The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-27 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, AUG. 25.—The unprotected state of
our ports has become amongst naval men a leading
topic of conversation, more so at the port than else-
where, and not without good reason, we think, when we
have before our eyes the fact that neither Portsmouth,
Devonport, nor Sheerness has a " guard" ship, and the
only ship fitting out for that service is the Queen, 110,
in this harbour, for the flag of Sir J. C. White at the
Nore. The St. Vincent, 120, until lately the flagship at
this port, is in the Sound at Plymouth, ordered to hold
herself in readiness to leave that port at a moment's
notice. The Collingwood will leave Spithead in a day
or two (Tuesday i 3 reported) for her station, when there
will be no ship fitting out at this or any other port except
the Queen.

A descent upon our coasts, even to the mouths of our
harbours, would be, under such circumstances as the
above, an attempt by no means difficult of accomplish-
ment, especially if steam were employed ; an enemy
might pour shot and shells into our garrisons, and into
this, perhaps, easier than any other, in the night, and
be out of reach before any craft could get out of harbour
to cope with them. To remedy the possibility of this,
it is the opinion of heads grown gray in the service that
a first-class steam-frigate, of powers somewhat like the
Terrible (now building at Deptford), should be con-
structed for the service of each port, and which should
be kept in such a state of constant readiness as to be
eligible for chase or fight almost at a moment's notice.
Such vessels would be far more eligible and efficacious in
keeping off marauding foes than all the guard-ships that
ever carried flags.
'cleBros, Captain Smart, at Spithead, has
. She will sail on Tuesday, we
recTe
believe.
vee
de osl
aliirgooodr

The Inconstant, 36, Captain Freemantle, was at Port
Royal, Jamaica, on the 20th ult.
The Queen, 100, Captain Martin, has her topgallant-
masts pointed, and will drop down to Spithead from her
moorings in the harbour, it is expected, next Saturday.
The Spartan, 26, Captain the lion. C. G. J. B. Elliott,
was at Port Royal on the 23d ult.
The Fox, 42, Captain Sir H. Blackwood, is on her
way from Tangiers, to relieve Commodore Chads, in the
Cambrian, 36, in China, who will return toEngland.
The Albatross, 16, Commander Yorke, arrived at
Sierra Leone on the 2d of June, and was to place herself
under the orders of Captain (since Commodore) Jones,
the senior officer on the African coast, who was expected
in the Penelope, 22, steam frigate. The Growler, steam
sloop, Commander C. H. M. Buckle, from the Brazils,
and the sloops Ringdove, 16, Commander Sir W. Daniell,
and the Wasp, 16, Commander S. H. Ussher, from the
West Indies, were ordered to reinforce the squadron on
the coast, to assist in the suppression of the slave trade.
The Pique, 36, Captain the Hon. M. Stopford, left Ja-
maica on the 10th ult., for Barbadoes, with specie,
The Vindictive, 50, now in dock here, is being expe-
dited
ported) for flag service on the West India
to relieve the Illustrious, 72, flag of Sir Charles
station,
Adam, whose period of service has expired.
The Victoria and Albert royal yacht, Captain Lord
Adolphus Fitzclarence, returned to Cowes last evening,
having been out four days on a trial cruise, which has
yielded the highest satisfaction. She came into the har-
bour again this day, at twelve o'clock.
In Dock—The, Vindictive,Scourge, and Athol.
In Harbour—The Victory (flag-ship pro tern), Queen,
Prince :Regent, Dwarf',
Excellent, Sylvia, Nautilus, Fearless, Echo and Comet
steamers.
In the Basin—The e
rcv
itc h.
Daring, Osprey, Lily, Flying Fish,
Pa
tal°°n, and a tSHEERNESS, AuG. 23.—The Monarch, 84, is ordered
to be brought forward for commission forthwith.
An order to enter 100 men for general service has
arrived at this dockyard, since which announcement
" many have called, but few have been chosen."
In the Harbour—The Ocean, Raven, and Africaine.
In Dock—The Monarch, Herald, Beagle, and Vernon.

PROMOTIONS.
Assistant-Surgeon.—James Allan (1837) to the rank
of surgeon.
Second-Master.—W. li. Green, of the Fearless, to the
rank of master.
Clerk.—E. Gabriel, of the Madagascar, to be pay-
master and purser.
APPOINTMENTS,

Captain.—M. 11. Dixon (1811) to the San Josef, with
the charge of the ships in ordinary at Devonport, vice
Burgoyne, whose period of service has expired.
Lieutenants.—T. J. R. Barrow, L. B. Mackinnon, G.
Pyne, J. W. Probert, S. F. Short, all additional to the
Formidable, flag-ship at Gibraltar.
Mates.—T. H. Molyneux and R. Barrington, to the
Excellent ; J. R. Hanyard, to the St. Vincent ; W. H.
Il to M.D.nx ; T. W. W. Spear,
Conolly, to the Comet.
Assistant- Surgeon.—W. P. Banks,
the Fearless, to the Crane.
the Alban (1838),
ot.
J.
B. Martin Cl erks .—A
(in.
charge),Arlington
to
the
(in charge),
to the Dwarf ; G. T. Harris, to the St, Vincent ; Mr.
Rivers, of Deptford Dockyard, to the Director of Works'
Department of Chatham Dockyard.
Masters' Assistants.—G. Raymond, to the Crane ;
Henry Petch, to the Tartarus.
Naval Cadet.—G. R. Tuckey, to the Alfred.
BoatsWain.—John Stanley (sup.), of the San Josef, to
the Fox, vice Culter, superseded.
ROYAL' MARINES.
ruomol7oNs.

First Lieutenant.—Z: Elliott to be Captain, vice
Bridge, to half-pay.
Second Lieutenant—W. Hutchinson to be First Lieu-
tenant, vice Elliott, promoted.

FATAL OCCURRENCE.—An inquest was held yes-
terday at the Portcullis public-house, Wellington-
place, Clifton, on the body of James Martin, aged fifty-
sis who died on Wednesday. It was supposed
that the cause of death was attributable to a violent purg-
ing, occasioned by his taking, en the Ist instant, a
quantity of jalap, given him in a frolic by some compa-
nions of the deceased, who were drinking with him in a
public-house; but the evidence of the medical man who
made a post mortem examination was to the effect that
he died of fever, with inflammation of the brain and its
membranes, to which his intemperate habits predisposed
him, Verdict accordingly.—Fe/ix Farle,y's Journal.