The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-07 00:00:00

Important Lifeboat Services.

BLAKENEY, NORFOLK, Nov. 5,
I have the pleasure (writes the Rev. R. H. Tillard) to
report that the Lifeboat of the National Institution here
has been instrumental in saving six lives this morning. A
French Chasse Mare, the Eleanor, of Nantes, came on
shore last night about half- past nine o'clock, the wind
blowing hard from N.N.W., and the night hazy. At day-
light she was seen from Blakeney, and the weather being
bad and the sza very heavy, it was determined -to send the
lifeboat out to her. The vessel was on the West Sand,
about an hour's pull from the boat house. When the
lifeboat got alongside, it was found that the vessel was
aground, waterlogged, and rolling very heavily, the sea
breaking over her. All hands on her were within a very little
of being washed overboard in sight of the lifeboat's crew ;
they were prevented only by an oar lashed across the rig.
ging, The poor fellows were overjoyed at the sight of the
lifeboat, and only too glad to leave their vessel and get on
board the boat. They were landed at Blakeney Quay about
ten o'clock. The lifeboat crew speak in the highest pos-
sible terms of the boat, and especially of her sailing before
the wind, with a heavy sea following. They also eay
that she behaved beautifully in returning under canvass
and in pulling out against wind and tide, with a very
heavy beam sea. The cost of this valuable lifeboat was
presented to the National Institution by Miss Brightwell,
of Norwich.

Railway Traffic Returns for the Week,

Miles Opened.

Receipts.

Railways.

1864.

Belfast and N. Counties 136
Belfast and County Down 49
Blyth and Tyne . 2S
Bristol and Exeter l2ll
Caledonian 262k
Cambrian

Cookermouth & Workington
Cork and Bandon

Cork, lilackrock, & Passage...
Cork and Youglial
Cornwall
Deeside

Dublin & Belfast Junction 63
Dublin and Drogheda 75
Dublin and Meath
Dub. & Wicklow and Wexld 9ll
Furness, &c 5O
Glasgow & South-Western
Gt. Eastern,Nrfk.,&E.l.lnion 663
Great Northern 287
Great North of Scotland 5B
t. Northn. & Westn. (Irel.) 7lt
It.Southn. & Westn.(lfind.) 3B7}
Great Western 12221
Hull and Ilornsea l3

Inverness & Aberdeen Jima 1061
Inverness & Perth Junction 1191
Irish North-Western 145
Kent Coast 27
Lancashire & Yorkshire 403
Limerick and Ennis.. 24
Limerick and Foynes 262
Llanelly 462
: 9sl
London & 0v.+1,-Western
Loud. Brighton, & z.vet267f
Loudon, Chatham, & Dover 721
Do. Metropolitan Extension 1 t
Han.,Bheffield,&Lincolnsh
Manch. Altrincham 9l
Ilaryport and Carlisle 2B
Metropolitan
Midland (incl. N.-Western) 6slk
Midland GLWestn. of 262
Konkland 7ll

1863.

1211
2621

Konmouthsh. Rail. & Canal.. 44
North British, Edin., Perth
and Dundee _ _ _ 6161

N.-Eastern and Stook. & DarL 1095'
North London 9
North Staffordshire 254

71i
33.
1169 .

Rhymney l9i
Scottish Central ll3
Scottish North-Eastern l3B

IC6i
1 91
14i

3/
611
259 k
713
44

583 i
1095

252
114
113
les

1884. 1863.
2,102 2.053
755 662
2,022 1,769
6,451 6,134
19.366 16,906
1,611 1,565
350 341
372 334
145 154
401 351
1,525 1.120
315 253
1,435 1,153
1,706 1 830
009 105
2,101 2,119
3,016 2,611
9,138 8,851
35,3 i 1 32,992
38,637 31,898
1,161 1,6.0
523 515
7,591 8.111
65,407 60,939
79

