The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-17 00:00:00

rived with an empty collier to receive our guns, and cast
cff her tow accidentally more than a mile to leeward of
us, and she was obliged to pick her up again, and we
got the collier lashed alongside ; about 11 p.m. prepared
her hold for the guns, and landed the first one into
it at a few minutes after midnight, when we thought that,
as all hands had been at work since we struck, it would
be advisable to " splice the main brace." A very few
minutes were allowed for this, and at 12.30 we were all
at work again. Commencing with the inaindeck guns
with a strong party, Goodenough (Second-Lieutenant)
prepared them with a party on the maindeck ; Rogers
(Third-Lieut.) had two boats getting the Cossack's cables
from where she had anchored (500 yards on the weather
quarter) down to us ; Jackson (Fourth-Lieutenant) had
a party in the collier, receiving the guns and stowing
them in the hold, which part of the business caused great
delay ; Colomb (Fifth-Lieutenant) had another party
getting out the shot and sending them to the Driver ;
and Patrickson (mate) had another party, pumping out
the fresh water and bilges. We had the additional dis-
advantage of a dark night for our work, which was par-
ticularly felt in getting the guns into the collier's hold.
However, everything went on admirably, without any
noise or confusion, and with a hearty goodwill. At 2
a.m. the shot were cleared (60 tens), and Colomb's party
went on with the ballast. Some time afterwards the
water and bilges were cleared, and that party went
on with the coals. At 6.30 or thereabouts the main-
deck guns were all stowed, and the cables from the
Cossack fast and hove tent. We now went to break-
fast for half an hour, and then again set to with fresh
energy, especially with the lower deck guns. About 10
a.m. she began to get a little lively, and we got a heave on
all the cables ; but this proved ineffectual, and our own 23-
inch came hoinealittle ; so we madefastagain, and finished
the lower deck guns and all the ballast that could be got
at without great trouble and delay, and then went on
with the shells. About noon we had half an how to
dinner, by which time the breeze was sensibly freshen.
ing and the sea rising, and the old ship changed her
quiet position for an unmistakeable bumping. We went
at it again about
.1 o'clock, starting coals and getting
out our shell and provisions, and lowering the mainyard
to be secured for our only remaining guns, the six heavy
ones on the upper deck. While this was been prepared
we hauled the Driver close to our stern by an 8-inch
hawser, leaving the two 14-inch cables' line slack ; then
the Driver went off full speed ; we slipped the 8-inch
when it had as much strain as it could bear, and she
brought up with a tough jerk against the 14-inch cables
(at the same time we put 500 men into the collier) ; the
result was one inch more water astern, but we wanted
nearly two feet to float. However, we tried the expe-
riment again (the Cossack heaving and steaming at the
same time), and when the Driver brought up she car-
ried away both 14-inch cables like ropeyarns ; but the
effect was perceptible ; we deepened the water one foot
by the stern, and shoaled it two feet under the bows,
evidently having our forefoot under the shoalest part of
the reef in our immediate neighbourhood ; but, as we
were well hung by the stern that was of no conse-
quence. While the cables were being carried out again
we commenced on the upper-deck guns, and at the
same time were busy passing cables from the Bull-
dog, who had also arrived to our help, the same par-
ties as before about the coals, provisions, and Ebel'.
The breeze had stiffened, and the weather looked
dirty with the sea rising, and the old Hastings bumping
sensibly, when, at 3.45 p.m., the Cossack's cables hav-
ing a heavy strain, away the old ship glided off the reef,
to the relief and thankfulness of every one. The poor
old collier that was lashed to us was cast off es quickly
as possible, but nearly the first roll knocked her top-
gallantmast away, then her bulwarks followed, and she
had considerable damage done before she cleared us.
Our anchor, with the hemp sheet fast to it, was fortu-
nately now directly to leeward of the reef, the cable
came through the wardroom stern-port on the lower
deck, and double-bitted forward ; we swung to this,
and found ourselves in 9 fathoms, riding by the stern,
and no other cable to let go. The gale was rising fast,
and we were, till about 9 o'clock, clearing the hawsers
of the other ships, hoisting our boats in, &c., when, our
fellows being much knocked up, we spliced the main-
brace, arid piped the hammocks down. It was about
10.30, after going round the ship, I laid down, but the
gale was fast increasing, arid, after an hour's most un-
satisfactory snoozing, I went on deck to look on a pretty
prospect. The night was very dull and black, and
by this time blowing very fiercely, with a nasty sea
rising and breaking through the stern-ports. About
one o'clock, though there had been no indication
of dragging, we found the water was only six and
a half f ,thorns amidships and six fathoms for-
ward, and the hemp cable had ground to dust
all its chafing-mats, and was being injured seriously ;
besides this the upper deck guns showed an evident in-
clination to capsize, and the empty gun carriages were
as lively as the ship, so I most reluctantly turned the
fellows out of their hammocks again to make all snug ;
and certainly the feeling that we were shoaling our
water, and that, if we again struck, nothing could save
us from going to pieces, made it an anxious moment.
Thank God, however, our anchor and cable held nn till
daylight, by which time the weather had considerably
moderated, and we were fortunate enough, after a heavy
heave, to get one cable (the one we did not slip the in-
board er.d). About 6 a.m. the wind shifted several points,
which took us a little closer to our old danger, so we
determined to clear off at once. Accordingly we buoyed
the cable that had served us so well during the night, as

