The Sun. — London, England, 1846-10-13 00:00:00

TRE SUN, LONDON, TUES t AY EVENING, OCTOBER, 13,_1846. NE `V At r-- 4 7 IA ND. We have a file of the New Zealand Spectator and Cool's Stra,ts Guardian, published at Wellington, New Zealand, to the 23d May. These papers supply us with the offi .:; eial and other details of the affair of " The Hutt," in killed it will be se en , s i x men of the 58th Foot were and four w oun d e d , by the natives (Maories), led ‘ t* On by Ran gi~ 61 4 u aheata, wh o too k so active a part in the ghter of our countrymen at the commencement of th e disputes in the northern parts of the colony. OFFICIAL STATEMENT. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR. Went, a 21, 1846. Si r , —At th e d es i re of his H lli ono g ur on Maj M or y Richmond, I 1 3e . g to hand you copies of the reports of Major Last and t} 4ll . Page, relativ e to the late attack by the natives on .The detaehment of the 58th - Regiment stationed at Mr. leutts farm on the Hutt, in order that the public may " possession of authentic information on the subject. I am, Sir, y( urs obediently, S. E. GRIMSIONE, Secretary. (CTY:)_ Welii ngton,l 8 -16. f Sir,--I have th e honour to enclose a copy of a letter r°lo Lkut. Regiment, made u 58th llegimt, detailin g a n a tt ac k 16t upo n },ice b the nativ es cn the mornin g of the h y inst, in which I t egret to state t ur loss has been 8 ""e, as will be seen by the annexed list of killed and ~, !founded out of the 50 men unclee his command that were . 1 1 . n the position he and his small party so bravely de . en ded at Boulcott's Farm, about two miles in advance of -thtuale s tockade, containing, 50 more of th e same reg i ment tr Captain Hardy. On hearing of the attack I instantly dispatched an - 7 order for Captain Hardy and hi 6 men to move forward : ,t 9 Lieut Page's support, sending the same number of ~.; the 99th Regiment from Wellington by a forced march, '.. to replace them in the stockade, proceeding myself as soickly as possible to the scene of action, and on reach nig the position, about eleven A.m., just 1; fore the rein forcement had arrived, I found t h e enemy were still hove r i ng in the vicinit y of the position, and firing on us at intervals from the thick scrub on the opposite bank of ..the river. : At this time Captain Hardy and party came up and several volunteers, when I immediately advanced with. thy whole force (as far as practicable) in extended order, ' a nti directed a heavy fire of musketry, which drove the en emy back and silenced them. as The thi c k ness of the forest precluded our being able to t i o e ,', l rtain what casualties occurred, and there is no Dr t hey must have been considerable. paid Galbraith, of the 99th Regiment, on his arrival re, • e‘ery attention to the wounded, whose cases h . e the -eivQ . d over from Dr. Turnbull, who happened to be in neighbourhood at the time, to whom I am under RtPat,aligation s for his skill and care until Dr. Gal arebrai'n eame u and lam happy to say the wounded men doing well I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, C. (Signed) EDWARD LAST, Major, 99th Regiment, commanding troos, Sen District. , liis llo nour the Superinten p dent, uth &c., r Wellington. 4et urn of the killed and wounded of the Force under . the command of Lieutenant Page, 58th Regiment, li, hile re bistit) g an attack of the rebellious natives in "e Valley of the Hutt on the morning of the 16th • 16 3 . 1846 • DolC.Liiied•-58.th Regiment—Lance Corporal James • ji:',"ellt Privates William Allen, Robert Brett, Thos. I l i' J. Al'Fadden, T. Sonham. Total killed, 6. Ix. ounded--Lance Sergeant E. Ingram (severely) ; Tot a l, Patrick Bevan, Thomas Tayler, John Ward. .total, 4. (Copy-) Sir h Camp River Hntt, May 16, 1846. hou r b ofo have the honour to state that about half an Where th e r?; daylight this morning the sentry in front of :to Maories 'nelpii n n g g picquet was posted observed several towards him ; he fired, when immedi routlYd!. here/ rush was made from all parts of the sur iusu„lf.ng wood. The picquet was overpowered in an Maories then surrounded the outhouses up 4 1- I : e4 by part of the troops, at the same time keeping ch e ni" l "3' fire. Sergeant Norton here succeeded in h oa '''ag them with a few men who got out of the ,1117 se s• I rushed from the back part of my house with . servants, but we were driven back directly. We , l ed forth again, and with a few men who joined up, - it u r our way at last to the barn, round which I had 0 4 " a small stockade, occupied by half my force (25). : arriving there, I advanced in extended order, with Lake any more of the me n as I cou ld i n all safety from the stockade, and drove the enemy 1, - I°ss the ri ver . Th ey th en p l undered a house Fr om to a settl e r o f th e name of ill‘llardie. :rota the darkness we were unable t o j u d ge emu "lely of their numbers; from those we saw, and the for e ' W ar dance they had afterwards, I should suppose the Were about 200. I feel convinced but that the alert begs of all turning out, and the determination of the ken, we should all have fallen. The enemy were so aompletely supericr in numbers, and having the advan tage of knowing the ground, and watching us for some t i me before the alarm was given. It was impossible to b men outhouses, as none of them wou ld res i st a ' in the slightest degree. I a m sorry to say our loss has been severe for the number of men engaged; several of th e enemy were kill ed, b ut carried away by o l t t h ur ers directly they fell. I hav e th e h onour to b e, Sir, "ttadient servant, (Signed) G. HYDE PAGE . , Lieutenant 38th Regiment. Major Lut, 99Lh Regiment. POSTSCRIPT. VDoctor Turnbull, of the Wellington militia, who hap ed to be in the neighbourhood , ' arrived about two v ery after with some volunteers. He also rendered t he assibtanee in his power to the wounded men till arrival of Dr. Galbraith from Wellington. , I bog t o enc l ose a li st o f t h e kill e d an d wounded. (The names are the same as mentioned above). True copy, M. Richmond, Superintendent. FURTHER DETAILS. (From the New Zealand Spectator, May 23.) We have put together in a connected narrative the particulars of the attack on the troops last Saturday, and an account of the events of the past week. It may be necessary, however, for the information of our readers at a distance, to state that during the priceding week a very general opinion was entertained that some sudden movement was in contemplation by Rangihaeata and the natives actirg under him. Their firing on the recon noitring party from the cam at Porirua, on the 10th ro de-, was a declaration of open p hostilities on their part, t! l nd as no measures were tak en to pun i sh this outrage, was confidently expected that Rangihaeata, em inoldened by impunity, would proceed to further extre con,, iti es- As we ment i one d last week, the troops sta .. -u at Po r i rua were warned that a sudden attack was Etutended, an d an order was in consequence issued that 7 should be under arms every morning at daybreak. uni's warnings an d o ff ers o f assistance, as we have Freviuusly stated, were treated by Major Richmond v4„l'ith i ndifference and neglect. On Friday, the I ‘.„,re the attack Muturoa, one of the principal chiefs of ripi t p ' h• e 8 a, called on Major Richmond to warn him of ,Is danger, and to offer the assistance of his tribe ; but his assistance was declined and his warnings de e'sed- Accordingly, at daybreak on Saturday morning, e( msiderabl e b o d y of natives, amounting to aboutHutt, 200 i n num b er, had arrived in the valley of the l utt, with the i ntention of surprising and cutting off the det achment of the 58th Regiment, stationed at Mr. Bout ,t.)tt'a sect i on, a b out two miles above the stockade at the Hutt bridge. The party of soldiers amounted to 42 'ten, 14 of whom were quartered in Mr. Bouleott's barn, t he others were dispersed in tents and the buildings in the immediate neighbourhood. Lieutenant Page, the ° Meer in command, and his servant, occupied Mr. Boni °tt's house, and Mr. Boulcott and his two servants were ,' ll II small house adjoining. The rebels were under the } t i e of lisparetebau. Some of the rebels entered );; 0 house of a settler named M'Hardie, and enjoining ti tl3 , and his wife to silence, directed them immediately tn — 'eave the spot. Mrs. M'Hardie, on leaving her house, 1 ,. : 3 1 .' shelter behind a fallen tree, and from her place of ref bed hwitnessed the whole of the engagement. e first alarm was given by the sentinel, who, on 1.0,7 1413 g the nois e , fi re d hi s pi ece an d en d eavoured to w ere t he picquet. Imm e di a t e ly three heavy vo ll eys tii ro p u nted into the tents in quick successi on b y toe theatives, and they rushed on with loud yells to n , k Work of destruction. Four of the soldiers were vcauawked on the spilt in one tent. One of them, 4,2, acted as bugler to the company, behaved most I CIY. On the first alarm he seized his bugle, and while in h z .. ac t of sounding the instrument a blow from a toma groutidnearly severed his arm, and struck him to the d the But while lying in this mutilated state he seize . bu gle with his other hand and attempted to warn his eornra f . tom a h a wk their danger, when a second stroke of the rebels nearly severed his head from his body. The evidently calculated on takincr the party by Prise,sur and hoped. that in the confusio'n of an unexpected rrisetackd tahnettyvvould fall an easy prey. But though sur ougat ailed surrounded by superior numbers, the troops fully sustained tfie most devoted courage and gallantry, and tenant Page had sormeleudiation of British soldiers. Lieu his house, which was sufficultY. cutting his way from , andrrounded by the rebels. This at length he effected Late men, animated them by his thliisr.gprheismself at the head of mxbe Party stationed in the barn behenacv oose coolness. They divided the eedanwdiththe examp'e.ut- selves into two par !tes of seven each, firing by Wrenn?, loadeda then re l t n rea t t h ed e !Inger cover of the barn to again sfule_igh! of the engagement a party of . seven of ~: 1 3 idutt militia had been disbanded on the pre . tn.. - ii , , 1,"..a10nc19r, attracted by oun of firing, most lipir"wrely, repaired to the spot . , elandby their presence in ed the troops with r costs' troops to the success courage, and materially s of the day, for the rebels, be niog that furt'ier reinforcements were close at hand, "gall to give way, and were finally driven across the fitirv;e! t,aking with them their dead and wounded. The '''g lasted about an hour and a half. The loss on the torartaho_f .the troops is six killed (four of whom were h.._ 4 wked at the commencement of the attack) and as wounded. We refer to the official dispatches for the " T r e h es e °f the killed and wounded. Nattyloss on the part of the rebels has not been cor ascertaiaed, as they carefully carried off every it who fell in the ergagement. Two were known i o It " be en killed ' d, and several were wounded very badly. weilibelie.ved that the total amount of their killed end We dd ed la thirteen. There is no question that they rib completely tNnilsed, and were forced to recross the ... er L biti4..l"Y.th6 herow little band. The tents were corn 6037111iddled with bullets, the Maories tiring low in the knt.th_al rtehe soldiers were in bed. A party of the tad t e a ' i t n 1 several volleys into Mr. Boulcott's house, . 