1,553 1,492
1,828 1,312
1,743 1,588
£2O 400
33,8( 8 33,668
180 170
130 146

1,777 1,70
20,879 20.557
18,4 8 18,184
6,916 50,06
1,350 1,223
17,476 16 519
1,302 1,122
1,534 1.505
2,305 1,8.8
47,763 44,4.8
4,564 4,470
1,6.0 1,628
2,739 2,015

21,051 20.'710
50,371 56,3b3
2,998 3,L 4
8,861 8,660
1,032 1,010
0,002 5,380
5,165 5

MILTON'S HOUSE IN BARBICAN.--The house in
Barbican, No. 17, in which Milton lived, being re*
quired for railway purposes, a dispute arose as to its value
in a material sense. A lease of the premises was granted
in 1860, for 21 years, at £63 a year; the present value
of the land was £206 a year. The amount payable under
the lease was asserted to be much below to value of the
property. The principal question presented to the jury
was the value of the reversion. Ia addressing the jury,
the commissioner said that the house was a very old one, in
which Milton had lived. The jury assessed the compenM
sation at £3,250, or considerably more than twice as much
as the Metropolitan Railway Compeny offered,

DEMOLITION BY GUNPOWDER CF A PORTION OF
THE GREAT EXHIBITION BIIILDING.—The remain.
ing pardons of the Exhibition Building, consisting of the
towers in the Albert-road,were on Saturday operated on by
the Sappers and Miners, v►ith the object of throwing them
to the ground, by gunpowder. The gunpowder was ar-
renged to be exploded by electricity, and after some little
delay the back portion or half of the first Albert tower, as
though smitten by an 'nvisible influence ;rom within, fell
down upon its basement, amid the applause of many spec-
tators. The entite space surrounding it was enveloped in
clouds of dust, canscd by the demolition and debris. Some
iu,ther attempts were made to dislodge the remaining half
of the tower, but as it was getting dusk, end as further
operations were deemed dangerous, the Seppersend Miners
were called off the grounds.

THE NEGRO TROOPS.—The coloured troops were
conspicuous in the fight of yesterday. They fought hard
and lost severely. They moved on determinedly, seeming to
enter heartily into the spirit of the endeavour to force the
rebels into their last ditch, and the nearer they came to
Richmond the more enthusiasm they displayed. After ()any.
ing the first line cf work beyond Deep Bottom, and obt lin-
ing possession of the fort at Sp.:ng t 1e 10th carps came
out on to the Nes market-road, end halted briefly. Just
then there came up from a house near by a family of whites
to seek General Terry's protection, and thAy were follow
by a half-dozen blacks. When the coloured troops saw the
freed slaves their excitement knew no bounds. They raised
their voices in a hearty end continued cheer, which wrs
at-nts...AllliliosittB volume wee
of the DIRCE-1
.twakeenneauvyp biny
arenyg:mineonutsaaftitders roeig
tihmtO'
were women, several were quite old ; there was one stout
men. The young women bowcl and curtseyed and showed
their white teeth; te older ones mumbled their toothless
jaws with emotion ; one waved an old palm leaf fan ; the
men ran forward to respond to the unexpected greetirg
which met him, and was received with open arms by the
sable soldiers. They cheered yet more lustily ; they threw
their caps into the air; they gathered about the freedman,
and, grasping his bend, a score of them at a time, fairly
danced for joy, or c ied with delight. The scene was ie.,
describable. Men may have their peculiar views about the
emancipation proclamation and the policy of arming blacks,
but he wh3 could stand by and see those soldiers—them-
selves but lately slaves—welcoming under the protection of
the triumphant stars and stripes their liberated brethren,
and yet coull not share in their joy, and thank-God with
them that other chains were broken, would have been less
than human.--Correspondent of the Apt ingfield Republican.

The Madrid journals announce that General
Pareja has started for London, whence he will leave
for the Pacific on a diplomatic mission to the
Peruvian Government ; he also carries with him
reserved orders to take the command of the
Spanish fleet, if Admiral Pinzon, as is expected,
should resign in order not to serve under an officer
whose senior in rank he is. General Pareja is de•
scribed as being a native of Lima, and as having
numerous relations of friendship in Peru, from
which reasons the choice of the Spanish Govern
ment is considered at once courteous and ccncilie.-
tory,

The Capture of the Confederate Steamer

Florida.

SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday.
Captain C. M. Morris and Paymaster R. Taylor,
of the Confederates States Navy, late of the Florida
steamer, arrived here this evening in the Royal
mail steamship Magdalena, from Bahia. An inter-
view since held with Mr. Taylor at Keiway's Hotel,
supplemented by information received from Bahia,
enables me to furnish you with the following par.
ticnlars connected with the capture of the Florida
by the Federal steamer of war Wachnsetts, of which
a telegraphic announcement has been received via
Lisbon :
It appears that the Florida arrived at Bahia at 9
p.m. on Oct. 4, having put in at that port for a sup-
ply of stores and coals, and to effect some slight re-
pairs in her machinery, Soon after she had anchored
in the outer harbour a boat went alongside and de-
manded the name of the vessel. The answer was
given, " The Confederate States steamer Florida,"
and a person in the boat called out, "This boat is
from her Britannic Majesty's steamer Curlew." The
next morning it was found that neither the Curlew
nor ary other British steamer of war was at the
pert, and the officers of the Florida came to the
opi-aion that the boat must have been sent from the
Federal steamer Wachusetts, which was lying in
the harbour.

On the morning of the sth the Florida was visited
by a Brazilian naval officer, to whom Capt. Morris
stated his requirements, and the officer told the
captain that he would carry his message to the
Governor of the Province, but until an answer was
received from that official the Florida must not com-
municate with the shore. At 12 o'clock at noon a
letter from the Governor was received by Captain
Morris informing him that he was then ready to
receive him. The captain immediately went on
shore and had an interview with the ntw.rnnr, 'rate,
informed him that he would be allowed 48 hours to
get in stores and coals, and that should the repairs
require a longer time, he would grant an extension
for that purpose. The Governor was very urgent in
his request that Captain Morris would strictly ob-
serve the laws of neutrality during his stay, and
informed the captain that the American Consul,
Mr. Wilson, hate given him his word of honour
that the Wachusetts would not violate the laws of
neutrality within the Brazilian waters. Capt. Mor-
ris gave the Governor the same assurance on the
part of the Florida. An admiral of the Brazilian
navy was present during this interview, and when
Captain Morris requested that he should be allowed
to move the Florida from the outer to the inner
roeds, so as to be out of danger and to facilitate
co ding operations as well, the admiral said, " Oh,
yes, move her in and come inside of me, and you
will be out of all danger." Immediately after the
interview the Florida was removed to the berth des
signited for her, having two Brazilian vessels of war
between her and the Wachusetts, and close under
the guns of a steamer of war and a Brazilian fort.
The Brazilian engineer who examined the broken
machinery of the Florida reported that it cou'd not
ba repaired in less than four days, and Captain
Morris at once came to the determination to let part
of his crew go ashore for liberty for twelve hours.
A number of the men accordingly went ashore in
the evening. Just after dark, about 7 o'clock, a
boat went alongside the Florida, and on being hailed
the reply was that she was from the Wachusetts,
with the United States Consul on board, who had
an offiaial communication from the captain of that
ship to the captain of the Florida. The Consul
sent up his card with the letter, which was addressed
" Captain Morris, sloop Florida." The letter was
sent back to the Consul, who was told that it could
tot be received, es it was not properly addressed
but that any communication addressed to Captain
Morris, of the Confederate States navy, would be
received. The boat then left.
Oa the morning of the 6th a Mr De Vidiky went
on board the Florida, having received a letter from
the United States' Consul enclosing one to Captain
Morris. Mr D 3 Vidiky read to the captain his
letter from the Consul, requesting him to deliver
the enclosed challenge to Capt, Morris, and offering
to use his influence with the Brazilian Government
to have the Florida fitted out quickly if he would an
cept the challenge to go out and fight the Wachusetts.
The latter to Capt. Morris was improperly directed
as befog o; and that gentleman declined to receive it,
but told Mr De Vidiky to say that he had come to
Bahia for a special purpose, which being accom-
plished, he should leave again—that he should
neither seek nor avoid a contest with the Wachua
settF, bat should he meet her he would try to de-
ctroy hcr. Having received this answer Mr. Be
Jeri.. The same afternoon, the first batch of
wie•Tv men WAY 1116 •.cuaz.Laa.ca ry aA4r, 44,111..L.7, Lll6
starboard watch was released, and Captain Morris,
end some of the officers also, went ashore at the
same time.

