The Locust, steam tender, had arrived in the Roads previously, and the ships that arrived with the Royal Albert, which has 121 guns, and carries 1,100 men, were the Edgar, 91, flagship of the Rear-Admiral Erskine, the Mersey frigate, 40; the Donegal, 101; the Trafalgar, 91; the Conqueror, the Centurion, the Mars, the Diadem, the Algiers, the Aboukir, and the Greyhound corvette, 17, acting as tender to the Royal Albert. The fleet anchored in two lines, and presented a most gratifying spectacle to the inhabitants, who felt what a security it must be in a time of war, while at the same time they could not refrain from reflecting on the terrible havoc that must be committed were those quiet-looking ships to unbosom their thunders, and vent their indignation upon the town for a space of about five minutes. Soon after the Vice-Admiral’s flag ship had anchored, the Volunteer Artillery fired a salute of 15 guns, but owing to the regulations of the service, the ship was precluded from returning the compliment. The band of the Artillery subsequently played on the Drive, and gave a festive character to the morning. Reports rapidly got afloat as to how long the fleet would stay, some contending that it would not go till Wednesday, as the Admiral and officers had accepted an invitation to a ball which the Mayor purposed giving at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening; while, on the other hand, it was asserted that the fleet would depart in the course of the night, as during the day they received five or six despatches from the Admiralty, and thus disappoint the thousands who it was expected would come into the town by rail on Sunday. Neither of the predictions turned out to be true. Had the ships not been detained at sea by the contrary winds, which caused them to keep steam up even to the last, they would have been here for four or five days. Before coming in they had for two or three days been within 60 miles of us, trying to reach here with their sails alone. They had not been long at anchor before sundry mariners and bare-footed frolicsome and reckless tars, were seen ashore, lugging away immense baskets of fresh bread, butter, &c., and diversifying this duty by fraternising with as many of the girlhood of the place as they happened to come in contact with. The Blue Jackets are decided favourites ashore, and few people seem disposed to prevent them doing as they please. It would give great satisfaction to the inhabitants of this town, if, in their annual cruises, the Channel Squadron would occasionally drop in here, for we are sure that their present visit, besides being advantageous to the town, will obtain many seamen; for who would wander about in a rotten and miserable old collier when he might lead a worthy and a jolly