The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-05 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITAR.

ADMIRALTY, Jan. 4. —APPOINTIIIENT.—Captain
A. P. Ryder, to the Hero, vice Captain C. H. Seymour,
superseded nt his own request.

WOOLWICH, JAN.
ROYAL 31ILITARY ACADEMY.—In coaseptenee of
the number of commissional awarded at the last half .yorlv
examination at this institution, at the commencement of the
seat half .yearly term, during the present month, 36 gassy..
men cadets will be promoted from the second to the lint
claws, and 2e, from the third to the second class.
The following steam vessels, commissioned at Wool.
with, are ordered to return to this dockyard to b paid
off :—Ardent. Commander Parish, South-East Coast of
America ; Niger, Captain Cracroft, Australia ; Triton, Com-
mander Burton, Africa; Lyra, Commander Oldfield, Cape
of Good Hope ; Vixen, Commander Richards ; Spitfire, Corn.
mender Allingham ; and Jasper, Commander Pym.

'CHATHAM, JAN. 4.

- - -
NAVAL COURT-MARTI AL. —A court-martial, 14
which Captain C. Wise, of the Southampton, 50, was the
president, assembled on board the Formidable, at, this
morvmg, for' the trial of privates John Cummings and
Patrick Hurley, of this division of Royal Marines Light
Infantry, on the following charges :-1. For having, on
or about the 24th December, 1860, when serving on board
her Majesty's ship Wellesley, 74, forsaken their stations,
Cummings being sentry on the forecastle, and Hurley
sentry on the after cockpit. 2. For having on or about the
24th December, 1880, attempted to break into the ward-
room wine store, with the intention of committing a
felony. Mr. Knight, solicitor, Rochester, officiated as
deputy judge advocate, and Captain Goldsmith, C. 8., pro-
scouted. After hearing the evidence for the prosecution
both prisoners were found guilty. Cummings, mho had
previously been tried by military court martial, was
sentenced to twelve months' and Hurley to six months'
imprisonment, with hard labour, in the Maidstone county
gaol.
The Adnurs!ty orders were received at the dockyard this
morning. directing a mew corvette, of 21 guns, tote named
the Memii, to be immediately laid down on the third slip,
from which the Undaunted was launched a few days since.

THE STRANDING OP THE QUEEN VICTORIA

AT PLYMOUTH.

PLYMOUTH, FaiDAT, 3 r.m•
Very little hope is now entertained of being able
to get off this fine vessel ; for since yesterday she is
filling more rapidly than the water can possibly be
got out of her by the ship's pumps. During
last night her mainmast broke close to the deck,
and it was only prevented from falling over her aide by the
rigging. The crew have been to-clay in getting out
all the stores of the easel, and also their own baggage, and
many have been told that their services will not be
required longer than this week. The cable she
has on board weighs nearly 1,600 tons, and is 400 miles in
length. No steps had been taken to remove this ponderous
weight. The ictoria is 280 feet long, and a short time ago
OM was lengthened 65 feet. She re said not to be at all
fitting to convey the cable, and does not answer her helm
so readily as she ought. She is the property of Palmer
Brothers, of Newcastle, and is chartered by Claw, Elliot,
and Co., the submarine cable manufacturers. The pilot in
charge of her was Robert Williams, who held a Ant-claw
certificate, and has been a pilot thirty yawn.

WRECK OF THE BOSTONIAN, LONDON AND
NEW TuRK PACKETSHIP, AND OTHER VES-
SELS, AND LOSS OP LIFE.

