The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-01 00:00:00

The Foyal Sovereign at Sea.

The attempt made, by shelving the Royal Sovereign, to
prevent any real knowledge of her capabilities reaching the
public ear has, in one sense, been made a little too late. We
are enabled to state confidently that the vessel has already
been severely tested, and that the results obtained have
been so entirely satisfactory that it is simply impossible
for the Admiralty to refuse Captain Coles another ship.
It is probable that no man living knows the capabili-
ties of the Royal Sovereign better than her commander,
Captain S. Osborn. With all her defects he must be
equally familiar, and no good reason can be assigned for
appealing from his decision. Capt. Osborn's report is to the
last degree favourable. Between the 28th of August and
the 17th of September he had the ship under weigh in the
Channel on ten different occasions, testing her in every
variety of weather, from perfect calm with heavy swell
to a double-reefed topsail breeze and a smart sea. On one
occasion the ship was put into the broken water of Portland
Race just as a heavy gale had broken. On all occasions
the ship behaved remarkably well, proving herself not only
a buoyant seaboat, but much faster than one would suppose
was consistent with her coarse bows, Under the most
trying circumstances the maximum roll of the ship has
been but 11 degrees each way, doing this at the rate of about
ten times in a minute. The great width of the deck, 63
feet, is a serious defect, but that is purely owing to the ship
being a converted vessel, and Capt. Osborn is perfectly well
aware that this width is, in no way necessary to the turret
py.tvu,. A,..e it is, when riding at ancnor in bad weather, the
drift and wet blow along in a very trying manner, but as
the ship has no roasts she crow do not really suffer in con
sequence, and a sea-going ship would of course be spe.
cially designed to prevent this exposure. So much
for the qualities of the ship as such. As a man-of-war,
we learn that the turrets and guns work admira-
bly. In all 177 rounds have been fired under every
condition, and the rolling of the, ship affects neither the
evolutions of the turret nor the guns. The only defects
discovered by Captain Osborn appear to lie in the use 01
wooden instead of iron gun carriages, and the absence of
winches to run the guns in and out with instead of the
old-fashioned tackle. Both these defects are in course of
being remedied. Captain Osborn believes that the Royal
Sovereign, as she now stands, is the most formidable
vessel of war which he has ever been en board of.
She would destroy easily, if her guns were rifled, any if our
present ironclads, whether of the Hector, Warrior, or—and
Mr Reed should dwell on this—the Research class. Clumsy
as she has been called, her real handiness, speed, and weight
of broadside, and the small target she offers, increase ten-
fold her powers of attack and defence. While he has such
facts as these in his favour, Capt. Coles can laugh to scorn the
various attacks made on him by the opponents of his sys-
tem. Apparently there is no limit to the weight of the
guns which can be worked on the turret system. It must
not be forgotten, too, that the Royal Sovereign requires
but 300 hands, instead of 1,100. Even now, in this time
of our peace, we find that men are scarce, and hard to get;
what would it be in time of war ? Let us add that during
the time the Royal Sovereign has been at sea a single gun-
breeching has not been carried away, nor so much as a finger
hurt in working her enormous guns. The only damage
done has been to a few weak fittings on the deck. For
that done to the hawse pipe Captain Osborn takes all the
blame to himself.—Mechantes' Magazine.

Melancholy Occurrence at Sea.

EIGHT LIVES LOST.