4 MO Ma2restion that it was occupied by soldiers. We are concerned to add that a ball struck Thomas Hoserean, Mr. Bouleott's servant, in the act of getting cut ot bed. The ball passed through his body, inflicting a mortal wound, and lodged in his - bade, from which it was subsequently extracted by Dr. Galbraith of the 99th. Mr. Boulcott himself narrowly escaped the same fate. Immediately on receiving the dispatch informing him of what had occurred, Major Last directed 50 men of the 99th Regiment to proceed to the stockade at the Hutt bridge, with instructions to Captain Hardy, the officer in command, to advance with his men to the support of their comrades; and shortly afterwards proceeded him self to the scene of action, in company with Major Richmond. On his arrival he found the rebels had crossed the river, and omit r the protection of the stand ing bush they kept up a straggling fire on the troops. The order was now given for the soldiers to advance in extended line, and drive them out of the bush. Epuni, who accompanied Major Last, was very much struck with the gallant manner in which this manoeuvre was executed. Throughout this and the following day (Sun day) the rebels remained in the Hutt, occupying the ground On which the troops were formerly encamped, about half a mile beyond Mr. Boulcott's section. On Saturday they robbed M`Hardie's house, killed his pigs fir food, and took away or destroyed all his property. In obedience to a message from liangihaeata they re turned to Purina on Monday. During the whole of Saturday the toa n of Wellir.g ton was in the most painful state of alarm aral excite ment. Families were flocking in from the Hutt. Fa rs and heads of families were sending their wives and children to Wellington as a place of safety ; arid rumours of all kinds were in circulation. At one time it was believed that the party of militia and police sta tioned at Tihata as an outpost, ale ut three miles above the camp, Here cut off by the nativt s. In the early part of the week Major Richmond, disregarding the warnings he had received from different quarters, had, from mo tives of i conomy, disbanded the militia in Wellington, and reduced the company in the Hutt to 25 men, and but two days previous to the attack had informed Mr. Turnbull, the only acting-officer, that his services would be dispensed with. So that, on Saturday morning, the men at Tiliata were only under the command of a ser geant. Fortunately, however, they succeeded in effect ing their retreat, and joined th e troops without meeting with any opposition. Every assistance was rendered by Captain Stanley. Ta o of the Calliope's boats were sent in the afternoon of Saturday to Petoni, one with arms, and the other to bring away the women and children to Wellington. The wounded, who received every attention and assist ance from Dr. Turnbull until the arrival of Dr. Gal braith, were also sent over to Wellington to be placed in the hospital. The slain were buried on Sunday, on the field of battle. Various measures of precaution and defence were now adopted —among others, that of turning the natives. Epuni's offer, which was before treated with coldness and indifference, was now eagerly embraced, and, with a little solicitation, the old chief was persuaded to arm with his tribe and fight with the settlers against his old enemy. Accordingly a hundred stand of arms were sent over to Petoni for the use of his tribe. On Monday the natives of the pass at Waiw etu, Pipitea, and Tearo, were also supplied with arms, though the manner in which this le as done by the superintendent was calcu lated rather to repel them than to enlist their services heartily in the cause. The natives are placed under the command of Mr. David Scott, who will act as the organ of communication between them and the commanding officer. They are intended to form a sort of guerilla corps, fighting with the enemy after its own fashion, and falling back on the troops in case of need for support and assistance. Great dissatisfaction was felt by the natives at the miserable description of arms supplied to them from the Government stores. The equipment of a New Zealander for the fight is very simple. A good musket, and a car touche box to contain hi§ ammunition, strapped round his waist, are all that he requires. But so little prepa ration against any emergency has been made by the superintendent, that a great portion of the muskets de livered to the natives were returned as unfit for use, the ammunition had been formerly wet, and was unservice able, and there were very few cartouche-boxes for the supply of our allies : the greater part of the cartouche boxes given out to the natives were obtained from the company's stores. It will hardly be believed out of the settlement, that although the militia have been called out since the destruction of Kororarika, now a period of fifteen months, and have been more or less employed during this interval, they have nut even yet been supplied with scabbards for their bayonets. The greater body of the natives be longing to the pas in Wellington went over to Petoni on Tuesday, and are now encamped between the stockade and Mr. Bouleott's section. The number of friendly natives under Epuni amounts to nearly 250 men. They had a war dance on Wednesday evening, and speeches were made by the chiefs expressive of their determina tion to make common cause with the settlers. " Why," they said, "should we wait until some of our own people are killed before we take up arms ? It is true we may remain here and not be attacked, but are we to allow our pakehas, our friends, to be killed before our face P No—we will show our love to the pakehas, and identify our interest with theirs." Rangihaeata is busily engaged strengthening the de fences of his pa at Pawaitanganui, and thinks, now that the Ngatiawas are arming against him, that affairs are assuming a more serious aspect. After these defences, which are on the plan of those at the north, are com pleted, he intends to send out parties to kill and plunder in every direction. The natives say he openly expresses his determination "to continue to kill white people ; that when he is himself killed, he may previou.ly have obtained a great situ. He is determined to continue fighting ; he will never end." We have thus endeavoured to give a succinct but faithful narrative of the events of the past week. We do not pretend to decide where responsibility rests, but it must rest somewhere. Te Rauparaha, in a communi cation lately received from him, distinctly states, that on their visit to Porirua last week he said to Major Rich mond and Mejor Last, " an attack will be made on the Hutt ; when you reach (Wellington) take precautions concentrate the people."* M a j or Richmond was re peatedly, deliberately warned, from various quarters, that an attack was contemplated. What measures were adopted to ward off the blow ? What is intended to be done ? The natives have engaged heart 'and hand with the settlers from motives honourable to both parties, and their present conduct is the most' satis factory refutation of the calumnies so often repeated by those who, wishing to excuse the conduct of the local Government with reference to the land claims, have asserted that the settlers of Cook's Strait were the oppressors of the native race. We do not repeat idle reports ; we are satisfied, from our sources of in formation, that we express the honest sentiments of the great majority of the natives in the neighbouring dis tricts, when we say that in thus committing themselves to this contest, of which they could have remained un concerned spectators, they have been actuated by a sin cere good-will towa r d s the settlers, and a desire to up hold the supremacy of the Government—that they have made common cause with us in a spirit of justice, and for the maintenance of peace and good order. They know that Rangihaeata is actuated by a savage thirst of blood, by an insatiable desire of destruction—that he is at the head of a band of robbers and murderers, the outcasts of every tribe, who herd together for every evil purpose, and that the safety of the community depends on their being put down. They know that he has only 200 men at the uttermost under his command, that at present there is little probability of his being reinforced. Epuni has 250 warriors armed and eager for the fight, and the Ngatiawas at Waikanai and Queen Charlotte's Sound who will join them number 600 more. We repeat, what is intended to be done ? Will the authori ties take advantage of the present feeling of the natives in their favour, and crush this common pest, or will they suffer their zeal to grow cold by inaction and delay? We warn them—for the public good, and the present crisis requires us as public journalists boldly to proclaim the truth—we warn them that the natives are unable to account for the delay that hits already