By the telegrams and Lloyd's letters received
in the course of yesterday a very painful list of losses at
sea during the heavy gale of New Year's day is announced,
in addition to those which have already been reported. In
one instance there is every reason to believe that a London
and Gottenburg steamer foundered with all hands ; another
large ship, laden with • valuable cargo from China, has
been wrecked on the French coast ; a fine New York ship
has been lost in the Channel with many lime, and
several other vessels have been dashed to pieces on the coast,
every soul belonging to them being lost.
Respecting the steamer, Lloyd's agent at Cromer writes
to the effect that several light articles had been coat on to
the beach to the southward of that place during the night
of Tuesday and the following morning. Among the papers
found were some letters addressed to Mr. George Dufßel—
one from Julia Duffiel, his mother • and another from J.
Hampton, of the Dolphin screw steamer. Also some small
account book+ belonging to the Scandinaviaa steamer, the
last entry of which is for the consumption of some prosl.
Mons on the 26th Dec., 1860, on the vessel's nineteenth
voyage homeward from Gottenbnrg. In one pap of
the book was written "Captain Anderson." There
were also some Mae' of lucifer matches marked
"Jonkopinp. Tandstickor. Sold by Bryant and May, sole
agents, 133, Tooley.street, London.' About eighty long
oars or sweeps had also been picked up. The agent added
that be feared the vessels to which these things belonged
must have been lost on the Hasborough wind. By the
steward's book the crew seemed to number 10 or 18 hands,
and the ves.el had accommodation for 24 passengers. A.
telegraphic communication since received from Hull states
that the Scandinavian steamer was safe at that port, but that
the Kingston screw steamer was missing, she having left
Guttenberg on the 27th of December, and was due in
London on Saturday, and that nothing ]tad been beard of
her since her departure. From the circumstance of the
cargo, especially the lucifer matches, and oars shipped in
the Kingston exactly corresponding with the articles picked
an u else a boat having come ashore at Mundesley, near
Cromer, beariug the name of Kingston, there is but little
hope of her safety.
Late on Tuesday night the New York and London freight
ship Bostonian, 1,100 tons, Captain Brookman, was totally
lost on the Honois Rocks, about • mile and a half on the
west side of the island of Guernsey, when, melancholy to
relate, the commander and several of his crew, with several
other shipwrecked mariners, whom the ill-fated ship had
previously taken on hoard, perished. The Bostonian was& very
tine ship, belonging to New York, and was bound to Lou.
don, with a valuable cargo of wheat, cheese, flour, and
ge-
neral merchandise. It appears that during the voyage
across the Atlantic she had only obtained three
observations, and in coming up. Channel and seeing
a light, made the fatal error of mistaking it for that of
the Start, when in fact it was the Duke* on the
French coast. The ship immediately stood off to the south-
ward, and about half-past five o'clock in the morning went
upon the Howie Rocks, where she speedily became a wreck,
and went down at the foot of the reef, the maintopealle
yard being just a few feet out of water. At daybreak, the
pilots and boatmen, observing the spars of the sunken ship,
at once put off in their boat, and on reaching the wreck
they found eighteen people clinging to the masthead. With
difficulty they were rescued, and it was then learned that
Captain Brookumn, the commander, Henry Riddle, and
the steward and cook (four in number) had perished • the
chief officer, Mr. W. W. D. Bowers, and twelve guide,
being those who were saved. Theother unfortunate creatures
who were drowned belonged to the Aire, of Goole. Strange to
my, this ship was lost on the day. before. She was laden with
government stores from Woolwich Dockyard to Malta, and
early on the morning of New Year's-day she was struck by a
heavy sea, which carried away the skylight, binnacle, boats,
and one mar name Marmaduke Richardson. At five in the
afternoon, when about 90 miles to the southward of the
Eddystooe Light, the Aire being in a sinking condition.
the master,Capt. Slingsby, with his crew abandoned her, and
went on board the ill-fated Bostonian, which had borne up
to their rescue. The poor fellows, however, were doomed
to shipwreck, and out of her crew oil; five acre saved in
the wreck of the Bostonian, Captain Shopby being one of
the survivors. By the last advice, the Bostonian was
breaking up. During the last few years owes
ml ships bare gone ashore on the French coast
through mistaking the lights, but it is well known
that soundings would at once disclose the error,
as there is such a marked difference in the character of the
bottom. Lhod's agent in his letter states that there is a
lighthouse in the course of erection on the Honois
where the Bostonian was lost, and had it been lighted ittla&
have undeceived Captain Brookman, and his valuable ship
and the lives that were lost would have been spared.
On the same dist, 'et of the French coma, between Jersey
and Port Bail, awl on the same day the homeward bound
ship Amcor, 1,344 tons register, from Manilla to London, is
reported to have been lost, intelligence of the fact having
been sent by telegraph yesterday from Cherbourg. No des
tails as yet have come to hand, but it is feared that the lose
must prove very disastrous.

FLOODS IN THE KlM—The thaw in the early
part of the week produced a great accumulation of water in
Suffolk and many parts of the adjoining counties, the low-
lands in the neighbourhood of the rivers being covered in
some places to a considerable depth. Much damage has
been done to property in many cases ; but there appears to
have been no loss of life, although one or two narrow
escapes are reported. Yn. Brown. of Brant Eleigh Hall,
while returning in her carriage from Toetock, was ;Awed in
*perilous position in crowing the river Brent at a ford near
Brettenliam Mill. The vehicle and horses became im-
mersed, awl Sire. Drown and the coachman were only
rescued be saran, of ladders and ropeo. A youth in the em-
ploy of Mr. Davis, butcher, of Great It.iildow, while driving
from lhaibury G. Sandon, was also cspeized iu strewn
mooing by the side of the road. Tho stream was much
swollen, rad the youth only managed to save himself by
climbing up a tree. The pony which he was driving wan
drowned, and the whole contents of the cart, which con.
airted of household goods trielimmog to a young woman about
to be married, were aaenficed with the almost ludicrous
exception of • pair of bellows. The driver of the fie,orbiut
mail cart also met with • serious accident on his return to
Helatead. At Hepworth-bridge the road was flooded to
the depth of three or four feet, end the torrent carried the
Lone off his legs. While the manual was struggling the
'WM broke, and both loan and horse saved thew lives with
difficulty. The mail begs were lost. Up to yesterthygreah
sheets of water— now frozen over— met the eye on every
side.