The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-28 00:00:00

SAILING OF ME FORERUNNER FOR

AFRICA.
(From the Liverpool Albion.)
PLYMOUTH, FRIDAY.—The Forerunner, Captain J.
B. Atkins, a new and beautiful vessel, belonging to
the African Steam Navigation Company, arrived
here, yesterday morning, from the Thames, after a
speedy passage of thirty-four hours, in weather well
calculated to try her capabilities as a sea boat. Several
of the directors came round as passengers, and,
amongst them, Mr. Macgregor Laird, the founder of
the company, and whose practical acquaintance with
that country and its coasts and harbours has imparted
a spirit of confidence to this undertaking which augurs
well for its future success. The construction of the
Forerunner having been already described, we feel it
unnecessary to go into particulars further than to state
that she is an iron steamer, propelled by the screw, of
400 tons, and 50-horse power. Her extreme length
over all is 170 feet, and breadth of beam '22 feet, draw-
ing, with full cargo and coals for fifteen days, nine feet
water fore and aft. The saloons and private cabins
are designed with every view to comfort and ele-
gance, and her great length, tapering masts, and ex-
ternal colour, which is entirely green, gave her a
light and graceful appearance. Finally, when we
leern that the contract for the conveyance end
the
mails was only completed in March last, and the
vessel built and made ready for sea within six months,
the public will recognise the activity
.of those who
have been able to achieve so much in so short a

period.
ie.
The Forerunner takes out a full cargo of miscella
She also
neous goods and a large amount in spec
carries a number of passengers, amongst whom are
Captain A. E. Kennedy, Governor of Sierra Leone,
Mrs. Kennedy and servant, James C. Fitzpatrick, Esq.,
Chief Justice of the Gold Coast, Mr. and 11Irs. Pratt,
Rev. Mr. Cornwall, Colonial Chap-
Rev. M. Reichardt, Mr. E. Watacoll,
lain, and Mrs. Cornwall,
Miss Campbell,
Mr. J. W. Thompson, Lieut.
Thy. Mr. Reny,
Cave, Mr. Cox, and Mr. Bracket, for Sierra
Leone ; also, Staff-Surgeon Daniel, Rev. Mr. Mon-
serratt, colonial chaplain, Madame Chevreille, Mr.
Malliotte, and others for the Gambia. All expressed
themselves highly pleased with the accommodation,
and were in high spirits, more especially the old voy-
agers, at the prospeot of a speedy passage. Iu con-
flexion with the internal arrangements of the vessel,
it may be interesting to state that her berths, though
comparatively small,
and this company are well lighted and ventilated,
have, we believe, the merit of intro-
ducing for the first time in a mail packet-ship Silver's
water-proof
and floatable mattresses, each of which is
said to be capable of sustaining the weight of eight
persons in the water. She also carries powerful hose.
to be worked by the ship's engine, in case of fire, and
two capacious life-boats, each with full room for 30
persons. The latter have been imported from Ame-
rica, and are similar to those now generally employed
in the United States navy. They are constructed of
galvanised iron, have air-chambers fore and aft, and
ara considered peculiarly adapted for vessels trading
in hot climates, the material of which they are con-
structed not being likely to deteriorate by exposure.
Captain Atkins, wbo commands the Foreruner, is a
seaman of much experience, and was, until recently,
in the employment of Messrs. Wigram, in one of
their East Indiamen, and, therefore, well acquainted
with the passenger trade. His crew consists of first
and second officers, ten able seamen, three engineers,

and six firemen. The cuddy servants are also ap-
pointed by himself and under his implicit control,
and, looking to recent examples, the most rigid regu-
lations are prescribed with respect to lights, smoking,
and other practices involving danger by fire. A
novel expedient has also been adopted by the direc-
tors, at Mr. Laird's suggestion, with a view at once
to preserve discipline and encourage propriety
of behaviour. A certain per tentage is allowed
upon the passage-money and freight each voyage,
which is called good-conduct money, and divided
amongst the officers and crew ; the former getting
t•ssc-thirds and the latter one-third each. 'Phis is
much on the system of " lays" in the whaling ser-
vice, and gives all en board on interest in the success
of the voyage, and, as the captain has the power of
withholding these gratuities in cases of misconduct, a
salutary means of punishment is thus provided.
'We are told that the Forerunner is specially de-
signed by draft of water to enter the harbour of
Lagos, it being expected, as a consequence of the
friendly relations which we have latterly established
with the chiefs and other inhabitants of that part
of the coast, that an extensive trade will soon be in
operation. Already it has exhibited itself in an ex-
traordinary degree at the Gambia, and there can be
no doubt it will be further encouraged by the facili-
ties afforded to commercial enterprise by the active
directors of the African Steam Navigation Company.
The Forerunner will be succeeded by four other
so:eamers of a much larger class, two of 900 and two
of 1,060 tons burden, to sail every month, and a
steamer will shortly be laid on to Madrid and Tene-
riffo, which, from the beauty of its clinmte aut.' pit
turesque scenery, is likely to rival the former place as
a sanatorium. Hitherto, however, Teneriffe has
not been much resorted to by Europeans for pur-
poses of health, owing to the want of opportunities of
reaching or leaving it at convenient intervals, such
opportunities depending solely upon the chance visit
of eligible vessels. Under all circumstances we feel
that great public advantages will be derived from the
efforts of the company to which we now allude, the
harmonizing influence of legitimate commerce must
sooner or later show its effects in superseding a bar-
barous traffic, the way of the missionary opened up,
and the efforts of those at home, be they religionists
or mere philanthropists, having in view the reclama-
tion of the negro race, will be promoted and fostered
by a means of communication at once frequent and
certain. Already we find that two missionary clergy-
men have gone out in the Forerunner, one from the
Church of England Society, the other from the Wes-
leyan body, and we are told that a number of others
are expected to follow.

