The Express. — London, England, 1852-04-08 00:00:00

ghe erpregio. TO COARIMPONDENTII. • veer. LI Um.' Its Eames." entateter •M Now evealre'r nasty" le p+lil•!ed oral Tueoley ea 4 Friday oliht. So Ume lir led. hew, ,smear• tat • ale I !.f "!1e Expeeee,. Leman F. fettle/ mew. trot `r et et. 001 c; te. looverwi.ww„ 17 Two e'eteek on the day of poblleetioa. 111011 WATER AT LONDON BRIDOIL DAT—Moriftd. 41k *2a ..iftersobe, 4.. Tv mummy—al tam& la. M. Attar..." sb. 375. LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 8. To catch the DERBY ministry may be possible, but to hold them fast is out of the question. Lord Denev, with an irresistible air of frank sincerity, tells the Lords Slit there will be a dissolution and a short session of the new parliament, to decide the fate of miuietera, "before autumn has passed;" but as soon as the greater part of the suplies have been voted. he changes his tone, and wit h affected indig nation denies that one word ever dropped from him which any new sal was entitled to construe into a weenie: of an early dissolution. In the Commons, hlr. Dist: %ELI promises to explain the course 'which government intends to pursue in regard to public business, when he moves the adjournment of the house for the Easter holidays; but when the night comes for moving the adjournment. the St:currant* of the *FRV. %stet mores it before the arrival of the Cu %N.•ELLOR a the Exclielit'Eß. who apologises rat a later hour for " the nervous anxiety to secure their holidays which had led his subordinate to cut him I off" from the opportunity of offering the promised cep:amnion, bat makes no statement. And by the aid of these evasions ministers close the first net of the setsional drama without throwing any light on the game they intend to play. They have wriggled 1 , out of the hold of parliament like eels, that leave nothing but dirty slime in the hands which attempt to grasp them. Notwithstanding this taciturnity and shuffling of ' ministers, Mr. Apprei.ey gravely affirms that they hart. declared their policy The noble lord at the head of the government had openly stated his policy. He said he would dissolve as soon as the necessary arrangements of the public business would permit." The home• did not know exactly whether it ought to receive this declaration of the hon. member for War wickshire, at the time it was made, as an imperti nent sneer at themselves, or an ironical stab at ministers, or a blundering confession of duplicity,— so they merely laughed and cheered him. They could not fancy any man in his senses mistaking a declaration of an intention to dissolve for a state ment of the policy upon which the dissolution was to take place. Leisurely reflection, however, rather favours the conclusion that Mr. ADDERLET spoke the simple truth, that beyond nn intention to dis soh c ministers really have no policy. It is now apparent to all that there is only one man in the ministry who does the thinking part of the business for all the rest. Ask a question of the Foreign or Colonial Secretaries, and their only, stereotyped reply is, they mast hare time to learn the business of their respective offices. The HOME SECRET.UtY proposes a resolution one day, and the next withdraws it in awkward blustering haste. The SECRETARY of the TREASURY cuts the CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER out of a speech the latter says he intended to deliver, by making the motion it was mean t to propose before the orator reaches the hottse. The Feist: hlreieree makes an explicit statement one day, but embraces the earliest opportu. nity to withdraw it, and substitute the more equivocal statement of his CHANCELLoR of the EXCHEQUER. In short, it is clear that the far greater part of mi nisters do not attempt to think at all, and that those who try take their inspiration from Mr. DISRAELI. If therefore, any light is to be thrown on the policy of government it must be gathered from the thinking partner of the firm. Now, in seeking to discover Mr. DISRAELI'S policy we must examine not his principles or opi nions, nor even his professions, bat the mat himself. He has no conception of political action beyond the making of %hat he calls " combinations." In this he resembles his own Fakredeen in "Tancred." The Emir of Mount Lebanon is, in truth, no mere fancy sketch. The literal exactness and graphic truth of every lineament, the intense lore with which every pencil touch is given that helps to bring out the likenesv, prove that it is one of those portraits which painters only achieve after repeated attempts, by fond and persevering study of their own linea ments in a glass. Fakredeen," says Mr. DISE %ELI, "had no prin ciple ; be had not a prejudice; a little superstition, perhaps, like his postponing a journey because a hare crossed his path. " He was convinced that all was a matter of farce or fraud. Fakredeen preferred the latter, because it was more ingenious." "Though it was his profession and his pride to dissemble, he had a native ingenuousness which was extremely awk ward and very surprising, for the moment he was intimate with you he told you everything. Monet he intended to make a person his tool and often sue ceeded, such was his susceptibility and so strong were his ' , empathetic eualities. that he wee per petually, without being unaware of it, showing his cards. The victim thought himself safe, but the teeming resources of Fakredeen were never wanting, and some fresh and brilliant combination, u he styled it, often secured the prey which so heedlessly he had nearly forfeited." Again : " What shoidd I be without my debts?" he would sometimes ex claim; " dear companions of my life that never desert me What expedient in negotiation is un known to me? What degree of endurance have I not calculated ? What play of the countenance have I not observed? Yes, among my creditors I have disciplined that diplomatic ability, that shall some day confound and control cabinets!" Yet again : " Ile was too good a statesman ever to con fiscate ; he confined himself to taxation. Confisca tion is a blunder that destroys public credit ; taxa tion, on the contrary, improves it ; and both come to the same thing." And yet again : " Ho became ha bituated to the idea that every thing could be acquired by dexterity, and that there was no test of conduct except success. To dissemble and simu late ; to conduct confidential negotiations with contending powers at the same time ; to be ready to adopt any opinion and possess none ; to fall into the public humour of the moment and to evade the impending catastrophe; to look upon every man as a tool, and never to do anything that had not a definite though circuitous purpose—these were his political accomplishments; and while he recognised them as the best means of success, he found in their exercise excitement and delight." One finishing touch : " With all his audacity, which was nearly equal to his craft, he had no moral coura ge ; and if affairs went wrong, and from some accident, exhaustion of the nervous system, the weather, or some of those slight causes which sometimes paralyse the creative mind, lie felt without a combination, he would begin to cry as a child, and was capable of any action, however base and humiliating, to extricate himself from the impending disaster." The career attributed to the Syrian Pakredeen is simply the career of the English Fakredeen able gonally shadowed out in Syrian incidents. As the Syrian intrigued or formed "combinations" with every hostile party and principle in snecrasion, so the Englishman. The Syrian I. akredeen, as it suited his purpose, called himself Mussulman, Jew, Chris tian ; the English Fakredeen has called himself in succession radical, tory, free-trader, protectionist. As the Syrian