The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-28 00:00:00

ON, MONDAY EVELVING, AUG UST 28, 1865.

trade for English wool is firm, on former terms. The total
imported into London last week was only about 500 bales.
Current prices of English wool per

s ii.
Fleeces—South Down hogets 1 8
Half-bred do 1 111
Kent fleeces
South Down ewes and wethers 1 8.
Leicester do
Sorts—Clothing
Combing

al d
1 9
2 01
1 11
1 9
2 0
1 11
2 0

SEEDS.
Nearly all agricultural seeds were in slow request on
former terms. Thero was a steady demand for English
rapeseed at full prices. East India linseed and rapeseed
changed hands freely at slightly enhanced rates. Cakes
wore dull at drooping prices.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Duke of Somerset will leave his official resi-
dence a tWhitehall to-day for Portsmouth, accompa-
nied by the whole of the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty and Rear-Admiral Lord Clarence Paget,
C. 8., Secretary, where the board will remain during
the reception of the French fleet.
The Channel squadron were off Portland at 10
a.m. on Friday, en route to Spithead.
The Channel fleet now anchored at Spithead,
under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir Sydney C.
Dacres, C. 8., consists of the Edgar (flagship),
screw line-of-battle-ship, Hector, Defence, Black
prince, Achilles, and Prince Consort, iron screw
frigates ; Royal Sovereign, iron-cased turret-ship ;
and the Salamis, paddle, wooden despatch vessel.
The Edgar lies anchored in the deep water channel
off the east end of Spithead anchorage, with the
Hector, Defence, Black Prince, Achilles, and Prince
Consort anchored in the order as named N. W. of
the Edgar, and each 200 fathoms apart, theTrince
Consort thus occupying the western position in the
line. The Liverpool, Royal Sovereign, and Salamis
at present lie anchored inshore of the line of Admiral
Dacres' ships. The imperial squadron, on arrival
in sight from Spithead on Tuesday, will be met off
the east end of the Isle of Wight by the Pigmy
steam tender, which will put on board each French
ship a master of her Majesty's navy, who will then
take charge of the navigation of the French ship,
and anchor her in her appointed position inshore of
the English squadron.

The recent trials of the. machinery of the frigates
0 ctavia, Constance, and Liverpool proved to be very
interesting. The trials, so far as the three ships
named are concerned, may be considered as com-
plete, but the Arethusa has yet to make her trial to
finish the series.

The iron screw steamship Agincourt, built at
Birkenhead; which arrived on Saturday, the 19th,
at Plymouth, was placed in the Prince's Dock, De-
vonport, on Wednesday. It is understood that she
was docked at the earliest possible moment because
the naval authorities wished to be relieved from the
responsibility of securing her in Hamoaze during
the present uncertain state of the weather. In the
dock there is only a distance of two feet between
her bilge pieces and the steps. Prior to being
launched, or rather floated, out of dock at Birken-
head, on the 27th of March last, her bottom received
three coats of red lead and one coat of protecting
varnish. She was then placed alongside the jetty,
by rubbing against which a portion of her bottom is
chafed and rusted. The whole is now to be cleaned
and be paid over with Hay's protective and anti-
fouling composition.

His Prussian Majesty's screw steam corvette
Nymph, Capt. Henk, and gunboat Delphin, Capt.
Kuhn, which have been some days in Plymouth, left
the Sound on Saturday morning for the Mediterra-
nean. They will go probably to Malta and Constan-
tinople.

