The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-31 00:00:00

THE EXPLORATION OP AUSTRALIA.

A public meeting of the citizens of Melbourne
was held on the 14th of October, at the Exhibition
Building, in honour of the leaders of the Queens-
land and South Australian Contingent Explora-
tions and their parties, and to testify the
admiration of the inhabitants of the colony
at the successful and heroic manner in which
those explorers had accomplished their mission.
Nearly 3,000 persons were present ; the Hon.
Matthew Hervy, M.L.C., presided, and was sur-
rounded on the platform by several members of
the Exploration Committee. Mr. Landsborough
and Mr. M'Kinlay and some members of their
respective exploring parties were present; as was
also Mr. King. the companion of the unfortunate
Burke and Wills; and also Mr. C. Verdon, who
was recently the successful bearer of despatches
from the Exploring Committee to Mr. Howitt.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, con-
gratulated the assembly upon having met together
to pay a mark of respect to their distinguished
fellow-countrymen, Messrs. Landsborough and
M'.Kinlay. (Applause.) They were doubtless
aware of the circumstances under which those gen-
tlemen had become conspicuous amongst the Aus-
tralian community. Immediately upon the dis-
covery of any danger attending the Victorian ex-
plorers, Messrs. Burke and Wills—upon discover-
ing that there was a possibility of their being unable
to surmount the difficulties which surrounded them
in the desert, it was thought desirable to start
contingent expeditions from the neighbouring
colonies, as well as from Victoria, in search of them.
The people of Melbourne had assembled that even-
ing to congratulate those distinguished gentlemen,
Messrs. Landsborough and M'Kinlay, upon their
safe return from their expeditions. They most
cheerfully volunteered their services to the respec-
tive governments under which they lived to pro-
ceed in search of Burke and Wills, and everyone
was aware, to some extent, of the result of their
labours. They had been most successful explorers
—they proceeded in cheerfulness to encounter dan-
gers in the desert, such as in the eye of every indi-
vidual unaccustomed to bush travelling seemed in-
surmountable. The immense difficulties which
each had experienced placed both gentlemen side
by side as great and successful explorers. (Cheers.)
He was sure that the meeting had done their duty
as inhabitants of Victoria in thus welcoming
back again to the colony the gentlemen who had
been sent out in search of those who first crossed
the continent of Australia, and brought into con-
spicuous notice the great enterprise which was first
initiated by the colony of Victoria, of exploring the
whole of this vast continent. (Cheers.)

The Rev. Dr. CAIRNS, who moved the first reso-
lution, said one of the characteristic signs of the
present age was the great progress of discovery in
opening np regions of the earth which had hitherto
been hermetically sealed even to the eye of intelli-
gence. It was a suggestive fact to his mind that
the successful exploration of Central Africa and the
great Australian continent had been reserved for
the present day—that until now those immense
dominions had been unknown lands to the civilised
world. The friends whose success they had met
to celebrate that evening would henceforth have

their names enrolled with those of Mitchell,
Leichhardt, Sturt, Gregory, and Burke and Wills,
who had sacrificed their life to their zeal. (Hear,
hear.) To the two latter explorers belonged the
praise, which time would never obscure or diminish,
of having solved the practicability of traversing
that great continent from south to north. The
names which he had mentioned constituted a bril