One of the most painful and heart-rending incidents
which have transpired during the late gale was witneessed
by the crew of the brig Sovereign, Captain Jackson, on her
passage from Wyborg to West Hartlepool. The Sovereign
arrived at West Hartlepool on Friday night, and the cap-
tain reports that on Thursday he was some distance from
Hartlepool in a gale of wind and with a heavy sea run-
ning. About half-Fast eleven o'clock in the morning he
was steering the vessel, and was suddenly startled by
voices crying out " Brig ahoy 1" Ho called out to the
man on watch to know where it proceeded from, and for
a few moments they could not perceive any one; but
looking behind they discovered a small " dingey," or
ship's boat, with seven men and a boy in it. One of them
laved a iqnstll flAg on a etiok waving it as a signal of diotrooo,
and beckoning the men to turn the vessel round. AU hands
were called on deck and the ship's course was speedily
altered, and in a short time the vessel was close to the poor
fellows, who were being tossed about in their little craft, in
momentary expectation of being swamped. On nearing them
it was seen that the occupants of the boat were sailors, and
one, who was taken for the captain, was steering the boat
wish an oar. They appeared to be quite exhausted, as though
they had been shipwrecked the previous day, and had been
fighting between life and death with the surging waves
without either food or water; in fact, there was nothing in
the boat but a saw and a life-buoy. A line was immediately
hove to the boat, and eagerly caught by the men, who by its
aid hauled themselves up to the side of the ship. One et
the men in the boat caught hold of the chain fasten-
ings of the rigging for the purpose of keeping' the boat close
to the ship, but a heavy sea caught the vessel, and pitching
it to a side lifted the man out of the boat. Finding himself
in this position he let go, and fell into the boat at the fore-
most part of it with his feet, his head going over into the
water. On his companions seeing his danger they sprang
forward to keep him in the boat, but in doing so they upset
their little craft, and the whole of them were pitched into
the sea. Two of the men kept hold of the small line that
had been pitched to them, and were dragged a short distance
with the vessel, which was sailing under close-reefed top
sails, but the pitching they received by the sea overcame
their strength, and they had to let go. They appeared
to be swimmers, and were vainly following in the track
of the ship, but only a few moments elapsed and
they sank, Others were trying to mount the inverted
boat, but they were no sooner on it than a heavy tea washed
them off. Others were waving and calling out for help, and
for a moment disappearing under the water and then rising
again, renewing their signs for assistance. Gradually they
all went down, but one kept up about five minutes longer
than the rest, who was supposed to be the captain, who had
the life-buoy in his hand in the boat. About ten minutes
afterwards nothing but the inverted boat was to be seen,
and in five minutes more a schooner, directed by signals from
the brig, passed immediately the spot where they had gone
down, but no signs of life were to be seen. The captain of
the Sovereign believed the poor fellows who have come to
so untimely au end were the crew of some Swedish vessel,
as they had the appearance of Swedes, and a boat similar to
those used by such ships, Sonic of theta could speak
English, but with u foreign accent,—.ltCtvcastM Prolick,

Vik •
n rt C
vow

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Oct

The Queen, attended by Lady Augusta S
walked and drove in the grounds this morni
11;s Royal Highness Prince Arthur, atteni
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon D. de Ros, we
shooting.

Visit of :the Prince and Princess of
to Liverpool.

At the meeting of the Liverpool Town Council ye
the Mayor stated that, having heard of the intended
the Prince of Wales to the Earl of Derby at Kt
Hall, he had thought it his duty to communicate w
lordship on the subject, in order that the council nu
prepared to adopt any measures which might be con
desirable on the occasion. He had received the fo
reply from the Earl of Derby :

"Knowsley, Oct. 23,
"Dear Sir,—l regret that I cannot give you any
intelligence as to the time of the Prince of Wale(
here, except that it will not be early in November.
not even sure that his Royal Highness will be her(
a&I received yesterday a letter from General Knolly,
that his Royal Highaess still hopes to be able to I
prowised visit, and thinks he can do so between th
and 20th November. He will, however, write to me
diately on his return to England. When I first
two or three months ago, that I was to have the hoi
receiving the Prince and Princess, I expressed m:
that their Royal Highnesses would be able to spare I
give a day to Liverpool; but as yet I have received n
mation of their intentions, or the probable length
stay. As soon as I have anything certain, I will tal
that you, or should your year of office have expired
successor, shall have immediate information.—l an
S:r, yours, "DER]

The Duke and DaJhess of Newcastle and
youthful family purpose to leave Piccadilly to-mor
pass a few weeks in retirement at Brighton.
The Duke of Somerset, Rear Admiral Drum'
C. 8., and the other officials connected with the Ada'
arrived at Marseilles on Saturday, in the Encha]
Admiralty yacht, from Malta. They reached par]
terday, and purpose to make a short stay the
capital.

