The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-18 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

Lieut.-Colonel M'Leod. Mrs. Freak distributed
the prizes.
Colonel M'LEOD, in opening the proceedings of
the evening, said they were in a much larger place
this year than last, and it had the merit of being
their own. The prizes were also more numerous
than last year, and he was sure that their value
would be greatly enhanced from the fact that a lady
(Mrs. Freak) had undertaken to ;distribute them.
(Cheers.) The corps was in a very satisfactory
condition.

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES TO THE LONDON

SCOTTISH.

On Saturday evening the annual distribution of
prizes to the successful competitors in rifle shooting
attached to the London Scottish Rifle Volunteers
took place in Westminister Hall, in the presence of
some three or four thousand spectators.
The prizes, which, although not very numerous,
appeared of a costly character, were displayed on
tables placed right and left of a dais erected on fie
grand flight of steps leading to the House of Lords,
at the eastern extremity of the hall, in the vicinity
of which seat accommodation was provided for some
500 or 600 of the immediate friends of the officers
and honorary members of the regiment. Prior to
the presentation the corps were formed up into
battalion by Captain and Adjutant Page, at the
northern end of the hall, to undergo the annual in-
spection by its colonel, Lord Elcho, in the presence
of Lieut.-General Sir Hope Grant; G.C.8., the suc-
cessor of the late Lord Clyde, as honorary colonel
of the London Scottish.

Mrs. FREAK then came forward and remarked—
These prizes are given as a graceful admission of
your skill ; and the prizes were distributed.
A few of the principal prizes were :—Lieutenant-
Colonel M'Leod's Challenge Vase, won by Colour,
Sergeant Scorer; the Hon. Mrs. M'Leod's Challenge
Vase, won by Sapper Bowler ; and Surgeon Dick-
enson's Cup for the best drilled company, won by
No. 4 Company. Great amusement was created
by the presentation of a plated mug for' short hair"
to one of three competitors who had been in the
habit of wearing long hair.
At the conclusion of the distribution, Colonel
WRIGHT, volunteer inspector, addressed the corps,
and said he had been most happy to report to the
Secretary of State for the War Department that they
were in a most efficient condition. (Cheers.)

Lady Hope Grant undertook the presentation of
the prizes, and shortly before eight o'clock, accom-
panied by General Sir Hope Grant, Lady Elcho, and
Miss Hope Grant, Captain the Marquis of Aber-
corn, Lord Elcho, and other distinguished per-
sonages, arrived, and ascended the dais, and the
regiment then formed up in square in front.
Lord Euxo opened the business of the presenta-
tion by entering into the statistics of the corps for
the past year. The report for 1865, dated the Ist
December last, showed the muster-roll of the regi-
ment then to be 28 officers and 661 members ; total
689, of which number there were 315 efficients against
327 in the previous year. The number who had fired
in their classes this year were 226 against 240
last year. The number of marksmen were 36 against
64 last year. First-class last year 41, this year 51;
second class last year 38, this year 59 ; third-class
13 in 1864, and 16 this year. There had been but
27 resignations as against 49, and the recruits this
year amounted to 105 as against 94 last year. Dur-
ing the year the regiment had engaged in six batta-
lion matches, four of which had resulted in their fa-
vour. The report then statedthe names of the mem-
bers who represented the regiment at the National
Rifle Association meeting of 1865, and Lord Elcho
remarked that at the last meeting the London Scot-
tish in the aggregate carried off no less a sum than
£421 from Wimbledon-common in the shape of
prizes given by the National Rifle Association,which
was pretty good evidence of their efficiency in rifle
shooting. A third kilted company was now formed,
of which the Marquis of Lorn, son of the Duke of
Argyll, was about to take the command, and he
trusted that they should soon have sufficient recruits
to make a fourth kilted company. His lordship then
congratulated the corps on having such a distin-
guished officer as General Sir Hope Grant to be
their honorary colonel. The London Scottish in its
earlier days had had the good fortune to have at
their head one of the most distinguished generals in
the British service, Lord Clyde. They had to mourn
his loss, but it was a happy circumstance that, as
the late Lord Clyde's successor, their choice should
have fallen on such an officer as General Sir Hope
Grant. Following in the footsteps of Lord Clyde,
they now saw the gallant general on that platform
in the uniform of the London Scottish. This was a
matter of the highest gratification, as showing how
heartily the generals and distinguished officers of
the regular service identified themselves with the
volunteer movement. After congratulating the regi-
ment that Lady Hope Grant had consented to do
them the honour to present their prizes, he observed
that although not so large an array as might be seen
on the occasion of presentations to other volunteer
corps in that hall, still they had not been less
worthily competed for and won by merit on the part
of those who were about to become their fortunate
possessors. (Applause.)
Lady HOPE GRANT then presented the prizes, the
names of the respective winners and the character
of the competition in -which they had won them be-
ing announced by Capt. Page. At its conclusion,
Lord ELCIIO proposed a vote of thanks to Lady
Grant and to Gen. Sir Hope Grant for their attend-
ance, which was carried by acclamation.
Gen. Sir HorE GRANT briefly thanked the assem-
bly for the honour done to Lady Grant and himself.
He could assure the London Scottish that he fell
proud of being called upon to become the successor
as their honorary colonel of so distinguished a gene-
ral as the late Lord Clyde, From what he had wit-
'nessed of the London Scottish he was thoroughly
satisfied with their efficiency, and if ever they should
be called into active service he felt thoroughly
assured that the London Scottish would be found
doing its duty. (Applause.)
Three cheers were then given for Lord and Lady
Elcho, and the National Anthem having been played
by the excellent band of the regiment, the vast
assembly broke up.

