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town was almost completely deserted when we came away; the inhabitants having, as usual, fled to Tepic, and other inland towns, to avoid the discomfort and sickness which accompany the rains.

As soon as the rains subside, in the latter end of October, or beginning of November, the people return, although that is the period described as being most unhealthy, when the ground is still moist, and the heat of the sun not materially abated.

Naval Chronicle.

The experimental squadron, under the command of Rear-Admiral Paget, G.C.H., after touching at Plymouth, finally sailed from that place on the 12th Aug. for a cruize (as it is stated by the Hants Telegraph) 200 miles to the S.W. of Scilly. The ships mentioned in our last, with the exception of the Talavera, (which vessel is gone to Lisbon,) have been joined by the Minden. We abstain from repeating any reports at present of the sailing qualities of any of the ships, satisfied that official documents similar to that in our last number are the best. The Russell, 74, returned to Plymouth from Lisbon on the 27th July, having had a tedious passage of nineteen days, and met with much bad weather, in which she sprung her maintop-mast, and lost her topgallant-masts. The Scylla, after fitting at Sheerness, touched at Plymouth, and sailed on the 2d August, report says, for the West Indies. The Fly, 10, was commissioned at Devonport on the 25th July; and the Asia, 84, Capt. W. Fisher, has sailed for the Mediterranean. The Savage, 10, Lieut. Loney, was paid off at Plymouth on the 23d, and the Plover packet on the 27th July. The Malabar, 74, Capt. Sir W. A. Montagu, arrived at Plymouth on the 31st July; it is said she is to join Sir Charles Paget's squadron. The court-martial to which we alluded in our last number, was on a corporal of marines, for stabbing an officer of that ship. The court condemned him to suffer death, but the sentence has been commuted to fourteen years' transportation. The Ariadne is to proceed to Alexandria, and the Galatea to the West Indies, to be used as coal depôts.

A boat belonging to the Bonetta, on her way into harbour from Spithead on the morning of the 29th July, was unfortunately capsized, and two men drowned. The master of the Bonetta, the officer in charge of her, and two others, were saved.

Lieut. W. L. Rees, lately commanding the Cockatrice, was summoned before the magistrates at Plymouth on the 26th July, on a charge of having caused the death of John M'Donnell, a boy belonging to that vessel, on the 18th June. The boy it appears had been ordered to the masthead, to be kept from bad company and getting

liquor. He was however unfortunately in a state of intoxication at the time, and fell, which caused his death. It was proved that Lieut. Rees was not aware of this being the case, and he was fully acquitted of the charge.

Sir Edward Codrington has been presented with a piece of plate by the officers who served under him at Navarino, to mark their sense of his exertions in recovering the prize-money due to them. The ordinary at Portsmouth and Plymouth have been placed in commission. For the officers appointed, see Appointments.

THE FALCON.-Lord Yarborough's ship-yacht, the Falcon, is actually sold, all standing, to a London merchant, for £5,500, and is destined for the South Sea trade. She left Cowes harbour on the 21st August, with a red ensign at her peak, no longer the pride of the Yacht Club, as she passed their vessels at anchor, the same that had so often unfurled their colours in her presence. She departed in silence before hundreds of spectators, who had assembled purposely to take this last farewell of their old commodore.

ROYAL NAVAL SCHOOL.-"Some squeamish people at Greenwich-a place which derives all its consequence from containing an hospital-have set up a loud and terrible howling against the erection of a school there for the education of the sons of naval officers, which it is proposed to establish by subscription. There is no such institution in existence, and we certainly know of no place more suitable than Greenwich; nevertheless, certain of the inhabitants profess to think that a neighbourhood in which, besides the hospital and the naval school, with all its hullabaloos and "jim-nastics," at present boasts of about fifty academies, seminaries, establishments, &c. for young ladies and young gentlemen, and, among them, one of the first private schools in the kingdomis to be utterly damnified and destroyed by the addition of one more to the number.