His Excellency M. Arajoiz, it is said, will
ceived in the course of this week by the Queen as 111(
Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of St. James's

The Marquis Conyngham is expected to arr.
:own to-Jay from Ireland.

The Earl and Countess Russell and the
Russell kayo Pembroke Lodge, Richmond, on 141
next, for Audley Park, Lord and Lady Stanley of
ley's seat, near Congleton, for the purpose of being pi
at the marriage of Viscount Amberley and the Hon.
rine Stanley.

The Earl and Countess of Clarendon and
Emily Villiers have arrived in town from the Contine
The Earl of Clventry has lett Thomas's
Berkeley-square, for his seat, Croome Court, Wore
shire.

Vacount Torrington and Mr Whitworth
arrived at the Portland Hotel, Southsea, from Londoi
We understand that the Q,Jeen has gra&
signified her wish to stand godmother to the infant Sol
heir of Lord and Lady Churchill,

Lord and Lady Bloomfield were expecte
arrive at the Dowager Lady Bloomfield's residence at •
land-gate, Knightsbridge, yesterday evening from
where they arrived on Saturday from Vienna.
The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exche(
has returned to Hawarden Castlo from Clumber.

CHIMNEY SWEEPERS.—The Lord Mayor, in c
plianco with a request from the Home Secretary, the
would take steps for making the provisions of "The I,
ney-sweepers Regulation Act, 1861," which comes into
ration this day, generally known within the city, has deit)
fit to issue this notice, containing an abstract of thstt
and of the act of 1840, as amended by it and now in lc
The acts.-1 he principal act is the 3d and 4th Vie.,
85, passed on the 7th August, 1810, which came into
ration on the Ist July, 1842. The new act is the 27th
28th Viet., cap. 37, passed on the 30th June, 1864.
of Children to be Apprenticed.—Since the passing 01
Act of 1840 it is not " lawful to apprentice to any pe
using the trade or business of a chimney sweeper any
under the ago of 16 years ;" and every indenture of
euterea into atter mat date is null and
(Act of 1810, sec. 3). Offences created and the Pena
[section 6 of the Act of 1840 contained regulations as tt
construction of chimneys, but that section was repeale
far as respects the metropolis, by the Building Act, 7th
Bth Viet., cap. 54, sec. 1, Rules for the same of are
contained in the Metropolitan Building Act, 18 and 19
cap. 122, sec. 2./.—Compelling or allowingehildren to el
Chimneys—"Any person who shall compel or knowir
allow any child or young person under the age of 21 yea]
ascend or descend a chimney, or enter a flue, for the pull
of sweeping, cleaning, or coring the same, or for extingu
ing fire therein,"—penalty not more than £lO, or in '
thereof imprisonment for not exceeding 6 months, with
without hard labour (Act of 1840, sec. 2, as amended
Act of 1864, secs. 9 and 11). Children under 10 not te,
employed in Business.—" It shall nt be lawful for a el3l
ney-sweeper to employ a child under the age of 10 9e
to do or assist in doing any work or thing in or to,
the trade or business of such chimney-sweeper c
where than within the house or place of business of 61
chimney .sweeper, or the yard or buildings (if at,y) connec
therewith." Penalty, not exceeding £lO (Act of 1564, al
6 and 8). Nopersons under 16 to be with chimney-awes
where employed.—" It shall not be lawful for a chime
sweeper on any occasion of his entering a house or build
fur the purpose of sweeping, cleaning, or coring a shim,
or flue therein or belonging thereto, or for extinguishing ,
in any such chimney or flue, to cause or knowingly
person under the age of 16 years in his employment or 00c
his control to enter before, with, or after him in anY 13'
of such house or building, or to be therein for any Part
the time during which such chimney sweeper himself Ct
