The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-03 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PROMOTIONS.
COAST GUARD.—The commander nominated for
the annual coast guard promotion to the rank of cap-
tain, by the Comptroller-General, Captain Houston
Stewart, C. 8., and recommended to the Admiralty
by the Hon. Board of Customs, is Commander Robert
Kerr (1838), late inspecting commander of the
Weymouth district, and who has served in the de-
partment since 1842.
Commander William Murley (1813) has recently
been promoted to the rank of captain, on the retired
list. of 1840, in the room of Captain Incledon, de-
ceased.

Lieutenants William Hamilton (1810) and Wil-
liam Wade West (1810) bay" been-promoteel-telbe:
rank of commander on the retired list of 1830, with-
out increase of pay.

APPOINTMENTS.
Chaplains—The Rev. Edgar B. Barnes, 8,A.,
naval instructor to the Prince Regent, 90, Channel
squadron, to be chaplain also of that ship; Rev.
Richard Croker, from the Prince Regent to the Ter-
rible, steam-frigate, at Devonport, vice Dyne, whose
appointment is cancelled.
Clerks—lL R. Shaw (1844), to the Superb, 80, at
Queenstown; George Pcnfold (1842), to the South-
ampton, 50, flag-ship at the krazils ; G. A. S. Ley
(1849), to the Asia, 84, flag-ship in the Pacific.
Carpenter—B. Bennet* acting at Portsmouth, has
been confirmed.
Captain Chads, C. 8., of the Excellent gunnery-
ship, at Portsmouth, and Captain Yates, of the Illus-
trious depot-ship, of that ordinary, are on leave of
absence.
Captain George Smith, the superintendent of
packets at Southampton, has obtained from the Ad-
miralty an order to be supplied from the Ordnance
with a lever target for the practice of the packet
crews.

It is reported, on good authority, that the Admi,
ralty intend to reduce the appointments of agen
victuallers at Malta and Bermuda.

The Ocean, Captain Greville, fiag•ship of the Com-
mander-in-Chief at Sheerness, was paid six months'
wages on the 31st December.
The Northumberland, old 74, has been ordered
from Woolwich to Deptford to be broken up.
A letter from the Wellesley, 72, Captain Gold-
smith, dated Bermuda, Dec. 12, says—
" On her passage from Halifax to Bermuda she
experienced a most terrific gale, many of the sailors
being sea sick from the tremendous plunging of the
ship. A sudden calm followed, accompanied with
very heavy rain and thunder, the wind taking her flat
aback, and a tremendous sea breaking over her,
which, however, did little injury, as they were pretty
well prepared for it. The 'Wellesley was expected to
sail in about three weeks on a tour round the West
Indies."

The Alarm, 26, Captain Ramsay, arrived at the
Havannah Dec. 3, and railed again for Barbadoes to
relieve the Viper, 3, Lieutenant-Commander Bernard,
ordered home to be paid off.
The Amphitrite, 25, Captain Rodney Eden, was
at San Bias, Oct. 80, having arrived there on the
27th, in twenty-eight days from Valparaiso. She
was to fill up with water, and to proceed to Mazatlan
in ten days. It was likely she would visit San Bias
once more before she finally quitted the coast. If the
Meander, 42, Captain the Host. H. Keppell, from the
East Indies, relieved her early enough, she will quit
the station for England about the middle of February;
but, at all events, she will not remain there longer
than the Ist of March. It was supposed that the new
line of packets would not in any way affect the con-
veyance of freights by men-of- war. The latter would
always be preferred, on account of their security and
character.
The Dido, 18, and Dolphin, 3, are ordered to have
their defects made good per estimate.
The Britomart, 6, Commander Chamberlain, was
to have been paid off yesterday.
The Fairy and Elfin, royal yacht tenders, at Ports-
mouth, are ordered to have their defects made good.
The Fairy will he in the hands of the shipwrights for
six weeks.

The Devastation, steam sloop, at Portsmouth, will
not be out of the hands of the dockyard for another
six weeks.