taken place. They say if it had rested with them, not one would have re turned to Rangihaeata to give an account of the conflict on the Hutt, and that if it had been their quarrel they would have ended it in a week, and they suppose the pakeha to be afraid or unable to defend himself. We warn them of the mischief occasioned by the wasting of precious time—of the reports which the emissaries of Ragihaeata will circulate to our prejudice—of the ef fect of these reports at the north, exaggerated as they will be in their progress. We warn them that the mur der of the Gillespies was no common crime, to be dealt with by the ordinary tribunals. It was a deliberate challenge by Rangihaeata. The challenge was repeated when the boats were fired upon at Porirua—it was re peated when Gillespie's hut was burned, the day pre vious to the attack, although the authorities remained unacquainted with the fact—it was repeated in charac ters of blood on Saturday. Whether Rangibaea,ta will be permitted to complete his defences, and deal indis criminate ruin and destruction through the land, or be signally arrested in his career, depends entirely upon the use Ahey make of the present opportunity. The time is passing. God grant we may not have to record— The time is past!' a o n no a u t r tack on the camp, In consequence of the report o f h theof hllisutt without l eaving any h in ad the go a n b e se t n o ce d th e e nt sh o‘ e . r h iff o ; the superinten dent behind him) called a meetin g of the on Saturday afternoon at Barrett's Hotel, thefor r settlers pose of adopting measures of defence. Mi!. Rev Pur ' ans hav ing been called to the chair, Mr. Lyon sa id that he had been requested by the sheriff to explain that the magis trates had, in the absence of hi honour, req uested the officer in command of the militia to call out the W h o l e of that force, and that they had applied to Capt a i n Stanley, of the Calliope, to land the marines and small arms men. Mr. Vincent and Mr. R. Davis then moved a resolu tion that a deputation should wait upon his honour to ascertain what steps he intended to take for the protec tion of the town; and that Captain Daniell, M. r. Boul cott, and Mr. Lyon, should form such deputation. The gentlemen named, however, immediately declined wait ing upon his honour, on the ground that Major Rich mond had proved himself utterly incompetent to dis charge the duties of his office, and had so grossly neg lected the warnings given him that they deemed it not merely useless to hold any communication with him, but that they were unwilling in any degree to induce a be lief that any confidence could be placed in the superin tendent. Other parti es were t h en pro p ose d, b u t they all declined to form part of any deputation to his honour the superintendent. On Sunday last a large canoe with thirty natives, loaded with provisions, for the supply of Rangihaeata and his band, was seen in the eastern arm of Porirua Harbour, approaching his pa. The police-boat immedi- " The following is the original of Rauparaha's letter : " Kihai i mate nga pakeha na kua ki atu ano au ki a te Riti mona raua ko te Rati kei Heretaunga - to huaki ai, e tae, kits mvhio huihuia atu nga pakeha." ately gave chase, and were rapi•lly gaining upon them, when the canoe reached a pint beyond which the part) stationed at Pori' ua were forbidden by Major Last and the superintendent on their last visit to that station to pass in pursuit of the natives, and they were, therefore, reluctantly compelled to turn back. The rebels imme diately landed, and taunt, d their pursuers with coarse and insolent gestures of met kei y ar.d defiance, ar.d after wards manned their canoe, and in derision pretended to chase them, taking care, however, not to pass the charmed line. They have since circulated reports along the coast that they chased the pakeha boat, and nearly succeeded in capturing it. In consequence of the reports in circulation on Tues day, and the apprehensions entertained - that the town would be attacked by the rebels, application was made• to the superintendent by the settlers for arms, and other measures adopted which we have above related. In order to secure the inhabitants from any sudden attack, a strong line of picquets, of the military, volun teen, and militia, encircled the town, and patrolled the outskirts, extendirg some distance on the Karon ' road, i.nd strong parties of militia were stationed for the protection of the yowdcr magazine. Caytain &ariley also landed seventy men from the Calliope to assist the E elders in the c veat of any attack. It is intended to adopt these judicious precautions c very night. On ' Thursday night, although it rained . very heavily, the volunteers and militia cheerfully turns 1 out in discharge pf their self-impo:ed duties. The outsetticrs at Karol i and Porirua have also been armed and are on the al, rt. From the number of aimed persons passing and re passing, the town pi esents quite a warlike appearance. Yesterday morning a detachment of marines were landed from the Calliope, under orders to proceed to Purirua, to reinforce the troops at that station. Accounts were received from Porirua, on Thursday, which state that the rebels did not lose a single man in the late attack, and that only one of their number was wounded. They boast also that they were on the point of making a second attack %%lieu Major Last arrived. They boast also that the party under Kaiparetebau did not exceed sixty men. In consequence of recent events, eight of the intruding natives belonging to the Wan ganui tribes, who were staying at Ohariu, have joined Rangihaeata. (From the same Journal.) We must not, however, omit to chronicle the facts connected with this outbreak of the Maories, and the most prominent among them is that full notice of their intentions was given to those whom they attacked. A fortnight before Te Rauparaha informed Major Rich mond of what Rangihaeatt was going to do; and indeed so widely had it been published, that no Maori was ignorant of it, and many settlers were also acquainted with it. The chief Epuni, a staunch friend to the settlers ever since their arrival in New Zealand, personally in formed his honour the superintendent that the hostile natives were going to make an inroad upon the Hutt, and requested that he and his followers might be supplied with arms in order to repel them. This application was rejected by Major Richmond in a manner extremely offensive to Epuni, and an offer on the part of Colonel Wakefield to supply him with arms was treated in the same manner by the superintendent. This intelligent officer was informed by other persons of undoubted credit of the mischief about to happen, and treated all his informants in the same manner, by appearing not to believe them. Cognit-ant as we must presume Major Richmond was of the intended movement on the - part of Hangihaeata, not a single measure of precaution was issued on the subject, and everything remained precisely as it had been since the governor left Wellington. The result has been that a fourth of the number of the troops at the upper station on the Hutt has been put hors de combat, and the whole settlement is threatened with destruction. Died, on the 21st instant, at the residence of J. Boul cott, Esq.. Te Aro, to which } he had been removed, Thomas Roseman, aged 25 years, of a musket-shot wound received in the engagement on the Hutt, on Saturday, the 16th instant. An inquest was held on the body, before Dr. Fitzgerald, coroner, when the jury re turned a verdict of " Died from a gun-shot wound." In conssquesce of information received from the na tives of Rangihaeata's intention to make an attack, the troops at Porirua were under arms all Wednesday night. Since the late reconnoissance of Rangihaeata's pa, an order has been issued to assemble the soldiers at Porirua, under arms every morning at daybreak. It is reported that Rauparaha has sent to P.angihaeata a portion of the sugar and flour he lately received as a present from Major Richmond.—May 16. We learn from Akaroa and Port Cooper that the na tives are very troublesome to the settlers there refusing to allow them to occupy th e l an d, and demanding exor bitant rents from the owners of cattle stations. It 15 said that they are acting under the advice of Charley, who has been down to the southward, and has told them that the natives at Wairarapa get high rents, and that they should imitate their example. This is the same native who, it will be remembered obtained a present of a set of sails, &c., from his excellency the governor. The military force of these colonies is to be greatly augmented; a staff of a deputy adjutant• general, and a deputy quartermaster-general, together with a brigade major for New Zealand, have been appc•inted. The deputy quartermaster general is to ba stationed in New Zealand. On Saturday last the miatia in 'Wellington were dis banded, and we believe it is intended to reduce the num ber stationed at Taita to 25 men, who will be placed under the command of Lieut. M.Donogh. WANGANIIL—By the Catherine Johnstone we have received the following communication from Wanganui:— " The Victoria brig arrived off Kai Here on Wednes day evening, April 29. There being no wind, she an chored there for the night, and lanced Mr. Symonds and party. On the following morning they arrived in Wan ganui all well. The natives had a full meeting at the Missionary Pa, Putiki, on Monday last, which ended in their unanimously agreeing to complete the sale of the land, On Wednesday the surveying party, accompanied by some of the principal Maori chiefs, commenced a survey of the boundaries, in which they are still en gaged. Th e p ro b a bilit y f a satisfactory termination to the Wanganui land question is now greater than ever; yet several difficulties have to be overcome, and the gentleman to whom the affair has been committed will have no easy part to perform; but from the judgment he has hitherto displayed, we have every reason to hope he will be successful, and that my next letter to you will announce our right to a Crown title." NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL. PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 12.