The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-05 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PonTsmot:Tir, AUG. 4.—The Excellent gunnery ship,
Captain Sir Thomas Hastings, lint., still bears the flag of the
Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Rowley, Bart., G.C.8.,
G.C.H., &c. ; it will be removed, however, to the Queen, 110,
Captain Martin, on the latter leaving the harbour for Spit-
head, should the St. 'Vincent not be ordered from Devonport.
Mr. Thomas Howels, gunner, R.N., has invented a new
" pointer " for concentrating a ship's fire, which, having been
submitted for the approval of the Board of Admiralty, their
Lordships directed a trial to be made on board the Excellent ;
consequently, yesterday five guns were fitted with the
pointers, and a large target twelve feet square being placed at a
distance of 400 yards from the ship, at the first fire all five
shots pierced the target and tore it to shreds. It is believed
that had the shot being directed in a similar manner against
a ship, and struck her near the water-line, she must have
sunk in a few minutes. The experiment, which is considered
eminently successful, was witnessed by a large number of
naval officers and spectators.
The Collingwood, 80, Captain Eden, flag of Rear-Admiral
Sir G. F. Seymour, is ready for sea. She was to have re-
ceived two months' advance on Friday, but some delay oc-
curred, and it is consequently postponed. We are informed
that the recent transactions in the South Seas will probablti•
alter her route on sailing, and that she only waits the answer
of the French Government to the application from her Ma-
jesty's Ministers for satisfaction for the conduct pursued
towards her Majesty's Consul, Mr. Pritchard. We are also
informed that Mr. 'Pritchard will be reinstated in his Con-
sulate duties at Otaheite, and that he will return to that
island in the Collingwood.
The Scylla, 16, Commander Sharpe, sailed from Halifax on
the 14th ult., for St. John's, Newfoundland, where she would
relieve the Eurydice, 26, Capt. G. Elliott, ordered to Halifax.
The Pique, 36, Captain the Hon. M. Stopford, touched at
the Havannah, on the 15th ult., for water, &c., en route from
the coast of Mexico to Halifax, with specie.
The Illustrious, 72, Commodore R. Sharp, arrived at Ha-
vannah on the 20th of June, from Jamaica, to demand, in
conjunction with the British Consul, satisfaction for some
gross outrages put upon some English subjects in the island
of Cuba. The Pique was ordered to remain to co-operate
with the Illustrious. _ _

The Nimrod, 20, Commodore Glasse, was at Bombay on
the 18th of June last from Trincomalee, where she left the
Cornwallis, 72, Captain Richards, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir
W. Parker, G.C.8., on the 27th of May, refitting for her re-
turn to England.
The Clio, 16, Commodore Fitzjames, left Bombay on the
19th of May to join the Cornwallis at Trincomalee, whence
both ships would sail for England.
The Alligator troop-ship, 22, Master Commander J. N.
King, arrived at Madras from China on the 25th of May,
with troops.
The Fox, 42, Captain Sir H. Blackwood, Bart., touched at
Tangier (en route for the East Indies), to land important dis•
patches on the 16th of June.
The Comet steam-vessel, Commander Prettyman, on pay-
ing off the Vindictive, will proceed to Plymouth and Devon-
port with such of her crew and marines as reside in those
localities.

In Harbour—The Excellent, the Queen, the Victory, the
Vindictive, the Seaflower cutter, the Fearless, the Comet, and
the Echo steam-vessels.

In Dock—The Prince 'Regent, the Athol, the Wanderer;
the Dwarf, and the Scourge (building).
In the Basin—The Victoria and Albert, the Lily, the Fly-
_

ing Fish, the Daring, the Osprey, the Pantaloon, and the
Waterwitch.

At Spithead—The Colliagwood.
DEVONPORT, AUGUST 2.—The Crane packet, 6, Lieutenant-
Commander T. A. Lewis, sailed on Thursday for Falmouth,
whence she sailed the same day with mails for the Brazils, via
Madeira and Teneriffe.

The Apollo troop ship, Commander Maclean, sailed on the
26th ult. for Newfoundland and North America, with two
companies and a detachment of the Royal Artillery aboard,
for service in those regions. On the same day the Hamoaze
lighter sailed from Milford Haven, with Mr. Henderson, As
sistant Master Attendant of this dock-yard, and a party of
riggers, to rig and navigate the Juno, 26, recently launched,
to Chatham.

The Nile, 92, was docked on Wednesday to have her cop-
per cleaned and examined.
The Madagascar, 44, Captain J. Foote, is ordered to be
paid off to-morrow. Joseph Noble, the marine, who was
sentenced to be hanged last week for stabbing Mr. Prothero, a
midshipman of this ship, has had his sentence commuted to
transportation for life.
The Superb, 80, advance ship, was undecked on Wednes-
day, and will be taken to her moorings in a day or two.
In Harbour—San Josef, Madagascar, and Confiance.
In Dock—Kent, Ranger, Actaeon.

In the Sound—St. Vincent.
SHEERNESS, AI:G. 2.—A court-martial was held on Mon-
day on board the Ocean, 80, Captain Fisher, flag-ship pro
tem. of Vice-Admiral Sir John Chambers White, K.C.8., &c.,
to try the master's mate of the Spy brigantine, Lieutenant-
Commander Wooldridge, recently arrived from the coast of
Africa, for acts of repeated drunkenness. The charges were
fully proved, and the prisoner was sentenced to be dismissed
her Majesty's service.
The Lords of the Admiralty have ordered a new second-
class war steamer to be built at this yard, to be called the
Fury, of the following dimensions :—Length, 190 feet ;
breadth, 36 feet ; depth, 21 feet ; tonnage, 1,123 ; horse-
power, 460.

Captain Superintendent Peter Fisher, R.N., went on survey
on Tuesday to join the Harbour of Refuge Commission.
In Harbour—The Ocean and the Raven.
In Dock—The Monarch, the Vernon, nd the Herald.
In the Basin—The Amazon, the Vulture, and the Cro-
codile.