liant catalogue, and he ventured to think that no
inferior splendour would henceforth illustrate the
names, now familiar as household words, of Stuart,
Landaborough, and M'Kinlay, and the name of
King ought also most assuredly to be included.
(Cheers.) Without deliberation they undertook
the arduous task assigned them, and faced its
hazards. They had to contemplate hard privations,
and it might be disease, accident, or even a linger-
ing and lonely death. These were the terms, the
necessary terms, on which they engaged in their un-
certain and perilous speculation. Their wonderful
success, under God, was owing to their foresi;ht,
prudence, and, for want of a better word, he would
say their bush experience. The result of their ex-
plorations had been immense, for they had probably
tripled, or even quadrupled, the extent of territory
in Australia available for settlement, and added
greatly to the resources of the country. The advan-
tages thus secured for pastoral purposes were be-
yond all calculation, though they could not now be
appreciated as they would hereafter. They de-
served well of their country. In all ages such ser-
vices as they had rendered had been regarded as na-
tional benefactions. The principle of the state re-
warding such services had been recognized in this
colony, and had been reduced to practice. Recom-
pense was decreed by parliament to the discoverers
of new gold fields, and the admirable constitution of
this colony had provided a most soothing consola-
tion, in the shape of £l,BOO per annum, to requite
the devotion of those self-sacrificing spirits who con-
sented to bow their studious heads and delicate
shoulders to the responsibilities of government for
the weary space of two whole years. (Laughter.)
If such were the case, what was the debt which the
country owed to those great national benefactcrs—
the explorers ? Their discoveries had opened the
eyes of the people of Australia to the fact that God
had given them a most wealthy inheritance, which
might be compared to the whole world in miniature.
It had the best of every clime under the sun, and
the gifts of nature were scattered with great pro-
fusion. As to the precious metals, it might turn out
that what had been found was only an earliest of
what was to follow ; but there could be no doubt
that Australia was to be the wool grower of the
whole world, and that it would grow cotton to feed
all the mills of England. He concluded by moving
—" That this meeting begs in the most cordial man-
ner to welcome the explorers, Messrs Landsborough
and M'Kinlay, on their safe return, and to express
admiration of the many excellent qualities displayed
by them in the prosecution of their arduous enter-
prise, and considers that it is a duty to acknowledge
the hand of Divine Providence in preserving them
in the midst of danger."
Mr. KING, who was received with great accla-
mation, said it afforded him much pleasure to be
present on that occasion, and join with so many of
his fellow colonists in congratulating Mr. Lands-
borough and Mr. M.Kinlay on their safe ar-
rival in Melbourne. (Applause.) He was the
more glad to offer his congratulations, because he
knew the arduous nature of the journey which
Messrs. Landsborough and M'Kinlay had accom-
plished. He was little accustomed to appear or to
speak in public, but he should have been sorry to
miss this opportunity of expressing his thanks to
Mr. Landsborough and Mr. M'Kinlay for the man-
ner in which they had endeavoured to come to the
relief of the party of which Burke and Wills
have
s wereve
at the head. However successful they might
been in that expedition, they could have been of
very little service to Burke and Wills, for it would
have been impossible to reach them in time to save
' their lives. He had much pleasure in secondingthe
repolution, and in congratulating Mean. Lands.

PRICY .. -.Ad.
STAMPED ....sd.

borough and IVPKinlay upon their safe arrival in
Victoria. (Cheers.)
The resolution was put, and unanimously adopted
amidst cheers, as were also the resolutions subse-
quently proposed.

Mr. INPKINLAY, who was received with hearty
and prolonged cheering, briefly returned thanks for
the kindness which had been shown him. His
journey had certainly been accomplished success-
fully,but it had been undertaken under very favour-
able circumstances, and had such not been the case
probably the result might have been very differeiit,
He felt himself compelled to refraia from stating
many particulars which tho public would be glad
to learn, but they would, no doubt, be known in
due course. " At present, he could merely express
his sincere thanks for the great kindness with
which he had been received that evening.
Mr. Wyld, Mr. Poole, Mr. Kirby, and Mr. Davis,
fellow-travellers with Mr. Mainlay, were sever-
ally introduced to the meeting by the chairman,
and each received a cordial welcome, which they
duly acknowledged.

Mr. LANDSBOROUGH then came forward to ad-
dress the meeting, and was greeted with enthusias-
tic cheering. He said, my friend and brother ex-
plorer has just come in from a glorious trip to
South Australia, by Carpentaria and Port Denison.
I consider his- mode of exploring with live stock,
consisting of camels, cattle, sheep, and horses,
nearly the best. To make it complete he only
wanted some aborigines as trackers. This, I am
sure, he felt on one occasion, when Mr. Kirby and
his sheep were lost for three days. Mr. Mainlay
deserves the greatest credit for being the first to
take sheep across the continent. The camels will
yet be found of the greatest value, for it is probable
that other explorers will not find water at such con-
venient distances as we have done, and as they can
go nearly three times as far as horses without water,
they will be of the greatest value for searching
ahead for water, and when water is once found it is
very easy to take the party like that which Mr_
APKinlay and I had. By Burke, Walker, 111'Kin-
lay, and myself six of the Carpentaria rivers have
been traced. These rivers chiefly water country of
a character which, although dry, is the kind that I
like best for pastoral purposes. And now that my
friend M'Kinlay has taken sheep across the conti-
nent, I hope flocks and herds will soon follow, so
that the fine pastures of Carpentaria, instead of
lying waste, will soon become profitable, not only
to Australia, but to the world. (Applause.) In con-
clusion, Mr. Landsborough intimated that he in-
tended to publish the rest of the information which
he had to communicate in the form of a pamphlet.
On resuming his seat he was again warmly ap-
plauded.
Mr. BOURNE, the only member of Mr. Lands-
borough's exploration party now remaining in Mel-
bourne, was introduced to the meeting, who like-
wise honoured him with a round of cheers. He
acknowledged the compliment in a few pertinent
remarks.

