The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-24 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 22. The experimental
squadron is not yet ready for sea, although we ex.
pecte:l it would have been by the 20th ; but the truth
of wh it we stated a few weeks ago is now proved-.-
seamen are not so plentiful as supposed, and numberr,
tired of waiting for the brigs to be commissioned,
really have left the port for other places and employ.
ment. Tenders are daily arriving with hands from
other ports, and vessels sent from this and other ports
to convey seamen. This would not have been the
case had the brigs been commissioned when ready,
and hundreds of the finest and best hands would hare
been secured to the service. We stated last week
s(taatsewmeenetxtnicatet
that the Daring entered her complement, and could
s of information.'
force. It
have entered many more on the day she hoisted her
ulptnepnwocdneorautnthlatdei.ibipetriTilislleai
daily and
present
nae
corroboratory
eNs,i beenseizedeenektl
syt
a t, esoooftufi
thepr
ocouenr
naval
is, in fact, however, corroborative of no such allega.
tion, but merely proves this, that the Daring and
Waterwitch, being the first of the squadron commis.
sinned, had a rush made to enter for them, and the
former having a very excellent commander, and a very
" winning" look, was manned, and to spare, before her
siAter had half her complement on her books, and be-
fore the other vessel of the squadron had entered a
single hand.
The Queen, 110, Captain Martin, is completing
provisions for five months at Spithead. She will be
inspected on Tuesday by the Commander-in-Chief,
and sail in a day or two after for Plymouth.
The Styx, steam-surveying-vessel, Captain Vida;
having coaled and replenished stores, left on Friday
afternoon to resume her duties in the Azores.
The Alfred, 50, Commodore Purvis, and the
Ardent, steam-sloop, Commander J. Russell, left
Monte Video on the 26th of June for Rio. Captain
Talbot, of the Vestal, is to command the English
squadron before Monte Video, until his sailing for
India, when the squadron will be commanded by
Captain Sir T. S. Pasley, of the Curacoa, 24. The
Gorgon steamer was still ashore on the 30th of June.
A Court-martial, consisting of Captain C. Talbot,
of the Vestal, President; Captain Sir T. S. Pasley, of
the Curacoa; Captain C. Hotham, of the Gorgon;
Capt. Willis, of the Frolic ; and Commander J. Rus-
sel, of the Ardent; assembled on board the Vestal, st
Monte Video, on the 19th of June, to try Mr.
George Durbin, late mate of her Majesty's ship
Alfred, on the following charges preferred by the
Admiralty, viz.:—
" 1. For general neglect of duty during the period
of his belonging to the said ship Alfred.
" 2. For uncourteous behaviour towards Comma.
dore Purvis, and remonstrating with him on the dis-
cipline of the ship in March, 1843.
" 3. For leaving a boat and neglecting to report
two of the crew, although they were drunk on duty,
he being the officer in charge of the said boat."
After some deliberation the Court found the pri-
soner guilty of the second charge only, but in con-
sequence of his previous good character, and the
time which had elapsed since the date of the offences
charged, the Court sentenced him to be severely re-
I primanded only.
The Fisgard, 42, Captain Duntze, arrived at Val-
paraiso on the 25th of May, and was joined on the
3d of June by the Daphne, 18, Captain Onslow, from
Monte Video.
The Comorant, 6, steam sloop, Commander Gordon,
left Valparaiso for Callao on the 3d of June.
The Rose, 18, Commander Sturt, sailed on the 3d
ult. from acrificioz for New Orleans, where she
arrived on the 17th with dispatches from Mr. Bank-
head, in Mexico, to the British Minister at Washing-
ton. She returned immediately to Vera Cruz, where
she shortly expected the arrival of the Inconstant, 36,
Captain Fremantle, to relieve her.
The Spartan, 26, Captain the Hon. C. G. J. B.
Elliott, left Port Royal for Havannah on the 6th of
August.

The Inconstant, 36, Captain Freemantle, left Port
Royal, Jamaica, on the 2d ult. for -Vera Crnz, to col-
lect freight on Government account for the payment
of the troops in the West Indies.

