The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-19 00:00:00

7HE WRECK OF THE catOMBO.

The following brief particulars respecting this event are
from the Friend of
of Nov. 27th :—.l'he followia
telegram was received in Bombay on Tuesday evening, the
25th inst. :—" The Peninsular and Oriental ConiPanY'4
steamer Colombo struck on north end of Minicoy Island al
the morning of the 19th inst. Passengers and crew all saved.
Mails partially saved. Ship become a total wreck. Pas
sengers all well. Send assistance immediately." IT,
telegram reached Bombay about seven and 4.0%
shortly afterwards confirmed by another. Fortunately
there were seven of the company's vessels lying
harbour at the time, and Captain Black with a Pral:
worthy promptness at once issued instructions for Ors'
of them to be at once prepared for sea. The Ottawa
and the Azoff were the vessels selected to proceed t°
the scene of the disaster ; the former left yesterday el'elr
ing,,
and will take on the mails and passengers to Suez:
the latter leaves this day, and on her arrival will stay
Uy
the wreck to render assistance. As an instance of the energ,./,
and zeal displayed by the company's employes in an treeii,
gency of this kind, it may be mentioned that under °r
nary circumstances it would probably have taken three °rr
four days to prepare the Ottawa for sea. She had neltile,
more 4.
coal, provisions, nor water, on board, Her boilers,
over, were out of order, and required nearly 150 new tubfLo't
Notwithstanding all this she was full equipped and resdl.n
sea in less than 16 hours from the first order being git;
The following description of the Island of Minicoy is ta,-ci
from Horsburgh's Directory : " Minicoy or Malicoy
(the centre) in lat. S deg. 17 min. N., long. 73 deg. 7 --;
E., is about six-and-a-half miles n length and half t
mile in breadth, extending in the form 'of
from N.E. to S.W. with the concave side to
,i.t..pe
N.W., where a circular coral reef projects about twie
miles, and is joined to the extremes of the island en t
reef near the west point of the island. There is 511 tells
with trees on it, and at the north end of the island there
a passage through the reef, with two fathoms—the deepest
.water,
it is narrow and intricate. When the boats are within 'of
reef, the water is deeper, 21 and 3 fathoms over a bottaln
hard coral, but chains would be necessary to secure a °el4
were there any swell. This island is very populous,
the natives are hospitable ; it is well-planted with cocos4"t
trees, and may be seen from the deck of a large ship
or 1 leagues." It is doubtless on thc, coma reef inento"eed
that the vessel struck. As to how the accident occur! a
we have no means of ascertaining at present. She aril
at Gallo on the 16th instant, and left again after the usli,„
detention. The Azoff, which arrived here on the 21st, ei
a crescetaa
perienced very thick weather off Galls but little wind scl,,
it. "We had no observation," said an' officer of that ve-t.
sel, " for five days, and only knew that we were in °ll,
ic
course by passing the Malta." The Colombo, in all Pre,
bability, was similarly overtaken, terminatino•
for her, in a result as disastrous' as it was urn' looked 4-:
Divers were sent in the Ottawa, and Capt. Black, the p 0
pany's superintendent, we believe, proceeds in the A 5:;
The unfortunate steamer is a hopeless wreck, haril'
parted midships, and her loss adds another to the 'e
s:31151
list of casualties this great company have suffered, the %re
particulars of which it will doubtless be some time ere
4
receive. The Bernice and the Victoria, Indian .1151„.
steamers, were bath placed at the disposal of the pear
5e
la! and Oriental Company by Government, but their
vices were not required.

COUN2RI RitL2)s'.

MANCHESTER—DEc. 18. better
This morning at our market there was a rather
vibile
sale for English wheat, at the currencies of last weektdeoto
American advanced 2d to 3d per 1001bs, with a r'l°
demand. Flour still moved off slowl but no change
place in price. Oats and oatmeal only a limited ea
Indian corn and English beans as before.

BIRMINGHAM—DEc. 18, 400
English wheat was sold at 54s to 60s for white, arl,A, to
to 568 per 36 stone for red, Barley, new malting,
42s per qr ; grinding, 26s to 30s Oats, old, 26s wr
per 30 stone; Irish, 22s to 255. Beans, 418 to fis Pe"
Peas, 40s to 48s per 36 stone.

PLYMOUTH—DEC. la. NW
The corn market very dull, and purchases of svhe54.
" 011,
fined to retail sales. Malting barley active ; grind,il),•g, 575
—White, 56s to 60s ; red, 548 to Ms per qr ; Dantilar
to 58s ; American, 51s to 55s ; Spanish, —s to —s:',Bs
Sian, —s to —s. Barley at previous rates-34s to
qr or malting ; grinding, 27s to 28s ; oats, 23s to 270;
beans, —s to —s; flour, 38s to 41s Od.

EDINBURGH GRAIN—. 17.
A good supply of farmers' wheat to-day, DEC
which brought°,s.
fully the prices of this day week. Th©~ business trap
acted again showed a slight improvement.
Wheat on the top 4s Od down ..average Os 7d uP:cri,
Barley on the top is Od down .
Oats on the top 2s 6d up. Os 5 uP ;111
Beans on the top Is down.... ..aavveerraagg average ..average
ISd 11 3iss:°

Total Supply and Sales.
Wheat .. 629 qrs Sold 418 clrB
8ar1ey........1913 qrs Sold 1332 Gird
Oats
Beans 4l qrs Sold 26 qrs
03;
Flo—ur sells as follows :—Whites, 45s Od; extras, 433
superfine, 41s Od ; fine, 39s Od.

CORK—DEc. 17. ft-ci
The following were the quotations this morning
wheat, 16s Od to 23s 6d ; white, 22s Od to 27s Od, barleys to
Od to 15s Od ; oats, 7s Od to 14s Od. ; new bere, 0
—s Od.

DERBY SMITHFIELD—Du. 10. 7id
Beef 6d to bid Veal 7d OW
Mutton .
'
Lamb d to —d Rough fat, 4s Od Per s
t
Hides, 3d to 41d; Calf skins, 5d to 6d.