Gratitude of Paris to their Majesties
Napoleon and Eugenie.

The Prefect of the Seine entertained at dinner on
Monday at the Hotel de Ville the members of the
Municipal Commission of Paris on the conclusion
of their annual session. The Minister of the Inte-
rior, the Prefect of Police, and several civic func-
tionaries were among the guests. At the dessert the
Prefect of the Seine proposed a toast in the follow-
ing terms :

" Gentlemen —I have the honour to propose the
health of their Majesties the Emperor and Empress,
and his Highness the Prince Imperial' A few days
since the Municipal Council of Paris, acting as the
interpreters of public gratitude, and expressing the
desire of the members of the departmental commis-
sion of the Seine, resolved that a medal should be
struck, at the cost of the city, to perpetuate the
memory of the visits paid by their Majesties to the
cholera patients in the hospitals of Paris when the
dreadful epidemic which has just ceased was pre-
cisely in its greatest intensity. Besides so many
monuments which will to the latest time bear testi-
mony to the glorious deeds during the Emperor's reign,
our modest medal will help to throw light on one of the
striking characteristics of this great historical figure
—his profound love of the people—his ardent desire
for their welfare—his warm sympathy for all their
sufferings. It will tell of the indefatigable anxiety of
her Majesty for the labouring classes, to which we
already owe a number of institutions, of which I will
merely mention the Asylums for Convalescents at
Vincennes and Vesinet, and which lately induced the
Emperor to rebuild the Hotel Dieu at a moment
when it was proposed to transfer the splendour of
the Opera to a theatre really worthy of modern
Paris. At a moment when the disease, which was
still raging at the opening of our session, has so
much declined that we may believe it has completely
disappeared, it seemed to me, gentlemen, that it was
under the influence of the feeling with which each
of us was inspired by the pious solicitude and gene-
rous devotion of their Majesties that it became us
to express our respectful homage to the Imperial
family. 'To the Emperor !' May God protect and
prolong a life so dear to his people, and so valuable
for the greatness, the prosperity, and the happiness
of France. To the Empress !' whose courage is
equal to her charity, and who in her person com-
bines the solid virtues of the Sovereign with the
elevation of mind, the perfect grace, and the affecting
kindness of an accomplished lady. 'To the Prince
Imperial !' whose heart formed by such examples,
and whose intellect developed by the spectacle of
this grand reign, will be equal to the great destiny
which Providence reserves for him."
This speech was received with loud applause, and
followed by repeated cheers of " The l'Empereur !"
" Vice l'lmperatrice !" " Vice le Prince Imperial!"
The band of the Garde de Paris performed several
popular airs during the dinner.

Wreck of the Barque Gazehouud.

CUSTOM HOUSE, DUNEDIN, April 7, 1865.

