inhabitants
are mostly pensioners, supported by Governments it
is, in short, a wretched place, and though we have
been nearly three month et sea, I shall be glad to be
off again, for the weather is cold, bleak, and damp on
shore. We expect to leave the day after to-morrow,
and then, ho 1 for California."