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

Her Majesty's Ship Tribune.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SFN.
Sir,—As your journal up to the 4th has contained r,c,
notice of an accident which has happenod to the above ship

at the mouth of the Fraser River, perhaps the following
accounts, copied from the colonial paper and a private li3tter
dated the 25th of June, may prove acceptable.—l am,, Sir,

yours obediently,
Geneva, Sept. 5.

R. 0. I.

(From the Evening Express.)
"Her Majesty's steam frigate Tribune, as was fearod by
many intimately acquainted with the navigation of Fraser
River, has got into an extremely unpleasant, if not danger-
ous, predicament. On Saturday afternoon last, at 4 o'clock,
she took advantage of an unusually high tido to leave her
moorings opposite the Camp, above New Westminster, and
start for Esquimalt. At 5 o'clock, while endeavouring to
make out a buoy which indicated a sharp bend in the chan-
nel, she suddenly grounded, and has remained hard and
fast up to the present time. On Tuesday afternoon the
Otter, on her way up to New Westminster, discovered the
unfortunate position of the Tribune, and conveyed the in -
formation to the town, where it was received with no little
consternation. On her way back on Wednesday the Or.er
proffered Capt. Gifford her assistance, which was accepted.
With considerable difficulty she got alongside, owing to. the
shallowness of the water, although her draught at the time
was only Oft 6in. She was three hours aground before she
could get near enough to be of any service. She then took
on board 13 of the Tribune's 6S-pounders and 10 or 12 tons
of shot and shell, making in all between 40 and 50 torts, with
which she left at half-past 8, arriving here at 3 o'clock yes-
terday morning.
" The Tribune is lying abaut half a mile inside the Sand-
heads, in a very expased position ; and should it come on to
blow the consequences might be very serious. She is about
50ft from the channel of the river, and when the Otter left
was in 13ft of water. The water was deeper on the opposite
side from that on which the Otter grounded, but the latter
was unable to near her on that tide owing to the cables,
which had been run out to keep her in position. As it was,
she had shifted considerably, and it was feared, from tl.te
uneven nature of the bottom, and the action of the tide in
scouring the sand from beneath her, that she was in g teat
danger of breaking her back. Indeed, we understand that
she is already injured to some extent by jumping and
straining. Pilot Titcomb, to whom, or, indeed, to any one
on board, not the slightest blame can possibly bo attached,
, came down on the Otter with orders for the gunboats For-

ward and Grappler to proceed at once to the scene of dis-
aster to render all the assistance in their power. It is con-
templated to lighten the Tribune by some 200 tons, consist-
ing of the remainder of her guns, shot and shell, stores, &c.

when it is hoped she may be got off. She is, however, in v.
most difficult and dangerous position, and, we fear only in
the beginning of her troubles. Captain Titeomb is well

known as one of the most skilful and experienced pilots on
the coast, and knows as much of the mouth of the Fraser

as any man in the country, while Lord Gilford is as careful
and prudent a commander as could be wished. The only
thing to be found fault with is the ordering up of this
fine vessel to a port which. for such large craft, the navi-
gation is, to say the least, intricate and uncertain. It was,
doubtless, intended as an experiment, and we can only re-

4ret that it was made with so valuablw a vessel, and that it
has been attended with such possibly disastruuJ and costly

results."

The following is the extract from the letter :
" Her Majesty's ship Tribune, Juno 25.
" The poor old Tribune is now in a very curious fix. This
;s how it happened, shortly described. as we are very busy
Admital Kingcome took us up to New Westminster, which
is a colony up the Fraser River, at the mouth of which river..
there arc shoals, extending five miles around. Well, on corr
Mg down we grounded hard and fast—viz., on Thursd iy
the 9th, but on getting off nest evening we steamed bacf.. to
New Westminster, and remained till Saturday the 18th,
when we tried again but grounded harder and faster ; did
all we could that night, but no good, and next day the same.
On Monday, the 20th, floated off some distance, but onlly to
ground harderer' and fasteror' at 6 p.m. that everting.
Did all we could next day, but no good, so next day, Wed-
nesday, we drew the old lady's teeth and put them in a
steamer hired for the occasion—also shot and shell, which
lightened her a bit. Tried to get off but could not. Next
day, the 23d (all this time at low tide every day a.m. and
p.m.) we lay on our side almost high and dry, with 3ft, of
water alongside. The gunboat Forward came up and took
our remaining guns, shot and shell in. Triod to get her off,
but no use. Next day, Friday the 24th, the other gun boat
Grappler arrived—put our spare screw, weighing 5 tons,
into her. Then both boats came alongside, made fast to us,
went ahead full speed, and succeeded in getting us off, but
owing to the fouling of one of the gunboat's screws by a rope
we drifted on shore hardererer' and fasterer er: In the
middle of the night, or rather this morning at 130 a.m., the
ship gave a sudden lurch and went over on her side, all of a
'eap like.' Turned the hands up, thinking she was going
right over, but we didn't, so we righted, and here we are. '

