The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-16 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 14.—The Griffin, 3, Lieutenant..
Commander C. Jenkin, arrived at Spithead, this day
at noon, from Port Royal, bringing invalids from
the squadron.
The Vindictive, 50, is reported ready for commission,
and is expected to hoist the pendant in a few days, to
supersede the Winchester, 50, Captain Eden, flag of
Rear-Admiral the Hon. J. Percy, as flag-ship on the
Cape of Good Hope station.
The Nautilus, 10, Lieutenant •Commander W. Robson,
is equipping in the harbour to protect the fisheries on
the Sussex coast, her former duty.
The Fair Rosamond schooner, paid off on Saturday,
is being surveyed for re-commission.
The Lynx, 3, Lieutenant-Commander Nott, was in
Tarbert Roads on the 11th instant, expecting sailing
orders for Lisbon daily.
The Lark, schooner, Lieutenant- Commander Lawrence,
was at Nassau, New Brunswick, on the 20th, of Sep-
tember, all well.

The 'Cornwallis, 72, Captain Richards, went into har-
bour at Devonport, on Saturday, to be paid off.
The Amazon, razie 42, at Sheerness, is reported com-
missioned by Captain J. J. Stopford.
The Nimrod, 20, Commander Glasse, was ordered into
harbour yesterday at Devonport, to be paid off. She ar-
rived at Bombay on Saturday, having made the passage
in seven weeks. She was inspected in the Sound, on
Tuesday, by Captain Dickson, of the San Josef.

,
The Resistance troop-ship, Commander Patey, left
Plymouth Sound for Cork, on Sunday, but was driven
back by stress of weather, on Tuesday.
The Flamer steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander Postle,
went into Barnpool on Wednesday, her crew having pre-
viously received wages. She will leave in a day or two,
for Gibraltar.

Very heavy gales have been blowing on this coast
since Sunday, from S.S.W. to W.S.W. They somewhat
abated this morning. Extraordinary high tides prevailed
during the gales. The water rose much higher than has
been observed for three or four years, and the houses
alongshore have been deep in water in the cellars, and
considerable damage and inconvenience occasioned.
THE EXPERIMENT AT PORTSMOUTH WITH
CAPTAIN NORTON'S SHELLS.

PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 15.—The trial of these shells
took place this morning on board the Excellent, in the
presence of General the Hon. Sir Hercules Pakenham,
Captain Sir Thomas Hastings, Captain F. Rowley, Capt
Norton, Colonel Dansey, B.A. Colonel Trevor, and
several engineer and artillery officers. The firing com-
menced at nine o'clock, and the shells were thrown from
a 68 and 32-pounder guns. The old Swiftsure is lying
aground at the distance of about 1,400 yards from the
Excellent, heeling over at an angle of about 20 degrees,
her deck exposed to that ship.

A large canvas target was placed at the port side of
the Swiftsure's bow, the intention being to strike her in
that part of the ship ; but a strong breeze blowing
directly across the line of fire, prevented that accuracy
of aim which, no doubt, would have been entirely per-
fect but for this circumstance. As it was, the practice
was most perfect, as the following account of the shells
fired will show :

Shell No. I. Missed the ship, when striking the mud
a second time exploded.

No. 2. Struck ship at the chestrees and exploded.
No. 3. Struck the fore pole, or mast, and exploded.
No. 4. Missed ship, exploded on striking the mud.
No. 5. Missed, exploded in mud.
No. 6. Struck ship, port side midships, and exploded.
No. 7. Missed ship, exploded in the mud.
No. 8. Struck starboard cathead and exploded.
No. 9. Entered port broadside and exploded on the
main deck.

No. 10. Struck ship's deck starboard] side and ex-
ploded._ _

No. 11. Struck deck and starboard rail and exploded,
No. 12. Struck the forecastle and exploded in the heads
blowing out the planking.
No. 13. Entered through the quarter-deck by the
main hatchway combings and exploded, blowing out part
of the starboard side.

No. 14. Struck bulwark of forecastle and exploded.
No. 15. Passed over Swiftsure and exploded in the
mud.

No. 16. Entered ship's deck abaft forehatch and ex-
ploded on main, deck.
No. 17. Entered the deek near main-hatch and ex-
ploded on main-deck.
No. 18. Entered the deck near fore-hatohway and ex-
ploded on main-deck,
No. 19. Entered 00 deck by after-hatch and exploded
on main-deck.

NO. 20. Entered the deck abaft thn mainmast and ex-
ploded,
No. 21. Misqed, at 4 explodod on striking nAud.
No. Struck dc'ck by fore-hate.4way and c.:4lcde.p.
NO. 23. Struck the caliyas tar?,lei
the 131114x:cye, eoered the ship nt `'-
ami eißladeci.