—A court-martial assembled on Saturday morning on board her Majesty's ship Victory, in Portsmouth harbour, to try Lieut. Henry Alexander Story, senior lieutenant of her Majesty's steam-frigate Retribution, for having, on the 13th of August last, confined one of the crew of that ship in the coal-bunker, without having an order for so doing from his captain, the man having died while so confined. The court was crowded with officers. Before the proceedings commenced, Lit.ut. Story ob jected to Rear-admiral Parker, and Captains Pasco and Chads, sitting as members of the court, they having previously conducted an inquiry into the circumstances of the case, by order of the Admiralty, and the present court-martial being ordered on their report. The court was cleared, and the validity of the objection allowed. The three officers referred to then rose and withdrew. The court was composed as follows. Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, president; Commodore Sir Francis Collier, Cap tains Ellictt, of the Eurydice; Shepherd, of the St. Vincent; Williams, of the Avenger; and Stanley, of the Rattlesnake. Samuel Arnold sworn—He was doing duty as master at-arms the 13th day of August last, on board the Retri bution. H. A. Story was tht.ri first lit utenant of that ship, and E. Redpath was captain of the hold. About ten o'clock on the morning of the 13th of August last he received an order from Lieutenant Story to place E. Redpath on the platform in the coal-hole. Ile was to be visited and reported to the eflic, r of the watch every hour, and let out to have a wash and get an airing be tween one and two, P.M. Having received this order, Edward Redpath was accordingly placed on the platform, under the grating in the coal-I:linker, on the port side, about half past u o'clock, A.N. I again saw him about one o'clock, P.M., when he came out of the coal bunker. He was then in the head, and he appeared to be very well in health. I next saw him about half-past seven, P.N., he was then sitting on the platform. I observed him then through the grating as I was going aft. I did not see him again until he was taken out of the coal bunker dead. I went immediately for the surgeon. Edward Redpath was sober when I placed him in the coal-bunker, and to the best of my knowledge he con tinned so while there. Ile was put there for being drunk on the night of the 12th of August. 'I he ship was, at the time, on her way from Gibraltar to Corfu. I have not been more than five months in the Retribution. I have known two cases beside the one in question of per sons having been put in the coal-bunker for punishment. The man could not have fallen from the platform on the coals where he was found, as it was a distance of some feet. I never heard it hinted by any person that it might be dangerous to place a man in the coal-bunker. Redpath did not complain to me of his punishment, or make any remarks thereon ; he merely said to me that he was afraid that he would be disratcd. In answer to Captain WILLIAMS, witness stated Redpath was to have been taken out at eight o'clock that night. By the PRESIDENT—Did you ever put a man in the coal-bunker before?—Yes. Was that considered a dan gerous place?—Not to my knowledge. By the prisoner—Do you consider that Redpath was a sober naan?—Decidedly not. Was the amount of punishment less in the Retribution than in other ships? —Much less. Has my conduct been harsh in using the black list?—No, never. You have always shown a great inclination to avoid reporting men to the captain, in order to avoid a greater amount of punishment. John Matthews, ship's corporal, deposed that the man was put into the coal-hole between ten and eleven A.M. Witness gave him his dinner at twelve o'clock, and did not again see him until seven, when he visited him. He was then sitting on the platform. Witness asked him if he was all right; he replied "Yea, yea." When witness visited him at eight o'clock the man was not in the same place; he got a light and took the bunker lid off and looked in and called out to him. Wit ness then went down to the after stoke-hole, and asked Thomas Rumley, the stoker, it he had seen him: he re plied, "No." Witness asked Rumley to go into the bunker and look for him. Rumley went in, and called to witness, "We had better fetch hi m u p, for I think it is nearly a case with him." Witness reported it, and they then got a rope and put down, and hoisted him on deck. It is not customary to confine men in the bunker; witness had known three cases in the Retribution, but he never knew any bad effects result from it before this. Never thought it was dangerous. By the PRESIDENT—If it had been a cold winter's night, which would you have considered the most le nient punishment—to be put to look out on the weather gangway, or confined in the coal-bunker? Witness—l would sooner be confined in the coal-bunker. By the prisoner—Had you orders to report the man to the officer of the watch every hour?—l had not ; I only made my reports at eight o'clock. Prisoner—Has my conduct to the ship's company generally been harsh or violent No. Thomas Rumley, leading stoker, deposed to finding the man in the coal-bunker in a state of insensibility, and corroborated the statements of the last witness. Witness was not aware of any danger from confinement in the coal-bunker, but said the candle burnt very dimly when they went in to take him out. By the PRESIDENT—Did you feel any ill effects from being in the coal-burker yourself?—l did, and have also felt ill when i❑ the bunker before. By Captain WILLIAMS—How long have you worked in a coal-bunker at one period?—Four hours. I felt ill at times when I worked there that time. I felt pains in the head and across the eyes. When the coals will not run out in the stoke hole it is usual to go in the bunker to trim them. That happens every ten days when the steam is up. In hot climates I have found ill effects when taking coals in. 'Where the coals are dry, it causes a stifling effect. I have been eight years and a half in steamers. I have frequently known men put into coal bunkers for punishment in all steamers that I have been in. It is a customary punishment, and Ido not con sider it a harsh method of punishing. By the prisoner —Were there not stokers in the same bunker that day trimming coals ?—Yes ; all that day. Has my conduct generally towards the ship's company of the Retribution been harsh ?—No I I think Lieut. Story has been very lenient, according to the crimes which have been committed. The Surgeon of the Retribution being sworn said, I was called upon on the evening of the 13th of August last to attend Edward Redpath. I found his body on the port side of the upper deck warm, but I believed dead. Doubtful whether be was dead or not, I resorted to such means as I thought fit in suspended animation. I made a post mortem examination. I found the appear. ances on the body such as are known to exist on persons dying from the effects of respiring carbonic acid gas. I examined the body very minutely. I found the lungs gorged with blood, dark in colour. The blood about the heart and large vessels, was of a dark colour. The body was generally livid ; in other respects it was healthy, except rather an unusual quantity of serum on the bt ain, and very slight trace of inflammation on a portion of the inner coat of the stomach. The cause of death was the respiration of the carbonic acid gas. By the PRESIDENT—Is such gas likely to be respired in the coal-hunker of a steamer ? Generally not. Do you consider there to be any danger in confining a man in a coal-bunker ?—No. Do you consider the effects of the coals having been moved about to produce an un usual quantity of carbonic acid gas ?—lt might do so. Was the temperature of the coal-hole very high at the time ?—From 76 to 80 degrees. Would a high temper ature tend to generate an unusual quantity of carbonic acid gas in the coal-bunker ?—I believe that it might disengage carbon from the coals, and so tend to form car bonic acid gas. By Captain WILLIAMS—Have any of the stokers been on your sick list from the ill effects of working in the coal-bunker ?—Not to my knowledge. By Captain SHEPHERD—Had you ever been consulted as to whether the bunker was injurious to health ? —No. Were you aware that deceased was placed in the coal bunker?—No. By the PRESIDENT—Have you ever requested any precautionary measures to be taken by the stokers?—No. By the prisoner—Do you think it probable that car bonic acid gas could have been formed where the man was placed on the platform?—No. Under what cir cumstances could there have been danger?—Under existing circumstances, his health being previously bad, though he had not complained of his health to me. He was generally a healthy man. Witness stated that Lieutenant Story always rendered him every assistance in his treatment of the sick. Captain Lushington, of the Retribution, stated at 8 P.M. Lieutenant Story reported to me that the man was found very ill. I knew of other men having been confined in the coal-bnnker. It was not done by my orders. I was not reported in the log-book, nor did I inquire into the circumstances. By the COURT—Did you consider it a trivial punish ment, which the first lieutenant might adopt?—The witness said he did not consider himself bound to answer this question. The Court was cleared to consider the point, and on being re-admitted, the question was again put, when the witness replied, " Certainly not for a trivial offence." Was it a trivial punishment for this man's offence?—l consider it was. Did you allow the lieutenant on former occasions to inflict the same punish ment without reporting it to you? — No; I do not ap prove of the punishment , but did not find fault. Did y ou disapprove of it?—No, I did not. Are th ose i n the black list reported to you?—Not those who are put in by the imodore especially. my co n h d a u v e i t n having n put s lieutenant's orders to avoid reporting them to me. The crime which the man had committed would have caused him to be severely punished if reported to me. men into the bunkers for offences which, had I reported By the prisoner—When system them to you; would in all probability have ensured their d be o i i n n g e f —No, did d d not. pur sued by me tended to decrease the amount of corporal punishment?