With the exception of a few of the stern plates
and those to be worked under the counter and at
the stem of the frigate, the whole of the armour
plates which encase the sides of the iron frigate Bel-
lerophon from stem to stern, have been fixed in their
place, and by the close of the present week the ope-
ration of plating that frigate will be completed,
when upwards of 1,000 tons of armour plating
will have been worked to the frigate's sides in the
short space of less than eight months, the first
armour plate having been bolted to the side of the
Bellerophon on the 29th of December last.
The rate of progress with which the Bel-
lerophon has been constructed at Chatham dockyard
is altogether without a parallel in iron shipbuilding,
an average of between 50 and 60 tons of materials
having been worked into the frigate weekly since her
commencement in April, 1864, and that, too, with-
out any undue strain on the establishment ; an iron-
cased frigate, the Lord Warden, of larger dimen-
sions, being at the same time under construction at
the same dockyard. The principal workflow remain-
ing to be effected in the Bellerophon relates chiefly
to fittings inboard, and on these nearly 1,000 me-
chanics and other hands are employed daily until
long after dark each evening, in order that not an
hour's delay may arise in her completion beyond the
date fixed by the Admiralty. The machinery and
engines have been fitted by Messrs. Penn and Sons,
and everything is ready for steam, to be got up in
the boilers directly the vessel goes out of dock. The
steel plates on her weather fighting deck have been
laid, and the covering of ordinary deck-planking
fixed. On the main gun deck the deck-plating is
finished, and the planking laid. The work of com-
pleting the large reconnoitring tower on the upper
deck of the Bellerophon is now being hurried for-
ward, and on Saturday the timbers to which the
armour-plates will be bolted were fixed in their place.
The 8-inch armour plates which will inclose thefore
and aft sides of the tower have arrived at the dock-
yard from the works of Messrs. Caramel' and Co.,
and have undergone the bending process by the
hydraulic rams in the dockyards in readiness for fix-
ing in their place during the present week. The
work of rigging the Bellerophon has not yet been
taken in hand. According to orders issued at the
dockyard on Saturday, the Bellerophon is to be ready
to be put out of dock on September 18, immediately
after which she will make her first official trial of
speed at the measured mile, Maplin Sands.
The draughts selected from thevarious regimental
depots at Chatham for the Royal Canadian Rifle
Regiment, including the 4th (King's own), 15th,
20th, and 35th Regiments, left that garrison this
morning for Portsmouth, where they will em-
bark on board her Majesty's iron screw troopship
Himalaya, 3,453 tons, 700-horse power, Captain
B. Lethbridge, for conveyance to Quebec, to join
service companies of that regiment.

The division at Aldershott under the command of
Lieut.-General Sir J. L. Pennefather, K.C.8., had
a field-day on Thursday. The troops were formed
up to Claycart-hill, at 10 o'clock, the infantry
furnished with ten rounds of blank ammunition per
man. The usual march past was dispensed with,
and immediately on the arrival of the Lieut.-General
commanding the troops were put in motion. They
moved off to Eelmoor, where dispositions were made
to meet an enemy advancing from the south-west.
The 3d and Bth Hussars advanced in line, covered
by skirmishers of the 14th Hussars, while the in-
fantry ranged itself in order of battle. The 3d
brigade, under Major-General Lord Henry Percy,
V.C., formed the front line, in rear of the cavalry,
the Ist, or General Russell's brigade, formed the
second line, and the 2d brigade, under Brigadier-
General Adams, C. 8., formed the reserve. B and F
batteries, 9th Brigade Royal Artillery, were posted
on the flank of the Ist Brigade. While this forma-
tion was in progress skirmishing had been actively
going on. The enemy soon showed in force, and
made a feint to attack the right of the division.
This caused a change of position, but as soon as the
enemy's intention was discovered the original order
was resumed. The enemy, in overwhelming num-
bers, came pouring down from Bricksbury-hill, upon
which the cavalry recalled skirmishers, and retired
steadily by alternate squadrons, reforming as they
retired until the infantry were in good position, when
they opened out from the centre, retired by troops
from both flanks, and uncovered the front of the
infantry, which opened a galling fire, assisted by the
artillery. The 2d brigade then passed through the
centre of the Ist and took up the fire, which was de-
livered with such effect that the enemy thought it
advisable to send an avalanche of cavalry to make
a diversion in his favour. To check his threatened
onslaught the 3d and Bth Hussars advanced in line,
and executed a'brilliant charge, while the infantry
formed square, in echelon, and, together with the
artillery, threw in a withering cross fire. The Bth
and 14th Hussars dashed through the squares
from the right and left flanks, charged in front of
the infantry, met in the centre, and retired in good
order. The 3d Hussars executed a similar move-
ment. The 3d brigade then advanced in line, and
opened a well sustained file fire, before which the
enemy slowly retired to Claycart-hill, where he
made a final show of resistance. The division
changed position to meet him, and another tremen-
dous fire was poured in. This completed his over-
throw, and the troops returned to quarters. The
weather was remarkably fine, the ground in excel-
lent order, and owing to the march past being dis-

pea with, the whole of the manoeuvres were con-
fined t,- two hours.

