The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-24 00:00:00

The Stranding of the Camilla,

OFFICIAL REPORT.
NASSAU (N.P.), Jan. 12, 1865.
The Hon. C. R. Nesbitt, Esq., Colonial Secretary.
Sir,—l am directed by the Commissioners of Pilotage to
state, in answer to his Excellency the Governor's minute
regarding a report on the circumstances attending the
stranding of the British brig Camilla on Toney Rock Bar,
that they have carefully investigatad the case, and find
that the Camilla arrived off the mouth of the harbour on
the sth inst., about the time that her Majesty's ship
Medea was leaving the port ; that a flag for, a pilot was
hoisted on the foremast of the Camilla, but all the pilots
being employed, none went to her. The master of the Camilla
having approached close to the bar, had given orders to put
the ship about, when he perceived a two-headed boat on
the bar, which he took to be, and which was in fact a
pilot's boat ; there was no pilot flag flying at the stern,
but the captain thought the men were waving to him to
'come on ; he therefore again stood in, and crossed the bar
He then observed that a flag was hoisted, indicating him
to lull, which he was endeavouring to do when the ship
struck. The master states, as his reason for following the
pilot-boat in, that he had read in the sailing directions
that, in the event of the bar being practicable, but too
rough for pilot-boats to go out, a pilot would be sta-
tioned inside the bar. He had forgotten, or did not
notice, that in such a case a white flag would be
hoisted on the flagstaff at Hog Island. No such flag
was, however, hoisted that day, and the commissioners
can, therefore, only attribute the accident to the unfortu-
nate, though pardonable, mistake of the master, who took
the pilot boat of Mr. Joshua Seymour for a boat stationed
purposely to guide his entrance into the harbour, whereas
she was simply returning to port, having no licensed
pilot on board. It is quite evident that no blame could
be attached to the men in the pilot boat, as they only
exhibited a flag when they observed the vessel to be in
extreme danger, and in so doing they in all probability
saved the Camilla from total destruction, as she would
otherwise have struck the Bar Head on, under full
sail, instead of being carried slowly broadside on by
force of the tide. The Camilla has since been extri-
cated from her perilous situation, and has, apparently,
sustained but little injury. The pilot-boat returned from
the Medea under sail until she reached the bar, when her
sails were furled, and tho masts unshipped. It was while
this was being effected that the master of the Camilla first
caught sight of the boat, and it is, therefore, easily under-
stood how the master could mistake the action of the men
for so waving to him to come on. The Commissioners
think it, also, but fair to the master to state, that his mate
and one_of his men being sick appears to them a reason-
able excuse for the master not leaving the deck to again
consult the sailing directions of the port.—l have, Sc.,

GEORGE D. HARRIS,
Chairman of the Board of Pilotage.

THE LARGEST AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE AVA-
LANCHE which is chronicled, probably in the history of
Europe, is one which fell in the year 1689, and destroying
in its fall, the village of Rashnal, near Sans, in the Prat-
tigau. It fell on St. Paul's Conversion ,lay and destroyed
150 houses and stables ; 58 men and women,:and 300 head
of cattle found their death through it, The village of
Eashnal has never been rebuilt.

Secretary Stanton has ordered a salute of 200
guns to be fired from every arsenal, fort, and
military headquarters in the United States in cele-
bration of the event.

(Official Despatches.)
" GENERAL GRANT TO GENERAL LEE.
"April 7.
" General,--The result of the last week must con-
vince you of the hopelessness of further resistance
on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in
this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as
my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of
any further effusion of blood by asking of you the
surrender of that portion of the Confederate States'
army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
" Very respectfully your obedient servant,
" U. S. GRANT,
"Lieutenant-General Commanding the Armies
of the United States.
" General R. E. Lee, Commander of Confederate