PORTS OF IVETVCASTLE AND SHIELDS.
Mr. How, one of the Surveyors-General of the
Board of Customs, is at present on a visit of inspec-
tion to these northern ports, and a few days ago
received a deputation, consisting of the mayor and
corporation, and many of the leading merchants
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with reference to certain
alterations proposed to be made in the existing mode
of conducting the customs' business, and the proposed
enlargement of the port of Shields with that object,
by a proportionate curtailment of the port of New-
castle, which arrangement the merchants and inha-
bitants of Newcastle considered would be highly
inconvenient to them, and detrimental to their in-
terests. Mr. Clayton, the town clerk, addressed the
inspector at great length, explaining the circumstances.
A. project has been lately sanctioned for the construc-
tion of a spacious dock at Hay Hole for the shipment
of coal, under the patronage of his Grace the Duke of
Northumberland. The site of this dock is within the
port of Newcastle, but adjacent to the western limit
of that of
Shields, and the inhabitants of Shields
Propose to enlarge the boundary so as to include the
intended dock, thereby adding greatly to the revenue
of the port.
vessels that take .They also propose to compel all
the whole or any part of their
cargo in the deep n
waterta at Shields to clear out from
that port, notwithstanding
of the vessel rar`ading that the owner and char-
tererbuysinreeside in Newcastle, and wish
ttovitrb,anwshacot
ishains
agent ;:,.. there. Mr. Alderman
tons of coals annually on` thethe shi
Tine, supported the
pment of 400,000
escribed the great
merchants of Newcastle
thaencithe
ivniceoßn.sveonfietnlicee deputation,t o
w hich
effected. A lengthened discussio followed,posed changes
would be subjected were
close of which the inspector intimated tath at the
report the result of his inquiries to therpotird
ofe should
Com-
missioners. It is understood that the alterationswhich are proposed by the inhabitants of Shields have
received the sanction of the Duke of Nerthumber
land.
_.--.

THE RAPE ON BEDMINSTER DOWNS.
Since our last publication we have gleaned the
following additional particulars respectin
most atrocious outrage :—Robert Hall, the man
who, in company with a Mrs. Allen, a neigh-
bour, first heard the girl's screams and went to her
assistance, states that it was about a quarter to
twelve o'clock at night when he was awoke by
the screams of a female in distress. He heard, in
addition to the screams, the exclamations "Oh
don't serve me so. Mother, mother, pray come.
Murder, murder," &c. On hearing these cries he
called out at his window, " Mrs. Allen, here is some
one insulting your daughter." Mrs. Allen, who it
seems, has several daughters, stated it could not be
ceae of them, as they were all in bed. While she
was dressing, Hall also put on some of his clothes,
ande when both were ready they sallied forth in
,Zpahny, Hall carrying his loaded gun. On cross-
out "
1.2,.,,
that
e road in the direction of the screams, which
girl:'
time had become somewhat stifled, Mrs. Allen
loudly, You villain, you are ill-using a
~ . At that moment Hall saw' one of the men
...Bing prom
the ditch and nettles in which the girl
Wes then lying.
a stoopithng
P Wostg. The other man stood in the ditch in
atenbre, and on hearing Mrs. Allen call out,
g:nvte!,
mene then
awe(clrd
4,
eneesey
..
to his companion.
g_
,eamped rapidly, and on getting over
the five barred
nearly fell. gate, behind the reservoir, one of them
wouldlh only distinguish the figures at
, still,,hlyeing
nlight have fired, but was fearful, if he
ad
iddi thstna, ntchea,t ahned
qtethe girl whose screams had
drawn him to thuspot.
girl,
Mrs. Allen then went
forward, and found the
in the ditch. They
:whose name is Martha
Fear, of Chew Magna
ewes in such a state of
assisted her to rise, when
agitation as to be almost fra
n'a The man and woman