The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-30 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTINIOUTM, JAN. 27.—This morning his Majesty's sloop
Redwing, of 18 guns, D. C. Clavering, arrived from the Western
Coast of Africa, via St. Thomas's, which place she left on the
27th of November, bringing home the Commissioner of Inquiry,
that left this country in the latter part of 1825, and a number of
invalided officers and seamen from the squadron on that station.
By her we are sorry to learn, that the slave traffic goes en with
increased activity; in a short cruise round the Bight of Benin
only, this ship boarded nearly thirty sail of vessels, under the
French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Brazilian Rags, all fitted for
the reception of slaves, and, from the best authority, it is sup-
posed, that there are nearly thirty thousand of these poor wretches
ready for embarkation, along the coast, and only deterred from
being instantly shipped through the vigilance and activity of the
British cruisers. The late decisive victory obtained over the
Ashantees, by the British and their numerous allies, tinder the
command of the gallant Col. Pardon, on the plains of Doo-doo-
wha, has greatly increased the number of slaves for exportation,
as all the prisoters who were not immolated (after the African
custom) to the manes of the deceased friends of the conquerors,
have been sent to the coast as slaves.

This ship presents another instance of the great number of Eu-
ropeans !sacrificed in the hitherto ineffectual attempt of putting a
stop to this traffis, she having lost, during the time she has been
in commission (a period of less than two years), nine officers and
nearly fifty men. Of five officers who went out in her gun-room
mess, and 13 in her midshipmen's, only one in each has returned ;
the rest (except two promoted) having either died from the effects
of the climate, been lost on board detained slave vessels, or obliged
to leave the coast from ill health.

A few dnaeys fbe herfat Capeand
she lost
most melancholy
i affect-
ing manner :—The man had been working hard in the fore-hold,
and, being very dirty, lowered himself down on the cable, under
tooorebest leaving
seamen th station,
a
the bows, to wash himself; while thus employed, a large shark
attacked him, and before he could get out Of the water, seized
him by the lower part of the belly, and tore great part of his en-
trails out. Notwithstanding this, the man succeeded in disen-
gaging himself from the animal, and regaining the cable; but
before assistance could be procured, the shark returned and took
him down, the poor fellow being too exhausted to offer any re
sistance. He was again seen to rise with him at a short distance,
evidently endeavouring to bear away his prey from the number-
less others, who, attracted by the blood, had gathered round the
spot, and were all eager to have a share in the spoil. Several of
these destructive creatures followed the ship, when at sea, for
many days after.

Since the setting in of the dry season, the squadron were gene-
rally healthy, and were stationed as follows :—Commodore Bul-
lion, who had been unwell, had recovered his health, and left St.
Thomas's on the 27th of November, in the Maidstone, for Sierre
Leone, calling at Cape Coast in the way. The Commodore in-
tended proceeding afterwards to the Gambia, Cape Verdi,
The North Star sailed on the same day for Ascension ; the Esk
was cruising in the Bights of Benin and Biafra; and the Conflict
was at Sierre Leone. The Governor, Sir Neill Campbell, had
been to leeward, inspecting the forts of Cape Coast and .Accra,

and had reduced the eEtablislutents at Dix. Cove, Ananiaboo, ang
Accra, sending all the white troops to Site-re Leone. His Eteel.-
lency was to leave Cape Coast, in the African stearn-voesel, for the
same destination, towards the close of November.—The Redwing
left Cape Coast on Nov. 13. She has not visited Sierra Leone
since July last. It is already known that the last season at that
place was still more than usually fatal.
Lieutenant Tom, of the Esk, Mr. Rogan, surgeon, and Lieut.
Campbell, R. M. of the North Star, have come home passengers
by her—all in a very bad state of health. Mr. ToHervey, of the
Esk, has been promoted to the Esk, vice Lieutenant Tom, in-
valided.
The Redwing, on the night of the 23d of December, in lati-
tude 19.20. long. 84.30., spoke a large ship belonging to Loft-
don, from Batavia, hound to Rotterdam ; and on the 27th of
December, in lat. 24.0., long. 39.40., spoke the ship Rochester,
belonging and bound to London, last from St. Catherine's—all
well. Off Ushant, Paw two line-of-battle ships, supposed to be
the Wellesley and Gloucester, from Lisbon, and Is-head of them,
a Portuguese line-of-battle ship, supposed to be the Don John VI.
from Rio Janeiro, bound to Brest. The Redwing, from having
peen on shore OR one of the Cape Verds on her passage out, re-
quires docking.
There is no news whatever by the Redwing, either of Captain
Clapperton or Major Laing; but we are happy to hear, that this is
not regarded as a very unfavourable circumstance. There was rea-
son to believe, that their progress through the country would not
be so rapid as they in their ardour anticipated.
We have received a letter from Lisbon, dated Jan. 8, which
says, " The troops are ordered up the country, to take up posi..
tions ; but Mother to give confidence to the Constitutionalists,
who are pursuing the rebels to the Spanish territory, or to sup.
port the negotiations av-tjch our Minister is carrying on with the
wily Ferdinand, we know no: no one siho knows any thing of
the personal character of that deep,* expecte any thing from him
or his Government but deception and trsZcherl."
The_Wellesley, Gloucester, Windsor Cast;.; and Melville, leftthe Tagus on the bth inst. ; and the Romney
,01, ',Pyramus on the
4th inst., for Gibraltar.