Fakredeen intrigued at the same time with DUIZOT and Anrantex, the English Fakredeen made overtures to COBDEN and Lord GEORGE BEN. TINCK at the same time. As the Syrian Fakredeen cut without hesitation a friend or principle no longer of use, the English Fakredeen has thrown overboard protection now that it has served his purpose. Even the power of mimicry with which PEEL, wee peeve. rated and the squirearchy enchanted is made a trait of the tsyrian akredetn's character: " Fakredeen sketched a character in a sentence, and you knew in stantly the individual whom he described without any personal knowledge. Unlike the Orientals in general, his gestures were as vivid as his words. He acted the interviews, he achieved the adventures before you. His voice could take every tone, and his coon tensile, every form. In the midst of all his bursts of plaintive melancholy, sonietimes the anguish of a sensibility too exquisite alternating with a devilish mockery and a fatal absence of all self-respect." It is to the character of Fakredeen that the public must look if they would learn what is the policy of the Fakredeen ministry. That policy is simply to gain time and " make combinations," which common-place mortals call " intrigue." To gain time any promises required will be made; to gain accom plices in " combinations" any principles or intentions will be professed ; and when the time comes, dopes will be sent adrift and promises denied with mil effrontery. "All leaders of all pardthwisecretly\lift: the tiered that Fakmleen was thand4 tool. There was not one of f op t some of them were in yearsf e om esii n -1 nocent and ingenious k'sk bencisa. a nose of was." At least, so akredsen flatters him self. FRANCE. PARIS, WSDNZSDAT EVENING. Among the reports which go far to confirm the general expectation of the proximate establishment of the empire, I have h one to-day, which is by no means the least significant. It is said that the President has dissolved his illicit connection with Miss Howard, and reconciled that lady, by the condi tion of a handsome settlement, to retire from a posi tion, which becomes more scandalous in proportion to the elevation and splendour of the power to which it is attached by a forbidden link, and from which it receives a glaring reflection. Whether this sacrifice be among the conditions imposed by the sovereign pontiff before he undertakes the pilgrimage from St. Peter's to Notre Dame to anoint the new em peror, or proceed from other motives, no one can doubt that the President's position among the sovereigns of Eurokie is bettered in every way by the repudiation. Matri monial alliances of all sorts are talked of in con nection with this subject; and a report spread by the (hr. ude do Mince, that the Russian Grand Dukes Nicholu and Michael are expected on a visit to the Elysi-e, is supposed to have reference to similar projects. On the other hand, the fusionists declare that if Bursa= leanings are to be judged by the deportment of the Grand Duke Constantino to the Count of Chambord at Venice, they aro de cidedly unfavourable to the permanent e s tablishment of tho Prince Louis Napoleon's pcwcr, as the repre sentative of the elder branch is treated in all respects by the Czar's son as if he were the King of France. &sides the objection already stated by M. de Kis selef to the assumption of the title of Emperor, the ('ear entertains, no doubt, some misgivings that the warlike aspirations of the French under the restora tion of the empire will defy the control of the new Emperor, whatever his peaceful professions may be. The notion of a marriage with the Princess of Sweden, spoken of some time ago, is dropped, be cause that princess has embraced the protestant reli gion. The Orleanist alliances with the houses of the Spanish Bourbons and the Portuguese Bmganza.s are equally impediments to matrimonial negotiations in those directions. As to the talk about a daughter of the Duke of itianzares, it is evident the Emperor of France would not stoop to such an obscure con nection. Oirardin says that the empire can only mean war, and, therefore, dissuades it. The Siecle has a sensible article, showing the obsoleteness of war and the uselessness of an extended frontier to France. Gi rardin continues to protest his disinterestedness in counselling the republicans to accept the de facto government. But his professed belief that the Pre sident will preserve the republic is strangely at variance with the President's own language in his speech to the magistracy, and obtains credit no where. A b rilliant sun has enlivened the first day of the celebrated promenade of Longzhamp, which like most occasions of festivity in catholic countries, is an old traditionary relic of religious usage. From immemorial time the inhabitants of Paris were wont to make a pilgrimage to a shrine at the convent of Mount Valerien, which once crowned the eminence across the Seine, whither lately the eminent leaders of the National Assembly were conducted in capti vity. This pilgrimage now indeed retains none of its former religions character, and very little more than the fantastic tailoring and mummery of the festivity. One circumstance I must not forget to notice. The Prince President appeared in an open barouche and four, with postillions and outriders ; and according to the imperial and royal custom, his equipage drove down the middle of the road reserved for him, between the files of going and retiring carrThe iag Pu blic states that Colonel Buffet de Montau ban, receiver of finances in Paris, has been appointed French consul in London, and that M. Victor Gull louet is appointed consul at Port Maurice. The 3fonelestr states that an account of the state of the Bank of France will be published on the so cond Thursday of every month. Ono of these state ments will, therefore, appear in the Moniker of to morrow. M. Latour I)umoulin, formerly the editor of the Cour.ier l'nuseais, is appointed a director in the mi nistry of general police. the duties of his depart ment consist in superintending the execution of the severe laws against the press, printing establish ments, and libraries. The Prince-President has commuted the sentence of transportation to Algeria, pronounced against Dr. Lepineux, for the part that he took in the insurrec tion of the Allier, into banishment into another de partment of France. M. Lepinenx was released from Ste. Pelagie yesterday, and received his pass tifin the place fixed upon for his residence in the went of the Creme. e Allier has sailed for Cayenne with 300 convicts on board. These, however, are criminals condemned by the ordinary courts of law. Several merchants at Bordeaux petitioned the government to suspend for some time the operation of the new protecting duties upon foreign sugars, decreed on the 27th of March last. The answer sent by telegraph to the prefect of the Gironde is that the new tariff must take effect on the day fixed by the decree. At the Bourse the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. (late the Five per Cents.) fell Sc., closing at 101.30; The '1 hree per Cents. fell 3c., and closed at 71.60. Bank of France shares rose 10fr. Railways again improved. Rouen rose 20fr. ; Lyons, 6.23; Monte roan and Troyes, 32-50. This nse is owing to the purchase of the latter line, said to have been efilleted by the Lyons Company. M. de Girardin is anxious to stand well with the political public out of France. Replying to a letter in a Brunets paper, in which he is said to have " rallied to the government of Louis Napoleon," ha thus exposes his personal situation : If I have rallied to the new then it must be admitted that the President does met te the imperial !Stitt, he does, it ie away arks that I have net these slMosdvss. But what is the