well as the stream, let fall the sails,and-slipped; and

soon nothing but the white foam breaking over the reef
indicated our late peril.
" We were on the reef 37 hours exactly, and it may
interest you to know in detail what we lightened the
ship of :

Guns (54)
Shot
Cabies
Water in bailers
Fresh water and bilge
Coals
llalla3t
Shell
Anchors

Ton.
140
60
60
50
50
40
30
...... 12
10

Total..

452

"The breeze was fair for Nargen, and there we ar-
rived early in the afternoon, letting go our only cable fast
to a sheet anchor close to the Admiral. We met the
Edinburgh, 60, on her road down to our assistance, and
they were uncommonly glad to find us free. The Dri-
ver, with the gun collier, had preceded us. The Cossack,
who, by the way, parted an anchor during the gale of the
night, accompanied us up, and the Bulldog remained by
the reef to endeavour to recover the anchors and cables.
During the evening (Saturday) we got a hemp sheet ca-
ble from the Edinburgh, and a great many boats were
employed in transferring our shot and shell and ballast
back from the Driver, which was accomplished, and the
whole of them restored to their places by midnight, when
I went to my cabin to lie down and go to sleep for the
first time since the ship struck on Wednesday night,
though I had not felt much fatigue through it. However
I confess when I got up at five next morning (Sunday) I
could have enjoyed an hour or two more with great com-
fort to myself. By some mistake the gun collier was
not brought alongside till nearly eight o'clock, instead of
daylight, as arranged ; but when once there we set to
work and get some guns in, transported and secured with
their own gear in their own ports, at an average rate of
six minutes a gun, counting from the time the first gun
was hooked on till the last was in its place. At the
lame time we were coaling, and took in during the day
100 tons of coals, and our condensers in the engine-
room made us about 30 tons cf water. I was just going
to bed at 10 o'clock when Japtain Gordon, of the Bull-
dog, came on board, having recovered the whole of our
chain cables, and one of the bower anchors, so we made
arrangements for his being alongside at 7 o'clock in the
morning, and after an early breakfast on Monday the
Bulldog lashed alongside, and transferred all these
valuable stores to us. At 1 p.m. the captain reported
the ship ready for sea, the only things deficient being a
bower and a stream anchor, our hemp sheet cable (23
inch) and three hawsers (11, 10, and 8 inch). Between
Saturday evening and Monday at noon we had got on
board and stowed away—

Guns
Cables
Shot
Coals .
Ballast
Shell
Bower anchor

Tons.
. 140
.. 48
.. 60
.. 100
.. 30
.. 12

And made fresh water ...

"The Admiral told us to take the afternoon to clear
the ship up and rest, remarking the men must be done
up, and the day before he had offered us 500 men, but I
begged the captain to refuse them, convinced that it
would have taken all the officers of the ship to look after
the strange men, and then not get the work done half as
fast, besides everything going to its wrong place, instead
of its right. During Monday forenoon, at the captain's
request, a court of iuquiry, composed of Captains Cod-
rington, of the Royal George, Warren, of the Cressy,
and Hewlett, of the Edinburgh, sat on board to inquire
into the cause of our mishap, but we sailed early on
Tuesday morning without learning their opinion. We
had the unpleasant addition on board of 11 hospital
dressers and 30 invalids for a passage to England, and
the Driver accompanied us to call in at the reef and en-
deavour to recover the lost anchor and cable, but on
arrival we found that the Russians had been beforehand,
taken away the small hawsers, and cut away the rest of
the buoys. We could see them watching us from the
shore, and doubtless but for prompt assistance the gun-
boats from Port Baltic would have been out, so we gave
it up at sunset, and steered down the gulf. I shall no
say good bye, devoting this long yarn for the governor's
amusement."

NEW GIIN-BOATS.--- Messrs. John Scott and
Sons,
Greenock, have entered into a contract with Govern-
ment to build six gun-boats of about 90 feet keel each.
They are to be of timber, and are expected to be ready
next opring.—Ologow Pally