—Very much. Did you sanction my use of the black list without reference to you?—l did. has any complaint ever been made to you by the men since I joined the ship of my having confined them in the bunker, or for having abused the authytomaimt3gi,devsnehesitrpeanadl midshipman, in by you?—No complaint has ever been made to me what ever. Will you have the mhgo;edsph)ie,possitatesovesartatheeawrdhetitnie,trh,imngy conduct as first lieutenant has given faction ?--Most certainly. How long have you known ever in my life. as regards violence aaml against me?—Since ? iBn — . s t Sincemin inhumanity y c ehy thata o r u a_c joinedtpeeNr period On the contrary, I have always heard you spoken of as a kind-hearted and humane man; and since you have been first lieu tenant of the Retribution I most gladly bear testimony to the truth which I had previously heard. Lieutenant Bickford, second lieutenant of the Retri bution, being sworn, said the usual punishment was watering the grog, and occasionally the first watch, without appealing to the captain. By the prisoner—What is the ordinary punishment for such an offence as that committed by Redpath?—ln ships that I have served in a petty officer would have been disrated, and a seaman punishment with corporal punishment.—This witness bore testimony also to the lenient and humane conduct of Lieutenant Story. - - This closed the ease for the prosecution. In his defence, Lieutenant Story said that he 'was ac tuated by the best motives in ordering the man into the coal-bunkeß ; as, had he reported him to the captain, his offence would have exposed him to a muet more severe punishment. No person had felt more regret at the death of the man than himself. He then called a number of witnesses, both officers, petty officers, seamen, and marines, belonging to the Retribution, who all bore testimony to his humanity, and his uniformly kind treat ment of the ship's company. The Court was then cleared to consider the sentence, and after an hour had elapsed, they found that Lieute nant Story had been guilty of punishing, the man with out first reporting him to the captain ; but, in conse quence of its being customary for first-lieutenants in that and other ships to place men in the coal bunkers for punishment, without so reporting them, the Court fully acquitted Lieutenant Story of any blame connected with the death of the deceased. THE CONDITION of the PEOPLE OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND. (From the Times' Commission( r.) DUN VEGAN (ISLE OF SKYE), OCT. 6. The coeclu,ions likely to be di aan by an intelligent and reflecting foreigner who might be ignorant of the laws affecting lauded property in Scotland, and of the modern history of its inanagem* nt, were such a one to visit this part of the country,. would in all probability kurprke us re; much as they would instruct us. The strange perversity with which 'we contrive to thwart nature—the ingenuity with which we insure that land hich nature intended should grow food for man shall lie a perpetual waste, and that man, _ whose labour should make it " teem with fatness," shall starve in idleness beside it, or be driven out to seek in distant lands those opportunities for his industry which cry out for his industry at home, though we mark it not, fami liarised by its constant occurrence—would surely excite the foreigner's astonishment. I write to you now from the northernmost part of the island of Skye, having traversed a great portion of its length. During my short stay in it, in the gardens of those gentlemen to whom I have had the honour to be introduced, I have seen the greatest luxuriance of vegetable growth. Such is the mildness of the climate, combined with great humi dity, that vegetables, grasses, and flowers here, as in Ireland, grow with rank luxuriance. In several gar dens I have seen fuchsias and dahlias growing in the open air, with every other description of flower common to England ; and strawberry-plants, vegetable-marrow, and other kitchen vegetables, spreading with profuse ness. But here labour and skill were applied, and na ture kindly aided man's industry. It is not the soil, then, that is barren ; it is not the climate that forbids vegetation. What a far different scene awaits you out of these gardens, of the rich ! This fine island, which is sixty miles long, is at no part of it more than three miles from the sea. Deep lochs stretch into it in every direction from the sea, and the land is thus divided almost like the rays of a star-fish. Every loch yields sLa-weed and shell-sand for manure in abundance, as well as fi, , h for food. Yet from one end to the other of this island, with all these facilities and capabilities, the eye rests on scarcely anything but bleak hills, and vast uncultivated tracts of land covered with moss and heather, here and there dotted over by, the wretched black huts of the inhabitants, who exist wretchedly in the midst of thousands of uncultivated acres, which only want their labour, directed by skill, to yield them com fort and plenty. The fOreigrier would probably exclaim, " What a pity it is that there are not more people to cultivate this vast extent of land ! how strange it is that in a civilised country all this land should be thus left uncultivated !" But if he should be told that the few people that do exist on it are absolutely almost starving for want of food, he would no doubt exclaim, " Then, why on earth not cul tivate this waste land, and grow food for them as a re payment for their labour ?" Greater still would be his astonishment if told that it was the "civilised" state of the country, or rather the laws of a civilised country, prompted by and acted on by the selfishness of man, which produced this desolation and caused the want of population. He would naturally ask, " But how ?" He would cease to wonder when told what those laws were, and he began to consider what was the natural operation of cause and effect. Explain the Scotch law of entail to him, and how the pride and selfish ness of man, through it, had rendered vast tracts of country unsaleable, affording no security for money, whilst it but gave a life-interest to the possessor, and often burdened him with charges which ren dered him careless of improvement and helplessly ; could then e n x e p i t l a h i e n r t o s n t k o e r estate ho bun p borrow oor, i m n a o s n m ey u c o h n m a s s t provisions of the Scotch Poor-law, the effect of which is send off the youth and the vigour of the population to give their strength to benefit other lands, whilst it leaves the infirm and helpless chargeable on the land—"Ah, I see," the foreigner would exclaim, as the light of this precious "civilisation" broke in upon him, "the pro prietors of the soil have made themselves too poor to cultivate it—to give employment to labour ; so the la bour that makes wealth goes elsewhere. Then, the in firm and helpless of the population being only left as a burden on the poor proprietors, they try to get rid of the people by 'clearing them off,' and proposing plans of emigration to save their own pockets. This accounts for the comparative thinness of the population. Ah, I see. What en ingeniously perverse syst€m of civilisa tion ! how admirably calculated to exterminate the people, to preserve the land in the condition in which it was left by Noah after the flood, and to perpetuate poverty, and helplessness, and misery! Surely barbar ism is better than such civilisation." But if such be the habitual condition of the population of the highlands and islands of Scotland (and I do not think that the truth of this description will be gain sayed), what must be their condition now, when even that scanty food, on which they contrive to exist in ordi nary years, in many parts has entirely failed? Even at the tables of those who could purchase potatoes if they were to be had, and at the hotels, I have not seen pota toes at dinner above once or twice during the last fort night; boiled rice and other vegetables have taken their place. I am assured by a large proprietor here, intimately acquainted with the condition of the people of the island, that out of a population of about 26,000, fully 20,000 persons depend for existence on the potato crop, and that there is Dot above a month's consumption of. oatmeal grown in the island remaining. Neither is there any employment whatever for the people, to enable them to purchase food out of the profits of their labour. The rental of the island is about 26,000/. a year, or about 11. for each person. If the supprt of 20,000 of these poor people is to be derived from the land, it is quite clear that the rental cannot support them. This, then, is a great and peculiar emergency; and, however much it is to be lamented that the island is in such a state of uncultivation as to .afford no em- employment to the people, and that the proprietors can not give that employ ment, however willing so to do, still it is incumbent on the Government to see that the people do not starve. One most wise measure 'of the Government, and admi rably calculated to meet the peculiar condition ot High land proprietors, so far as it extends, is the recent sta tute, the 9th and 10th of Victoria, c. 101. This statute authorises the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, upon the application of commissioners appointed to carry the Act into execution, to advance out of the Con solidated Fund 2,000,0001. for Great Britain, and 1,000,000 E for Ireland, for th e p urpose or draining ' lands ; such advance to be made a prior rent-charge on the lands drained, at the rate of 61 per cent. for the period of 22 years, when the principal is calculated to be redeemed, and the rent-charge is to cease. The execution, or carrying out of the Act, is, however, subject to considerable, and no doubt, necessary delays; whilst the emergency which presses is immediate. For instance, by the Bth clause no advance of money can be made in compliance with any application until the same has