The Hecate, 6, steam •sloop, Commander Shadwell,
with Sir H. L. Bulwer and suite, left Bermuda for
Chesapeake, Dec. 16.
The Prometheus, steam-sloop, has been towed from
Deptford to Woolwich by the Monkey and Advice,
steam-tugs. She will be completed there for sea.
The Fearless, steam-tender, Second Master Com-
mander Wells, will be completed at Devonport by
the 9th.
Mr. Humphreys, the chief engineer at Woolwich
Dockyard, is ordered to proceed to Chatham to inspect
the planing machine there.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDA.Y.—It is now rumoured
that Capt. Lord John Hay will not be removed from the
Board of Admiralty until the opening of Parliament,
when a proposition will be made to reduce the said
Board by one member—not filling up Lord John
Hay's place, on the score of economy.
The Adventure naval transport, Master-Commander
P. Wellington, sailed from this port this afternoon to
Devonport to be paid off. Mr. Wellington will com-
mission the Nimrod, 20 gun corvette, for transport
service, in lieu of the Adventure, which is not large
enough. The Nimrod, when ready, will sail for
Deptford to load with Government stores for As-
cension.

Mr. Grant, of the Clarence-yard, is making one of
his improved cooking and distilling galleys for the
supply of the requirements of 700 men, for the Daunt-
less steam-frigate.
PLYMOUTH, JAN. I.—Her Majesty's frigate Inde-
fatigable, Captain Smart, was towed out of harbour
yesterday by the Fearless and Confiance steam-vessels,
and moored in Barnpool, where her compasses will be
adjusted.

Her Majesty's brig Contest arrived on Sunday
from Portsmouth to take the January mails to Ma-
deira and the coast of Africa. When saluting the
Port-Admiral outside the breakwater a serious acci-
dent occurred to one of the ship's boys, who was
ramming in
gun omitted to stop the vent, and the piece unex-
a charge. The man at the breech of the
pectedly went off, blowing away the unfortunately
youth's hand and shattering his arm. In this con-
dition he was quickly placed in one of the ship's boats,
in which he remained while the people pulled him a
distance of five miles to the Royal Naval Hospital. It
is stated that had a vent stopper, invented bZ Mr.
Bothway, R.N., been in use on board the Contest,
this fearful mutilation could not have occurred.

Forty shipwrights are to be forthwith employed in
the masthouse to make masts for the advanced ships,
in place of those condemned at the recent survey.
Wind, northerly, very light.
Woo'Amu, JAN. 2.—The Enterprise, Captain
Collinson, C. 8., has now entered her complement
within half-a-dozen blue jackets, and the Investi-
gator, Commander M'Clure, also within a dozen.
They were both taken out of the basin yesterday into
the stream, and will be ready to leave Woolwich on
their searching expedition between the 12th and 15th
of the present month.
The Hermes steam-vessel is having her rigging
put up at this port to prepare her for commission.
THE ROYAL NAVY IN COMMISSION.
The following is an accurate and complete list of
the ships of the Royal Navy in commission on the Ist
of January, 1850. This list, it will he seen, comprises
the
pendant, the number
whom she is corn-
asbhye is serving at home
com-
manded, a gunsnnamedeo d
anda of oath ad aoc
menhn
what
shipshh ae t bearing
carries,
station
or'abroad.
The ships in commission are placed according to
the seniority of their respective commanders ; " s."
signifies paddle-wheel steamers, " su." screw
steamers, and " a." acting.
PORTSMOUTH.
Commander-in-Chief—Admiral the Hon. Sir Thomas
Bladen Capel, K,C.B. Superintendent of Dockyard—
Rear-Admiral Prescott, C.B.
Ships. Guns. Men. Commander.
Victory (104) 22 224 Capt. F. P. Blackwood.
Illustrious (72)
Excellent ... .
Victoria and Albert
Blenheim (sc.)
Cuckoo (5.).. Dumaresq.
Hecate (s. .............. . 6 145 Com. Shadwell.
-flower ................ 6 28 Lieut. Warren.
2 34 Corn.
6 150 Lieut. W. H. Fenwick.
Master A. Balliston.(a.)
Master Welch.
29 Muter J. Allen (a).

Rolla
•.•
Fairy (sc.)
Sprightly (s.) .