The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 4, 1863.

marching in solid column up the beach are now
resting, their muskets stacked, and the men in
groups upon the sandhills, watching the fight in
which they have now no participation, excepting,
indeed, the wary skirmishers and sharpshooters
who, advancing from hut to bush, quietly kneel and
give the rebel gunners knowledge of their presence,
and receive in return every now and then the com-
pliment of a shell. At 40 minutes past 12 o'clock,
at signal from the Catskill, the iron-clads slowly
withdrew down the channel and came to anchor, to
give the men a resting and eating spell. The fire
from Wagner, which for an hour had been decreas-
ing, now rapidly revived, both upon us and upon
the troops which now held and occupied the island.
Neither, however, paid any attention to the firing,
and it soon became slow and irregular. The little
tug Dandelion, Captain Barryman, which forms a
part of the blockading fleet, ran up into range of
Sumter and received in quick succession three or
four shots, which threw high into the air great
columns of water. They are continually firing at
the tug when an opportunity occurs. Just as the
Mantauk came to anchor a rifled bolt from Wagner
struck our deck on the starboard quarter, made a
long deep indentation into the iron, broke in two,
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position which they had attained, and are resting
and taking dinner. Although the sun shines warm
the air is cool, with a fresh breeze. The comman•
ders of the four iron-clads lunch with the Admiral
on board of the Catskill, and after returning to
their respective vessels the order is given to get
under way again, and at a quarter past one our
anchor is up and we are steaming towards Wagner
again ; in half an hour the old position is attained,
and the little iron fleet are once more paving
the interior of Wagner with iron globes. A
large two-horse ambulance which came to Wagner
this morning now moves slowly away up the beach
displaying an immense yellow flag. A large steam-
boat comes to the rear of Wagner with ammunition,
and Capt. Fairfax tells our master, Mr. Giraud,
who has charge of the guns, to fire at the steamer,
and a 15• inch flies above it, throwing up fountains
of water beyond. Mr. Giraud is one of the finest
shots in the service, and the accuracy of his fire to-
day has been remarkable. As the afternoon wore
away the fire from the Wagner slackened again
and grew irregular and inaccurate. At 20 minutes
to 8 p.m. we withdrew, after a hard day's fighting,
and came to anchor again in the channel below.
The officers and men are much worn and fatigued,
but have stood to their weary labour admirably.
We have been struck but once ; the Catskill, how-
ever, bearing the Admiral's blue pennant, has some
honourable scars, and well she deserved them, for
her shells must have done much damage to the
rebel fort. In the evening Capt. Fairfax went on
board the Conemaugh, and, returning at midnight,
informed us that he learned Gen. Gillmore had lost
10 killed and 56 wounded, and taken 260 prisoners.
At 10 o'clock in the evening Gen. Gillmore, with
his men, was in the rifle pits before Wagner. In-
formation was also obtained, from pipers in the
possession of the prisoners, of the capture of Vicks-
burg and the retreat of Lee. And so, after one of
the most fatiguing day's work, we go to sleep on
the deck, turret, and, in fact, anywhere, fully con-
scious that no one but ourselves can imagine, much
less appreciate, the duties and labours which are
necessary to a day's fighting in an ironclad."

lost owing to a wrong estimate of the distance run ; that
there was a culpable omission to use the lead after 8 a.m.,
and that it was a most reprehensible act on the part of the
commander to continue his eourse in a thick fog, even at
half-speed, in such an uncertain position.
" I may here refer to a recent report now before me, made
by Capt. Orlebar, R.N., surveying officer on the station, to
Sir Alex, Bannerman, Governor of Newfoundland, bearing
on this question, and which may prove useful to future
navigators. Capt. Orlebar says—' There are few coasts
more safely approachable than the south-eastern coast of
Newfoundland from Cape St. Mary to Cape Race, if the lead
be used and the speed moderate. Soundings of moderate
depth extend far off all these headlands, and the water shoals
graudually to the shore. But if vessels continue to be navi-
gated in these waters, especially in foggy weather, without
using the sounding lead, there is so much uncertainty in
the strength and set of the currents, that shipwrecks must
occur, as they have occurred with lamentable frequency.'
" With respect to the boats, I find, from the documents to
which I have already referred, that the authorities at Liver-
pool certified that the vessel was properly equipped. I am
glad also to be able to refute the charge of insubordination
and cowardice which has been alleged against the crew of
boat No. 4. The evidence of the first mate has fully con-
firmed the assertion made, and to some extent proved inde-
pendently of his evidence on their behalf, that the boat had
been injured in lowering and was laying off for the necessary
repair. I may also add that the crew were stationed to their
respective boats, and that a list was hung up in the proper
place, while the first mate distinctly speaks to the fact that
he at any rate found the right men in his own boat, which
was No. 2.

" I have but one other point to touch upon in reference
to this casualty. There was only one chronometer on board.
In all other respects the Anglo-Saxon appears to have been
thoroughly equipped.
"I think it duo to the owners to state that, among their
instructions to their captains, is the following When
you meet with fog or ice, or when, owing to the darkness of
the weather, there is any risk of proceeding, the safest
course is to lay to till daylight, or until the weather clears
up.' And again :—' The lead should be used frequently,
and the utmost care exercised when you are in any doubt as
to your position. would that these admirable instructions
had been fully carried out I
" Considerably controversy has arisen out of this disaster
in reference to the expediency of a fog signal on Cape Race.
I have not thought it right to close my report without an
allusion to this suggestion. It is nu part of my duty to
discuss the respective merits of the plans proposed for adop-
tion. I am informed that the matter has already been before
your lordships, and I feel confident that you will not delay
to take such measures as may in your judgment seem most
desirable if, upon further inquiry, any action is deemed ex-
pedient.
" I have the honour to remain, my lords, your lordships'
most obedient servant,
" T. S. RAFFLES, Police Magistrate.

" Liverpool, July 31.
"We concur in the above report,
"Hy. HARRIS, Nautical Assessors."
" Romr. BAKER,

third-class, 212,089; and of fourth class, 117,087—total,
335,592, being at the rate of 5,109 per mile. For the year
ending the 30th of June, 1862, on an average of 130 miles
open, there were conveyed 2,063 first-class; 10,980 second-
class, and 838,285 third-class—total, 851,328 passengers,
being at the rata of 6,576 per mile. A comparative state-
ment of the number of passengers carried over the above
and other Indian railways for the year ending the
30th of June, 1862, shows that on 245 miles of East Indian
(North-West provinces) line 342,935 passengers were con-
veyed, being at the rate of 1,399 per mile. On the Madras
Railway, 282 mites open, 1,081,539 passengers were con-
veyed, being at the rate of 3,835 per mile ; on the Great
Indian Peninsula, 416 miles open, 2,509,962 paseengers were
conveyed, being at the rate of 6,033 per mile; and on the
East Indian (Bengal division), 311 miles open, 1,937,100
passengers were carried. being at the rate of 6,228 per mile ;
and. on the Baroda and Central India, 130 miles open,
851,328 were carried, being at the rate of 6,576 per mile.
The aggregate length of line open for the year ending June
30, 1862, was 1,384 miles; the number of first-class passen-
gers carried was 59,431, of second-class 290,058, of third
class 6,030,417, and of fourth-class (on the Great Indian
Peninsula 342,958—t0ta1, 6,721,864 passengers, being at the
rate of 4,804 per mile.