The Electra, 19, Commander Dareey, was at
Grenada on the 26th ult., where she would remain
during the hurricane months.
The Serpent, 16, Commander Nevill, was at Singa-
pore on the Ist of July, expecting shortly to proceed
to England.
The Prometheus, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Hay,
left the Gambia for Sierra Leone on the 7th of Jul',.
The Griffon, 3, Lieutenant-Commander C. Jenkins,
arrived at. Port Royal on the 6th of August from St.
Juan de Nicaragua.
The Pelican, 16, Commander Justice, was at Hong-
Kong on the 21st of June, awaiting the arrival of the:
next instalment of the Chinese ransom, wherewith to
proceed to England.
The Samarang, 26, Captain Sir E. Belcher, Knight,
arrived at Singapore on the 2d of July, from a eruize:
among the Celebes Islands. She had encountered oft'
Salombo, Java Sea, some piratical junks, who fell into
the dangerous mistake of taking the Samarang for a
merchantman. They, however, discovered their error
when within gun-shot. In the skirmish which fol-.
lowed Captain Belcher received a ball in the thir.;ta..
The pirates were beaten off with much loss, their
captain being, we are informed, among the slain:
The Vixen, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Gifford,
left Trincomalee on the 10th of July with dispatches,
from Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker, the Commander-
in-Chief, to Rear-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane, at Hong-
kong.
The Scylla, 18, Commander Sharp, arrived at
Pictou on the 4th ult., from a cruise in the Bay et
Funday.
The Wolf, 18, Commander Vyner, received ordara
on the 21st of June to sail from Ideng-Kohg for
Chusan, to place herself under the orders of Captain,
Graham, of the Castor.
In Harbour—The Victory, Excellent, Firebrand!,
Daring, Osprey, Flying Fish, Waterwitch, Nautilus,
Pantaloon, Dwarf, and Echo.
In Dock—Prince Regent, Athol, Vindictive, and,
Scourge.
At Spithead—The Queen.
DEVONPOET, SEPT. 20.—The Flora, as, ree,entiv
launched, was docked on Saturday for copperi.,,g.
The Heel; 1, steam. sloop, Commander D uffill,
having refitted, will return to the Meditertomean.
The Caledonia, 120, Captain Milne., is ordered to
return here from Lisbon. On her 'arrival it is ex-
pected the St. Vincent will proceed to Spithead.
The Rbaclornanthus, 2, steam-vessel, Master-Com-
mander Laen, arrived yesterday from Cork.
Tie Netley tender sailed on Monday with seamen
for the experimental squadron at Portsmouth.
The Stirling Castle convict ship, with her estab-
lishment, merely awaits steam-vessels to tow her to
proceed to Portsmouth.
The Adventure transport, M. Raskelly% master,
sailed yesterday with stores for Pembroke.
The Netley tender returned yesterday from Ports-
mouth.

In Harbour--The San Josef, Rhadamanthus,
Hecla, and Confiance.
In Dock—The Tent, Armada, and Ranger.
In the Sou_ a—:-The St. Vincent.
SEPTEMBER 20.—The Monkey steam-
SH:istartss,
'vessel arrived to-day from Woolwich to assist the
Africaine in towing the three brigs Mutine, Espeigle
and Cruiser from Chatham, to be inspected by the
Commander-in-Chief Sir .1. C. White, and receive
further orders.

The Thunder, 6, Commander Barnett, is still in
dock repairing at Chatham.
The Brilliant, 38, is now dockedfor razeeing.
The Aid, navy lighter, is loading stores for Dept-
ford and Woolwich at Chatham.

The Duck, navy lighter, was docked yesterday at
Chatham to repair copper and general defects.
The Lively arrived yesterday at Chatham with
stores from Portsmouth.

The Rochester sailed on Wednesday for Ports-
mouth and Devonport with stores.
In Harbour—Ocean, Raven, and African.
In Dock—Vernon, Herald, and Brilliant.
In tb Basin—London, Amazon, Monarch, and
Vulture. _ .

At Chatham.—ln Harbour—Poietiers, Mutine,
Espiegle, and Cruizer.
In Dock—Thunder and Duck lighter.
PROMOTlONS.—Lieutenant J. M. Potbury (flag of
San Josef), to be commander.

APPOINTMENTS.—Commander E. G. Fishipourn to
to the Naval College, for study.
Lieutenants—G.
W. Preedy to the Queen; W-
K. Hall to the Pantaloon ; A. Young to the
Espiegle; B. P. Priest, of the Dublin, to the Carpi-
fort ; G. Ogle to command the Royalist.
wood to the Espiegle.
Masters—James Bodil to the Winchester; G. Gur-
Mate—J. Purneaux to the Mutine.
Second Masters—G. Harwood to the Royal So-
vereign ; W. G. Sturgess to the Pluto.
Assistants—H. Edmunds to the Mutine ; W. 8..
Fegen to the Fearless ; I'. Tait to the Cruiser ;
0. T. Miller to the San Josef; G. Everest to the
Osprey ; V. C. Clarke to the Daring ; J. S. Brummer
to the Flying Fish ; J. Patrick to the Minden.
Naval Cadets—W. Dawson to the Mutine.
Clerks—J. Winsom to the Firebrand ; W. Balfout
to the Osprey.

EXEMPTION OF FARMING STOCK FROM-AUCTION
DUTY.—Many questions having arisen as to the extent
of this exemption, we have made inquiry, and the result
is that it does not apply to cider, butter, cheese, flour,-
&e. ; neither does it extend to all property which may
belong to a farmer, but only to such things as belong to,
and are used on, the land. Green-houses, hot-houses,.
nurserymen's stock, &c., arc not considered to come..
within the exemption.—Wiltshire Independent.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY.—The National Gal-
lery is now closed for the vacation, and will nut be re
opened until the 28th of next month. The Westmin—
ster.hall exhibition having also closed, the British Mu--
scum is now the only place open for the gratuitous act,
mission of the public.