feet ? Leg Welk te rly P „ei t wir l pnsskq hes& sass, have smelted only lay seavialions in esreselsg • personal opinion in . (tae. at the risk a maga into collision with eseisM gempswel views supposed sad stated to be very warmly metnellalmed. awl expecting every moment to receive • sew order, myth* me to proceed to Belgium, Germany, or ilaglaad. My luggage is ready, but before leaving, I shall have said that which I believe is of ass to the democratic cause, and which I have weighed during the solitude of a two month.' exile. The mote I reflect, the more am I satisfied that • disposition to stand aloof in bad humour will do more than aught besides to bring back len itimacy. Anything rather than the restoration of that . Thus, although ostracised and wounded in all my interests when at Brussels, I pessimism." As to the suspicions which were pointed at me before my return, and even before my departure in January, I have paid, especially in the course of the past year, emiegb (mere than 300,000 fr.) to entitle me to dis dain them. I see this right. SPAIN. waWi ry will lead therm the r i: Ro ona z iteenseary. Goods w are the podia land hem the Spanish etiolates, sad whleh set ineehlegeil the tariff ea such, a w y tue s c iw omat. epee eateetioa, If they are brought in MO being taken that due proportion he to*o same thus iYgoo4 otos g , rtte i ease in statkitts is to w gads. It the some in jayeigs • k m% *a l mil pay id if fey came train foreign leounleka. cdi ca dly end foreignitedde which have been heerohereaed in Baran tialt or P4llllO Rico, carried there is 8 slash bottoms, and bap ht iltestoe to Spain and the Ihdearieieleada in Spa nish bottoms, will only pay the duties pelt Inter the na tional flag. But, if the goods had been talkie to Havannah or I'ortu Rico in foreign bottoms, and thence to Spain in native ones, they will pay the duties set down fur Spanish bottoms, and, besides, bait of ' that set down for foreign one , . If both' the voyage to Haven nab and thence to Spen be made in foreign viands the differential duty will be paid and besides half o f the argumentation which constitutes ft. Foreign goods already used, but proceeding from Spanish colonies, are to be considered IA already become Spanish when they arrive in the Peuiruiula , and shall br free from duty as if Wrought in the coast trade. Goods coming from and; be product of the Philippine Islands, and not noted in the tariff, are to pay the fifth pert of those coming from foreign countries, if biought in Spanish bottoms. But if they some in foreign bottoms, they shall pay as if they came float foreign coun tries. Goods coming from Asiatic countri s not under the dominion of Spain, but coming in Spanish bottoms, will pay three-fifths of the duty. If they have been in the first plate carried to the Plulippines they will pay half of the duties set down in the tariff If they come in foreign bottoms under the same circumstances, they will pay as if they came from foreign countries. If they have first been to the Canary Islands, they will, on arriving in Spain, pay but the difference between the, Canary Island duties and the Peninsular ones. The weights and measures used ere the Spanish legal ones. the arroba (solid measure), 2,11 be. (16 os. to thu pound), and in liquid measure 32 cuartillos, except for oil, which is considered as solid. The quintal is 1001 b.., and the ton 20 quintals. The yard 36 inches. The accounts are kept in reale, divided into 100 cents. The sugar, refined or half-refined, prepared Spain, is to have an export premium of eight reels by arroba of refined sugar. Foreign and Spanish Asiatic gooli, when once they have paid import duty according to the tariff, will be considered as Spanish and liable to the same duties of extraction, consumption, &c., as Spanish goods. No reduction will be made in favour of any industry, pub lic or private establishment, of any class. The incidents that may occur le the operations of the customs upon points comprehended in the invtruetion, will be resolved without' exuction of oasts from the interested parties. ITALY. TUSCANY. The Genoa Ga:elt; oitiicinistates from Florence, that a change of ministry is expected there, which will materially increase Austrian influence. PIEDMONT. The discussion on the fortifications of Casale was continued in the Senate of Turin in the sitting of the 3rd. The only incident of interest was, that the Minister of Al or declared that these fortifications were to form pert of a complete system of defence. The president of the council added that the cabinet was perfectly unanimous on that point as well as on others, and repeated that their motto was : " The constitution, neither more nor less; neither to the right nor to the left ; independence for ever!" The discussion was adjourned to the 3th. LOSS OF TILE BIIiKENIIEAD TROOP --- Yesterday the following despatches and enclosures were received by the Board of Admiralty, from Commodore Wren', containing the painfully-interestir.g details con nected with the loss of the above-named steamer. It appears that the total number of lives which have been lost on this sad occasion amount to 438. Mvlancholy, however, as this loss must be, it is gratifying to learn that 193 persona were saved from those who were on board at the time when the wreck took place; (No 12.) Castor, Simon's Bay, March 3, 18.52. Sir,-1. It is with much pain I have to report for the in formation of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the disastrous wreck of her Majesty's steam troop-ship Birken head, on the morning of the 26th Feb., at two o'clock, on the reef of rocks off Point Danger, about 50 miles from this anchorage, by which catastrophe I lament to state that the lives of 438 officers (naval and military), seamen, soldiers, and boys, have been lost, out of 630 who were on board the ship at the time. The circumstances, as far as I can collect, are u follows: 2. The Birkenhead reached Simon's Bay from Cork, on the 23rd ult., in 47 days. She was immediately prepared for sea, received coals to 350 tons, some provisions, and the officers' horses, disembarked the women and children (ex cept those taking a passage to Algae Bay), and was re ported ready on the „ -ith. That afternoon Mr. Salmond re ceived the g,vernment despatches for his Excellency Sir Harry Smith, my orders to proceed to Algoa Bay and Banal* Mouth to land the drafts of the different regiments, and eteemed an his memo at Ma e'elock in the evening, whit Wee Sas andlain t MIL masa water. S. Al two • shit en the afternoon of the 27th of PM. Mr. Ovhaee, amistutt surgeon of the Birkenhead, waived at ilimeses Town by land, to report to me the loss Olds ship near to Point Danger—that two boats with, as be shied, the eMy survivors, were cruising about ate distance lima the belt; vide his statement, armature No. 1. I im mediately &patched Commander Bence of her Aia,jesty's ship Costar ,ip Castw with 2.5 men (to form bo a ts' crews) in the Elsadasseatites, the only . steamer in port, to the scene of the Pee. That evening he fell in with the schooner mf is lieritua 2 BaT, M his cßairlde D ' o mut e r,nb or whos e the p repor t e r s i e s itho ware the boat., and 40 others, whom they had sue usied is taking off the meiutopsaii yard of the ship, which was the only pert of the wreck visible above water, alto /00er 116 in number, as per lists. It being calm, and the sibeencr MOM &Mese hem this anchorage, the Rhada meth= lewd kr i i sod poolosiod afterw ards to Point Defter is meseh of any pee* who might yet be clinging Mao seete Mil pier of 'met Rating about ; glee fur any ilea MON law laded An examination of the coast her balists mein fig upwards of 20 miles by land and sea, NA te• IBM proms being found, except those who had Lola ikiang the night and day of the wreck on Point I =g e te a ffill ffiWidainanthus received them on board and to this port on the morning of the Ist 1011 L The Mar re eared were 68 in number, of whom 6 were °M OW (4 military and 2 naval). They reached the land by and on pieces of wreck, &e. These, with nine others, w escaped in the gig, and were rescind by the schooner, make the total saved 193. 