been submitted to, and sanctioned by, the Com missioners of the Treasury. By the 16th clause, if the Commissioners sanction the application, then the plan, estimate, and specification ot the proposed drainage must be subinttted to the Government surveyor appointed; and by tLe 18th clause, no certificate for the advance of money shall be issued until notice of the application for the advance shall have been published two successive weeks in some local newspaper, and in the Gazette, and until " two calendar months shall have elapsed from the publication of the last of such advertisements," in order that persons having charges upon the land should have the opportunity of dissenting from such application if they should think fit. Though these are very proper precautions, they consume much time, and are not fitted, nor were they intended, for the present pressing emer- gency. - - ... Again, though draining will enormously benefit much of the waste lands, and render them fit for cultivation, yet in a majority of instances draining alone will not suffice. The land wants trenching, and fencing, and liming to make it properly productive, and to make it give an adequate return for the outlay expended upon it. But the poor proprietors, or a majority of them at least, . . . . . cannot afford a single pound for either trenching, or fencing, or liming ; the poor people on the land neither can nor will work for nothing. Hence this Act, though a most excellent measure, was not calculated to meet the present emergency, nor yet does it go far enough in its useful provisions. Another and more serious view to be taken is, that probably this failure in the potato crop may be per manent ; at all events, it behoves both proprietors of land and the Government to take some precautionary steps to avert such a calamity next year. Should it turn out that the potato is becoming extinct, other food must be grown as a substitute. But it will require at least double the quantity of land now sown with potatoes to produce a sufficiency cf food to supily the place of potatoes. This land in the highlands and islands of Scothind is lying waste in abundance, by thousands of acres; but the proprietors cannot of themselves gene rally afford to employ the labour upon it in trenching and fencing, as well as draining, which will bring it into cultivation, and the people will not do it unless they are employed. Without some enabling measure, there fore, there is every prospect of a recurrence of dearth next year. several proprietors with whom I have had the oppor tunity of conversing, express their readiness to charge their estates in a similar manner to that authorised by the statute 9 and 10 Victoria, c. 101, for these objects, if they can only get the money, satisfied that such im provements will immensely benefit themselves as well as the people and the country generally. They urge the necessity of an immediate advance of money for these objects, in order to give employment and the means of obtaining food to the people; such advance to be sanc tioned by a retrospective Act of Parliament. The proprietors, and the people too, with seeming justice complain, now that Government grants are the order of the day in Ireland for public works, " Why should not we be also relieved ? We have suffered as much by this calamity as the Irish ; we are quite as - • poor ; our people live in huts as mi:terable, and subsist chiefly on potatoes, which have now failed them ; why should we not also get public grants as well as the Irish? Is it because we are peaceable and obey the laws—be cause we have neither soldiers nor police among us, and because we do not perpetually shriek out our complaints, but suffer in silence, that we are to be passed over and suffered to starve unaided, whilst the Irish, who are no worse off than ourselves, are rewarded for their turbu lence and defiance of all law by grants of public money?" Such observations are quite general here, and are natu ral enough. The people themselves are extremely well conducted and peaceable. But, appalled by the prospect before them, they are beginning to discus questions which excite unpleasant apprehensions. They are beginning to question the unlawfulness and sin fulness of helping themselves to food from the sheep of the farmers on the hills, rather than that they should starve. Such feelings can only be allayed by prompt measures of relief. For the sake of the fecple them selves such relief ought not to be eleemosynary, test in the shape of employment which will enable them to purchase feed. There is here the greatest facility fir eniph.y nu nt calculated to be productive of pe: ',patient profit and advantage, but there is no capitol--no means of si=tting it agoing ; and without that employ meet being giv, n to the people the prosrect i 3 frightful. 'they are abso lutely without food, or the possibility of tetticg it. The Ai( f proprietor of this tof the idarld is Mr. Mq.eod of M‘Letcl ; in the perish of lln.rinisb, which •thilvillage stands, there i 5 a population of :3,000 souls entirely depending upon him, the food en It hiph they relied having failed them. It is hardly to be ex pected that any one proprietor can undertake either to support or to give employment to so many persons out of his own means. Mr. M'Leod has, however, corn mericcd marking out allotments for the people, and giving them employment in draining and trenching, re lying on the aid of the Government. The efforts, how ever, of any one individual are feeble, and insufficient to meet such an emergency ; and, however much we may depreCate the existence of such a state of society as here prevails—the K ant of persevering industry of the people and the absence of all enterprise—or the unwise and in judicious laws which have tended to such a result, yet the people must not be permitted to starve, nor be al lowed by the pressure of want to be driven to acts of desperation. The - prevention of these evils is the duty of the Government ; and by its efforts to meet the same mischiefs in Ir e l an d, where there is a louder complaint, it would be unfair to assume that it will shrink from meeting the difficulty here, when that difficulty shall be made known, backed as it is by that best of all recom mendations„ a peaceful, a well-disposed, and deserving people in want. THE GREAT BRITAIN. " Sir,--B ) l e tt er of yesltVeradrarye'll'sP°diantte Olcta.mlo,inlfBo4rm6.ed that the Great Britain now lies on a bed of stones, and has suffered much from the gale of Wednesday. " Preparations are making to discharge all the coal on board. " I am, &c. " To Thomas Court, 8.q." " LEONARD WATSON. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 12.—The St. Vincent, 120, Com modore Sir Francis Collier (Captain J. Shepherd act ing), came into harbour this afternoon. Everything that could be removed was taken out to lighten her. The tides having neaped so much it was feared she would not have been got into harbour; her marines wer e p u t i n t o the Echo tug, and all h e r boats were hoisted out, and filled by the crew. A vast assemblage of spectators con gregated on the walls and the Victoria Tier to witness the fine old ship return to her winter quarters. The Lords of the Admiralty did not make their ap pearance this morning, having since Saturday changed their intention of visiting Portsmouth to-day. The Powerful, 84, is under the sheers to be dismasted, her masts being wanted for the Vengeance, 84, ordered for commission. The Crocodile troop-ship, Commander Gower Lowe, was towed into harbour this morning to repair defects. The Dasher steam surveying vessel, under the com mand of Lieutenant W. V. Read, left this morning for Ireland, to be under the orders of • the Commissary- General. The Hamoaze lighter sailed this morning with stores for Devonport. The Blenheim transport, Lieutenant Ward agent, sailed yesterdvy for Deptford, to refit. CHATHAM, Ocr. 12.—The Scourge steam-vessel, Commander James C. Caffin, arrived at this port on Sa turday evening last, and took her station alongside the Tartar frigate opposite the dockyard, for the purpose of receiving on board the 46th Regiment, which corps em barked this morning (Monday) at six o'clock. The strength - is eight sergeants, three corporals, ten drum mers, and 358 privates, with a considerable number of women and children. The troops are in charge of Major John Maclean, with the following officers:—Captain Donald Stuart, Captain A. Maxwell, Captain David Fyffe, Captain Arthur Wombwell, Lieutenant H. Steele, Lieutenant Henry F. Sandwith ; Ensigns E. Lee Pray man, John Crymes, G. F. Dallas, B. Neville, and As sistant-surgeon W. Leslie Langley. The vessel sailed at mid-day for Guernsey, where it will disembark the regi ment, and embark the four company depOt of the 27th, and convey them to Portsmouth. A detachment from the battalion of Royal Marines of this division, consisting of eight sergeants, four drum mers, and 208 rank end tile, embark to• morrow morning by the Fearless steam-vessel, for embarkation on board the Crocodile troop-ship, Commander Gower Lowe, for service at Spike Island, Cove of Cork. The detachment will be in charge of Captain W. Gordon, with Captain F. A. Campbell, Lieutenant and Adjutant N. Lowder, Lieutenant Hugh Kennedy, and Second-Lieutenant A. 0. L. Lewis. This detachment joins the detachment from Portsmouth, under command of Lieutenant Colonel T. Peables. The strength of the Royal Marines at Spike Island is to be 800. ADMIRALTY, OCT. 12. APPOINTMENT S . Robert Reid, master's assistant, to the Seaflower. G. W. Griffiths, clerk's assistant, to the }Bolus. George Green, gunner, ditto. John Brown, gunner, to the Belvidera. John Giles, boatswain, ditto. Thomas Hill, carpenter, ditto. We are happy to state that James Campbell, Esq., so long known and respected as the Chief-Clerk to the Secretary of the General Post office, has been promoted to the office of Assistant-Secretary, on the vacancy oc casioned by the death of the late Thomas Lawrance, Esq. CHATHAM, OCT. 10.