"The King, we believe, has been graciously pleased to give the ground for the purpose; and we see that his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury has subscribed £50 to its funds; Captain Meynell, the member for Lisburne, has subscribed £30; and we are quite sure that many persons, feeling nationally and gratefully towards the navy of England, will follow the liberal examples thus set them; and we still further venture to hope, that no influential persons at Greenwich will support any memorial against the establishment of the school there, inasmuch as a change of site might deprive the institution of the advantages derivable from his Majesty's kindness."

We have quoted the foregoing from the John Bull of the 22d instant, and are glad to find it true, that his Majesty has granted the ground necessary for the erection of the school, which has been temporarily established at Camberwell since the year 1833. We are also happy to find that the East India Company, with the liberality which generally characterizes them, has added £100 to the "Building Fund" of the Royal Naval School: a substantial proof of the opinion entertained by that body of the great importance of this national establishment; and we trust that so noble an example will

not be lost on those who have the power of promoting a design in the success of which the welfare of England, as a great maritime nation, must be materially concerned.

STEAM-NAVIGATION TO INDIA. We observe that the subject of steam-navigation to India has been again taken up. A deputation lately waited on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and submitted proposals, that his Majesty's Government, and the East India Company, should contract with them for the conveyance of their mails; the deputation stating that they should be conveyed on terms more advantageous in point of speed, regularity, and economy, by the Red Sea, than they could now be conveyed. £40,000 was demanded from the Government, and £25,000 from the East India Company. The subject was to be taken into consideration.

SURVEY IN THE PACIFIC.-It is stated that the Americans are about to send an expedition, consisting of a frigate, two brigs, and a tender, to explore and survey a part of the Pacific Ocean.

H. M. S. RALEIGH." In our last week's Journal' we informed our readers of the disaster which had befallen H. M. S. Raleigh; we are now enabled, through the kindness of a friend, to enter more minutely into the description of the effects of the typhoon, which, it may be remembered, overtook the Raleigh in the China seas on the 4th and 5th of August last, and during which she was thrown on her beam-ends and dismasted ;

"On the morning of the 4th, the weather was moderate and cloudy, but there was that chilling appearance in the horizon that presaged no good-bore no friendly aspect to man. Barometer at 29-30, and falling; the ship was soon made snug for a gale by getting studding-sail booms off the yards, jib-boom in, top-gallant masts on deck, and stern boat in on the poop, and shortened sail to fore and main try-sail and fore stay-sail, and battened the hatches down. At 8 P.M. the typhoon commenced, and night and the hurricane came mingled on

Deepening each other's gloom.'

The fore stay-sail was blown to ribbons, and the ship thrown over nearly on her beam-ends. At 10, with much difficulty, succeeded in close reefing and setting the fore try-sail, and unbent the main, typhoon increasing and veering all round the compass, with a tremendous cross-sea. At 11, the ship was making most dangerous lee lurches, took in fore try-sail; the first gig got adrift, which was immediately cut away.

"Midnight brought no cheering prospects. The Bar. fell to 29.4. The 5th, typhoon still increasing in violence, (at 3, Bar. 28.30.) the master, apprehensive that the ship would go down, recommended that the masts should he cut away. Captain Quin,

