The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-29 00:00:00

MADItAS.

The total loss of the ship Charlotte, Capt. Bourne,
on the 20th June, at the Mauritius, is reported in the
Madras papers: the chief mate and two of the crew
had died of inju lea received in landing from the
wreck. Sir Do Lacy Evans is mentioned as likely
to succeed to the commander-in-chiefship, andoSir J.
W. Hogg to the governorship of Madras. The dis-
trict of Guntoor has suffered severely front inunda-
tion, and it was feared that great destruction both of
life and property would result therefrom. The
Athenauna of the 29th July says:
Accounts from the northward mention that the Kietna
bad risen 36 feet, and the latest dawk from Rajahmundry
is that of the 19th July. Letters from Samulcottah dated
16th, only arrived yesterday. The expedition up the Gods-
very had reached SO miles above Budrachellum, and were
in hopes of getting to Chinnoor, as there had been a 231
feet fresh in the Godavery. )1:jor Cotton was in hopes of
getting over all the shoals with this fresh, sail no doubt the
navigation of that noble ricer will be completed in the
steamer Pottinger, Captain G. P. Take. This indeed is an
event worth recording, and may lead to great results, ewe-
chilly as government have taken the matter up so warmly.
Mr. Rolnick, of Madras, has published the follow-
ing letter under date Ist of August :
The electric telegraph is from this day at work between
Capt. Biden's office and the Observatory. The exact dis-
tance has not been ascertained by measurement, but I do
not think it can be under five miles, the earth, or return
circuit, making it double. The uses to which this telegraph
will be applied cannot at present be determined. Its utility
will increase with its age, and every day will bring with it
some novel application. With a branch at the Polytechnic,
which I purpose establishing as soon as possible (the instru-
ment having to be made), the value of the line
will be considerably enhanced. The first instal-
ment of the undertaking on which I had entered
being thus satisfactorily disposed of, I shall new
have leisure to turn my attention to the completion of the
arrangements for the Time ball. There will in the mean-
while be some means in operation of communicating the
true noon time to captains of ships resorting to Captain
Biden's office, which it is hoped will compensate for the
short absence of the other more popular method. When
the ball has had its first fall, I shall bequeath the whole
system to the community of Madras, (provided the gift be
considered worthy of acceptance) in token of the esteem
in which I hold measures contributing to public cmvenience
and advantage. I have already alluded to the kindness of
Captain Jacob in giving me a room in the Observatory. I
must now record the nattering attentions of Captain Biden,
who has evinced the warmest interest in the success of my
experiment.
In my last I mentioned, on the authority of the
Madras papers, the wreck of the Mountstuart
stone in Torres Straits. It appears that this vessel
providentially got off the Cockburn Reef with loss of
rudder only, which was speedily replaced by the
captain, and the good ship reached Madras on the
2nd inst. all right.