Major John Arnaud (eon of Elias Bruce Arnaud, fn., of Port-
mouth), is is appointed Town-Major at Lisbon.
The George the Fourth steam-packet, Captain Black, erived
here on Tuesday, from the River, took in her coals (about 1k."0
chaldrons) and sailed about half-past six r. sr. on Thursday, with
a mail and passengers for Lisbon ; she will reach the Tagus on
Monday next.

Sir Edward Codrington, K. C. B. arrived this morning, and
hoisted his nag in the Asia, of 84 guns, Capt. Edward Curzon,
and will sail on Monday, to assume the command in the Medi-
terranean.

We last week briefly stated the loss of his Majesty's sloop the
Nimrod, 18, Captain Samuel Sparshott, in Holyhead Roads, on
the night of Sunday, the 14th inst., whereshe took shelter, on her
passage from Cork to the Clyde, having been nearly lost at sea
on the previous day, in the seine violent gale of wind by which
she was driven on shore at that anchorage. The following nar-
rative of her loss, written by one of the officers, shews that all
the resources and energies of the officers and men were employed
to avert the danger, though not attended with the desired suecesa
—her fate was inevitable.

NARRATIVE OF THE LOSS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP itm,.OD.

" JAN. 13, ~x,—Fesh gales and squally-12. SO. three
reefs of main topsail-1.50. Trimmed sails, Taskar light W. g. W.
—4. Strong gales and squally, clown top gallant yards-3.Steong
gales-8. 20. Close reefed the topsails, reefed and set the fore-
sail, and furled foretopsail, in five reefs of maintopeail, struck
top gallant masts-9. Bray Head N.N.W. five leagues-10.
30. A heavy gale, while hauling up the foresail, shipped a
heavy sea, which carried away the larboard bulwarks, the star-
board quarter boat, and davits, filled the lower deck, waist.
cabin, and gun room with water, and threw the sloop almost
on her beam ends, where she remained some seconds, very doubt-
ful if she would recover herself; put the helm up, but it was wins
time before she would answer it, being water-logged; at length
she got before the wind, the sea sweeping every thing from else
side to the other; continued before the wind until the water was
got off, and some spare half ports shipped (the pumps had born
kept going all the time); furled maintopsail, hauled to the wind,
but was obliged to keep her away again, from her not rising to
the sea, and shipping a great deal of water; and it was remarked
by some of the officers; that she appeared very much by the head,
from which we inferred that the ballast had shifted forward.—
Noon. A perfect hurricane.—P.M. 1. 30. Took the bonnet off
the fore-trysail, and set it, being the only sail that could beehewn,
the fore-sail hanging in the leech-lines was blown to pieces... 4.
.Ratter more moderate; set the main-topsail, and got a new fore-
sail up.-4. Saw Holyhead E. by N. five leagues; set main-try-
sail and fore-staysail, to keep to windward of the Head, but find-
ing we could not keep the sloop to the wind, in consequence of her
shipping so much sea, kept her away again; and, as we could
not weather the Isle of Man, and no room to stand, as we were
going for the night, and not having room to go on the starboard
tack for the night, and finding great alteration in the conduct of
the sloop, with no appearance of the gale's abating, the Master
and pilot being both well acquainted with Holyhead Bay, and
knowing that, with the wind as it then was (W.N.W.), we could
ride in safety, proposed to anchor, and stood into the Bay. At
seven, dewed up main-topsail, and let go the small bower anchor
in quarter less five, Pier Light W. by N. about half a cable dis-
tant, Skerries Light N.N.E. half E. ; when about half a sable,
we let go the best bower, veered to a whole cable on the former,
and half a cable on the latter, which brought us up; bent sheet
cable, sent top-gallant-mast on deck, cud strnek lower yards and
top-masts. The wind, soon after we bad anchored, changed to
N. by W. and N. by E., which brought in a heavy sea, and blew
with great violence. At about nine the best bower parted, and we
drove; we let go the sheet anchor, which did not bring her up,
and shortly after- she struck with great violence on a reef of rocks,
which unshipped the rudder; fired guns of distress, and cut away
the masts, continued veering out the sheet, to let her beat over
the ledge ; soon found the water above the lower deck, the ship
striking all the time very hard. The people on shore came down
with Captain Manby's life apparatus, and fired twice to throw us a
line, but without effect. About midnight, being sheltered by the
reef, over' which we had passed, the gale haling rather abated,
and the tide fallen, lowered the larboard quarter boat, and Lieuten-
ant Ricketts effected a lauding, with a small rope. Finding that
nothing further could be done to save the sloop, and she being
nearly on her boom 'ends, began to land the people; cut the
booms away, and launched the yawl overboard, and about six A. rt.
on the IKth, the whole of the crew were landed."
The Triumph, Green, for Bombay, and the Enchantress, Tay-
lor, for St. Kitts, embarked passengers, and sailed on Thursday.
The brig Mope is arrived from Leghorn, with beans, has performed
quanontine, and sailed for Southampton.
On Tuesday next will be launched from this Dock Yard, the
Sapphire, of 28 guns, Captain Henry Dundas, constructed and
built by the School of Naval Architecture. She is to compose one
of the experimental squadron.