4. It appears that her Mejesty's ship Birkenhead was duly pricked off os the chart at 8 Volta on the night of the 26th, within Fells Bay, by the muter, Mr. Brodie, and siker of the watch, Mr. Bpear, aseind mater ; that 'the memo was shaped 8.8. E. j ii.MB Cleo 1116 1=8 1 • 1 8 M • berth about four miles. The mm at the w John rA.B., (rein 10 to 12 o'clock of the Mt walk im ha steered that 01111110, with direedem net le pe to the eastward of it. A leadsman was ea the pailiplea, awl leak-out men were pissed. The night wee am Mr light, end calm, bat a Met swell setting in en sham The land was seen all the night from three to fear , oink ea the pert bow. At about ten minutes before 2 oclock, In the Midis watch, the lembasan, Abel Btone, ordinary nee num jat esemikep le if et IS tedesam, of whisk be ems meths to Mr ear et the mesh, Mr. Davis, SWIM MOM The ship ws• Ong shout sight knots. Beam he mil ipt afeether emelt the load the ship struck, mei he found sines helmets aleepide ; there were two fathoms water miler the hews, and eleven by the stern. 6. It appears that Mr. fialmond, who was roused by the shock, went ea deck ; inquired the time a few mattes past two o'clock, and the rune steered; it was reported to be B.&E. j 8., which he stated was quite correct. He immediately ordered the engines to he stopped, the small bowmen/hot to he it go, the quarter boots to be lowered Ike ett alamplie the ship, the paddle-box boats to be t =est a SIM astern to be given by the engines. the military officers, who were all in attend- Mee (Major ileten of the 74th Rest ' and Capt. Wright of the 9110, to seed the troops to the ch ain pumps ; the orders aft implicitly Mimed, and perfect discipline maintained. II soon as Mr. lialmoad heard there we. water in to ado, its dinscted the women and children to be put into a cutter, kee sharps :s r Mist's master 's st's after the firsteonetriot w hich ,and whilst liede e rV el "Is gine astern, sidete in shlsstnur° tag, :La Haring open the MMus ; the water rushed in, drowned the tree, and stepped the engines; the engineer, Mr. Renwick, end 'Wham araldog their escape to the upper deck. In stantly the ihip Mae in two, abaft the malnmest,and sunk, leaving the maleMemast and topsailyard only visible above water. Up teats awful moment the resolution and cool ness of ell bolo wore remarkable. Mr. Balotond gave his orders with musk potence of mind to the lest. The three boats whisk had staid b the ship now left her, to seek a Leading( 1011••• ves, and at daylight they were out Of sight am the ereeeit. The two cutters were picked up by the edam, Lbw" and the gig landed with eight men and Mr. COMM at Port D'Urbe.u. 6. Having called upon the surviving officers far their statements of the iilelniiiisse attending the ISM of this ill .teed ship, I have sew the Maser to lay them (MMus easel ewes) before their lerdalps for their iahnnatioa, together with lists of the people saved ; but I regret that I cannot Amish the NUM of do unfortunate individuals who have boss dimmed ea this meet melancholy occasion, as the master Mae ad rah lave hose lost. 7. There le se desk het the mune of the ship was shaped to beg the lead to closely ; and, as it does not ap pear that either Mr. lialasond or the muter had attended on ffink hem 10 o'clock in the first watch until the accident selanted, it would infer much inattention and extreme MOM of duty on their parts; and when soundings were fleet mock, bed the helm boon put to port, this ill-fated ship night have escape d the danger. It i s muc h to be lemmata that nut en o ter has been saved who can give any satisfactory information upon these points. t. It is also to be deeply . deplored that a young officer, Mr. Richards, master's assistant, should have been the only executive in command of the boats ; as, from the circum stance of their leaving the scene of the wreck before day light, the landing Oems discovered on Point Danger, by MADRID, APRIL 2. The OaaiW of to-day contains the following rules for the observance of the tariff: Geode one invontios, when presented for the first time, are to pay the datim imposed upon goods similar or analo gous to them, and epoointras of them are to be sent to the eastons-hare director, In order that her Majesty's govern- Rent may set down the peeper duty they are to pay in Mare. If the goods hare no similarity or analogy with any already twilled goods, they are to pay a duty of 15 per cent. lithely are brought la !Spanish bottoms, a n d 18 per cent. in foreign bottoms or by land carriage. All goods which are brought in smell quantiti es , an d w hi c h are ' not mentioned, in the tariff are subject to the same payment just mentioned. For the valuation of goods the parties in terested must present the original bills of prices. If the custom-house oMeen do not agree upon them, and think it expedient to fix other prices, and the parties interested oder no objection, the good. are to pass according to the prices mussily agreed upon. If they cannot agree, the inetter is to be examined by the superior a u th or i ty. I n this case the comma-house °Sone can buy the goods if they will, paying the parties interested the aroma of their bill, together with 10 per cent. more, and being res ponsible for the customhouse duties. The tree- . THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 8, 1852. tips who reached the shore on rafts, would have shown inslttiat iire hapless individuals who were clinging to peon ar aid span might have been picked off and earried4l :4 by the boats and thus many more lives ve saved. Aloe, when gm schooner enhhi k, hid the cutters examined the Mess in the Wean. ft :111 p ro bable they might have found a few when. , I can only attribute this fat,' error to watt o f judgment, snit to the ensiled shins of the people in the boats under such appalling elneriiitnees. 9. ioptain Wright of the 91st Regiment, w h o l an d e d on a piece of the wreck:lest no time in procuring and sending assistinco to his fellow sufferers. Ito walked several milei aleng the coast, obtained the use of a whale boat, and re turned agajn to o lial all relief in his power, taking charge of all who nd The civil commissioner, Mr. Mackay, and a Cap o,Blaalia, residing near Stamford's Cove, were mat hospitable and active in clothin g an d f ee di ng the poor fellows as they reached that place. To Mr. Ramaden, the master, I have expressed my thanks for his humane kind ness aid exertions in proceeding in his schooner to the wreck, and saving the people who were clinging to the top. sailyard. Commander Ranee, with the boats, though too late to save lib, by his activity prevented a long and painful journey to the sufferers, and succeeded in embarking and bringiag them to this port in the Ithadaraanthns. 10. From the deep water and dangerous position in which the wreck has sunk, I do not entertain any hopes of reco vering anything of value, but I have sent Commander Bunce, by land, to the vicinity, to recover and di/par of the property as he may think best, an account of which I will wad to their lordships by the next mail. 11. The soldiers will shortly.' oi n their respective regiment', and 1 purpose sending the remaining officers and crew (Atha late Birkenhead to England by the first opportunity, her Majesty's ship Amason, which arrived here last night, and will sail about the 12th instant, to be dealt with as their lordship may see fit. 12. I am glad to state that subscriptions were immediately raised to relieve the distress of the unfortunate widows and children of the soldiers, who are comfortably housed in the barracks at this place. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, C. WYVILL, Commodore. I have deemed It advisable to entrust this despatch to Mr. I , rcshfield, the late clerk of her Majesty's steam-ship Birkenhead, who, from his knowledge of the circumstances, though not present at the wreck, having been left behind at my residence sick, will be able to give their lordships every information, and particularly u to the names of the drowsed officers Ike. It will also enable the accounts of this unfortunate ltdp w be closed. C. WYVILL, Commodore. I. Parker, Esq., Secretary to the Admiralty, Ac., London. REPORT OF THE MASTER OF THE SCHOONER LIONESS. Enclosure No. 2 in No. ritTiliiifrom Commodore Wyvill. Schooner Lioness, Binion's Bay, Feb. 27, 1862. Sir —I beg to report to you that when the Lioness was o ff Walker's Bay, I observed a boat in shore pulling towards me on the morning of the 26th instant, at about 10 o'clock, which I picked up, and found her to contain 37 survivors from the wreck of the Birkenhead. On hearing that there were two other boats I proceeded in search of them, and three-quarters of an hour afterwards I succeeded in picking up the other cutter, with the women and children; but, after cruising about for the third boat, I made for the wreck, which I reached about two o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, and sent the cutters away to pick up the men hanging to the spare, by which we rescued 35 soldiers and sailors in a nearly naked state. The wreck had din. appeared WI but a picas of the maintopmast and topsail yard to which the men were clinging. Nothing else could be saved. I observed that some had succeeded in landing on the point, but only to the number of about 10. Finding that I could do nu more at the wreck, I made for this anchorage, and was towed by If. steam-vessel !Maio manthus, when about nine miles from the anchorage. I was glad to have it in my power to relieve the sufferers if, this enfortunate ship, who were on board me about hours. The women and children were provided with snit. able clothing, by my wife, and all that I and my Airs company could spare was supplied to the men. As I am desirous of prosecuting my voyage to the west coast of Africa without delay, I beg you will be pleased to order the provisions to be replaced, and the defects of tho ship made good —my boat and gunwale being injured by getting in the cutters. The unfortunate people have been put es board the Castor, at 9 o'clock. I have the hnnour to be, air, lite., (Signed) li Tiionis E..RAMSDEN. Muter end Owner of tNe Lioness. Commodore Wyvill, Commending in Chief, &c. dm. LIST OF PERSONS SAVED. Enclosure No. 3. _ This enclosure contains the last of officers, ship's com pany, &c., saved from the Birkenhead, which included 7 officers, 42 seamen, 6 boys, and 6 marinee—making a total of 60 persona. /dr. Freshtield had been left at Simon's Bay, on sick leave. This enclosure likewise contains the following List of officers, soldiers, women, and children, saved from the wreck of her Majesty's late steam-ship Birkenhead. Officers. Wright, Captain, 91st Regiment ; Girardot, Lieut , 13rd Foot; Lucas, Lieut., i3rd Foot; Bond, Cornet, 12th Lan cers ; Bowen' Staff Surgeon. Soldiers. Ben Itrotwawr.—PrivatesToim Moore, Michael Malay, E. Peters, John Peters, Thomas Chadwick Hobert Page, Henry Double, Henry Vernon, James Gildea, Benjamin Worrill, Patrick M'Crery, A. Anthers, W. Badd,G.White, John Bandon, John Smith, T. Oleeson, 8. Hales. Brit Itiotsiamr.—Serjeant T oil e; Privates W. Bache, William Clark, Thomas Co., James Goldin, John lierrich, Jamey Wade, William Welch, John Kitchen, R. Hunt, Thomas Hortby, P. (Beeson, E. Walahe. 12TH RlGlRRNT.—Privates Daniel Waters, Thomas Sangan, John Irvin, James Johnson, Robert Dolan, John Yale, John Simon, Patrick Ward, C. Kerrigan, Michael Hearty George Bridges, (Jeorge Wells, William Smith, Thomas Higgins, John sl'Donald, G. Walker. 431 w R801341/47.—Privates John Rerin, Edward Am brose, James West, Harrison, Thomas Ginn, George Peters, George Lyons, George Brickley, Michael Hornet, l'eter Allen, James Woodward, W. Sharp, D. Bunker, M. Healer. Ora Ruoinnirr.—Private Adam Keating. Germ Rirtsa.—Serjeant D. Andrews; Privates William Burlon, Thomas Natal', Thomas Smith, William Sooter, A. Lackic, Henry Fuss, J. Hanlon, Henry Mather, J. Stanfield, M. Laffey. 73RD REIM RNT.—SefiCaßt Kilbtll7 ; Privates William Busher, Thomas Cash, James Fitzpatrick, William Half penny, Patrick May, Michael O'Brien, Patrick Lynch, John Sullivan, William Wood, D. Sullivan, John O'Reilly, W. Dobson, Patrick Taylor, D. Malony, J. Mabry, It. Green. 74rn Rio M INT.—Sergeant Harold ; Privates William Boyce, Charles Ferguson, James Henderson, D. Kirkford, Walter Taylor, John Smith, Charles Walker, Daniel Shaw, George Taylor, Thomas M'Mullin, Richard Hartley, John Keifie, D. Munro, James Id'Origor, John M'Kee, A. Nathaniel, J. Sharp. filar REG' KENT. —Privates John Stanley, David Carey, Patrick Mullins, Patrick Cunningham, John Cougham, John Holden, Patrick Flinn, John Cordie, Allen M'Kay, Mark Hudson, John Lowey, John Haggart, J. Robinson, John Lamb, John Wamsley, Frederick Winterbottom. 12rit LANCElli.—Privates John Dodd, M. Schofield. Ladies and Women. Mrs. Harkins Mn. 2i;sl;ii: ii;;Tiullins. Mrs. Mont , Mn. dulabar, Mrs. Spruce, Mrs. Hudson. P • rariionsh. 12th Regiment, left behind (sick) at Simon's Bay. Annum. _ _ Often -----• 6 Soldiers ln Women 7 Children 161 Of wbom 17 'Wien were left sick at the Naval Hospital. TOTAL NUMBII SAVIID PROM WIWI. Naval Persona 69 Military Persona 134 C. WYVILL, Commodore. STATEMENT OF DR : BOWEN, STAFF SURGEON, saved by the cutter. . anfiffirnre No. 4, in No. 12 of 1832, from Commodore Wren!. fluston's Town, March 1, 1852. Sir,—ln obedience to your command, I have the honour to state that I was on the deck of the Birkenhead shortly after she struck, about 2 a.m., on the 26th of Feb ruar y. remained in the vessel till she parted in two, just before the paddle-boles, u it seemed to me, and then seeing no hope of the ship floating, and Mr. Balmond saying that these who could swim had better try and gave their lives, I lowered myself from the poop and swam. The ship went dews is three or four minutes after I left her. As far u I amajudge. I woe picked up by the first cutter. Doing doe Yoe I was on deck the conduct of the officers sod mon, both naval and military, displayed the greatest esthises and the perfection of discipline. Mr. Salmond's Odors were gives, answered, and carried into effect with 0 mesh quietness u if it had been only an ordinary ors onsim. I spoke to Mr. Salmond a short tints before the ship parted, and he wee as cool and self-poeseseed as poesibi. After ls I got into the cutter we took in se many men as she could with safety carry, and the crew behaved with the greatest courage and propriety, with the exception of one marine, whose conduct was disrespectful to Mr. Renwick, and who appeared to grumble rather than assist. The first and second cutters and gig polled in company for Cape Ilanglip, under the orders of Mr. Richards ; as when we neared the shore we found the surf breaking heavily. At daylight wo all pulled seaward for a lan which was in sight, but after a long pull, as there wined no chance of reaching her, we again pulled for Hanglip. A north-westerly breeze now sprung up and freskelied,with a sea that was rather too much for our deeply-laden boat, and after hailing the gig which wee ahead of us, and waving hats for some time, without being able to attract the at tention of her