The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-23 00:00:00

THE BRITISH FLEET AT CHRISIIANIA

A commercial letter from Christiania gives the
following gratifying account of the reception just
accorded to the British fleet on its first visit to that
capital:—

Christiania, Norway, Sept. 14.

" This quiet city has lately been in an unusual
state of excitement. A division of the Channel
fleet, under the command of Rear-Admiral Robert
Smart, consisting of the Revenge (flagship),
Emerald, Trafalgar, Galatea, the iron-plated ship
Defence, and the gunboat Trinculo, have been lying
at anchor close to the town for the last eight days.
" The presence of an English squadron in Nor•
wegian waters is an unusual sight, and it has been
most gratifying:to witness the efforts made by the
natives of all classes to show honour to the British
flag. Balls and fetes have followed each other in
rapid succession, and from the King to the working
man there has been bat one desire to express
sympathy and respect for the welcome English
guests.

"On Tuesday last his Majesty Charles XV. gave
a grand dinner at the palace to the Admiral and
his captains, and on Thursday likewise a brilliant
fete champetre, at his charming country residence,
Oscar's Hall, to which not only the Admiral and
his Staff, but all the wardroom officers of the
different ships were invited. During the supper
his Majesty proposed our Queen's health, which
was drunk amidst the most lively cheering, and
later a toast for the gallant British Navy, which
was not less enthusiastically received.
" The city of Christiania, unwilling to be
behindhand in the ' work of love,' gave a ball and
entertainment in the handsome freemasons' -hall to
the officers and midshipmen, to which Admiral
Smart was invited by a special deputation of the
citizens.

" Upwards of 1,200 persons were present, and
the arrangements for the comfort and convenience
of the guests were excellent. Among the decora-
tions the Queen's cipher and the Union Jack were
conspicuous. Here again Queen Victoria's health
and the prosperity of the British Navy were drunk
amid deafening cheers, for both of which the Ad-
miral returned thanks in a few complimentary and
appropriate words. _ _ _

" Every care had been taken by the authorities to
make our countrymen's stay agreeable. Special
landing-places were improvised for them, carriages
placed at their disposal, and with respect to the
marines and seamen on leave and o 1 shore the police
made special arrangemepte to protect them from
robbery and imposition ; in fact, I believe it has
rarely fallen to the lot of our men of war to have
been so much' lionised' and cared for in so short a
time ; awl it is but right that the British public
should know how popular they aro with their Nor-
wegian cousins.

" This is the first time an English fleet has found
its way up to the Norwegian capital, and it is to be
hoped that the reception it has met with will have
proved how thoroughly welcome it was, for nothing
could have been more cordial or spontaneously
friendly.
" The Norwegians hardly look upon the English
as strangers, but rather as old acquaintances of a
kindred race, because the two countries are united
by the most practical links of daily intercourse
through the seafaring habits of both. To whatever
part of the globe they take their vessels they find
the shores discovered by the genius and energy of
British navigators, and they find the peace of the
ocean secured under the shadow of the British flag.
In every sea they find some port or other where
industry and commerce can take refuge under its
protection, and they appreciate the boon which
enables them and every peaceful foreigner to par-
ticipate in the fruits of British enterprise. The
great expansion of the Norwegian commercial
marine is in great measure owing to the liberal
commercial policy of Great Britain. This is felt ;
and, as trade has become developed, the materials
which have arisen have strengthened the bonds that
thus unite the two countries, and in no part of the
world is the English name more popular, or the
English flag met with more respectful affection,
than in Norway."

EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT A 7 THE
MALVERN HILL _RAILWAY TUNNEL.

MALVERN, MONDAY.