Sir,—l do myself the honour to forward the en
closed report of the inquiry into the wreck of the
barque Gazehound at Oamaru, made by the Sub-
Collector of Customs at that port. I have, &c.,
CHAS. Lo GI E, Collector.
The llon. the Postmaster-General,:Wellington.
Report as to the loss of the barque Gazehound
at Oamaru, Otago (N.Z.), on the morning of March
13, 1865. The inquiry held by T. W. Parker, prin-
cipal officer of customs at Oamaru, under the In-
quiry into Wrecks Act, 1863 : —The Gazehound
was barque-rigged, and of 383 tons register, and
was owned by Messrs. Redfern, Alexander, and Co.,
of London, W. Andrew, master. Sailed from:Lon-
don for Oamaru direct, with a cargo of general mer-
chandise consigned to Messrs. Train, Roxby, and
Co., of Oamaru, where she arrived on Jan. 9, 1865.
On the day following her arrival the ship was caught
by a heavy gust of wind from the southward, by
which the anchor shank was broken, about a foot
below the stock. Heavy moorings laid down by the
provincial government now becoming available by
the departure of the wool ship Star of Tasmania for
London, the Gazehound was removed on Jan. 28,
for the purpose of being made fast to these moor-
ings, but Capt. Andrew found that the buoy mark-
ing their position was held only by its own chain,
which had become detached from the moorings,
and they could not be recovered. Capt. Andrew
accordingly secured the ship with his own gear—
letting go his best bower, with 60 fathoms of chain
—and she continued so moored until March 9. In
the meantime he had discharged his inward cargo,
and was taking in a return cargo of wool, of which
about 600 bales were on board. During this
period Captain Andrew had taken the precaution
(a necessary one in an open roadstead) of sight-
ing his anchor, to see that it was clear and all
right. In doing this the ship shifted its berth
from 50 to 100 fathoms inside of the position of the
government moorings. On the morning of the 9th
March, Captain Andrew, finding the sea increasing,
gave the ship more chain—from 60 fathoms, at
which she had been lying, to 75—the barometer
standing at 29 85. The wind and sea continuing
to increase, a coir spring was put upon the cable to
ease the ship, but as they continued to increase
Captain Andrew let go his second anchor, and
veered to 30 fathoms on the small and 105 fathoms
on the best bower. The ship continued labouring
very much, and on the morning of the 11th it was
found that she dragged her anchor about 100
fathoms. The sea having become easier about day-
break on the 12th, the small bower was weighed
and the ship hove into 60 fathoms on the best
bower ; but at 11 a.m. the sea appeared to rise im-
mediately, and became worse than ever. The small
bower was again let go, and the best bower veered
out to 105 fathoms, with a spring attached of four
parts of nine-inch coir rope, great care being taken
that both chains bore an equal strain, allowing for
the spring. The sea continued very bad, and at 8
p.m. the small bower parted close to the hawse-
hole, and the vessel rode by the best bower until
the morning of the 13th, when at 6 30 the chain
parted in the hawse hole. Heavy rollers' were
coming in from the S.E. to E., and the ship lay with
her head in shore when the chain parted. The
head sails were immediately set, and she paid off,
when all available sail was made to take advantage
of what light air there was; but it shortly died
away, and the ship was completely at the mercy
of the rollers, as she was now without anchors or
any means of bringing her up. The ship came on
shore about 8 a.m., and although everything was
done that could be done under the circumstances she
became a total wreck in about four hours afterwards.
The witnesses examined were the master, chief offi-
cer, and Captain Sewell, of Oamaru, who holds the
office of Beach Master under the Provincial Govern-
ment, and acts as pilot. I have incorporated nearly
the whole of Captain Andrew's statement as to the
sea, and the management of the ship between the
morning of the 9th March and the day of the wreck.
Captain Sewell, in his evidence, states that he con-
sidered the ship to be in a safe position, although
she had shifted when the anchor was being sighted;
and he adds that during his four years' experience
at Oamaru he has never known the sea to continue
up for so long a time. I should have availed my-
self of the services of a nautical man to assist me in
conducting the examination, but there was not one
in Oamaru at the time, with the exception of Capt.
Sewell, and he had been summoned as a witness.
In conclusion, I beg to add that the ship appears to
have been well found, with suitable cables and an-
chors, and that the master seems to have done all
that skill and prudence could suggest for the safety
of the ship, and that the disaster could scarcely have
happened had the Government moorings been in a
state of efficiency. In fact, had the ship's gear held
for a few hours longer the loss would not have oc-
curred, as the sea began to subside on the day of
the loss.

T. W. PARKER, Sub-Collector of Customs.
Department of Customs, Oamaru, Otago (N.Z.),
March 31, 1865. •

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 18, 1865.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE:

-
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN.

A special general meeting of this company was
held on Saturday at Euston-station—Mr. R. Moon
in the chair.

Mr. R. Savill, assistant secretary, having read the
notice convening the meeting,

The CHAIRMAN said the first resolution be had to
propose was that, in pursuance of the London and
North-Western (Additional Powers, Wales) Act,
1865, an additional capital of £60,000 be created,
for the purpose of converting the shares of the Con-
way and Llanrwst Railway Company into shares of
the London and North-Western Company. The ob-
ject of the resolution was to enable the company to
use the powers given them under the act.

Mr. lIROWN-WESTHEAD seconded the motion, and
it was adopted.
The CHAIRMAN said the second resolution was that
in pursuance of the London and North-Western
(Additional Powers England) Act, 1865, an addi-
tional capital of £400,000 be created for the purpose
of converting the shares of the Hampstead Junction
Railway Company into stock of the London and
North-Western Railway Company. The object of
the resolution was not to provide any new capital,
but merely to convert one stock in their possession
into another.

Mr. BROWN-WESTIIEAD seconded the motion, and
it was carried.

The third resolution was also carried unanimously,
to the effect that in pursuance of the St. George's
Harbour Act, 1861, an additional capital of £62,500
be created and entitled to a preferential dividend
(without further participation of profits) of 4 per
cent. per annum, payable half-yearly at the same
period as the dividends on the ordinary stock of the
London and North-Western Company were payable,
such stock to be applied in the redemption of the
rent payable to the St. George's Harbour Company.

The Solicitor stated that the additional capital
created under the resolution would be applied to
the redemption of £2,500 a year paid as rent to the
St. George's Harbour Company.
The proceedings then terminated.