tinues therein for any such purpose as aforesaa
Penalty, not exceeding £lO (Act et 1864, secs. 7 and
Proceedings for Penalties.—Any person may prosecute
the offences, the proceedings being commenced with
six. months. In any prosecution of a chimney-sweePl
where the age of any young person or child comes in
gut
Lion, the proof of the age lies on the defendant (Act
1864, sec. 10). The hearing of a charge, when the offence
committed within the city, must take place before the
Mayor or one of the aldermen; in the district of a met:
politan police-court, before a police magistrate ; and
where, before two or more justices or the stipendiary 02
trate (Act of 1840, see. 7, and general Acts). Wbar
pecuniary penalty imposed, it and the costs attending, t
-j
i
recovery aro to be levied by distress and sale of goods or
defendant (Act of 1810, sec. 7) ; and in default of ps9l33e
the defendant is to be imprisoned for not exceeding ,i
months (sec. 8). Pecuniary penalties recovered I.l°,
either act are to be thus applied—o& half to the infortn;
and the other half to the overseers or managers of the Pei
of the parish where the offender dwells, in aid of the oi
rate (Act of 1840, sec. 7; Act of 1864, sec 5). The pert
convicted may appeal to the Quarter Sessions on cents
conditions as to notice, &o. (Act of 1840, [sec 11). n
qucotion of law, either party dissatisfied with the deol°
to
may appeal to one of the superior Courts.
A MYSTERIOUS SHlP.—Captain Shield,--
nf 11)
barque Springbok, reports the following :—"
18,1861, in latitude (by observation) 78 deg. N., lengto
(by chronometer) 31 deg. 12 min. W. At 1 p,no, eig:".t
a vessel, which bore down upon us and came within
distance ; hove to, and showed us a black board wityii
deg., 9 min. on it, being 18 degrees out. I ttstt
him several questions, such as, What is.
matter with you ?" Do you want anythinge,
Are you leaky P Where from and who
bound r but all I could get out of him was, Captain,
not understand what you say,' although in very
.13,0
English, he called out several times, ' Heave your ab-W
There appeared to be no confusion on board, and iet
i 0
were about forty men on deck ; and as I feared some t
was seriously wrong on board the vessel i
, I bore up n ohs!
but soon found that she could outstrip me, and hat'li;
give it up. Thought by the rig, &c., that she was
up the Straits of Gibraltar. While talking to him 0
seemed to be in charge, a woman appeared at the topgal
forecastle, shouting as loudly as she could, at the sarna_ t iifito
130
shaking her hands towards us and wringing them open pt
head, evidently in great distress. The man in charge.
about six feet in height and stout. When I had hove t:001
at once kept away under our stern. I thought he wasdt
heaving to also, but his helm was put up and ail sail eel
in a
chargeremarkablyw
sobserved to throw h
slaor short time, and whip doingte
womanthis
do
the to0(1
in,
drive her aft. I was about ordering my hands 111 to
~ God
boats when ho made sail.—. Pot t (Cape °I
Hope) raper.
Jo'
ago U Na J U 8
iSyT
tlnelx' UNJUSTIFIABLE
entered
Vt Uh PECI
dwelling-houseDE .
Cates Farm, near Heather. meo
f fDelVir
He mane his entrance for elto bed'
the parlour window, and went
While having a sweet repose the housekeeper ?I3 she
room door, and to her surprise obsei ved ReYna!'de
maid the
very orderly upstairs t.lllOl
thought was a dog—in bed. She in:ormed. th
1.0 to the fact, but be not taking much notice' of ithas,
dwade
to
ploughman, who went to see if the intrua er
rao e 0
exit, but he had not. Ho became alarmed, ralutb
inform the waggoner, who immediately went,
and t>ld
hand to defend himself. Reynard was still asleeY_d
waggoner dealt him a heavy blow on the head ll
him while in cozy poeition,—Leicester Journ ‘•