The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-14 00:00:00

LAUNCH OF THE PRIMER()

SPANISH WAR STEAMER.

The Spanish Government having decided to employ
two new steam-vessels of light draught water, and each
to carry two 32-pounder guns for the purpose of adding
to their squadron for the protection of Cuba and their
possessions in the West Indies, the first of these vessels
was launched on Saturday last from the building-yard
of Mr. Thompson, at Rotherhithe, her constructor. At
a quarter before twelve Miss Nonaria Marter performed
the ceremony of christening by sprinkling the contents of
a bottle of wine over the bows of the steamer, and in
about one minute afterwards she slowly glided into her
future element amidst the cheers of the assembled spec-
tators. The vessel was then taken in tow by a steam-
tug, and brought alongside of Messrs. John Penn and
Sons' establishment at Greenwich, to be fitted
with her engines of 120-horse power by that
firm. The Primero is built exactly on the same lines
as the Banshee, designed by Mr. 0. W. Lang, assistant
to the master shipright at Chatham Dockyard,
that vessel having given great satisfaction as to her
speed and other sea-going qualities when employed as a
mail packet on the Holyhead station. The Banshee was
also built by Mr. Thompson, and the timbers of both her
and the Primero have been put together on the diagonal
principle, which combines great strength with safety in
case of accident to the frame of the vessel, each of the
three series of planking of which she is constructed
being independent, although strongly attached to each
other by copper bolts. The Primero is 870 feet in length,
with a breadth of beam of 20 feet, and, with all her
guns, ammunition, and stores on board, will only draw
five feet of water, and on that account be admirably
adapted for the pursuit of boat parties when attempting
to land with hostile or privateering intentions on any of
the shallow water coasts of the Spanish possessions in the
West Indies.

Mr. Zolueta (the agent for the Spanish Government.)
and Captain Cassader (who is to command the Primero),
with several Spanish gentlemen, after being present at
the launch, embarked in the Sylph Woolwich steam-
packet, tied went down with a large party on an excur-
sion to the Nore.
The other vessel, building by Mr. Thompson for the
same service, is in an advanced state, and is to be named
the Secundo.

OUR DINNERS.
It is a vulgar notion that a dinner to be good must be
expensive—a fatal mistake, preventive of much social
enjoyment. To eay nothing of those
" Who think less of good eating than the whisper,
When seated near them of some pretty lisper,"

nine-tenths of the recipients of a grand state dinner,
formal and costly, would infinitely prefer a fish, a joint,
and a bird, with freedom and good talk.
" Boys, 'tis little I care to dine
Where the host is vain and the guests are fine,
Where the wines are warm and the dishes cold,
And the mutton is young and the spinters

Some of the meat delighttul dinners in memory have
been the simplest—all wit, fun, and good sense, with
merely "flashes of silence." "Cheerful looks make
every dish a feast," The very es,ence of a dinner is
absence of ceremony. Half the dinners that one goes to,
offer but dry leaves instead of flowers: they are but
mockeries of enjoyments, waste of hours, through fear
of tyrant Custom and desire to be thought " genteel."
Mr. Walker, of " The Original," truly says, " Anybody
can dine, but very few know how to dine so as to insure
the greatest amount of health and enjoyment." Those
who will help society to this knowledge, strangle foolish
forms, and substitute for wasteful expenditure good
taste, good sense, and good humour, should bo regarded
as its benefactors.—Builder.

SEABORNE MAILS.
olgnifteh that the mails are sent front the General Post -Ole
by the night—and M by the morning—dispatch.]

When made up is ' From what
pLAcra. General Post-office port dis- When
London: I patched, due.
America (by Brit. pkt.)N Sept. 24 .. Liverpool .. Sept. 18
America (by U. 3. pkt.) N,Sept. 10 .. .. Liverpool ..ISept. 14
America (by U.S. pbt.) M Sept. 17 .. Southampt. Sept. 22
Australia (via South-
ampton) M 20th of each mr onthrSonthampt. 'Sept. 24
Ditto N, 24 th ore,: ch month 'Dover .. Sept. 9
Ditto,
(v
viaC.o,lal le
loafrsGe.ils) Hope N;29 & 14th each mo Plymouth.. Sept. 29
Africa (West coast).- N :14th om the month Plymouth Uncertain
Alexandria» ........ N 19th & 30th or mo.;Dover .. Sept. 18
Belgium .. N Daily .. ;Dover .. Daily
Brazil .. .• hl,9th of the month ,Sonthampt. Oct. 12
Buenos Ayres .. M 9th of the month ISonthampt. Oct. 12
California(viaChavem)M 2d& 17th of month Southampt. Oct. 16
Cape of Good Hope N 14th of the month Plymouth.. Sept. 29
Cape de Verds N 2d of the month .. I Plymouth.. Sept. 29
Constantinople* N 7th 17th 27th ot mo Dover .. Sept. 20
Central America .. M2d & 17th of inon. iSonthampt. lst ea. mo.
Channel Islas •• N Mon., Wed., & Fri.iSouthampt. Tim. Th. bat
Chili .• •• M 29 & 17th of mntb Sonthampt. Sept. 16
France .. tN; Twice daily .. Dover Twicedail3
Greece* • • N 7th 17th27th of mo 'Dover .. Sept. 19
Hambnrgh .• N, Tuesday & Friday London .. Tees. bat.
Holland .. •• M Wednes. & Satnr.l London ~ Sus. Thu
Honduras .. •• . N 17th of the month Southampt. Sept. 16
Ireland .. M& N, Twice daily .. Holyhead.. TwiceoallY
India (via Southamp.) M 20th of the month Southanapt. Sept. 24
India (via Marseilles) N Bthfz. 24th of monthlDover • . 'Sept. 19
India, via C. of G. Hope N 14th of month Plymouth .. 'Sept. 29
Mauritius .. N 14th of month Plymouth.. Sept. 29
Mediterranean (via
Southampton) .. M 20th of the month Southampt. Aug. 28
Mediterranean (via
Marseilles) .. N Bth& 24th of month Dover .. Sept. 19
Mexico .• .• M2d of the month.. Sonthampt. ;Ist ea. mo.
Madeira • • • • .. kt 9th of the month Southampt.lSept. 22
7th,17th,19,27tb
Malta* thl Dover Sept. 19
&30th of month
Naples* .• N,stb 15th 25th ofmo Dover ..'Sept. 22
Papal States* .. N 'sth 15th 25th of mo Dover .. 'Sept. 22
Peninsula 7th 17th 27th ef mol South ampt. Sept. 16
Peru •• M 2d & 17th of mntb S'outhampt. iSept. 16
Tuscany* .. . • N sth 15 th 25 th of= Dover • • 'Sept. 22
West Indies 17th of the moath Southampt.iSept. 16
West Indies (except
Havanna & Nassan) M 2d of the month .. Sonthampt. I
* The mails to those countries thus marked (*) are conveyed by
French Dackot via Marseilles.