Mr, ASPINALL, M.L.A., proposed the second re-
solution :—" That this meeting recognises the good
services rendered by the governments of South Aus-
tralia and Queensland, in organising these contin-
gent expeditions with a view to discover and assist
the missing party, under the lamented Burke and
Wills." Whilst the meeting recognised these gal-
lant men—Landsborough and I\Ni:inlay—men of
heroism and the colonies which they represented—
they ought also to recognise in them a manifesta-
tion on the part of the neighbouring colonies of a
hearty sympathy in a matter concerning the general
welfare of Australia. (Applause.) While doing
honour to the men themselves, they ought to express
their gratefulness to the governments and the peo-
ple who chose them for the work which they had
performed. The explorers, however, must be re-
garded as the representatives of the sentiment and
the feeling of the colonists who had sent them forth.
In sending them forth those colonies were not in-
fluenced by any ideas of the acquisition of territory,
and whatever advantages they might have gained,
their primary object was to endeavour to rescue
Burke, and to assist the expedition of which those
unfortunate explore rs were the leaders. While
admiring the heroism of Messrs. Landsborc ugh and
M`Kinlay, let them add their tribute of admiration
to the colonies which had sent them forth to do the
work which they were so admirably fitted to do.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Dr. MACADAM, M.L.A., proposed the third reso-
-" That this meeting is persuaded that it is incum-
bent on the various Australian governments to
mark in some appropriate manner their sense of the
great merits of the leaders of the contingent ex-
ploration parties, and of the important result which
must flow from their discoveries ; and that a copy
of this resolution be forwarded for the consideration
of the respective governments." Some difference
of opinion, he said, had been manifested in refer-
ence to the manner in which the exertions of the
respective explorers should be recognised. He
himself had only had one opinion upon the
subject, namely that they should be re-
cognised through the legislature of the re-
spective colonies to which the explorers belonged.
In conclusion he trusted the governments of the re-
spective colonies would reciprocate in an adequate
manner the services which had been rendered by
the explorers ; he thought the gratitude of the go-
vernments of the respective colonies should also be
shown by their doing more to encourage immigra-
tion than they have hitherto done. Some two years
and a half ago the task of exploring the continent
was commenced in Victoria, and whetever might
be said derogatory to the management of the explo-
ration, the work had been accomplished—the con-
tinent was now marked out—and it only required
private entererio to establish communication be-
tween every part of it.
Captain NORMAN, being loudly called for by the
meeting, made a few remarks indicating the cordial
unanimity in which he and Mr. Landsborough had
cooperated together, and mentioned that Monday
was the anniversary of their safe arrival at Car-
pentaria after the wreck of the Firefly in Torres
Straits.
The resolution was put and carried.

The proceedings then terminated, the meeting, in
response to Dr. Macadam, giving three hearty
cheers for the explorers.

The journals announce the death of General the
Marquis de La Roche-Aymon, Vice President of the
Council General of the Indre-et-Loire, aged 82.

FATAL GAROTTING EXPERIMENT.—On Monday
morning Mr. Juhn Humphreys, the coroner for
East Middlesex, received information relative to the death
of a youth named James Mansell, aged 16, the son of an
engineer, residing at No, 5, Russell-place, Guildford -street,
Southwark-bridge-road, who died under the following cir-
cumstances :—lt appears that deceased was at home with
his friends on Sunday morning last, when his sister's
sweetheart, named Williams, a young man engaged on one
of the large steam packets, called on a visit. He remained
for some time, when he was invited to dinner. The con-
versation between deceased and Williams turned upon the
subject of garotting, when the latter told deceased that
he would show him the way to secure a garotter. The
deceased stood up, when Williams went behind him and
pinned him by the arms. At the same time Williams pulled
out a large pocket knife, which he brandished in his right
hand; and while he had the deceased secured behind he
said, 4, This is the way I would serve him." At the same
moment he plunged the blade of the weapon into the thick
or fleshy part of the thigh, severing the femoral artery.
The blood flowed from the wound very copiously, and no
time was lost in calling in a medical gentleman, when
Mr. Maunder, one of the senior surgeons of the London
Hospital, rendered temporary assistance, and suggested
the deceased's removal to that institution, whither he was
conveyed in an exhaustod condition. Upon his arrival a
consultation was held, and it was decided to amputate the
right leg above the knee joint. The poor fellow bore the
operation with fortitude, being for a portion of the time
under the influence of chloroform. Mr. Maunder removed
the limb, but the deceased gradually sank, and died from
the absorption of pus into the injured parts. The htemorr-
liege from the wound was very great, as the femoral
artery was Completely

