The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-25 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY HVENING, OCTOBER 25, 1865.

improvement on Major Palliser's plan. It did not
fully answer the anticipations, as it split the first
time the gun was fired. The gun, however, did not
burst, as has been erroneously stated in some of the
morning papers. The tube has been replaced with a
coiled tube similar to those of Major Palliser's other
guns. The guns are old 68-pounders, condemned
as unfit for service. They will be sent at once to
Shoeburyness, where they will be fired with 221 b.
charges and shots of 1151 b. weight each. The proof
was highly satisfactory, the Ordnance Select Com-
mittee having reported that no rifled gun of any
kind has as yet fired so many rounds with the same
amount of charge with equal success. After the
proof of Major Palliser's guns, a couple of Captain
Blakciey's seven-ton hammered cast steel guns were
brought forward in front of the butt, and having
been loaded with 301 b. of powder, and shot weigh-
ing 2001 b. each, were fired two proof rounds most
successfully. The guns are manufactured to the
order of the Swedish Government to form a portion
of the armament of one of their naval corvettes.
Major-Gen. Burnaby, Inspector of Artillery to the
Blakeley Ordnance Company, and Mr. Campbell,
the manager, were in attendance on behalf of the
company. A large number of guns of a similar
diameter—namely, 8j- inches, have been recently
manufactured by the same company and despatched
to the governments of Spain, Portugal, and Japan.
Capt. Blakeley is now engaged in turning out two
mammoth guns—the one of 13-inch bore, and the
other of 15 incheb. They will carry charges re-
spectively of 901 b. and 1001 b. of powder, and 9001 b.
and 1,3001 b. shot.

The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—C ommander Edward D .P . Downes,
to the Curacoa ; John K. Cowley, paymaster, to
the Enterprise ; Hugh F. Pullen, paymaster, to the
Saturn ; Henry E. Wood, second master, to the
Torch ; Holland Harrison, engineer, additional, to
the Bristol ; Joseph Valentine B. Thompson, and
Amos Pritchard, promoted to the rank of engineers
in her Majesty's fleet.

small boat put out to leeward, but the sea breaking over
the ship filled her (the small boat) and at the same time
smashed the long boat, which was on deck. The crew
took to the rigging. The captain tried to get them to
make an attempt to reach the shore, but they were all afraid.
He then got hold of an oar and left the ship, and succeeded
in reaching the rocks, though very much exhausted. After
recovering strength he shouted to the men to follow, but
none came. If he could have got a small line he could
have thrown it on board, but having none, he went in
search of assistance, but it came too late. The tide had
flowed, and at midnight, after two rockets had been fired
over the ship, the masts fell over to seaward, and in one
moment the cries of the suffering men were stilled for
ever. Their cries were heard from the ship until the masts
went, and when the engine which was sent from Berwick
with assistance stopped abreast of the ship, the poor fel-
lows mado a hearty cheer. Captain Bailey acted with the
most praiseworthy courage and promptitude in the very
trying circumstances in which he was placed. With great
presence of mind he opened up a way of escape from the
wrecked vessel ; but, unfortunately, none of the poor fel-
lows who were on board had sufficient nerve to try it, or
they had been trusting with too great confidence in the
refuge of the masts, to which they had betaken themselves.

THE EASTERN COAST.-GREAT DAMAGE TO

SHIPPING.

Several serious casualties are reported on the Eastern
coast. During the heavy gale on Thursday night the
schooner John Medley, of and from Leamington, to Shields,
was struck by a tremendous sea, which smashed the boat to
pieces and ripped up the deck. Tho vessel had previously
sprung a leak, and the crew, seeing there was no chance of
saviig her, made signals for assistance, which were ob-
served by the smack Velocity, of Yarmouth. This brave
crew launched their small boat and pulled through the
heavy sea to the schooner, which they succeeded in reach-
ing, and after considerable exertion they succeeded in
taking off the crow. But for this gallant rescue the poor
fellows, on board the schooner must have perished, as she
foundered a few minutes afterwards. The rescued crew
were received at the Great Yarmouth Sailors' Home, on
Sunday. The schooner foundered about 20 miles north-east
of the Newark light. The brig Percival, of and from
Shields, for Havre, was totally lost on the Dogger Bank
during the heavy gale. The crew were taken off the wreck
by a fishing smack, and were landed at Yarmouth. Tho
brig Chance, Jowsey, master, of and from Sunderland, for
Rotterdam, with coal, foundered at sea. The crew were
saved by the smack Lord Willoughby, and were landed at
Lowestoft. They lost all their clothes, &c. The brig
Friends, of Lowestoft, EdwardsOnaster, sailed from Shields
on the 16th inst., with coal, for Lowestoft. When off the
Newark light she experienced very rough weather, and
made a considerable quantity of water. Tho crew used
every exertion with the pumps, but the vessel was blown
over to the Dutch coast, where she foundered. The crew
were picked up by the smack Violet, of Yarmouth, and were
landed at Lowestoft. The poor fellows lost everything
which they had on board. The schooner Uda, of and from
Lowestoft, for Seaham, in ballast, has gone ashore at
Theedlethorpe, and has become a total wreck. She was the
property of Messrs. Johnson and Co. The Dutch schooner
Wilhelmina picked up off the Spurn three poisons from the
yacht Oliver Cromwell, of Hull. The yacht afterwards
foundered.

other circumstances which have been already reported
proved.
The prisoners, by the advice of their lawyers, said they
should reserve their defence, and were fully committed for
trial, but were admitted to bail to appear at the ensuing
assizes in Merionethshire.