crow, we put the boat before the wind, and pulled for a schooner which appeared to be standing in. This proved to be the schooner Lioness, and she took us up shout half-peat 11 a.m. The master of this schooner then stood in shore for the second cotter, with Mr. Richards, the womb it, and chil dren, and sense soldiers. We picked them up ; they were, like ourselves, pulling for the schooner. NVhen we first nude them out they appeared to be under sail, which proved to be a women's shawl spread on a boat-hook. We could see nothing of the gig, but, as she had a picked crew from the first cutter for the purpose of chasing the schooner in the morning, we were not in snub apprehension on her licooant. The eehoimer thee Mated the wreck, and took many men fobs It. This was &NM by)dr. Renwick and Mr. Richards sod the cutters' crews; these two gentlemen displayed the ,Clll4 courage, deteratiautiou, and intelligence in getting 1:6 groin the wreck, as well as during the whole affair. Their eon duet was that of breve men. Mr. Rich arils' duty in the boat, with the women and children, de„ , arduous in the extreme, and well performed. Mr. Hire, w ho was on the wreck about 13 hours, dis phrd the greatest courage and coolness. r. Renwick was nearly exhausted, and much bruised, when we, in the erst cutter, took hint out of the gig fur the purpose of lightening her to chase the schooner, hut after sunrise he soup rallied and behoved nobly. Nothing could exceed the kindness and attention of Mr. Ramsden and his wife on board the Lioness; nothing was too stood for us; and he made every effort to save as many souls as possible. Ile deserves the highest praise. I have the honour to be, sir, &c., (Signed) liontltT Second Staff Surgeon. STATEMENT OF MR. RICHARDS, Master Assistant Officer in command of the Boats. Enclosure No. 6 in No. 12 of 1862 from Commodore Wyvill. Her Majesty's Stearn-vessel Rhadamanthus, Simon's Boy, March 1, 1852. At the time the vessel struck I was asleep in my hammock in the fore cockpit. I immediately ran on deck in my shirt, and on lookicg down the fore hatchway Ima the cockpit was half full of water. It rising very fast, 1 then went aft, and heard the captain give orders to rig the eh in pumps. I went below in the after cockpit, and with the purser's steward and carpenter shipped the pump handles. 1 then went on deck, and aseisted in clearing away the first cutter, and starboard paddlebox boats' falls. The vessel was then rolling heavily, and settling down by the head very fast. The captain then ordered the soldiers on the poop, which was dune in a quiet manner. Ile then called me, and ordered me to get the women and children in the second cutter, and save them if possible. The boat was lowered with a quantity of water in her, and nearly swamped alongside. The women and children were then into her, and some of the soldiers also jumped in off the gangway, in all 35 persons. I then got clear of the vessel, which immediately parted in two just before the paddle-boxes. I then beard the captain calling for n boat to save Mr. Brodie, the master. I pulled to the wreck, but could not see him. I was obliged to get clear of the wreck again immediately, as the boat was nearly swamping, ands great number of men swimming toward s h er . I then saw the first cutter and second gig astern of the wreck. I hailed and asked if they were full, and told them to take in as many as they could carry in safely. They then pulled up towards me. I then heard Mr. Renwick call to me to pick him up. I told him we were nearly sinking, and full of people, and to go on a little farther to the gig, which picked him up shortly afterwards. We stayed by the wreck about an hour. After she parted in two, and having ea many in the bate as we could carry, I stood in towards the shore to see if I could land those that were In the boats. We gut in as far as the breakers, and I found the surf was running too high to Lind without staving the boats, and endangering the lives of those that were already saved, especially those of the women and children. I then hailed the boat, to keep further out, as I was nearly in the breakers, and should be swamped; we, however, suc ceeded in getting out of them, and then proceeded along the shore to the N.W. six or seven miles, but could notice any place where we could land. At daylight we observed a schooner in the offing, five or six mils off. I consulted with the other officers, and we considered it the best way to try and come up with the schooner. After chasing her between two and three hours, a breeze sprung up from the westward, and she stood off the land ; the first cutter and gig were then very nearly out of eight a head of me, as we could nut keep up to them, only being able to pull six oars. I found it was useless my proceeding any further in chase, so I stood in towards the land ; we were then in sight of the wreck, but could not distinguish any men on it. We made very little way towards the land, and the breeze freshening we were obliged to keep the b oat before it to prevent her sinking. We were within two or three miles of the land when we again saw the schooner standing towards us. We pulled the boat round, and with a woman's shawl for a soil, succeeded in making a little way towards her. She hove to, and picked us up at about 2 p.m., when I found the first cutter on board with Mr. Renwick, Dr. Bowen, and 34 men. We could not see the gig, and therefore made all sail towards the wreck, which we hove to off at half past 3. Mr. Renwick and myself then pro ceeded in the cutters, and succeeded in saving 45 men off the topmast and topsail yard. We could not see anything between the wreck and the shore, and thinking all that were saved had reached the shore, we proceeded in the schooner to Simon's Bay, having on board 116 people. (Signed) It. D. RICHARDM, Master's Assistant. STATEMENT OF MR. HIRE, CLERK, Who was twelve hours on the wreck. Enclosure No. 6 in No. 12 of 18.52, from Commodore Wpill. 11.M.5.V. Rhadamanthus, Simon's Bay, March, 1, 1852. I slept in the fore cockpit, and between two and three a.m on the morning of the 26th of February, 1862, 1 was awoke by the ship striking against something. I got on deck and went aft to the commander, who told me to get the books ready to go in the boar, RP he did nut think there was any immediate danger. I did so, and went again on the poop. I had hardly got there when she went in halves amidships. I stopped by the commander, and Mr. Speer, second master, at the wheel, until the poop went down, taking us with it. I came up again close to the mainyard, and from there to the topsailyard as Pile settled down, where! remained. I did not see any °Nicer, or the boats; there were, I think, about 60 men on the yard with me, some of whom dropped off during the rest of the night, and at daylight some went on shore on parts of the wreck. We saw a vessel about live or six miles to windward, which afterwards proved to be the schooner Lioness. I tried to get one of the gigs, which appeared above water, but could not. At about half-past three p.m. the next day the schooner came down close to us, and the two cutters, with Mr. Richards, master's assistant, and Mr. Renwick, engineer, came and took us onto the schooner, where we received the greatest kindness both from the master and his wife, who did everything in their power to assist and make us comfortable. (Signed) 0. W. S. Mac, Clerk, Birkenhead. STATEMENT OF MR. RENWICK, CIIIEF ASSISTANT ENGINEER, As to tho stopping and backing the engines. Enclosure No. 7 in No. 12 of 1852 from Commodore Wyvill. 