The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-01 00:00:00

A Whirlwind at Sea.

The bark Glengarnock, belonging to Messrs. Pattens and
Co., and commanded by Captain Matthew Fleming, en-
countered a fearful whirlwind on the 16th of July when in
the Gulf Stream, in the neighbourhood of Bermuda. Cap-
tain Fleming observed the barometer falling so rapidly that
it descended one inch and seven-tenths in tiro hours. Pro-
fiting by this warning, Captain Fleming ordered all the sails
to be securely furled. At the time there were several water
spouts in the vicinity of the vessel, but none sufficiently
near to be dangerous. It was well that Captain Fleming
had taken the precaution of furling sail, because about one
o'clock in the afternoon, as the men were descending tho
rigging from securing the foretopsail, a terrific whirlwind
from north west, and revolving in an easterly direction,
struck the ship and threw her on her beam-ends on the star-
board side, the boats and the midship-house being under
water. The chests and bedding of the petty officers who
lived in the midship_house were washed away, as also the
galley, water-casks, and live stock. A passenger in the after
cabin was up to the waist in water. The officers and men
crouched under the weather bulwarks, preparin g to cut the
masts away if necessary, but the strength of the hurricane
was so great that they could not hear each other's voices.
About 2 o'clock the vessel righted a little, but shortly after-
wards was submerged again by a violent increase of the
whirlwind, which; snapped the foretopmast at the cap, and
that spar in its fall carried away the maintopgallantinast
mizentopmast, and jibboom. The mainmast head was
sprung. The crew began to clear away the wreck, which
wa accomplished with great difficulty, the violence of the
wind being such that a hatchet was whisked out of the cap-
tain's hand as he was about to cut away one of the topmast
backs tap. About half-past 3, the wind having moderated
and the vessel being relieved of the wreck, she righted. The
pumps were instantly sounded, but it was ascertained that
she had not made a drop of water, nor was strained in the
least. The starboard mainrail and part of the bulwarks
were found to be carried away. A strong gale then set in
from the northwest, but in a few hours fell away to a dead
calm. A striking peculiarity of the whirlwind was that at
times, while it was blowing with the utmost fury across the
main and fore parts of the ship, a light flaw from the lee
quarter was only felt at the wheel. During its continuance
a high and most confused sea, "like a pot boiling," was
running.—Greenock Advertiser.

FIJI ISLANDS.—Among the consular reports of
the year transmitted to the Foreign-office is one from
Levuka, Fiji. Mr Owen, the British acting consul, arrived
there in January last year, and has to state that in the first
six months of the year the exports amounted in value to
£11,967, and the imports to £9,275. The imports in this in-
fant trade consisted of wearing apparel and soft goods of
the value of £1,825 ; hardware, £950 ; groceries, £2,000; and
the inevitable item, spirits, atout £1,500. The chief export is
cocoa-nut oil. The quantity exported was about 450 tons, and
its price, delivered at the water's edge in Fiji, was steady at
£22 a ton. Two Australian companies, composed of mer-
chants of wealth and position, have founded extensive esta-
blishments in these islands, one company alone 'awing
erected machinery for making oil from the nut at an ex-
pense of more than £7,000. The nut is ground, sweated,
pressed, and caked by steam machinery. The progress of
this branch of industry had been somewhat checked by a
feeling of insecurity with regard to a threatened invasion by
King George of Tonga ; but still the oil trade continued to
respond to the increasing demand. In the half-year 7i mils
of cotton left the islands, two tons cleaned and the rest in
the seed, the former realizing is 6d per lb in Sydney and
the latter 7d. The climate and soil are admirably adapted
for the production of cotton, and the native chiets were
taking an interest in it. The principat
difficulty was in get-
ting the native population to gather it in, but the interest
was taking root in the country. The tobacco plant grows
luxuriantly there; half a ton had been exported to Sydney.
Attention was being given by a few enterprising men to the
growth of coffee; 12,000 trees were under cultivation. Up-
wards of 1,000 sheep had Leon landed from Australia in the
half year by men of capital, and generally were doing well.
The rate of freights was SOs per ton from and 70s per ton
to Sydney. English weights and measures ate used.
A story is told of a large black wig with long
flowing curls, which had been worn by King
Charles 11., coming icto possession of Suett the comedian,
a great collector of wigs. This particular wig was put up
for auction at a sale of the effects of Mr,ltawle, Royal Ac-
coutrement maker, who died late in the last, century. The
wig, handed round to the company, was put on by Suett,
who facetiously continued his bidlings with the royal
peruke on his head. The other bidders, greatly amused,
declared the lot ought to be knocked down to the ector be-
fore he took it off. This was done in a moment. The wig
was Suett's before he could remove it :rum his head. He
played in it for some years in "Tom Thurob," and other
plays, until it was burnt in a fire which destroyed the
theatre at Birmingham. Swett was met the morning after
the fire, exclaiming di:.consolatcly, " wig'o gone! wi
wig's gone !--Oixe a li-cek.