%AT R. ALFRED MELLON'S CONCERTS
EVERY EVENING, at Eight.
_Li() YAL ITALIAN OPERA HOUSE, COVENT-GARDEN,
SECOND VERDI NIGHT This Evening'.
Vocalists—Mdlle. C. Patti, Mr. Patey, and Mr, G. Per Tell.
Foloists—Mr. Levy, Mr. J. Wintertoottm, and M.
Arbaia
(hi 4 third appearance).
The Faust Selection. Il Trovatore Selection. Orchestra
of One Hthidred Performers and the Band of the Coldstream
Guards.

Conductor, Mr. ALFRED MELLON.
Promenade, Amphitheatre Stall', and Amphitheatre, One
; Dress Circle, 2s. Cd.; Private Boxes, £1 ls. and
10s. Cd.
To-morrow, Saturday, VOLUNTEER NIGHT ; Mr. Sant-

leY•
On Thursday next, a SPOTIR NIGIIT.
On Friday next, a MEYERBEER NIGHT•

0Y AI. PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
, Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining.
Tl] IS EN-ENING,
BORN TO GOOD LUCK. Paddy
0' It afrert y, Mr. Dominick Murray.
Atter which, TIIE ST i.tEET.3 OF LONDON. Messrs.
viniutz-, J. W. Kay, D. Fi her. D. Murray, J. Nelson, 11.
Vorre,4er. 11. Mellon ; Mrs. Henry Mair3ton, Miss Emma
Barnett,and Miss F,,nny Gwynne.

NE H EATRE-RO YAL, ADELPHL—
Bole Pronrtitor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
Tills EVENING, MY WIFE'S MAID. MessrP. J. L.
lonie, P. Bedford, R. Philips, snd Miss WJolgar (at Sy.
ONE 'COUCH OF NA CURE. Messrs. Webster, Billing-
ton, Ebu rne, C. J. Smith, and Miss H. Sims.
A. WOMAN OF BUSINESS. Messrs. J. L. Toole and
; and
T FIE ACTOR'S RETREAT. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bed-
prd, R. Romer, R. Phillips, and Mrs. A. Mellon.
Commence at 7.

ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
74Ianafzer, Mr. Benjamin Webster.
EMINENT TA.LENr AND COMEDY.
This popular Theatre wil. 0 ?FIN for the Winter Seison on
MONDAY, sept.l2, with (sec3nd time) Mr. Arthur Sketohly's
highly •successtul and original CJmody of HOW WILL
'lll v:1- GEV OUT OF IT, and F. C. Bernard's Laughable
•Travestie ‘ot FA.UST AND A A.RGITERITE. Those cele-
b•Cated artists Mr. and Mrs. Chaves Mathews are re-engage d
ILVrs. Stirling, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Matthews, Mr. F. Robin-
son, Mr. A.snley, Mr. J. Clark, Mr. Chamberlain' M John-
oto•ne, Mr. K. Montague, Miss Cottarel , Miss Fanny
n J.
ws Patti. Josephs, &c. &a. Scenic Artists, Mr. Gates and
ja nii
hio pupil. Acting Manager, Mr. J. Kinloch. Mu. steal Con-
ductor, Ar. Wallenstiene. Stage Director, Mr. F. Webster.

coUNTRY and SEASIDE DRESSES.
Messrs. JAY, of Regent-street, have now in stock a
variety of WASHING SILK DRESSES, suitatle for the
country and seaside, and at the clearing-out price of only
XI 11s. 6d. the dress.

JAY'S,
247, 249, and 251, Regent-street.

"ND LACK SILKS.—The price of Silks in the raw
ALP material has already esen 15 per cent., and it will soon
rep eh a far erecter per-centag.e. Messrs. JAY, therefore,
roar to their numerous patrons to take advantage of the stock
they have on hand, which they can now dispose of on favour-
able terms ; but the same qualitics will naturally 13, more
costly as the price of silk fluctuates to a higher average

JAY'S,
217, 249, and 251, Ite.gent-street.

COALS.—The LILLESHALL COMPANY'S
1/4J COALS.
Direct from their own Collieries.
1 rarquis' .235. per ton. I Double 205. per ton.
Top 22g. „ Deep ....215. „
Wen screened and delivered within five miles of their De-
pm s, Westbourne Park-road, NV., and 17, South Wharf,
raiding-ton, W., and Maiden-lane, N.
Best Coke
Terms cash.
JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent.

YITHE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN,"
Containing the Latest SPORTING DiTELLIGENCE,
enta be had Every Evening. of
G. R. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT,
No. 4, Co nn a ugh t-ter r ace, Ilyde-park.

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