—The men invalided home from our army in Irulia, now at Fort Pitt, are all in the in-st of health and spirits, although severely mutilated. Fifteen or sixteen have this week been fitted with wooden legs, and may now b e seen making their first essay at walking, accompanied by comrades who have lost an arm. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, MONDAY.—Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by her Royal Highness the Princess of Hesse, and attended by her Lady in Waiting, arrived at the Castle this afternoon, on a visit to the Queen, from Cashiobury Park,' Herts. The Princess was attended by a Lady and Gentleman in Waiting. Her Majesty and Prince Albert walked in the grounds of the Castle this morning. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, took their usual pony exercise in the forenoon. Her Royal Highness the Princess Helena was taken an airing. The Royal Family went out agaiii in the afternoon. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, with the Count Dietrichstein, and attended by Colonel Seymour, en joyed the sport of shooting this morning. His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, Earl Howe, Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, and Lord and Lady Cowley, are expected to arrive at the Castle to-day, on a visit to her Majesty. His Excellency Count Dietricbstein and Lord and Lady John Russell left the Castle to-day. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening is expected to include her Majesty the Queen Dowager, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal Highness the Princess of Hesse, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, their Excellencies M. and Madame Van de Weyer, the Lady in Waiting on the Queen Dowager, the Lady in Waiting on the Duchess of Kent, the Lady in Waiting on the Princess of Hesse, the Baroness de Speth, Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, Earl Howe, Lord and Lady Cowley, the Gentleman in Waiting on the Princess of Hesse, and the Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay. The band of the Scots Fusilier Guards will attend during dinner. Her Majesty's private band will after wards attend in the Castle. 'I he Queen Dowager, accompanied by the Princess of Hesse, and attended by Francvs Lady Clinton and Earl Howe, left Cashiobury Paik yesterday afternoon, for Windsor Castle. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Mary, and the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and his Serene Highness Prince Frederick of Hesse, arrived at Kew yesterday, from a visit to her Majesty the Queen Dow ager, at Cashiobury Park, Herts. His loyal Highness the Duke of Cambridge returned to his residence at Kew yesterday, from the seat of Viscount Barrington, near Farringdon. Mr. Henry Chard and Mr. Henderson had an inter view on Saturday at the Foreign-office with Lord Pal merston on the business of the Spanish Bondholders' Association. Lord and Lady John Russell arrived in town yester. day from Windsor Castle. The Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson, Vice-President of the Board of Trade, has arrived in town. ADELPHI THEATRE. The Jockey Club --such is the title of a ne;Equestrian, Tattersallian, I'. Y. C. Extravaganza (we quote from the bills) which was produced at this theatre last evening, with the most complete success. Plot it has mac— characters it has, multitudinous. •We have Selby as a French turf amateur, excessively amusing, who has hired Robinson, the celebrated light weight, to rile his horse for the T. Y. C. Stakes at Newmarket. Wright, as Mr. Macassar, the President of a Gent's Jockey Club in Little Bell Alley, and Miss Woolgar as Leander Larkington, a brilliant of the first water on and off the turf. There are scenes on and off the turf. Off—representing gentlemen m a ki ng up t h e i r books, and on—representing gentlemen hedging. Then we have a grand scene of the race, in which Paul Bedford (fat Paul) as Robinson, the light weight Jock, brings in his horse so as not to be placed. Th e French Marquis is done. The English turfites are vic torious, and the curtain falls amidst the acclamations of the crowd on and off the stage. Such is the Jockey Club, which was received by a crowded house with loud plaudits. If asked for the story of the farce, we reply, in the words of Canning's Knife-grinder— " Story? Lord bless you 1 I've none to tell, Sir." Yet, still, it is amusing. The admirable acting of Wright, Paul Bedford, and Miss Woolgar, would make a worse constructed piece go ; and many a club has been started and lived upon less pretensions than the Jockey Club 'of the Adelphi. BALFE AT VIENNA.—By letters received this morning from Vienna, we perceive that the success of Tie Bohemian Girl is triumphant. Almost every piece in the opera is encored—" The Fair Land of Poland" always commanding a triple encore. Balfe is called out before the curtain after every act, and is quite the musical idol of the Viennese opera goers. The first act, and part of the second, of his new opera:is already composed. MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.--Married, on Satur day the 10th instant, by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Rochester, Edmund, third son of John Round, Esq., M.P. for Maldon, to Louisa, daughter of Parker, Esq., of Springfield Hall, near Chelmsford. The bride was attended to Springfield Church by bridesmaids. A very handsome dej euner was afterwards given at the re sidence of the family of the fair bride, and among the guests were the Lord Bishop of Rochester, Lady Sarah and Miss Murray, Rev. Dr. Penrose, Mr. John Round, M.P., and Miss Round, Mr. R. Round, Mr. Tuffnell, Mrs. and Miss Rolt, Rev. H. Sullivan, Rev. H. and Mrs. Browne, Mrs. and Miss Bourchier, Miss Repton, Mr. H. Green Wilkinson, Mr. C. Trower, Mr. Knox, Mr. G. Round, and the various members of the Parker family. FIRE IN ST. LUKE'S.—Yesterday afternoon an alarming fire broke out on the premises in the occupation of Mr. John Taylor, card and pasteboard manufacturer, 11, John's-row, St. Luke's. It originated in one of the lower drying rooms, and speedily extended to the floor above. The engines were soon at work, but although the firemen exerted themselves to the utmost, they were unable to get the flames subdued before a considerable quantity of the stock in trade was destroyed, and the building severely damaged. Unfortunately, Mr. Taylor was not insured. FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE CROYDON ATMOSPHERIC RAlLwAy.—Yesterday morning, between nine and ten o'clock, a dreadful accident oceurred near Forest-hill, Sydenham, to George Coleman, a servant to the Croydon Railway Company. He was signalling to the half-pabt nine o'clock down train, and he heedlessly stepped on the atmospheric line, when he was instantly knocked down and was run over by the fifty minutes past nine atmospheric up train. On being taken up be was im mediately placed in a carriage and conveyed to town, but expired in a few minutes. It is stated that the face of the deceased was directed the wrong way at the time. COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR WAKFFIELD.-0n Tuesday morning last, between eleven and twelve o'clock, an explosion of tire-damp took place in Haigh Moor pit, at Stanley-lane-end, near Wakefield, belonging to Messrs. Hudson and Co., of Leeds, by which three men lost their lives. The names of the sufferers were Norris Beaumont, James Sidebottom, and George Clayton, who were all shockingly burnt. INCENDIARISM.—Yesterday morning an attempt was made by some person or persona unknown to de stroy the premises belonging to Mr. Salmon, in White street, Bermondsey street. It appears that while police constable 185 M was passing along his beat, his atten tion was directed to the premises by a strong smell of fire. Having aroused the inmates, it was soon perceived that a large bale of woollen yarn, standing in the gate way. and under the bedrooms, had been wilfully set on fire by some one. The goods were not of a very corn bustible nature, or it is probable that the puce would have been destroyed. SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH A TOBACCO PlPE.—Last evening, shortly after six o'clock, as a man was walking on the west side of the London-road, Southwark, with a lighted pipe in his mouth, he was suddenly knocked down by another, who was running in an oppo s it e di rect i on, the force of whom drove the stem of the pipe completely through his gullet. The poor fellow was immediately taken to Mr. Hooper's, the parish surgeon, who ex tracted the pipe, and ordered his instant removal to Guy's Hospital. On examination by the house surgeon at the latter place, the injury was found to be of such a frightful nature that very little hopes are entertained of his recovery. MEXICAN lIONDHOLDERS. The rumours that the Mexieui Goverimsrit had re pudiated the bonds created by the new conversion, when more extensively spread, to, k the public completely by surpris2, and they were unwilling to believe in a change so formidable. Hence, though there was a fall of nearly 1 per cent. in the course of the day, there was a constant disposition to r.,11y, which might be looked upon as the measure of public incredulity. On investigation, however, it turns out th a t th e ru mours in question are no idl e fancies. Copies of the dis patch addressed by the Mexican Government to Mr. Murphy, and brought to the latter by Senor Gomez Fa rias, the younger, are in the city, and these clearly show that all that has been said on the subject of Mexican re pudiation has fallen short of, rather than exaggerated the truth. According to that docuthent, the new Go vernment 'has actually repudiated the new bonds, and does not contemplate any reparation to the bonctholders, who have parted with their former securities. The dis patch titeares that the creditors had sufficient means to exrenine into the powers by which the conver,ion was made; and that if they did not use the facilities afforded them, they must put up with :he cons, quell:vs. he Nit.xican b , ndliolders will clearly remember that a plan for converting the debt was put forward before the one on which the present borils are founded, and was rej,:eted, en the ground that it was to.) dised)an tageous to the holders of the