The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-01 00:00:00

N4VAL INTELLIGENCE

The Avon steam-vessel, Commander Denham. fitting
in the basin at Woolwich, is nearly ready for sea, and
is announced as about to proceed for service on the coast
of Africa.

By letters received to-day at Woolwich the Agincourt,
72, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Sir T. J. Cochrane, lint.,
C.B. ; the Dmdalus, 20, Captain Peter M'Quhae ; the
Vestal, 26, Captain C. Talbot ; the Cruiser, 16, Com-
mander E. G. Fanshawe ; the Wolverine, 16, Com-
manderll. G. Clifford; the Vixen frigate, Commander
G. Giffard, and two of the Hon. East India Company's
steamers, were in the Straits of Malacca, all well, on the
23d of July. The money sent out in the Daedalus had
been transshipped to the Osprey, 12, Captain E. Patten,
for conveyance to New Zealand ; and the Fly, 18
Captain E. P. Blackwood, had just sailed for Sydney,
New South Wales.

DEPARTURE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL FLEET
ON THEIR SECOND TRIAL.
The experimental fleet, under the command in chief
of Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Pym, K.C.8., left Ply-
mouth Sound on Sunday morning, at a quarter-past
seven o'clock, for their second trial cruise. The fleet
was composed of the St. Vincent, 120, flag-ship
of the Commander-in-Chief, Commander Rowley ;
the Trafalgar, 120, Captain T. F. Martin ; the Queen,
110, Capt. Sir Baldwin Walker, three deckers • and
;
the Rodney, 92, Capt. Collier, C.B. the Albion,
90, Captain N. Lockyer, C.B. ; the Canopus, 84,
Capt. Fairfax Moresby, C.B. ; and the Vanguard, 80,
Capt. Willes, two deckers ; with the Daring, 12, brig,
Com. IL J. Matson. They passed out at the western
end of the breakwater in the following order, with a fine
topgallant breeze from the N.W.:—Canopus, Trafalgar,
Rodney, St. Vincent, Vanguard, Queen, and Albion.
They are ordered to proceed to the former cruising
ground ; but the Admiralty have very wisely left every-
thing to the discretion of the Gallant Commander-in-
Chief, giving him permission to extend the cruise farther
to the westward, to encounter such weather as shall fully
put to the test the qualities of the various ships com-
prising the fleet.
We cannot announce the departure of the squadron
without again calling attention to the condition in which
the surveyor's ships go to sea. Whatever the result,
that great ship, the Albion, has been lightened so much,
that her draft of water is only 231 t. lin. forward, and
24ft. 3in. aft, with a height of midship port of 6ft 10in.
Now in order to bring her to this draught of water, her
provisions, water, and ammunition have been all reduced,
and she goes to sea less efficient as a man of war than the
old Canopus. of nearly 800 tons less burden, and swim-
ming so light, with her midship ports actually much
lower in the water than the Rodney, a ship with a much
greater stowage, heavier armament, and a great many
tons more ammunition.
It is now admitted that the Albion, as a man of war,
has failed in her performances to realise the expectations
of her constructor. She never mounted the armament
she was designed to carry, and now she proceeds to sea
with 13 tons 17 cwt. less shot and shell than was consi-
dered sufficient store for her lighter guns. Had she her
proper armament she would be more than one foot deeper
in the water than her construction drawings intended,
and although guns, shot, ballast, provisions, water, and
other stores are taken out of her, and with a total weight
on board of only 1,593 tons 2 cwt., she has the enormous
spread of canvas of 30,800 square feet. The Vanguard
and Superb, 80-gun ships, of about the same tonnage as
the Rodney, 92-gun ship, and 230 tons larger than the
old Canopus, 84-gun ship, have had their stores, provi-
sions, water, &c., also reduced in a similar manner; and
with smaller armament, and spreading the same quantity
of canvas, they thus proceed on the next trial.
Now with such odds against the Rodney and Canopus
it is absurd to call the forthcoming trials fair to those
ships, or to draw any conclusions as to their respective
capabilities. If the late trials have not been such as to
prove or establish anything on account of the find
weather, why not stow and store all the ships as men-
of-war about to proceed on real fair or foul weather ser-
vice ? The surveyor's ships had advantages enough in
canvas, armament, and even, with reference to the Van-
guard, weight of provisions and water in the last cruise,
and ought to have been fully tried against the old ships
under these circumstances, and not be allowed to strip
in the manner they have for a second trial, unless the
superiority
of the Rodney and Canopus, stowed as men
of war ought to be, over the Albion, Vanguard, and
Superb, is conceded.
The Superb, 80, Captain Corry, has been ordered
from Devonport to Portsmouth, to be docked and newly
coppered, and, it is stated, to be re-stowed, under the
superintendence of the Navy-office. She left Plymouth
Sound at half-past five on Saturday evening, beating out
into the offing. She arrived at Portsmouth on Sunday
afternoon, and yesterday commenced discharging her
powder, preparatory to going into harbour. The Harle-
quin, 16, will be taken out of dock to make room for the
Superb. It is not more than six months since the
Superb was in the same dock at Portsmouth. She will
join the fleet as soon as the surveyor has doctored
Rich, the
The Formidable, 84, Captain G.lll' . Owen,g
flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Edward
early yesterday morning. . Th
Daorea, in the Portsmouth
K.C.8., G.C.H. (red at the_fp
At ten, Rear-Adam"'
guns. ereihenstocryhorseadluLtdSwPiitthheala6
yacht, went off to the
Formidable t o
returned pa y
on
nis
shore
eCts
witht o
Rear-Admiral D"re
Sir Edward. Captain Re
3, but the Admiral will not land
until this morning.. The Formidable hoisted the quaran-
tine flag,
d rati ne i 3. mediatel • She
in was
commissioned
y • b but receive p
Sir E. T. rou dge lB4l, and on
that gallant officer's promotion was commanded by Sir C.
Sullivan, who exchanged with Captain Rich into the
Queen in April, 1844. The Formidable will be docked
to have her copper cleaned, and will then join the expe-
rimental fleet.
THE RETIREMENT.—The following statement will
show the progress of the scheme of naval retirement for
post captains. It will be seen that of the proposed
, 216 have tifie(i
number (300) above a certain age, whose acceptance of
retiringAthdemiprraolfftyerbeedforethelst
payof October
istraerbe no
sten t hi
ne
their names.
Of the first 100 on the navy list
Of the next 150
Of the remainder ll3