An inquz,st has been held at Aldershott before
Mr. Spencer Calrke, the Coroner for North *Hants,
on the body of Private John Williamson, of the 92d
Gordon Highlanders. It appeared that a few even-
ing ago two men who occupied the same quarters
with the deceased retired to rest, and left him sitting
up in the hut with a candle burning. They were
shortly awakened by a loud report, and on jumping
out of bed, they saw Williamson lying dead on the
floor in a pool of blood. From the position of the
unhappy man it seemed that he had sat on the end
of his bed, placed the muzzle of his loaded rifle to
his mouth, pulled the trigger with his left foot, and
discharged the contents through his brains, causing
immediate death. The deceased was 26 years of
age; and about a year ago, wheU confined for an
offence, made his escape from the guard-room by
jumping over the rock at Edinburgh Castle ; since
which, according to the concurrent testimony of
several witnesses, he had exhibited frequent
mental aberration. The jury were for some time
divided in opinion, but ultimately an open ver-
dict was returned by 12, to the effect that the
deceased shot himself ; but, from the evidence
adduced, they were unable to say what state of
mind he was in at the time of committing the act.
The 2d battalion Grenadier Guards, under the
command of Col. Cure, will march from Aldershott
on Friday to Windsor, and relieve the Ist battalion
Coldstream Guards, which will proceed to London.
By the death of Major-Gen., Terence O'Brien,
late Commander of the Forces in Ceylon, a good
service pension, value £lOO per annum, is placed in
the gift of his Royal Highness the Field-Marshal
CoMmanding-in-Chief. The gallant General
entered the army as Ensign of the 87th Foot,
April 22, 1813, and has served about 50 years on
full pay, 32 years regimentally, and about 18 on
the General Staff as Deputy-Adjutant-General,
Deputy-Quartermaster-General, Assistant-Quar-
termaster-General at Cork, and commanding the
troops in Ceylon. He served 19 years in the tropics,
and was present in the West Indies during the
epidemics of yellow fever in 1848, 1851, and 1853.
He had obtained the first-class certificate in the
senior department of the Royal College.
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. James R. D. Hewitt to the
Asia; Lieut. George E. Barnes to the Cumberland,
for service in the Naval Barracks ; J. G. Mongan,
master, to the Cumberland, for service in the Bar-
racouta ; William Glasspole, chief engineer, to the
Octavia, vice Reynolds ; Dr. William R. Dalby,
surgeon, to the victory, for Haslar Hospital ; M.
W. Cowan, surgeon, additional, to the Meander ;
Alfred S. Pratt, surgeon, to the Meander ; Robert
T. Gimson, second master, to the St. Vincent, for
the Martin ; Charles B. L. Brockman, paymaster
to the Vigilant ; Bertram Mitford, paymaster, ad-
ditional, to the Octavia ; and Edw. B. D'Effinger,
clerk, to the St. Vincent.

The Loss of the Angela Burdett Coutts.

OFFICIAL REPORT.

Masulipatam, June 7, 1865.
From G. Thornhill, Esq., and Capt. J. W. Maiden, com-
missioners appointed under section 100 of Act 1 of 1859,
under the order of Government, dated May 17, 1865,
No. 104.

To the Hon. A. J. Arbuthnot, Chief Secretary to Govern

ment, Fort St. George.