E W S PAPE R
sfe&l'z'VNlret
Naval and Military
THE NAVY. M 11 S
The Termagant screw frigate, 25 guns, Capt. R.
Hall, arrived at Spithead at 10 p.m. on Monday,
from the Pacific, after Ine of the shortest runs on
record. She left Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, on
the 7th November, and made nearly the whole
passage under sail. Fine weather, with occasional
strong and favourable winds, has been experienced.
throughout the passage. The ship was commis-
sioned on the 28th of January, 1859, and was
employed on the home station until the Bth of
August in the same year, when she sailed for the
south-east coast of America. She arrived at Mon-
tevideo in time to take part in an important war-
like demonstration made against the town. On the
6th of February, 1860, the Termagant sailed from
Rio de la Plata for the Pacific in company with the
Forward and Grappler, 60.1torse power gunb4ate,
which vessels she conveyed to Vancouver Island, a
distance of 12,240 miles, towing them through' t he
' Straits of Magellan, the Smyth, Wide, and Sar-
miento Channels for 644 miles by the Gulf of Pncs
to the Pacific Ocean. On the 31st of July follow—
ing, while proceeding under steam throughithe
Active Pans, near the Island of San Juan, Vancou-
ver Island, owing to a tremendous sot of tide, and
the ship not answering her helm, she struck on the
rocks, and sustained such severe damage as to be
obliged to proceed to San Francisco for the purpose
of being docked. She was conveyed into port in
an excessively leaky condition by the Ganges, 84,
flagship of the Commander-in-Chief on the station.
On the 22d of September she was placed on the
sectional floating dock of the United States' Go-
vernment, at Mare Island, California, and when
nearly clear of the water the weight of the ship
broke down the dock, causing damage to the ex-
tent of 30;000 dollars. The repairs of the dock,
which occupied three months, detained the Terma
gant until the Bth of December in the same year,
when she left for the coast of Mexico and Pa-
nama, on which division of the station she remained
until July, 1862. Embarking her Majesty's Com-
missioner for the Sandwich Islands, she sailed for
Honolulu. The ship on her arrival at the Sand-
wich Islands took a prominent part in the solemni-
ties consequent upon the death of the late Prince
Haiwaii, which occurred during her stay at the
islands. On the day of sailing for England Capt.
Hall and officers of the ship were presented to their
Majesties King Kamehameha and Queen Emma.
Out of 294 officers and men who left England on
board the Termagant only 155 have returned. Only
one death has occurred on board during all this
time. Nearly 140 desertions have taken place from
among the crew, principally at San Francisco. The
Termagant has brought home a few invalids and
end passengers from the station, who were landed
yesterday. She awaits at Spithead final orders as
to the port in which she will be paid out of com-
mission.

~`~,

The paddlewheel steamer Adder, Master Com-
mander Blakey, left Chatham harbour yesterday for
Shoeburyness, having in tow one of the dockyard
lighters, containing a number of the large armour
plates for the target which is being constructed to
be used in the approaching trials before the Ord-
nance Select Committee with the 130 pounder
Whitworth gun. The target will be covered with
plates varying from 4y up to 6 inches in thickness,
in order to test the effect of the Whitworth, shot
and shell on each. A number of workmen have
been despatched to Shoeburyness to be employed in
the construction of the target, which is directed to
be built of a strength surpassing that of any of the
targets hitherto experimented upon.
Private letters received at Chatham yesterday
from her 1118jesty's screw steamer Cadmus, 21, an-
nounce the arrival of that vessel and the Petrel, 11,
150 horse power, at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, on
the 13th inst., from Charleston, the former having
left Charleston harbour on the 9th inst., and the
latter on the llth inst. The screw frigate Ariadne,
26, 800 horse power, was at Charleston on the 10th
inst., and left the following day for Bermuda, in
obedience to orders received from the Admiral Com-
mander-in-Chief of the North American squadron.
The iron sternpost and sill of the Achilles, 50,
1,250 horse power, have arrived at Chatham dock-
yard from the private factory at Glasgow where
they were forged, having been conveyed to Chat-
ham in the Rhadamanthus paddlewheel steamer.
The sternpost weighs about 30 tons, and is one of
the largest forgings in one piece ever accomplished
for the Admiralty by any private firm. This is the
second sternpost forged for the Achilles, the one
originally prepared for that vessel having been dis-
covered to contain several flaws, which led to its
rejection. Before the sternpost was removed from
Glasgow it was carefully inspected by some of the
officials connected with the Admiralty.
A court-martial assembled yesterday morning on
board her Majesty's ship Victory, at Portsmouth,
to try Mr. Walter Jago, carpenter of her Majesty's
ship Emerald, on a charge of being drunk, on or
about the 17th of December. Evidence having been
given by Commander Carter and Lieut. Garford in
support of the charge, the prisoner in his de-
fence stated that on the previous night he
had been up late with his friends. Ho attributed
his demeanour on the following morning to weak-
ness and nervousness, but denied being drunk. The
Court found the charge proved, but, in consequence
of the prisoner's length of service and previous
good conduct, only adjudged him to be dismissed
his ship and placed at the bottom of the list of
second-class carpenters.