11.M.5.V. lthadamanthus, Sfinon's Bay, March 1, 1862. I was awoke by the vessel going ashore and water rush ing from the main deck into the fore cockpit; I ran into the engine -room in my shirt only, and found there Mr. Whyham, Mr. Kitchingenan, and Mr. llarber ; the engines were stopped and water pouring from the main deck through the door, over the starbcard cylinder. I shut the door, and, about a minute afterwards, orders were given to go astern. The engines, after making from 16 to 20 revolu• tions, stopped, the water rising so high as to eitinguish the fires. While opening the starboard injection cock I observed a triteportion of the starboard bilge buckled upwards, plates ribs both started, and water rushing in. Mr. Whyhain having reported to the commander that the water had risen above the level of the air-pump lids, ordered all hands out of the engine-room. I then went aft and remained on the poop until sho broke in two. On rising in the water I swam towards the shore for about 15 minutes, but observing what appeared to be two boats, about. hundred yards to my left, I proceeded in that direc tion. On nearing the first one I hailed, and was answered by Mr. Richards, who told me to go ahead to the other boat, as his was full. At this time I was seized by a boy, who took me down; after struggling I rose, and was picked up insensible by the second gig. On recovering I found Dr. Culhane, and six or seven others, in the boat. The three boats being full, closed and pulled in towards the shore, to pick out a landing place, the surf breaking very heavily as far as we could see. At break of day we saw a sail stand ing towards us, distant about five miles, we being then about four or five miles from the wreck, and three or four from the shore. We consulted together, and decided to pull towards her, so we were unsuccessful in finding a place to land without smashing the beat. We pulled two hours or so after her, but made very ►ittle progress in nearing her. Dr. Culhane then proposed to close the first cutter, select eight good men, and continue to chase the second cutter, at this time distant about a mile astern. We did so, and no officer being in the first cutter, I took charge of her, and continued to follow the, gig. A breeze sprung up, when the vessel quickly left us. DM .h gig and first cutter pulled in towards land ; obliged to run before tho sea to prevent the boat swamping, there being in her 36 men. About 11 a.m. observed the vessel standing towards us on the port tack to leeward. At 12 was picked up by her, which turned out to be the schooner Lioness, of Cape Town, Capt Ramsden. I pointed out to him the position, as I supposed, of the other boats; he immediately made sail in that direction, and at 2 p.m., succeeded in picking up the second cutter, with men, women, and children, in charge of Mr. Richards. A man at the mathead being unable to see the gig, wo made all sail towards the wreck, and arrived off the reef about 3.30 p.m. Mr. Richards and myself, In the two cutters, proceeded to the wreck, and succeeded in rescuing Mr. Hire, clerk, and 36 men, who were clinging to the mamtopmast and top sail yard. Having closely examined the whole coast with out perceiving any other persons •goat, made sail for Simou's Bay, having on board in all 110 persons. (Signed) CHAa. K. RINWICX, First Claes Assistant Engineer. STATEMENT OF MR. ARCHBOLD, GUNNER, Relative to getting out the paddle•box boats. Enclosure No. 8 in No. 12 of 1832 Irons Commodore Wyvill. On the morning of the 26th of February I was aroused from my bed by a severe shock. I instantly ran on deck, found the ship had struck on a rock, and was rapidly sinking. 1 was ordered by the captain to fire the rockets and burn the blue lights, which I did. After so doing 1 went on the pert sponson to clear away the port paddle-box boat. Wa lied canted the boat, when the fore part of the ship went down ; at the same time me soil Mr. Brodie (master) were washed overboard. When rising to the surface of the water I held on to part of the wreck. Leaving the piece of wreck, I swam towards a truss of hay, where I found Mr. Brodie. Finding it imposaible to hold un with the straw any longer, I made for part of the wreck, where I found Captain Wright, 91st Regiment, and nine or ten men ; they assisted me on the raft, floating towards the shore. We picked up Mr. Barber, assistant engineer, and a boatswain's mate (Lacey James). Previous to landing on I shore, I observed a sail in the offing, distant about eight miles. After landing I saw the *cheesier malting for head. t h e wreck. We then proceeded on to 1,and.13,,,,, which place Captain Wright left us, and procured Some refreshments. Next rooming proceeded to Captain Smile, where we were clothed and fed until sent oe board he; Msjesty'l steamer Ithadagennthus. Memorandum —ln respect to the Loeb, I saw none but the port paddle box boat, bottom up, with some bt.ttl or eight hands on her, drifting towere's the shore. I heard several voices calling loudly, and in that strain of voice that 1 f, tied some boat or boats very near at hand ; and if then, bad been any best or boats present to have takes' the a•.cu from the floating pieces of wreck, they might, with good nu• nsgemcnt, have been safely 'andel: in the None cove where Captain Wright and myself were' landed, and could have made several trips to and fr., to the shore, and saved a largo slumber of men, as they were some time kept up, the surface of the water Ly the floating ~.ieces of unlit. In my opinion the boat that had the women and ehildo l , saved timo and lives by getting the assie Lance of the schooner, there being a great number on at, d about the wreck. (Signed) JOHN AR. 111111LIII, f, utintr, late liirkinimud, To Commodore Wyrill, Simon'a Bry. SECOND STATEMENT OF MIL. Cl:l,llANre ASSISTANT SLAW EON, As to leaving the wreck in the gig, also leaving the boats. Enclosure No. 9 in No. 12 of 1852 from Commodore Wye&U. Naval Hospital, Simon's Town, Maack 1, 1812 Sir,-1 have the honour to inform you that I was the last person who left the wreck of lu r Majesty's steam vessel Birkenhead when slse got on the reeks off Danger Pint. ii. The poo was on a level with the sea when I s wam f rom her, • et that time 1 could not see any of th e b oats. 1 sumo. ed, after swimming about a mile or more, in reach ing the second gig, and when I got into her we mustered ID. I remained there fur some time. Could hot see the wreck, being dark, and did nut see any men near ; the two cutters were near, and they left and we followed, thi n ki ng t o ma k e the allele, but at daylight Mr. Richards saw a sail, and we all determined to pull for it, but after chasing the scheme r for at least 20 miles in the gig, as I had eight men who volunteered from the cutter to pull fur the schooner, she got ahead of us, and we did not give up until she was out of sight, and then thought it the most expedient way to reach you, in order to let you know the mel a nch o ly l oss o f the men and of who were on board, except those who were on the mast. When I left the wreck we pulled fur ten hours before we reached the shore, and were six miles ahead of the cutter, when we gave up all hopes of reaching the schooner. The people in the cutter say that they made signals to us, but the eight men and m)self can assure you that we did net see any signal to us. 1 reach, d 1 Durban about three o'clock, pen. The day after the wreck I rode on horselmek from there to Cape 'town, and arrived at Simon's Bay in about 20 hours trum the time I started; and, after pulling a share of about (Al miles, and riding about 110 miles across the country, I um sorry to hear that it has been said that I lett the boats. We saw the schooner tack and come in the direction of where we last saw the cutters, and she I one to, as if to take them on board, and afterwards steer towards the wreck. We should be very glad to he there at the time, as we dreaded that we could not get a landing place. I assure you that I tried every effort to reach yuu, in order that you may be able to send a steamer to the wreck, and that was the object of the other eight of the boat's crew. I have the honour to be, air, your most obedient servant, cSigned) Wu. CU LIIA ri X, Assistant burgeon. C. 1% yvill, Esq., Commodore, Commanding in Chief, Simon's Bay. STATEMENT OF MIL. BARBER, ASSISTANT ENOINEEIt, As to the engine turning astern, dic. Enclosure No. 10 in No. 12 el Mil' from Commodore Wyvill. 