Great consternation was occasioned here this
morning by the rumour that the tunnel through the
Malvern Hill, made for the Worcester and Hereford
Railway, had fallen in in the course of last night.
The accident was greatly exaggerated, but having
visited the spot to-day, I am enabled to give the
following correct details :
The Malvern tunnel, which is nearly a mile long,
and passes through the centre of the high range of
hills which form so prominent a feature in the
Worcestershire landscape, was constructed by Mr;l
Liddell, engineer to the Worcester and Hereford
t
Railway, upon its amalgamation with the 1 e
Midland. It was the keystone to the completionl
of the work, the greater portion of it boredbeing
non' i a
through hard cyanite rock. The whole
tering
arched and bricked inside throughout.
On wag con-
from the Worcestershire or east side there
structed an air-shaft about 100 yards ir! the, tunnel.
arch of
the
This shaft was built throughout of briac
of the
top of it rested on the crown
tunnel. The weight of it was of
the
eposed to have
The roofing
been the cause of the accidensatP-
noticed to be
of the tunnel at this part w
of
workmen were
cracking, and a number
rnoina
and repair it.
placed on that part to
exli on Saturday night
The men were so engagedf inside the tunnel for
' upon a scaffolding erecethern observed a bulging
the purpose, when ono Td immediately gave the
of the brickwork, !i_ii,mezi. They had not time
when the shaft broke
alarm to his fellow- when
to get off the 1:f the tunnel, and descended
scaffolding
through up the line, and
through the archway of
short distance with broken
bodily into it, "ilifPor"a
filling the tun
d %earth. Information was at once
masonry an— 81,,nal men at each mouth of the
given to the v
, of course all traffic was stopped. Mr.
tunnel, and
n,ineer of the West Midland Railway,
Wilsen' e ' manager, and other officials of the
West
Mr' ilemPl'and have been
deal of the rubbish has been removed by re-
lays of workmen,
good and an opening has been made
through, though of course the tunt.el is impassable
for trains and probably will be for a day or two
longer. In the meantime the teaffic between the
Malvern and the Colwall etation, about four miles,
is carried on by means of omnibuses, which convey
passengers and luggage over the Malvern-hills
between the two stations, causing a delay of about
an hour.

It is a most providential circumstance that the
accident happened when no train was due in the
tunnel, or the loss of life must have been frightful.
The accident is attributed to the bad arrangements
of the original engineering, and the making of an
air-shaft of such ponderosity as the one which has
caused the mishap, The affair has caused quite a
" sensation" among the visitors to this fashionable
place of resort.

SYMPATHY WITH GARlBALDL—Arrangements
have been made for a great public demonstration of sym-
pathy with Garibaldi, in Hyde Park, next Sunday after-
noon. Many thousands of persons are expected to be pre-
sent,

The directors state in their report that the receipts on re-
venue account for the half year ending the 31st of July
amounted to £49,894, including £1,373 from the preceding
half year. The expenditure amounted to £18,424, leaving
a balance of £31,469. The dividend:on the new 41 per cent.
shares amounted to £8,968; the proposed dividend on the
preference stock, at the rate.of 7 per cent per annum, would
absorb £lO,lBB, and the re•oposed dividend on the original
stock, at the rate of 7 per cent. per annum, would require
£9,690, making together £28,846, and leaving a balance of
£2,623. The working expenses, including rates and taxes,
amounted to 37 per cent. of the gross receipts, as compared
with 371 per cent. for the ccrrresponding half of last year.
The efficiency Of the rolling stock continued to be fully
maintained. The engines were being' re-tired out of re-
venue with Krupp's patent cast-steel tires, at more than
double the cost of the original tires. - All other repairs and
renewals were executed of the very best material and work-
manship, The
permanent way was in excellent order.• The
original Scotch fir fencing, with Coe exception of the 12
miles between Iluntley and Keith, lead been recently re-
newed with substantial stone dikes or galvanised cable wire
fencing; with castiron• straining pillars, and interint,diato
posts of larch. The expenditure' on Ibis head, two-thirds
s
rails
rails,u peor quality, fish-jointed.
and the cost of the of which were charged to revenue;had been unusually heavy
for the last six months, and it was proposed to spread it
superior
over three years. It was proposed also to spread over the
same period the cost of relaying the south end of the lino
Thewithadditional weight
new and
heavier
fish-
plates, bolts, and nuts were charged to capital. Fifteen
miles of the line had been relaid in this manner within the
last two years. Mr.W. Cowan, locomotive superintendent,
states that the Bogie engines continued to give the most
entire satisfaction. They were better adapted for working
round sharp curves, and were much easier on the permanent of h oef
way than the old class of engines. The six engines at pre-
sent constructing were being constructed on the same prin-
ciple, The capital account showed that £1,440,082 had been
expended, including £419,948 in subscriptions and disburse-
ments for other companies.