The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-06 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Hydra, steam sloop, Commander Young, was at Sierra
Leone on the 30th of March. We have received letters to the
above date, which set at rest the doubted capture of the notorious
slave felucca which beet off the Growler's pinnace in January last,
when Lieutenant Lodwick was wounded, and which had so long
eluded our sailing cruisers. She was captured in the Bight of
Benin, and when taken possession of bore evident marks of the
rough encounter she had sustained from the pinnace of the Grow-
ler; the mizen was completely riddled, the mainsail cut to ribande,
and, it is believed, five men were killed in action, as their names
did not appear in the felucca's papers when captured. Her crew
was about 70 men. The felucca was named the Hurican, awl a
cargo of 700 slaves were waiting to be shipped at the Gallinas ; 70
were found on board at the time she was captured. Eight days
after the capture of the Hurican the Hydra made prize of another
equally famous, or rather infamous, slaver, and which had given
our fleetest cruisers the slip on several occasions. This was the
Peptita, captured during the night, after a most exciting
and interesting chase, the felucca striving "might and main"
to get away; but the Hydra's 68-pounders committed havoc
in her sails, crippled her speed, and shattered her hull
wt
and bulwarks. The felucca, still, however, carried on, but
found steam too powerful for her, as the Hydra gained upon
her fast, and soon came up with her, when Lieut. Rooystra, acting
FirsthichLtiiemuet.
he of drae,vboeryardpedrepahreartioanndfortooa kmopsotssbesloosiodny,
at
discoveredheH
y
re-
sistance, a long 18-pounder being pointed over her quarter, loaded
with grape and round shot, a cask full of cartridges near, several
swivels loaded with one-pound balls, four chests of arms, the mus-
kets and pistols all double-loaded, some with ball and others with
slugs, the deck strewed with round and grape-shot, and upwards of
200 rounds in her magazine. She had upwards of 300 slaves on
board, and would have doubled that number in a few hours had
she not been captured, as a number of canoes were pulling off to her
from the shore when she descried the Hydra making towards her.
It being dark at the time, she thought she could elude her pursuer
by slipping her cable and running ; which she did in beautiful
style, and would have given her pursuer much more trouble, if not
have escaped altogether, had not her sails been riddled by the heavy
shot fired purposely at them. This was the sixteenth capture made
upon the coast of Africa by Commodore Jones's squadron this
year. The Hydra is of 220 horse.power and 120 men, admirably
adapted for the slavery-suppression service. She sustained con.
siderable damage in her wheels, but was otherwise not materially
injured.

PROMOTION..

Lieutenants—Edward COTI;;(181i), late of the Caledonia, to
the rank of Commander ; W. Lambert, S. Mottley, M. Raven, J.
Harris, and J. Jackson, all of 1808, to be retired Commanders on
the list of 1830 ; G. C. Kerr (acting) confirmed in the rank of
Lieutenant.
Assistant-Surgeon—J. J. Paul to the rank of surgeon ; J. Gray
(c) and J. Gordon (b) acting confirmed in rank as assistant-
surgeons.