The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-31 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 29.—Letters have been re-
ceived from an officer of his Majesty's ship Slaney,
Captain Campbell, dated at Vera Cruz, Oct. 21,
which states that that ship arrived, with her pas-
sengers, on the 7th, from England. She had sub-
sequently taken on board some indigo, for merchants
at Jamaica, and 7,843 dollars, for Campeachy. A
large convoy of money was expected from Mexico.
The country appeared to be in a sadly disorganized
state; it was much feared that it would become
like Colombia. The 'Slaney was in great danger of
being lost, by her chair-cable snapping, in a gale of
wind, which suddenly came on whilst she lay at an-
chor under the Castle of St. Juan d'Ulloa ; when,
near the rocks, she, providentially, was brought up
by the stock of her anchor, both flukes having
broken off. The Slaney was about to proceed to '
Tampico, Campeachy, Havannali, and Port Royal.
Yesterday the Undaunted frigate, Capt. Augustus
Clifford, C. 8., sailed for Plymouth, to embark Lord
and Lady W. Bentinck, family, and suite, for Cal-
cutta. The Portuguese frigate Pearla, and brig
Tigo, also sailed for Plymouth, to await the orders
of the Infant Don Miguel, who is expected to em-
bark at Falmouth, in the Pearla, for Lisbon. Don
Miguel will, previous to his departure, spend a few
days with his friend the Earl of Morley, at Sal-
combe. The Challenger frigate, Capt. Fitzclarence,
will escort the Portuguese ships to the Tagus, and
afterwards return to the Plymouth station.
The Maidstone frigate, Commodore Skipsey, went
out of harbour this morning, and will sail on Mon-
day to assume the command at the Cape of Good
Hope. The Hasty gu4-brig, which has been fitted
with a steam-engine, for the purpose of clearing the
harbour of Port Louis, Mauritius, of mud, will sail
in company.

Yesterday the Flora transport, Lieutenant Went-
worth, Agent, arrived from Deptford, with provi-
sions for Sir Edward Codrington's squadron. She
will embark troops here • for Gibraltar, Malta, and
the lonian Islands, and sail on Monday. Yesterday
the transports Borodino, Indian Trader, Jupiter,
Wansbeck, Mary and Robert, Hoyden., and Cato,
which have been fitted at Deptford, for the convey-
ance of horses, went past this port, for Plymouth,
to await their final orders: it is conjectured that
they are to bring the Dragoon Regiments from
Portugal. Yesterday the ship Ann and Amelia,
which has been fitted as an hospital ship to the
Squadron in the Mediterranean, went ,past for Malta:
she is laden With stores, spars, and lower masts for
our ships—about 30 sail.
The Borodino, with convicts for New South
Wales, went past yesterday. All the outward-
bound merchantmen, which had been detained here
nearly three weeks by strong foul winds, yesterday
proceeded on their respective voyages.
Yesterday sailed his Majesty's brig Onyx, Lieut.
W. J. Cole, with despatches and passengers for the
coast of Africa. Among the latter are nine Ad-
miralty mates (of which Mr. John Sanderson is the
senior), whose united ages' is 273 years, united
ength of service 157 years, and length of time
which they have passed for Lieutenants, nearly 99
years. The Lord High Admiral, with that attention
to long and meritorious services, in all classes of
officers, which we always feel pleasure in noticing,
has sent them to the coast of Africa for promotion.
Remain at Spithead—Maidstone and Challenger.
In the Harbour—Victory, Revenge, Melville, Mer-
sey, Chanticleer, Britomart, Terror.
The ships Lady Holland, Snell; Madras, Beach;
and the Lord Amherst, Ardlie, for Madras and Ben-
gal; and the Maria, Lawler, for Madeira and Sierra
Leone, are arrived here to embark passengers.
The Grenada, Tracy, from Batavia to Antwerp,
put into the Mauritius about the Bth of September,
in a very dangerous state, and it was supposed would
be condemned.

The Etna Bomb, Captain Mate, is to sail from
Deptford on Tuesday next, for Spithead.
In Sir Edward Codrington's late engagement,
Which lasted four hours, the British squadron con-
sisted of three sail of the line, four frigates, and four
sloops of war, and the killed and wounded amounted
to 272 ; in the action, which did not last a quarter
of an hour, between the Shannon and the American
frigate Chesapeake, the number of killed and wound-
ed in the two frigates amounted to two hundred and
fifty-two, which is only a difference of twenty.
Capt. T. Boteler, on Thursday, commissioned the
}Leda, at Deptford. Lieutenants Thomas Tombs
and William Arlett are appointed to her, the latter
of whom served under Captain Fitzwilliam Owen,
'as Midshipman and Lieutenant, during his late ez-
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Majesty's sloop the Barracouta, during the late ex-
tensive survey, executed on the Coast of Africa,
under Capt. W. F. W. Owen, (luring the years
1822, 3,4, 5, and 6. We understand that, under
the auspices of the Lord High Admiral and, Captain
B.'s former scientific Commander, the Hecla is com-
missioned to complete this survey. It will comprise
a strict and careful examination of the coast, rivers,
and harbours, included between the Straits of Gib-
raltar and the Line, as also ..of the Islands in the
Bight of Biafra. The preparing for publication of
Captain Owen's charts, amounting in number to
about•one hundred, devolved on Captain Boteler;
and it is at the conclusion of this service that he has
been appointed to so important and interesting a
command. It is expected that the present service
will occupy him upwards of three years; and we
may, even setting aside the Hydrographic matter,
look forward with interest to the completion of it.—
This expedition being accomplished, we may say
that the Hecla's voyages of discovery (having, been
commanded by Captain Parry) have been wound
up by one highly beneficial to science and naviga-
tion.

His Majesty having granted permission to the
Lieutenants of the army, of fifteen years standing to
take the rank of Captains at ss. per diem, half•pay,
it is hoped that his Royal Highness the Lord High
Admiral will permit some of the old Lieutenants
of the Navy to retire with the rank of Commander ;
and if an increased half-pay is deemed an obstacle to
it, let them enjoy that rank with their present half-
pay, until they reach the number now superannuated,
which-is 109. The country need not be put to an
extra expellee, and many old and deserving offi-
ces will thus obtain a rank which they have been de-
prived of because they did not possess Parliamentary
interest. The 300 Senior Lieutenants have born&
commissions from 28 to 40 years, consequently they
must have been from 35 to 50 years in the navy.—
Hampshire Telegraph.

VIENNA, DEc. 18.—His Serene Highness the
Duke of Brunswick is on the point of returning to
his own dominions. It is affirmed that the differences
existing between that Prince and the Cabinet of
Hanover are on the point of being adjusted, a result
to which a letter addressed to the Duke by an
august personage has much contributed.
It is said that the English Ambassador, Sir
Henry Wellesley, has received letters from Mr.
Stratford Canning, dated the 29th of November, in
which that Minister requests him to send his de-
spatches, couriers, &c., to Corfu, and not to Con-
stantinople.
TRIESTE, DEC. 17.—Letters from Alexandria,
dated the 7th of November, which we received yes-
terday, state that tranquillity had not been interrupt-
ed there, though the events of Navarin were known.
We have no official news relative to the burning
of the Greek fleet off Scio, by M. de Rigny, which
has been spoken of here for these three days.
We are almost entirely without intelligence from
the Archipelago.