Commander Charles J. Hope Johnstone; of the Chanticleer, it
promoted to the rank of Captain. Captain Henry Bourehier,
R.N. is appointed Superintendent of the Quarantine establishment
at Milford Haven, ♦ice Captain J. Marshall, C.B. removed to
Standgate Creek Quarantine station.--Lieut. M'Donald to be
Superintendent of Quarantine at Liverpool ; Lieut. John Smith
(a) to the Ordinary at Portsmouth, vice Stone ; Lieutenant t. T.
Gill is appointed Agent of Transports ; Lieutenant Townshend,
to the Alligator ; Mr. C. M'Lean (the survivor of the Magpie
schooner), to the rank of Lieutenant ; Mr. Thomas Shears, to be
Secretary to Sir Charles Ogle.
Mr. Patrick Inglis, Midshipman of the Revenge (eon of Capt.
Charlet Inglis, of the Victory), is promoted to the rank of Lieu-
tenant.—ltampshire Telegraph.

The Exeter, Young, has arrived at Cork from Valparaiso, from
whence she sailed Aug. 2 ; and from Rio Janeiro, Nov. 2.
The Ferguson, Taylor, from Havre to London, was totally
wrecked between Dover and Folkstone, on Saturday,
ysenylerghalt.
coasters A s everhea gvaele been was
apr
The Eliza, Simmons, from Kiel to Bristol, was driven on
shore
larrchplare,
andFrida
driven on shore, but expected to be got off.
experienced
nearce
d Yarmouthat tlm

ANECDOTE.—Le Mere:ere de Londres, a French
journal published weekly in London, has in its last number the
following anecdote :—" The Portuguese fancy themselves the first
people in the world ; and the Spaniards, on the other hand, are
convinced that there is nothing more easy than to trick a Portu
guess. These opinions lead to innumerable epigrams, hoaxes, and
jests : witness the following :—One day last summer a Portu-
guese and a Castilian agreed to go out shooting together ; but the
former fearing some roguery on the part of his companion, made
him agree, a priori, that whatever they killed was to be Out into
one common bag, and in the end equally divided. Well, they shot
their best all day, but with such bad luck, that at nightfall the
hag contained only a partridge and a crow ! Now, friend,'
quoth the Portuguese, how can we divide our game fairly ?'
As conditioned, without doubt,' answered the Castilian, each
his half.' Yes,' rejoined the other, but a crow and a
partridge!' Hold !' replied the Spaniard, scratching his head,
' there are two ways to get out of this dilemma ; either I take the
partridge and you take the crow, or you take the crow and I take
the partridge.' Right, right,' said the Portuguese ; and the
division was made accordingly."