The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-20 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, MAY 17.—Mr. William Peel, third son of
the Premier, and mate of the Excellent, has been appointed
Lieutenant, after having gone through the course of instruc-
tion given in that ship, and passed the probationary exami-
nation, with a degree of credit before unheard of—nine hun-
dred and ten is the number which marks the utmost possible
proficiency in gunnery, and Mr. Peel obtained nine hundred
and eight ; 270 is the highest number for navigation, and he
obtained 260 ; l4 months is the time allotted for the course—
it never was before accomplished under nine months—Mr.
Peel passed the examination in five months and four days.
The Bonetta, brigantine, Commander Brock, and Sparrow,
ketch, wore put out of dock yesterday at Chatham, and
masted.

tThe
ay ,and
Janus, steam-vessel,ito Chatham
Dockave her
n Monday, onbooilersiepnudtay,t
boardbe
taken into
coppered and fitted for sea.
[he Muting and Espiegle, new 12-gun experimental brigs
at Chatham, are both nearly rigged, and will be undocked in
a fortnight.
Great exertions are being used at Chatham to fit for sea, as
soon as possible, the Cruizer, 16 guns, and the Retribution,
steam-frigate.
The Ariel, lighter, has been repaired, and will sail to-day
from Chatham for Woolwich.
The Prussian ship Wilhelm, from Dentate, Volcken master,
arrived at Chatham on Wednesday with timber for the dock-
yard.
Her Majesty's ship St. Vincent, 120, Captain R. F. Rowley,
bearing the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir
Charles Rowley, Bart., went out of harbour yesterday at
eleven o'clock. This occurrence (the weather being remark-
ably fine) drew all the sight-seeing community to the Plat-
form Battery, the ramparts, the Victoria Pier, &c., all which
places were thronged with fashionable and well-dressed
people. The Gosport side—the pier and beach, were similarly
occupied by a numberless crowd of people. The wind was
fair, but extremely light. The St. Vincent, after letting go
her warps and under all sail, moved majestically slow to the
narrow pot or mouth of the harbour, where, not stemming
the the tide, she Rent boats ahead to tow : these had,
no effect on her, and the Echo steamer took her in tow.'
When abreast of the Platform, the admirable band of the
Royal Marines, stationed there for the purpose, struck up
"Rule W 44110110 which was responded to by the St. Vin-
cent's band playing f' clod save the Queen." At this time the
light wind suddenly shifted to the mall- west, which obliged
her to furl her sails, and the Echo towed her to Spithead,
where she dropped her anchor on the spot formerly occupied
by the wreck seam Royal George (now cleared aw A
nay by thber
e
ingenuity and netSeVetallee of General Paste y). um
of yachts of the gentlemen of the Royal Yacht Club, and
various bargee and boats, containing parties of ladies and
gentle Men, attended the St. Vincent out of harbour, and
large party of ladies and gentlemen went out to Spithead in
1 that ship.
Admiral Sir C. Rowley did not go put in the St. Vincent.
We are sorry to say he is suffering from an attack of his old
complaint.
The Rattlesnake, Master Corn. R. Brown, was towed into
harbour by the EehO, to pay off.
The Prometheus was undocked yesterday, and commis-
sioned to-day by Commander John Hay.
The Rapid, 10-gun brigantine, Lieut. Corn, Edward C,
Earle (about the safety of which vessel the public journals
have lately ezpressed doubts), was left by the Rattlesnake
on the 25th of March last, refitting at the island of Ascen-
sion ; all well, By a letter we have seen from one of her
officers, we learn that she has been most actively and success-
fully employed on the African coast, On the lull of February
last, she had a dashing affair with a Spanish slaver, completely
armed, which she captured with her boats in the River Rim-
bia. The boats had to sustain a long galling flre of musketry
in pulling up the river, but when they got alongside the slave
crew ran below and cried for mercy, It was a gallant affair,
and the crew of the Rapid appear to have behaved with much
courage. One man was killed and two wounded. The Rapid
lies been on the coast two years, during which time she has
captured seven slave vessels, containing 1,288 slaves. The
letter before mentioned, speaking of one of the slave vessels
captured, states that her deck was only four feet from deck
to beam, where the slaves were literally stowed In bulk, men,
women, and children all huddled together; that the effluvia
ascending up the hatchway was not approachable from the
extreme filth, heat, moisture, and stench from the slave-deck,
where several poor creatures were found dead, trodden under
feet by the living; that nO imagination can paint the suffer-
ings filet these poor miserable Africans undergo ; and that in
general all the vessels captured partook more or less a the
deplorable condition of this one he particularised ; that ire.
morality, disease, and death were prevalent In all of them.
The Rapid was preparing for another cruise, and we under-
stand is such a good sailer that no vessel escapes her.
The Victoria and Albert received the new tubular boilers
on Wednesday, and has again been taken into the covered
dock : she ie now taking in her Wits, and will progress in
her new paint and gilding so soon as the engineers 44Te a -
justed the enginery. The old boilers are being put into the
ship which brought the others from Woolwieh, to be taken
back to that arsenal.
The Collingwood is fast progressing; she has been fitted
with the newly invented tops. These consist of two pieces ;
the square or after part is sent up first a mere skeleton, the
flooring or boardi or the top.being sent up afterwards, and
are made to fit like hatches in pallets. 'Po fPTP PT Ffilillhd
part of the top is a separate piece, and is joined to the square
part by hinges, which permit it to flap back under the cap
414*et the topmast, which in light wind or calm weather will
prevent the topsail binding and chafing against the top rim.
It is said Sir a, PYTfig4F hoist }s 44. g. in a day
or two.
(Prom the Desomport YKlePacreiio
COAST OF AFRICA.—We extract the -ro, laving from a
letter received from her Majesty's brig Alert, 10, Commander
C. J. Bosanquet :—" We have been cruising off Cape Palmas
;INl4PnLkloirt fur a noted slaver, but could see nothing of
her, We Ygnirped sierraLP(lpg on the sth Feb., and
;„!!ed again on the foliowl ?ikrfor tt3e Afttiabia. vessel
from the River I`7tuiez, ha nq oroognt us to iligellce 0114
two chiefs had made war with -each ether, and that the
Albert, iron steamer, was up that river, in want of assistance,
haying lied four of her men killed and seven wounded, while
01434,10414 i ilituillOT had takact rime among the natives,