•
Sir,—We have the honour to submit our report on
the investigation into the circumstances connected with
the stranding and loss of the ship Angela Burdett
Coutts, held by us at Masulipatam, as directed in the order
of Government, No. 104, dated May 17, 1865. On the re-
ceipt of your telegram, dated 17th ult., directing an inves-
tigation to be held, notice was at once sent to the captain,
officers, and such of the men as remained, directing them
to hold themselves in readiness to attend when the specific
instructions of Government should be received. The order
of Government, embodying the opinion of the Advocate-
General, was received on the 22d ult., and summonses were
issued for the.attendance of the captain, first officer, and
seven witnesses before the commissioners on the 23d ult.
It the same time copies of Captain Maiden's letter to the
Superintendent of Marine, and the latter officer's report to
Govesnment recommending an investigation, were fur-
nished to the captain and chief officer. On the day named
Captain Candlish and Mr. R. Williams being present,
statements were taken on oath from the seven witnesses
named in the margin (Job Evans,-Thomas Lloyd; William
Robinson, Hugo Banholf, C. W. Blackman, W. J. Heb-
den, and W. Taylor.) Their statements, except in a few
minor points, corroborated one another, and are in accord-
ance with the entries in the ship's log, and from them the
facts which preceded the wreck appear to have been as fol-
lows :—On the 22d April, by observation at noon, the ship
was found to be in lat. 15 31 N., the longitude by account
being 81 56 E. Her head was put towards the shore, and
land was sighted about sunset. She stood to the eastward
from 5 p.m. to 6 30 p.m., at which hour they tacked and
stood in-shore during the remainder of the night, and the
deep-sea lead was hove every hour by order of the Cap-
tain. No bottom was found with 40 fathoms out until a
a little before 4 o'clock in the morning of the 23d. This
happened during the watch of the second mate, and the
light on Point Divi was then clearly visible from the deck.
The chief officer had been on watch from 8 till 12 on the
night of the 23d, when he was relieved by-the second
officer. He was called again at 4 a.m. of the 2dd, and
took charge of the watch. Tho captain had been on
deck all night, as well as the whole of the preceding
day. On the chief officer assuming charge of the watch
at 4 a.m., the. ship was steering west, with the light
on Point Divi bearing W.N.W , or thereabouts. The
course was twice altered by the Captain between 4 o'clock
and the striking of the ship, first to W. by N., and then
to W.N.W. ; but although soundings had been obtained a
little before 4 o'clock with the deep-sea lead in 18 fathoms,
and the ship had been steering straight on shore at a rate '
of about four or five knots, no orders had been given by
either captain or first officer to heave the lead again, and
the consequence was that the vessel ran on shore with the
lighthouse in sight, with a leading wind, and in perfectly
fine weather. The sailing directions for the port are quite
distinct and simple, and it is perfectly clear that the omis-
sion to use the lead regularly after soundings had been
struck led to the stranding and loss of the ship. The next
point to consider, then, is, by whose negligence was this
omission caused. Captain Candlish, an old and experi-
enced officer, who had commanded vessels for upwards of
40 years, had clearly been on the alert all night. He
had been aloft more than once during the night, and yet,
when he found the vessel nearing the land, in the most un-
accountable manner he failed to order soundings to be
taken. It appears from Capt. Candlish's statement that he
expected the chief officer to undertake that duty ; but how-
ever much we may blame the chief officer for his negli-
gence, it is impossible to deny that the captain was equally
culpable for omitting to see that tho ordinary precautions
on which the safety of a ship depend were observed. We
see no reason whatever to suspect that the act was wilful,
and can only account for the omission on the supposition
that the captain was worn out by fatigue, and, having
fallen asleep once or twice during the morning, was un-
conscious how near to the shore his ship really was. With
regard to the share of blame attaching to the chief officer,
it would appear that he had been at variance with the
commander throughout the voyage. It was not within the
scope of our inquiry to investigate the causes which led to
such a state of affairs ; but the result appears to have been
that the chief officer took no interest whatever in his duties,
and contented himself with simply obeying such orders as
were given him. In his statement ho shows that he had
been unable to provide himself with a chart of the coast, and
had no access to the captain's charts. He acknowledged '
that he was informed by the second mate, when he came
on deck that soundings had been found in 18 fathoms, but
stated that, as the captain was on deck, he consideted it
was not his duty to order a man into the chains, or even to
'suggest such' a step to the captain. He said he observed
that the ship was running rapidly in for the shore, but
that ho believed the captain knew where he was going,
and he thought it was probable some shoal lay off the
shore, and that the captain was standing on in order to
get into a position which would enable him to run up be-
tween the land and the shoal. It is quite evident that the
chief officer was fully aware there should have been a
hand in the chains, and, as officer of the watch, we cannot
for a moment doubt that it was his duty to point out the
want to the captain, and take his instructions on the sub-
ject. We can only conclude that he allowed his feelingsof
animosity so far to get the better of him as to blind him to
a sense of his duty. When the ship struck, the captain
evidently acted to the best of his judgment in his endea-
vours to get her off again. As will be seen, however, by
the accompanying memorandum by the nautical member of
the commission, it is doubtful if those measures were the
best that could have been adopted ; still, wo aro of opinion
that the errors, if any, were simply errors of judgment, and
we impute no negligence at this stage. We also believe
that everything was done that could be done to preserve
keptthe sibnipre'saastiooreesss. Ttahkeeseadwvearnotaaglel
obfroanugyhbot
aotn d
to s ec, and
thatmightk
be sent to the assistance of the ship. The captain, officers, '
and crew all remained by the vessel as long as it was safe
for them to do so. On the morning of the 25th April they
found the ship rapidly settling into the quicksand, and as
no good could possibly be attained by remaining longer on
board, they took to their boats and came to Masulipatam.
During the investigation insinuations were thrown out by
some witnesses that the ship had been wilfully lost by
the chief officer, and that officer in his own statement did.
not hesitate to make similar insinuations against the