Total number
The above includes five holding good-service pensions,
nine holding out pensions from Greenwich Hospital, and
fifteen Companions of the Bath.

LYNN, SEPT. 25.—THE RAILWAYS.—We 'perceive
that the ground is already staked out for the railways
in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, so we
may expect by the latter part of autumn to find them in
the course of tormation.—Norfolk Chronicle.
HOP-PICKING.—Hop-picking has commenced in
the county of Nottingham, and the produce is very light.
The average weight per acre is now estimated at not exceed-
ing two hundred weight. The hops in Farnham are also
dehctive crop.-2176ttingham Journal.

PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 29.—The Eclair steam-sloop,
Co:nmandar Walter G. ft Estcourt, came up to the
MAherbank this morning, about nine o'clock, with the
yellow fig, with a black ball in its centre, flying from
her mainmast head, emblematic of death on board.
She has been so awfully visited with sickness since she
has been on the coast of Africa that she has been sent
hOme. The awful number of 62 have died in the vessel,
and others are dying hourly. We regret to state that
Commander Estcotrrt is among the dead. The names of
the ether officers and men we cannot at present tell, no
communicetion being Allowed. We are informed there
are now 23 ill on board, The surgeon was alive this
morning, and on the quarantine officers going alongside
the vessel, we are informed, he answered their inquiries,
and said the mortality was from a fever, something
between the yellow and the black. One of the men
died this morning. The Customs authoi:ities are fear-
ful of removing any one on board. We be..lleve, how-
ever, fresh provisions have been sent to the ves2el, but
whether any human assistance, we cannot. find out; we
believe none, owing to the fear of contagion. If she'
remains at the Motherbank, she will have to ride out
forty days' quarantine; but we are informed it is most
probable she will be supplied with fuel and fresh provi-
sions, and be sent for a cruise in the North Sea. The
Admiralty dispatches are landed, but nothing else. A
boat rows guard round the vessel to prevent communi-
cation and consequent contagion, as well as to prevvaa.t.,
any one escaping from the vessel improperly.
The Eclair was only commissioned last August twelve-
months, and is a new vessel (first named the LueVer), of
350-horse power.
The Formidable, 84, Captain Rich, flag of Vice-A&
miral Sir. Edward Owen, late Commander-in-Chief on,
the Mediterranean station, arrived at St. Helen's during:
the night, and got under weigh at nine o'clock this.
morning for the anchorage at Spithead, when she came:
in under royals, topgallant sails, topsails, and courses,
jib, flying jib, and spanker. At twenty minutes to ten
she in royals, hauled down the flying jib, and stood in
for Spithead. At about a quarter to eleven she up
courses, put about, and run up to her anchorage, with
the quarantine boat alongside, the Formidable having
come in with the yellow flag flying from her main, which
she hauled down when the quarantine boat shoved otf.
She then let go her anchor and brought up. On ap-
proaching the anchorage the Victory saluted with 13
guns, when the. Formidable returned 11 (Rear-Admiral
Parker's complement). The Admiral came from Spit-
head in the Portsmouth yacht, and when nearly abreast
of the Platform Battery. a salute of 13 guns welcomed
the gallant Sir Edward Owen home, a compliment not .
paid here to a naval officer since the war.
•
The Superb, 80, Captain Corry, which arrived yester-
day from Plymouth, has come to be fresh coppered and
re stowed and trimmed, prior to rejoining the experi •
mental squadron, which sailed yesterday morning on
their winter cruise. She has had her guns, powder,
&c., taken out, and will come into harbour to-morrow
morning.
The Athol troop-ship, Master-Commander Pearn,
sailed from St. Helena this morning for Plymouth. •
The Dasher steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Sherringham, left this morning for the eastward.
Rear-Admiral Dacres proceeds on Admiralty leave for
a fortnight. His flag was struck on board the President.
50, Captain Stanley, this evening at sunset.
The appointment of Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart.,
as Commander-in-Chief at this port, has received her.
Majesty's confirmation, and will be down to-morrow..
The gallant Admiral will hoist his flag in the Excellent
or Presidentpro tent. Captain Sir Richard Grant will be
flag captain, a gentleman respected by all ranks in and
out of the service who have the pleasure of knowing him.
The flag (red at the fore) of Vice-Admiral Owen was
struck this evening at sunset, on board the Formidable,
84. It is reported this ship will repair a few defects,
and then join the experimental squadron. No orders
were down to that effect at five o'clock this evening.
WOOLWICH, SEPT. 29.—The Devastation steam-
frigate, Commander Kitchen, has arrived at Purfleet
from the Mediterranean and Portsmouth, and when she
has unloaded her powder will come up to Woolwich to
be paid off.

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