11.M.5.V. Rhadamanthus, Simon's Dar, March I, 1852. About two a.m, on the morning of the 26th February, 1852, I was awoke by the ship striking, and ran into the engine-room, where I found Mr. Kitchiogman , who was •• watch, standing by the starting gear. Ile informed me he bad just stopped the engines. We remained there until Mr. Whyham ordered the safety valves of the three boilers to be opened, which I did. Shortly after the order was given to turn astern, which was done The fire. wire afterwards extinguished by the water rising rapidly in the engine-room. Wo then went ou deck. Soon alter the ship parted. I went to the dingy's full, and lowered myself into the water, but the weight of the soldiers who clung on me forced me to let go and take to wine of the main rig ging, where I remained until the ship went dews, taking me with her. I came up again, and held on to some of the wreck until picked up by Captain Wright and some more men on a part of thu foresponson, en which we succeeded in reaching the shore at about one p.m. (Signed) BENJAMIN BAllltEll, Assistant Engineer. REPORT OF COMMANDER DUNCE, Sent in Rhaihinionthus to the setae u( the wreck to afford Enclosure No. 11 in 1552 from Commodore H.M.S. Castor, Simon's Bay, Feb. 29, lesi2 Sir,—l beg to acquaint you that I proceeded, in olordi tone to your order, in her Majesty's steanivessel Ithailaman thus, to Langer Point, arriving off there ou the mornia; of the 28th, and after examining the wreck with her maintop mast alone above water, I proceeded in the boats to Stain. ford's Cove, where I found four of the men who had reached the shore from the wreck, from whom I received informa tion that many more were at a farm called " Klyne River," about 15 miles distant. I rode out to the farm and found 60 more, all of whom had been clothed, fed, and housed most hospitably by Capt. Smales, the proprietor, with whom I made arrangements for sending them down to Stamford Cove in the morning, to embark them in the Ithadaman thus—the sick to come in waggons. The next morning I proceeded with Captain Wright, 91st Regt. (the senior surviving military officer), and Mr. Mackay, the civil commissioner of the Caledon district, to the neighbourhood of the wreck, and, travelling the beach, for some distance, found it strewed with small spars, pieces of deck, &c., and the paddle-box boats, both of which were rendered unserviceable when the vessel broke in two pieces ; numbers of dead bodies had been found and buried, and great numbers must have perished by getting entangled is the large kelpweed which fringes the coast about Danger Point. From the information I have been enabled to collect, it would appear that the Birkenhead rounded Cape Hangeliff at about 9.30 p.m., on the lith ultimo, at the distance of four or five miles, that a S.S.B. j E. course, by compass, was steered, and at 2 a m. ' on the 2Gth, she struck oa • pinnacle rock on the reef off Danger Point, a short two miles from the shore ; the r.sek went right through her into the engine-room, and the engines being immediately re versed, rented her bottom, and in 20 or' 30 minutes from the time she first struck, she broke in midships, the bow part going down into deep water one way, and the swathe other. The two cutters and one gig had been lowered and manned, and ordered to be put off. All the women and children were put into one cutter under the charge of Mr. Richards, master's assistant, the senior surviving naval officer. Some 30 or 40 of the men clung to the main top mast and rigging, some swam to the boats, and, getting heavily laden, the boats pulled out clear of the wrick ; many were below when the vessel broke, and went down in her, and the rest on bundles of hay, spars, stools, doors, tables, and the middle .box boats, bottom up, were drifting about between the shore and the wreck. The 68 officers and men whom I brought down in the Rhadantanthus are the only survivors out of those who were on these rafts and paddle-box boats, &e. Many must basic been drowned front exhaustion and many have been knocked to pieces on the ledges of r ocks over which the sea was breaking. By the exertions of Captain Wright and the civil commissioner of the Caledon district (Mr. Mackay), a whale boat was pro cured the day after the wreck to search about, and five men were landed by her, from bits of wood drifting about; one soldier after being 38 hours in the water. In communicating to you this disastrous occurrence, I cannot but express my opinion that if the boats had kept by the wreck until good daylight, landed the extra hands in one of the small creeks about, and then given their at tention and assistance to the poor fellows floating and atrug ling in the water, a great many more might have been saved, for the weather was tine, the sea quite smooth, not a breath of wind. . . . Mr. Culbanc, the assistant surgeon of the Birkenhead, was in the gig and went in pursuit of a small schooner, which was seen at daylight, but u he could neither reach her, or succeed in drawing her attention, he bore up for Port Durban, about 12 or 15 miles from Danger Point, whence be communicated to you the loss of the Birken- The two cutters succeeded in getting to the English schooner Lioness, which vessel came into the urea, and took off all those who were hanging to the mast and yard; making in all on board her is it from the wreck, 117, which, with the nine landed in the gig, and the GS in the Khadamanthus, makes a total of 104 of all denomi nations saved out of the 630 she left Simon's Bay with on board. _ _ . I enclose to you • het of the officers, soldier,, sailors, women, and children, who have been saved. I hare the honour to be, sir, Your most obedient humble servant, B. H. BCNCE, Contuuder. To Commodore Christopher Wyvill, Commanding in Chief, tic. &c. &c. STATEMENT OF CAPT. WRIGHT, 91st ItEGT., of the circumstances connected with the wreck and saving of lives by rafts, &c. Enclosure No. 12 in No. 12 of 1552 from Commodore \l'j rill. Simon's Bay, March About six, p.m., of the 25th February, 11.)1.ship Birkeu. head, sailed from Simon's Bay on her panoige to .tlgoa Bay, to land the drafts of the 12th, 91st, and 7 ith, and then to proceed to the Buffalo to land the remainder of the drafts, vie. 12th Lancers, 2nd, 43rd, 73rd, 13th, 6th, sod t;Oth Italics. About half-past 10 1 was on the deck, and the officer on watch, Mr. Speer, observed to me that he had passed the light, at the same time pointing out to me a light on the port side of the vessel. I made the remark at the I time, " Surely that is not Lt. Agulha's light, for if so the Cape must have moved nearer the Cape (meaning Cape Point) than it was when 1 was here five years age.' • the appearance of the light I was satisfied that it was from a light-house, and not from a fire on the hills, mail of which were burning, and therefore I concluded that another light-househad been built since 1 was here in 1547. I thin went to bed. About two, a.m., on Titur-day, Iwu med.' by a severe shock, and on mtting up found that the v,-41 bad struck. I came up on dock and wand the commaialcr Mr. Balmond, and Mr. Davis, second master, on tit, roP. I was standing alongside them. The commander asked Mr. Davis how the light was bearing when he last saw A. Mr. T