The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-05 00:00:00

North America and West India Station.

Our Portsmouth cortespendent has received the follow-
ing interesting statement of the doings at the above station,
from on board H.M.S. Liverpool, Capt. Rowley Lambert,
then lying at the mouth of the Rio Grande River. The
writer says :

Probably you have heard that on our late cruise round
the Island of San Domingo we unfortunately touched
some unknown rocks, which are not marked on any of the
Admiralty charts. Fortunately for us we were going at
the rate of about nine knots an hour, otherwise I feel con-
fident that we should have remained on the rocks, and very
likely not got off again. There was a good lump' of a sea
on at the time, so we rode over. This occurred on the
north side of the island, about half an hour after we left
the anchorage at Monte Christi, consequently we'were
about five miles from land. On our arrival at Port Royal,
Jemaica, we had the bottom of the ship examined by a
diver, who reported that he found the bottom in a very
ragged state, and about Nit of the keel gone. As there is no
dock accommodation in any part of the station, the commo-
dore thought the condition of the ship was such as to render
it necessary to send her home for repairs, so he forwarded
a despatch to the commander in chief, who was then a
Halifax, stating how matters stood. We anxiously
awaited an answer before we left Jamaica, as we were
ordered to relieve the Shannon (at Rio Grande River), ac-
cording to admiral's order. Not getting a reply in time
the commodore did not feel himself justified in remaining at
Jamaica until the next mail, sow e left for here. We have
no regular communication with Jamaica ; the only way we
can receive news from that island is by the commodore
sending a gunboat, the distance being 1,100
,miles. By
chance we may receive letters by the Liverpool steamer,
which comes round the coast once a month, to pick up
what merchandise she can, and should she be coming to
Vera Cruz, we shall receive news. The Rinaldo and
Virago are here, under our orders. The former ship leaves
for Vera Cruz, with the mail, taking 40,000 dole. on freight,
I suppose for England, per mail steamer. The Virago, I
hear, had about 50 of her ship's company on the doctor's
list somothort time since, the malady being a kind of low
fever. lam glad to state that all recovered. The Rinaido
is a very happy and comfortable ship. As to the Liverpool
she is particularly clean and very healthy. We had one
ease of small-pox on board, but that was in a mild form,
and the patient soon got quite well. We may congratulate
ourselves that with a complement of 650 men we are
so healthy. I will now endeavour to describe to you the
state of affairs here. The Rio Grande, as we all know,
divides Mexico from Texas; the latter place the Federa
troops have been in possession of for some considerable
time. At present, I believe, there are about 10,00) of
them encamped within sight of our ship, at a place called
Brasos, but I hear they will shortly evacuate Texas alto-
gether. The Confederates, in force, are encamped about
three miles off. Very often the outposts are seen skir-
mishing, and the other day the Confederates took some of
the Federal cavalry prisoners. We very often see great
excitement amongst them in the camp through our glasses.
There are a great number of ships of all nations waiting
here for cargoes of cotton, Some have been here no lose
than seven months, expecting a cargo. I should inform
you that all the cotton is transmitted from the Federal
States, across the river into Mexico (Matamoros), and all
the merchant vessels are anchored on the Mexican side of
the river, so that the Federal cruiser dare not interfere,
as they did before a British man of war was stationed here,
The way the cotton is got off is by bar boats from agents,
no doubt employed on the Mexican side, who receive the
same from the Confederate States. The French frigate
Bellone, bearing the French admiral's flag, arrived here
yesterday, as did also a very large paddle wheel steamer
and a large troop ship. In all we have a small fleet here,
consisting of four French ships. This part of Mexico not
being effectively subdued the French admiral has landed
400 troops, in order to take possession of the place. We
hear the French are going to blockade the Mexican coast,
and that the Fedorals are going to blockade the Texas side
of the river. so that when that takes place I cannot con-
ceive what good we shall be here, or the numerous merchant
ships either. I should say that there are not less than 100
vessels here of various sizes. I believe the Confederates
are only waiting for guns and supplies to attack the
Federals at Brasos. Probably we shall see something of
the attack. The French ships aro supplied with steam
launches, which must be very convenient for towing boats
in landing troops. I assure you that the 400 troops were
landed in less than two hours. We should state that while
the Liverpool was expecting news as to her destination the
Phaeton received orders to relieve her, and she is now on
her way to Plymouth."

Mgr. Devoncoux, Bishop of Evrenx, returned to
his episcopal residence on Saturday after six months
absence caused by severe illness. The reverend prelate is
still weak, and will leave Evreux in a few days for the south
of Francs, a warmer climate being necessary for the re-
establishment of his health.
THE GREAT NAPOLEON.—It was my luck yes-
terday to see an interesting relic which an English
gentleman with great difficulty has rescued from Red Re-
publicanism, and is about to deliver over to the hands of
the " rightful heir." It is only a sketch. But what a
sketch, and what a history is attached to it I Nay, what a
page of modern history it illustrates I Just as the greatest
man of that age, worn out by the effects of an imprison-
ment, which would in these days fatally condemn the judges
who pronounced sentence, was expiring, more of inaction
than illness, and, perhaps, more of remembrance than
either, for—

" Nessun maggior dolore
Che ricordarsi del tempo felice, nella miseria"—
Lieutenant Frederic Marryat, of the Newcastle, landed at
St. Helena. He was very anxious, as I have often heard
him to say, to see Buonaparte. When he reached Long-
wood, disease and anxiety had already sent that glorious
intellect "to aspire to the sky." Sir Hudson Lowe allowed
Marryat to take a sketch of the corpse
" Before Decay's effacing fingers
Had swept the line where Beauty lingers ;"
and he has left a profile, soft as woman, calm as sleep, and
yet a likeness of the sternest and most determined man who
ever galloped over a field of carnage. Such is the " family
picture" about to be offered to the Emperor of the French.
Lieutenant Marryat was the Captain Marryat at whose
novels we have all laughed, and at whose table I dare say
many of us have dined,—Dris LOW,