ALEXANDER SHAIRP, Esq.
[Commander.]
Obtained his first commission in Mar. 1815; and subsequently served in the Rochfort 80, and Beaver and Nimrod sloops. Ne was made a commander on the 30th April, 1827.
CHARLES HENRY SWINBURNE, Esq.
[Commander.]
Second son of Sir John Swinburne, Bart., F.A.S., by Emma, daughter of Richard Henry Alexander Bennet, Esq., of Beckenham, co. Kent, and niece to the late Frances Julia, dowager Duchess of Northumberland.
This officer was made a lieutenant on the 14th July, 1818; appointed to the Glasgow frigate, Captain (now Sir Bentinck C.) Doyle, fitting out for the East India station. Mar. 26th, 1821; and promoted to the rank of commander April 30th. 1827. His last appointment was, Sept. 7th, 1829, to the Rapid sloop; which vessel he paid off, at Portsmouth, July 15th, 1833. The following is his official report to Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Henry Hotham, of a curious and interesting discovery on the south-west coast of Sicily:–
“Sir,– I have the honor to inform you that on the 11th of July, 1831, at 4 p.m., the town of Marsala hearing hy compass E. ½ N. 9 miles, I observed from on board H.M. sloop under my command., a high irregular column of very white smoke or steam, bearing S. by E. I steered for it, and continued to do so till 8-15, p.m., when having gone about thirty miles by the reckoning, I saw flashes of brilliant light mingled with the smoke, which was still distinctly visible by the light of the moon.
“In a few minutes the whole column became black and larger; almost immediately afterwards several successive eruptions of lurid fire rose up amidst the smoke; they subsided, and the column then became gradually white again. As we secured to near it fast, I shortened sail, and hove to till daylight, that I might ascertain its nature and exact position. During the night the changes from white to black with flashes, and the eruption of fire, continued at irregular intervals, varying from