Shipwreck in Shetland, and Extraordinary

Escape.

In giving details of the wreck of the coal-laden Norwe-
gian schooner Saphea Key, from Newcastle to Christian-
sand, on the island of Unst, Shetland, the Horthet n Ensign
says :—"ln the course of the afternoon the vessel was ob-
served from North Unst lighthouse to be in a critical posi-
tion, under a heavy press of canvass, and labouring in the
sea. There was a heavy gale of wind at the time, and as
night came on fears were entertained that in beating up the
Firth she would not be able to escape. Those fears were
realised, as shortly after dark she missed stays, and soon
after ran alongside of a large rock, up which the captain
(J. Tarlsen) and four of the crew succeeded with great
difficulty lu suLatunnug, teasing the mate on board. Dur-
ing the night the sea made almost a clean breach of the
rock, and two of the men were washed off at different times
and drowned. When morning dawned on the three sur-
vivors it revealed to them the imminence of their danger.
They found themselves without food or any means of
escape or signal, on a tare rock about 200 feet from the
shore, and in this condition they remained until Friday
night, cold, wet, and starving with thirst and hunger. As
night came on, one of the men proposed, as the gale had
somewhat moderated, to make an effort to reach the shore
by swimming, which he at last attempted, succeeding
with great difficulty in reaching the shore. The poor
captain, quite exhausted, seeing the successful issue of
the sailor's exertions, followed his example, and had
reached the shore in a state of exhaustion, when, owing to
his strength being entirely gone, and having to make an
effort to climb up the rocks, he fell back, and was speedily
carried away by the waves and drowned. The solitary man
left on the rock remained there. Meanwhile the other,
after resting for a short time, clambered up the face of a
precipice upwards of 100 feet high, from the top of which
he observed a light, to which he directed his footsteps. It
turned out to be the house of Magnus Winwick, by whom
the suffering seaman was received with true Shetland hos-
pitality. Having told his tale, the alarm was instantly
given, and in a short time a boat was on its way to the rock
where the other sailor was left. There he was found, in a
very debilitated condition—so much so that he had to be
carried from the rock to the boat. Concluding that the
mate had perished with the vessel, no attempt was that
night made to find out where she had been driven; but
early next morning several boats were manned and de-
spatched to the vicinity of the spot where she first struck.
She was found sunk, with the masts and rigging above the
water, and the signal flying. No trace of the mate was
obtained, till on further search the poor fellow was found
lying in the crevice of a rock, where he had been without
food since Thursday evening. He was instantly remcved
to a comfortable house, where he and his two comrades re-
ceived every attention. By last accounts they had all quite
• recovered, after making one of the most wonderful escapes
on record.

Importing tea without colour on the leaf prevents
the;Chinese passing off inferior brown leaves as in the usual
kinds. Horniman's tea is uncoloured, therefore always
good alike. Sold in packets by 2,280 agents.
A Turin letter mentions that Generals Petitti
and Della Rovero have distributed 128 rewards to the army
for gallant conduct in Sicily and at Aspromonte. Among
them were 17 crosses of the Order of Savoy, 3 of that of St,
Mawiee, one gold and 81 silver medals,

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAL—Morning, 10h. 14m.—Afternoon, 10h. 47m.
To-monaow.-Morning, 11h. 35m.—Afternoon, h. —m.