captain. We see no cause whatever to credit either the
one or the other. We have, however, been much struck
with the evil effects which have arisen from want of har-
mony between the captain and his chief officer. There
can be no doubt that had even ordinary good feeling
existed between these two officers, the ship would have
reached her port in safety. Taking all these circum-
stances into consideration, we could come to no other
conclusion than that the ship had been lost by the ne-
glect and default of the captain and chief officer, and we
accordingly ordered that the certificates of both these
officers be suspended for a period of six months. sew=
tence to this effect was pronounced in open court; and in
the presence of most of the crew, on Saturday, the 27th of
May. In passing what may appear a light sentence, we
were influenced by the age and long service as comman-
der of a vessel, of Captain Candlish, as abov3 stated.
This offider, has been in command of different vessels
for a period of 43 years. Having thus performed what
has been to us a most painful duty, we beg to forward to
his Excellency the Governor in Council, for transmission
to the Board of Trade, the two suspended certificates, to-
gether with the papers noted in the annexed list.—We
have, &c.,

G. THon.mrum,
Commissioners.
J. W. MAIDEN,
(True Copy)

G. THORNHILL, Commissioner.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

VICTORIA CLUB BETTING.
ST. LEGER.

5 to 2 agst Gladiateur (offered)
6to 1 agst The Duke (taken)
7to 1 agst Regalia (taken)
Bto 1 agst Archimedes (taken)
9to 1 agst Klarinska (taken)
RACING FIXTU

Warwick 5
Cheadle
Tc:ness and Bridgetown 6
King's Lynn 6
Leicester 7
Dover 7
Hereford 7
Bridgewater
Doncaster

'RES FOR 1865.
:MBElt.

ocTo:
Bedford
Caledonian Hunt and

Brecon lB
Richmond
Canterbury l9
Hendon (Welsh Harp) 2l
Monmouth 2l
Manchester Autumn
Newmarket Ist Oct.
Walsall
Lanark
/BER.

Leek
... 16
West Drayton
Kelso '„ lB
Newmarket 110. M
Worcester Autumn.

- Edinburgh 4
Northallerton;
Newmarket 2d Oct ... 9
Perth

AQUATICS.

METROPOLITAN CLUBS PAIR-OARED RACE.

Emanating from the proposed amalgamation of all the
metropolitan rowing clubs which was attempted, but so
signally failed, last winter, the first pair-oared race, open
to all clubs, was rowed on Saturday—the two trial heats
from Putney to Hammersmith, and the final vice versa.
Mr. II H. Playford, of the London Rowing Club, and Mr.
F. W.Bryant, of the West London Rowing Club, were joint
umpires, on board the Citizen L (Hawkins).

FIRST HEAT.
Messrs. R. Willis and R. Graham, London Club
Messrs. T. Radmall and J. Catty, Thames Club 2
Messrs. J. K. Smith and W. Woodrow, Nth. Lond. Club 0
Messrs. L. A. Mouflet and C. Mouflet, Thames Club
North London led for a few strokes, London next, and the
Mouflets last. Near the pier London drew up and passed
North London, and the Mouflets, with a good station, came
in contact with North London, going ahead of them second,
the other Thames pair also collaring North London, who
were in no sort of form. Near Simmonds's the Mouflets,
half way over the London, ran into a yacht at anchor, and
capsized; this enabled London to get away, and, the others
rowing well to the Point, North London were beaten.
London held a good lead right home, winning by ten
lengths ; North London four lengths astern of Thames.