-3 above
~ ...te port side, forward,

Ai, wni be seen, from the above list of shells fired, that

the firing was vera' splendid, very few shells missing
the ship.

We visited the Swiftsure after the firing ceased, and
we were most astonished at the destructive power of these
shells, and at the extreme accuracy of the fuzes ; every
shell exploded in an instant after striking the object ;
even the concussion on striking the mud had the effect
of bursting it, the iron of the shell splitting into small
fragments. The quarter deck, main deck, and even the
lower deck, were literally strewed with the fragments,
accompanied by quantities of splinters of deck stanchions,
&c. Had the Swiftsure been fully manned, the decks,
from the twenty-three shells fired, must have been com-
pletely cleared of men—hardly any could have escaped.
We are decidedly of opinion that this shell is by far the
most deadly and destructive that we have ever seen,
principally from the correct and timely bursting, from
the ingenious effect of the concussion on the fuze ; and
we have no doubt but the competent officers that are
ordered to report thereon will give a very favourable
account of it.

To-morrow, we understand, a further trial will take
place, and likewise a trial of Colonel Dansey's shells.
(From the Devonport Independent.)
Her Majesty's ship Cornwallis, 72, Captain Peter
Richards, C. 8., was towed into harbour on Saturday by
the Flamer and Confiance. She will be paid off on
Thursday next.
Her Majesty's steamer Alban, Lieut. Frederick Lowe,
arrived on Thursday from the Cove of Cork.
Her Majesty's sloop Pelican, 16, Commander Justice,
may shortly be expected from the East Indies, with the
second instalment of the Chinese ransom ; and we have
reason to believe she will bring home the officers and
crew of the Minden, orders having been received to pay
that ship off at Hong-Kong.
Her Majesty's ship Inconstant, 36, Capt. Fremantle,
and the Spartan, 26, Captain the Hon. Charles Elliot,
were at Vera Cruz on the 2d ult.

Her Majesty's sloop Rose, Is, Commander llenry
Sturt, was.at Tampico on Sept. 25.

Her Majesty's surveying vessel Lark, Lieut. G. Law.
rence, was at Nassau on the sth ult.

Her Majesty's ship Vestal, 26, Capt. Charles Talbot,
arrived in Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, from Hali-
fax, on her way to the East Indies, on Sept. 13.
Her Majesty's sloop Bittern, 16, Commander Edmund
Peel, from a cruise ; and the Thunderbolt steam-sloop,
Commander George N. Broke, from Algoa Bay, arrived
in Simon's Bay on Sept. 13.
Her Majesty's ship Cambrian, 36, Capt. H. D. Chads,
C. 8., arrived at Madras on Sept. 2, on her way to Eng-
land to be paid off.

ENTERTAINMENT TO MR. JUS

TICE ERLE.

Yesterday evening a banquet was given at the Albion,
Aldersgate-street, by the Western Circuit, to Mr. Justice
Erle, on his elevation to the bench. A most sumptuous
entertainment was provided on the occasion by Messrs.
Staples. Mr. Rogers, the leader of the circuit, was in
the chair, and was supported not only by the present
members of the circuit, but in addition the body were
rejoined by Sir Thomas Wilde, Mr. Sergeant Merewe-
ther, Sir John Audrey, W. Hayter, Esq., M.P., and
others, who having some time left the circuit, were
anxious to express their concurrence in the unanimous
feeling which had prompted this token of respect to their
distinguished guest. The party were also joined by Sir
Frederick Thesiger, as representing the Attorney-Ge-
neral, Sir W. Follett, who was also a member of the
Western Circuit.

After due justice had been done to every delicacy
which the accustomed efforts of the proprietors of the
Albion could provide, and the usual loyal toasts had been
duly honoured,

The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Health of Mr. Justice
Erle."

The company, by their long-continued acclamations,
indicated how much they concurred in the sentiments
expressed by the chairman.
Mr. Justice ERLE, in returning thanks for the hearty
reception and princely entertainment he had received,
begged to add that he accepted the kindness of his
friends around him not more for the hearty goodwill
which their applause indicated than for the satisfaction
which their applause expressed of his conduct during the
years which he had spent in intimate connexion with the
members of the Western Circuit. The maintenance of
the high character of the bar was essential to its posi-
tion, and the expression of kind feeling which he had
received he hoped might be taken as an approval on the
part of those with whom he had so long associated that
his efforts had been directed to that end.
" The Health of the Attorney and Solicitor Generals"
followed, for which

Sir F. THESIGER returned thanks ; and the evening
was concluded with the most perfect concurrence of a
large body of the bar in a sentiment expressed by the
Solicitor-General, that " the only credit due to the
Government was, that they had selected the best man."