One of the six men who subsequently swam
ashore stated that about 3 15 a.m. on the 7tb, Act-
ing master T. T. Hunter, jun., being in charge of
the deck, the Wachusetts left her anchorage, and
taking advantage of the darkness, steered for the
Florida, from whom she could not be seen until she
was close to her. She was hailed by Acting-master
Hunter, s ho received no answer, and ho conse-
quently called hands to quarters. Before the officers
nod crew could all get on deck the Wachusetts
struck the Florida on the starboard quarter, cutting
her rail down to the deck and carrying away her
mizsnmaet. At the same time the Wachusetts
poured a volley of musketry and a charge of canister
from her forecastle pivot gun upon the Florida's
decks. The Wachusetts then backed off, and
demanded a surrender, to which Lieutenant Porter
declined to secede. The Wachusetts fired again
and again, which was returned by the officers and
crew of the Florida.. Another demand was made to
surrender, and Lieutenant Porter answered "I
will surrender conditionally." The;Wachusetts then
ceased firing, and the commander called out for
Captain Morris to come on board her. Lieutenant
Porter answered that he was on shore, but that
he, as commanding officer, would come as soon
as he could get a boat ready. A number of
armed boats were then sent from the Wachusetts
to take possession of the Florida. As soon as Lien-
tenant Porter was heard to say that he would sur-
render, 15 of the Florida's crew jumped overboard
to escape capture, of whom only six succeeded in
reaching the shore, the other nine it is alleged being
shot in the water by men on the forecastle and in the
boats of the Wachusetts. Mr Hunter was wounded,
and a number of men killed. The Wachusetts then
made fast a hawser to the foremast of the Florida,
and after slipping her cable towed her out to sea.
While this was being done a beat from the Bre ailian
flagship went alongside the Wachusetts and ordered
her to return to her anchoring ground, and a reply
was given telling the boat to keep off, as she was
about to go back to her anchorage. Capt. Morris
was sleeping ashore, at an hotel overlooking the
water, and when called up by persons at the hotel,
who suspected that something wrong was going on
by hearing the report of guns, he got down just in
time to make out what in the darkness appeared to
bo the rtSISCIS steaming out of the harbour.
On the 12th ult. the Wachusetts, with the Florida
in tow, passed within sight of Pernambuco.
Mr Da Veliky wrote a letter to Captain Morris
on the 7th, expressing his regret at having accepted
the mission from the American Consul, whom he
could not find on his return from the Florida to
hand him back the lettere, and stating that after
what hedaranspired he believed the challenge had
not been made in good faith.
The Florida had only 25 tons of coaldast on
board at the time of her capture. The machinery to
be repaired—T`L, the pipe of her dcnkeyeengine
and freeheweter condenser—is still on shore at the
Br , zlian ersenal at Bahia.
When the Florida arrived at Bahia she had a crew
of 17 officers and 129 men, of whom 5 officers and 71
men (incluling the 6 who swam ashore at the time
her capture) were on shore, and consequently pre.
served their liberty. The other 12 officers and 58
men were either captured. killed, cr wounded. The
names of these 12 officers are—First Lieutenant
Thomas K. Porter, Second Lieutenant S. G. Stone,
First Assistant Surgeon S. I. Charlton, Chief En-
gineer W. S. Thompson, Acting Masters It. S.
Floyd, G. D. Bryan, and T. T. Hunter, jun., As-
&atant-Surgeon Thomas Emory, Midshipman G. T.
,sinclair, jun., First Asnstant-Engineer W. Ahern,