deferred steel:. Very hortly af: et* this another plan was bianight forward, which was rceepted, and t, hich wr.s the plan now iu operating. A t the time ashen the mat:er was under die eussion many eau , inns heldors were unwilling to accept the new scheme, thinking that it had made its appear ance too soon alter the rejection of the preceding one, and that it was a strange proc'eeding on the part of the Mexican crovernment to have a succession of decrees at hand, so as to be ready with a second as soon as the first had failed. This is the point taken up by the dispatch, which de scribes the rejected plan as authorised by the Mexican Government, but the second plan as emanating from Mr. Murphy alone, without any authority from the republic. It is merely an affair of his own, with which Mexico has nothing to do. The case, then, after inspection of the dispatch, looks infinitely worse for the bondholders than it did while the story was the subject of mere rumour. The repu diation by a Government of the acts of its predecessor was so utterly monstrous that it seemed an impossibility; but now it appears that the new Government does not repudiate the bonds because created under the over thrown Paredes, but because they were made by the act of an agent who had no authority to make them. What will be done in such a state of things it is impossible to conjecture. Ii is to be repeated that copies of the dispatch are in existence in the City, in spite of all assertions to the co❑trary, and in all probability its official publication in a day or two will °pun the eyes of :hose who utter doubts on the subject.—Times. DISASTER TO THE ENTER PRISE STEAMER. About a month since a steam-vessel, called the Enter prise, commenced a series of trading voyages between the ports of Yarmouth, in Norfolk, and Rotterdam, in Holland, once a week, in the same manner as the Nor . folk steamer, - which has now been several months en gaged in trading between these two places, and it has been said that the trade is now so considerable that the proprietors of the Enterprise contemplated making double voyag es during the remaind er o f th e au tu mn . We regret, however, that a sad disaster befel their vessel very early on Friday morning, which, in the infant state of the trade, may have a tendency to damp the ardour which the somewhat shining prospects had begun to in spire. On her homeward passage, on Thursday evening, she had to encounter a very heavy sea. The cargo was partly bullocks and sheep, there being near 100 of the former and 400 of the latter on board. The violence of the waves, and the heaving of the vessel, threw the bul locks about, and ultimately on one side. This caused the vessel to luff, and the seamen could not for a long time get her righted. Some of the beasts were thrown down the hold amongst the sheep and crushed them, and others were thrown overboard. The scene became a very disastrous one, and we understand that from 40 to 60 sheep (some say a vast many more) were mangled and trodden upon. Some had their legs and some their necks and backs broken, and near a hundred had to be thrown into the sea, or escaped from the vessel. Twenty or more bullocks were also thrown into the ocean, and these appear to have been all lost. The vessel afterwards righted, and soon after reached Yarmouth harbour, where she arrived with all the passengers and crew safe early on the Friday morning. The loss, however, of the sheep and cattle is of a serious kind. On Sunday morning the following serious accident occurred on the Uxbridge-road :—About two o'clock, as Thomas Harris, carter, in the employ of Mr. Johnson, carrier, of Uxbridge, was returning home with one of his master's waggons, drawn by two horses, he fell off the shafts, and before the horses could be stopped both wheels bad passed over his legs and broke them. The unfortunate man was conveyed to St. George's Hospital, where he remains in a very precarious state. EXTENSION OF THE EASTERN COUNTIES TELS• GRAPH TO LlVERPOOL.—Preparations are making for effecting a communication, via Eastern Counties, by e/ectric telegraph, between London and Liverpool. Be tween Ely and Peterborough the wires are already fixed, and in the opinion of Mr. Pon ell, the superintendent, the whole length between London and Liv,rpool will be completed in less than two months. From Ely the wires will run to Stamford, Syston, and Derby, pro ceeding by the western branch of the Midland Railway to Birmingham, and from thence to Liverpool. When completed, a message will be enabled to be conveyed to and from Liverpool in eight minutes. A communication will also be opened with York, Newcastle, Hull, Leeds, &c., by means of the northern branch of the Midland. Southward of London the electric telegraph will be car ried along the north Woolwich line, which will shortly be opened for traffic, and passing under the Thames, by means of the submarine telegraph, form a communica• tion between Woolwich Dockyard and Liverpool. On the completion of the Thames Haven and North Graves end line it is the intention of the company to effect, if possible, by means of the electric and submarine tele graphics, a communication with Sheerness Dockyard. THE ROYAL BUCK HOUNDS.—The first meet of her Majesty's buck hounds this season will take place at Salt-hill, as upon the last three occasions, early in the ensuing month. It is expected that Monday, the 2d proximo, will be " the opening day." The Earl of Granville, the newly •appointed Master of the Royal pack (upon the retirement of the Earl of Rosslyn, and upon the accession of the Russell Administration); ,has just taken the mansion at Fern-hill, lately in the occu pation of Sir Felix Booth, on the confines of Windsor Great Park, and within two miles of the royal kennel at Ascot, where his Lordship will reside during the whole of the hunting season. The pack is entirely free from the disease which had attacked the hounds some two seasons since. It is now in excellent condition. Several of the young hounds, which are undergoing the process of " blooding," have shown great capabilities, and proved themselves well up to their work. The pack consists of upwards of fifty couples. DEATH OF LADY ANNE HAMILTON.—When the Countess of Dunmore's death was announced in the papers a few months ago, it was said that she was the only surviving daughter of the late Duke of Hamilton. This was not true, as her elder sister, Lady Anne Ha milton, was living at the time. But sh e h as now fol- lowed her sister to the grave. having dieclatnin - e - o ; cloc — k on Saturday morning. She was seized with her last fatal illness on the preceding Friday, and we believe re mained unconscious from the time of the attack to the period of her decease. Lady Anne Hamilton was one of the Princess of Wales's (afterwards Queen Caroline) ladies in waiting. hen the Princess of Wales went abroad in 1814, Lady Anne did not accompany her with her other ladies ; but when she became Queen Caroline, and was on her return to this country, Lady Anne joined her on her way back to Flanders, and she entered Lon don in the same carriage with the Queen. After Queen Caroline's death, Lady Anne Hamilton retired once more into private life, and in course of time her means of a comfortable existence were greatly reduced. After several changes of residence, she at last retired to a small house in White Lion-street, Islington, where she ended her days. Lady Anne Hamilton was the eldest daughter of Archibald, ninth Duke of Hamilton. She was born on the 16th of March, 1766, and was conse quently in the 81st year of her age. OPENING OF THE PORTS.—A movement in favour of opening the ports appears likely to become general. A.meeting will be-held this evening, in the Free Trade Hall at Manchester, of the bankers, merchants, manu facturers, and others of that town and neighbourhood, for the purpose of memorialising the Government to open the ports without any delay. We trust this example, which has already been set by Dundee, will be quickly followed by Liverpool, and other commercial as well as manufacturing towns. But while they memorialise for opening the ports, for the purpose of affording every fa cility for increased supplies of grain, we trust they will not omit to press upon the Government the necessity of admittingeconomising t fore s t ocks w distillatione a t and pre ent brewing, have. as a means of THE BOISTEROUS WEATHER AND THE MAILS.— The following notice was issued on Monday at the General Post-office, St. the .l a Corunna,rtin's-ie-g M a rt i n's —. Oporto, Lisbon, Royal Tar Lisbon, Cads. and Gibraltar mails of the 7th instant, put back into Yarmouth on the 9tb, in consequence of bad weather. Her Majesty's brig Express, with the Madeira, Brazil, and Buenos Ayres mails of the sth irstant, put back to Falmouth on the 9th, it blowing a gale from S.W., and sailed again on the 11th inst., with all letters arriving at Falmouth up to that day inclusive. The Sydney, with the mails for New South Wales, Australia, Van 'Diernen's Land, and New Zealand, of the 30th ult., was compelhd by stress of weather. to run into Falmouth harbour on the 9th instant. The John Bull steanler, for the Hamburgh mails on the evening of the 13. h instant (this evening), from the Thames. The Rainbow steamer, for the Holland mails of the morning of the 14th inst. (to. morrow), from the Thames. LEMON `JUICE TO SAlLORS.—Another of the nu.. merous cases of failure to comply with that part of the Merchant Seamen's Act whi c h requ i res t h e supp l y of l!monjuice and sugar to the crew,.when on salt Fri:Ai mons, was brought before the notice of the magistrates at the Thames Police Court, yesterday. Mr. Thomas Hellen, master of the ship Ruby, West Indiaman, was fined 51. for one day's default, though he was liable to penalties to a large amount for that breach of the law. ApPREIIENSION OP AN INCENDIARY.—Yesterday, information was received at the various police stations of the metropolis, of the capture, after considerable diffi culty, of Thomas Wiseman, who is suspected of having set fire to the premises of George Baldrys, of Bandon, a few nights since, when considerable property was de stroTed. I