The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-24 00:00:00

THE FLOWERY LAND.

William Taffer, second mate of the Flowery Land, writes
to the Times as follows :—I notice in the Tunes of Saturday
last a letter from " G. It. Steet, Chancellor to the Spanish
Consulate," which contains some few remarks, and if
allowed to go unnoticed may be received as facts, and be
very injurious to my character. I wish to notice particu-
larly the sentence :—" It should be remembered that at this
time all the men, Taffer included, were intoxicated."
This is altogether untrue, as I never was intoxicated on
board the Flowery Land, and I have my characters to show
that lam and always been a sober man. Should this at all
be disputed, I could refer to two captains who are here at the
preoent time—namely, Capt. Marshall, of the barque.Ram-
bler, with whom I sailed for two years as boatswan and se-
cond mate; and Capt. Edwards, of the barque Investigator
with whom I sailed five months. I have also many others
to whom I could refer who have known me for years. I
most distinctly deny the charge of being drunk, and hope
you will allow this denial to appear in the Times. Hal
I been drunk at the time we should all have been
drowned, for the boats were nearly drawn down
with the ship by the eddy, and had I not prevailed
upon the men to pull the boat out of the eddy we must
have been sucked down,as they appeared quite ignorant of the
danger. It is even wrong in stating that the whole of the
men were drunk, as most of them were very sober men—
particularly the Manillamen.
Mr. Steet also says,—" Tha men coul I neither understand
their officers nor make themselves understood by them, and
their delay in obeying orders was interpreted as laziness or
insubordination, and punished accordingly. Short allow-
ance of food and water is an intolerable punishment in the

;ropics."

Lyons acted as interpreter in the chief mate's watch, and
Paul in the captain's watch, and there was no insubordina-
tion on board except with Carlos, and he was the only one
in any way punished.

There was no short allowance of eith.7r food or water, as

we had hem cut 32 days, and she was provisioned for six
months, and as far as sharing any rations with them I
never had any rations shared out, as I always had my mess
in the cabin with the captain, his brother, and mate.
As to the men who have been reprieved I will not say a
word ; but as to those five who have suffered this morning
they were the greatest villains that ever lived, and all were
guilty of the crime for which they have been executed.

MARKETS—Tbis Day.

NARK-LANE.

Fresh up to Mark-lane to .day the arrivals of home .grown
wheat were very moderate. Sales, however, progressed
slowly in all qualities; nevertheless prices ruled firm.
There were several parcels of Monday's unsold produce on
the stands.

There was a lair average supply of foreign wheat on offer.
The business transacted was chiefly in small parcels, at the
full prices current on Monday.
Floating cargoes of grain were in moderate request, at
late rates.

Good and fine malting barley ruled firm, at fully previous
quotations; otherwise the barley trade was quiet, at late
prices.
Malt sold steadily, at full quotations.
With oats the market was moderately supplied. Gene-
rally speaking, the- trade was in a sluggish state, yet prices
ruled stationary.
Beans and peas were in slow request, at fully the late
decline in the currency.
In flour about an average business was transacted, at
late prices.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Knit Oats. Flout.
English...— 390 I 480 1 309 I 2,690 1 240
Irish.. _ 2,400 --
Forsign....,. 8,330 1,030 3,670 460 slcs.
bris

BOROUGH HOP.
The demand for hops is by no means active, nevertheless
prices were very firm.

.........•••••••••

WHITECEAPEL.

But moderate supplies of wheat are on sale, and tho trade
is very firm, at the annexed currency :—Beef, from 2s 8d to
4s 4d; mutton, 3s 6d to 4s 8d; veal, 38 8d to 4s 8d; and
pork, 3a 8d to 4s 8d per 811 as by the carcase.