however, preferred parting with the guns and other heavy deck lumber, but stated his determination to hold on till day-light. During the whole of the middle watch, the ship was labouring much, and on one occasion it was observed she rolled 10 rattlins of the main rigging under water. Daylight at length broke, but brought no welcome to the worn-out crew-still it was welcome. The spare tiller was now shipped as a precautionary measure, and worked with the relieving tackles. As the cutter on the larboard quarter began to make the davits complain, and fearing, if it got adrift, it would most likely be blown up the mizen rigging, and increase the danger, an opportunity was taken for cutting her away. It was now resolved to part with 5 of the lee guns, which, with their carriages, shot, studding-sail booms, and other spars, were quickly launched into the deep. At 8 A.M. no alteration appearing, the ship rising with increased difficulty, the desperate remedy of throwing overboard the remainder of the guns became absolutely necessary, and eight more were accordingly launched overboard. At 9-30, the ship took a deep lee lurch; at the same moment she was struck by a heavy weather sea, carrying away both wheel ropes, and she went over literally on her beam-ends, her keel out of water, and her tops out of sight under water. In this awful state she lay about 10 minutes; during this period, most of the officers and crew got upon her broadside, and, with that cool and daring activity which can scarcely be appreciated but by "those whose home is on the deep," they succeeded in cutting the lan-yards of the lower rigging and backstays. At 9-50, the lower masts and bowsprit went by the board, and the Raleigh righted with 6 feet water in her hold. While she lay in the state just described, the pinnace and second gig were cut away from the booms, and they floated out of her while she was keel out. The rigging, &c. was then cut away, and the masts, &c. floated clear of the wreck; during this period two lives were lost, viz., Thomas Jacobs, private marine, and James Sparshot, boy. At 10-15 the only boat left was blown to pieces: the officers and crew had every thing perishable completely spoiled,-books, charts, nautical instruments, with clothes and provisions mixed indiscriminately together; the ballast was upset, and stove some spirit casks; the chain cables were thrown out of the lockers into the carpenter's cabin; in fact, imagination must supply that which defies description. On the 5th, it moderated, and rigged jury masts. On the 11th, she arrived a perfect wreck at Macao. The following letter from the Commander-in-chief will shew the estimation in which the gallant bearing of Captain Quin, the officers, and crew, is held :—

"Winchester, Trincomalee, 29th December, 1835. "SIR, I have to acknowledge the receipt yesterday of your letter to me, dated 17th of August last, reporting the circumstances NO. 55.-VOL. V.

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attending the total dismasting and other serious damage suffered by his Majesty's sloop Raleigh, under your command, on the 4th and 5th of that month, by a typhoon, in the China sea; and I consider it my duty to observe, after a careful perusal of that clear and precise report, that although the loss of life and property, as well as the sufferings of every one on board, are deeply to be deplored, I feel perfectly convinced that, as far as concerns your own conduct, in the very critical situation you were placed, every thing was done that prudence, zeal, and your acknowledged professional skill could accomplish; that your officers and ship's crew, animated, as they must have been, by the laudable example of their commander, and their own right spirit and feelings, behaved with the highest credit to themselves and the service; and that I shall have great satisfaction in bringing the united exertions and exemplary conduct of the captain, officers, and crew of the Raleigh, on that trying occasion, to the favourable notice of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty."

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"I am, Sir, your humble Servant,

"Rear Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.

"To Michael Quin, Esquire, Commander H. M. Sloop Raleigh."

"BLADEN CAPEL,

Plymouth Journal.

WARRANT OFFICERS.-The gunners, boatswains, and carpenters in ordinary, are in future to be borne upon the books of the senior captain's ship, and a list of each class fit for service is to be kept. They are then to be divided into three classes as follows::

1st class, those who have held warrants for ships of the line.

2nd do.

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4th and 5th rates 3rd do. 6th rates and sloops. Pay of the 1st class to be that of warrant officers of 2nd rates, viz.-£91. 5s. when in commission, and £76. 6s. when out of commission.

Pay of 2d class (hereafter to include warrant officers of 6th rates) to be that at present allowed to 4th rates, £71. 5s. 2d. in commission, and £56. 6s. when out of commission.

Pay of 3rd class to be that of warrant officers of 6th rates and sloops £61. 5s. 4d. in commission, and £46. 6s. out of commission. Tool money to carpenters as heretofore.

Although immediately to be divided into classes, the alteration of pay will not operate until the officer is called into commission service in the class to which he belongs, or until established in the class, which is to be effected by reduction of the present lists to a certain number; but where officers hold a higher rate of pay than is assigned by the new arrangement, they will be allowed to

retain it.

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